Comments about the Global Shipping Program

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Feel free to share your thoughts about the Global Shipping Program here. 

A few questions to get the ball rolling:

• What has worked well for you with the Global Shipping Program?
• Any ideas to help improve the experience for Canadian buyers?
• What has deterred you from buying items offered using the Global Shipping Program?
• How have you managed to search for items outside the program?

Please try & keep the comments constructive 🙂

If you have any questions about the program, please post them here.

[i*m-still-here]

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@afantiques wrote:

Also have flashing red lights when someone goes to bid on an item and misses global shipping!

Some people would give money to a crook who says 'I am going to steal your money' because they admire his honesty.

There is only so far you can go to protect people from the effects of their own stupidity, then you just have to stand back and watch the train wrecks.

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For marmo/afantiques

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You posted that people who buy via the GSP and miss the fact that they will get smacked with unexpected costs are so stupid that there is no way to protect them.

You've just insulted the hundreds of posters above who did just that.

[cosmicwaiter]

Hopefully, Sellers may see this post.  I am a Canadian buyer and seller.  I would like to point out that people who ship using the GSP program need to have their eyes open to the fact that, this is costing you cold, hard cash.  Right now I am buying mostly trading cards that may cost about $2.00 or maybe $5.00 to send.  Yes, your item may sell but, your income depends on people, like myself place bids that drive the price of your items higher.  Without bids your ending price does not rise.  Its funny but we all go through the time posting our auctions and our cost of our inventory, yet, by the time that it sells several establishments have their hand out for their cut.  This program is beyond a cut, it is a gouge, a gaping wound.  When I buy a $20.00 Item,  I am hit with $6.00 duty as well as, an extra $14.00.  Wow!  Use your head and do your math.  $40.00 for a $20.00 item?  Do you know what is really insane?  It gets worse for the buyer as the your buying price goes up.  I have been buying on Ebay for 15 years and this option is the biggest slap in the face yet. To the seller and the buyer.  I have never been charged duty on anything under $95.00 that has been sent to me.  I would like all you sellers to know that, If you use this option.  My bidding money will be going to the sellers that,  Have enough respect for themselves and their customers, not to even suggest that they pay a phenomenal amount of money to have their items sent to them.  You may think that it costs the buyer but, it also causes your business to suffer.  I am not the only one who sees it this way.

[marnotom!]

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

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@afantiques wrote:

Also have flashing red lights when someone goes to bid on an item and misses global shipping!

Some people would give money to a crook who says 'I am going to steal your money' because they admire his honesty.

There is only so far you can go to protect people from the effects of their own stupidity, then you just have to stand back and watch the train wrecks.

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For marmo/afantiques

---

You posted that people who buy via the GSP and miss the fact that they will get smacked with unexpected costs are so stupid that there is no way to protect them.

You've just insulted the hundreds of posters above who did just that.

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I still don't see any reference to the GSP in what AF posted himself, I*m.  Where does AF refer to the GSP, or eBay buyers for that matter?

[walker0017]

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Marnotom! wrote

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

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@afantiques wrote:

Also have flashing red lights when someone goes to bid on an item and misses global shipping!

Some people would give money to a crook who says 'I am going to steal your money' because they admire his honesty. 

There is only so far you can go to protect people from the effects of their own stupidity, then you just have to stand back and watch the train wrecks.

---

For marmo/afantiques

---

You posted that people who buy via the GSP and miss the fact that they will get smacked with unexpected costs are so stupid that there is no way to protect them. 

You've just insulted the hundreds of posters above who did just that.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

I still don't see any reference to the GSP in what AF posted himself, I*m.  Where does AF refer to the GSP, or eBay buyers for that matter?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

marnotom!, if I may interject before this might get heated, I think the quote I*m-still-here is referring to afantiques put in the first statement/sentence in italics quote "Also have flashing red lights when someone goes to bid on an item and misses global shipping!" unquote. When I read it the first time I interpreted that to mean the global shipping statement as the GSP. Now I could be wrong but the only person who could clarify the whole thing is afantiques. As for the rest about buyer stupidity I did not interpret it as an insult to the posters here, at least I as a buyer wasn't insulted. 🙂

[afantiques]

My comment was a reaction to the suggestion, possibly humourous, that GSP items should be more prominently labelled, and the gist of it was that there is no safety net so clever that some fool won't manage to miss it.

[afantiques]

Hopefully, Sellers may see this post. 

You need to post on ebay.com boards, such as seller central.

I doubt if more than two or three US sellers read this board.

[dugid]

Bought a $40 item from the US.  Was happy with the $16.95 shipping that had been listed, but ebay's Global Shipping Levy was only listed as $0 when I first bid, as the item was at 0.99 then!  

Ended up paying an extra $60 for the Global Shipping rip-off!  Even UK customs don't charge 150% on top.

One of the claims for the service is the tracking.  That was very useful.....I was then able to watch the item sitting in a postal depot for a week and a half! 

I wonder if sellers realise that they are getting less for their items because buyers will not bid on Global Shipping Program listings?

[i*m-still-here]

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@afantiques wrote:

My comment was a reaction to the suggestion, possibly humourous, that GSP items should be more prominently labelled, and the gist of it was that there is no safety net so clever that some fool won't manage to miss it.

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Exactly as I read it then.

The buyers you see as fools, I see as eager shoppers worthy of respect and not prepared for all the pitfalls which is ebay..

[arlene_v]

Buyers have to be savvy when they shop online (or anywhere for that matter). These are binding contracts they are entering into .. so it behooves them to read what is written on the screen when placing a bid or committing to a BIN.

Do I think the GSP is doing a great job explaining all the charges ..not so much, but really,. we could do with more laughs around here ... this enraged angst does get a bit much after a while ... and I  agree with Walker, I  certainly don't feel insulted AF's  post. Not even slightly.

Buyer responsibility is part of the equation. It would be great if more folks took the time to think about this, probably the GSP would die a faster death if people actually looked at the charges and analyzed them. 

[afantiques]

The buyers you see as fools, I see as eager shoppers worthy of respect and not prepared for all the pitfalls which can be found on ebay..

Respect has to be earned, all that those 'eager shoppers' are entitled to is a chance at a fair deal.

Not 'a fair deal', just the chance at one. Those who think before acting, and find those fair deals earn respect, those who act first and complain later may learn something if it is pointed out to them that this is not a good life plan in any  field. If they continue to make the same mistakes, can this be anything but foolish behaviour?

PS, I loved 'enraged angst', and could not have expressed it better.

[femmefan1946]

Love the 'enraged angst' description. Plan to steal it when the opportunity arises, which should be in 10...9...8...

[kdusoewoir]

I totally agree.  As a Canadian, I am always looking for a deal in XStitch... items that are low priced and low shipping.  When I come across an item with shipping way too high for the final value, I question the seller, as to the use of GSP or even Priority International, which is also high priced.  Some sellers modify listing so that I can bid comfortably, and other don't seem to have a clue how to make changes.  I always advise that a lost sale is due to the method of shipping they have chosen. It is unfortunate, that anyone has to lose a sale because of ignorance.

[bennett4612]

Hi dugid. 

First off sorry to hear you weren't happy with the GSP Program Fees. Fees are shown as estimates on the listing, based on current bid. And then actual fees are shown on the checkout page. The #s you are quoting do sound a little out of whack for a $40 item; if you would like me to look into it from this end please send me a private message and include transaction #, item #, + eBay user id and email address used. 

Details on GSP Program Fees can be found here:  http://pages.ebay.com/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html

In regards to tracking, the Program is set up to provide end-to-end tracking. That being said, we have encountered transactions where no tracking events are shown between the US Shipping Center and final destination. This is something we are working on with Pitney Bowes, as clearly additional tracking events are needed. It may be little or no comfort, but chances are your item was not sitting in a postal depot for a week; my guess is that it was in transit and was an item where tracking events were not added along the way. 

Hope this helps. And again, please feel free to send me a private message if you would like me to look into any specific transactions. 

---Bennett

[assan1961]

you heard.......inutiles ces surcharges......

[afantiques]

bennet, the site www.trackyourparcel.eu which seems to be associated with GSP items is completely useless and should be the first thing to look at.

A working site that can deal with the unique tracking number format of GSP items would be a small step forward.

[tori*m]

I HATE THE GLOBAL SHIPPING!

It's the worst program I have ever seen, and I will NEVER bid on another item that uses it ever again!

I purchased a $24 dress last week (a bridesmaid dress, which I NEED asap because the wedding is April 5th)

and before I bid I messaged the seller to make sure it would be here asap.

She said it would.

I paid more than $30 for priority shipping, and then it said $12 for import... whatever, I needed the dress, so I paid it.

After I won the item, I had paid $80! Very annoying, but again, I needed it so I paid it.

WHAT'S SO UPSETTING TO ME is that I paid A LOT of money for PRIORITY SHIPPING, and the estimated date I got was March 25! Are you guys OUT OF YOUR **bleep** MINDS?!

I WOULD HAVE RATHER JUST PAID FOR PRIORITY SHIPPING WITH THE USPS, I'D HAVE MY ITEM BY NOW!

I have never ever been charged duty before and I shop often from the US.... I would just pay the duty if I had to.

I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOATHE THIS PROGRAM AND HOW HORRIBLE IT MAKES EBAY LOOK!

SO UNFAIR SO UNFAIR SO UNFAIR

[roadrunners123]

I strongly agree with this...

[pjcdn2005]

tori - If all goes well, you should receive it before that. The seller's listing states that she ships within 15 business days so the arrival date would take that time into account.  But if she told you she would ship right away, it should be quicker than the date you were given.

[cerebus]

My two cents (as a 100% bidder and buyer, not a seller) -- I hate the GSP and will avoid auctions that feature it as much as possible.  I have concluded, after much experience, that it is an unfair, expensive, ridiculous, wasteful, nonsensical scam -- and those are its GOOD points.  Therefore, a word of advice to all USA-based sellers:  The GSP is a still an OPTION for you.. do NOT opt into it for your international auctions, please!  Thank you.