@arlene_v wrote:
(snip)
What are these powersellers selling?
I buy vintage costume jewelry and many sellers are using the GSP for that, totally wrong fit IMO ...I just can't imagine a brooch worth $20 and light as a feather selling via the GSP to any sane buyers.
The sellers have been duped into participating with the programme through eBay's shiny "this is good for you" marketing. Where in all of the GSP emails, etc the programme is declared a gift from a diety without flaw that will shield them from incovneniences, shield them from going over the 45 day limit, etc, etc.
eBay/PBI has created an atmosphere where any actual information on how the GSP works is hidden away in the T&C's or can only be calculated based on speculation alone.
eBay hasn't educated sellers, only advertised to them.
But I am beginning to realize that there is quite a bit of insanity about. Esp. on Ebay. Seems a lot of buyers can't see costs that stare them right in the face, nor seem to see the screen that prompts them to accept these costs as part of the final purchase ...most odd.
While the costs may in fact be staring them in the face, the fact of the matter remains the words "Import Charges" and the like are in large meaningless to many consumers while the words "Tax" and "Duty" would raise more attention as they have historical meaning in trade and sales. Neither eBay nor PBI are interested in providing a breakdown as it means they can be audited more by taxation authorities, so they operate the programme more like an insurance scheme that you pay a lumpsum in hopes it pays for the tax and duty, and they keep any overages because the T&C's permit them to.
On top of this, there are sometimes one-of a kind items that a consumer may really want but is under the GSP and is unaware they can contact the seller for direct shipping/billing because of how railroaded the GSP really is.
This is what is causing the outrage about the GSP, the fact it's a single-sided process (with illusionary advertising to sellers that it will help them) that screws both the buyers and sellers. Sellers in that it may cause their sales to "go away" inexplicably, and Buyers in that it isn't an option like an alternate shipping service where multiple kinds of shipping are available along with lack of transparency.
The usage of weasel-words like "Import Charges" are exactly like a bad telecom with "Network Access Charge" where they can invent terms and charge against those terms without consumer protection, where since those terms are meaningless outside of the context of the organization there is no legal limits on when it becomes usury.
c!~~_7.JPG "kalvin@ebay.com"){kind=avatar}
