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.

[femmefan1946]

The one and only item I purchased through the GSP was under $50 but over $20. EBay does not recommend that sellers use the GSP for items of this low value.

(The item was a copy of the "Serenity Blueprints" book, printed in the USA. It's ephemera from a long-cancelled short-lived TV science fiction show. )

There were only a few offered (none on Amazon, interestingly) and the only one with GSP shipping was also the lowest priced even with the sales tax and shipping fee.

The seller did not note that it was printed in the USA so it was opened at the GSP plant in Kentucky.

Point of story, GSP should not have been used. The item was opened at the GSP plant. I paid sales tax and shipping charges.

And it was still cheaper than any other copy offered on eBay or Amazon.

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

[lumbercanada]

I am done with the Global Shipping Scam.

For starters sellers now send a Trackable package to pitney bowes. The number is then useless..

We lose 2-4 days just for our package to go no where instead of directly to us the old way!

Then it sits at pitney bowes, most times they repackage what was received and don't care about protection. Bubble wrap etc. They jam it into smaller boxes to save them more money again skimming off the top!

Once the item leaves we get a useless tracking number from them. They sure as heck know how it was sent UPS, USPS etc, We WANT THAT tracking number not a useless Pitney Bowes one.. Why don't we get this number? Simple you can't see the rip off carrier of choice that you overpaid shipping for.

Also there is no way to contact a seller if a auction price is wrong. Example i was going to order 7' of high temp wire shipping was $9.95 (excessive for an envelope, but besides the point). Ebay had some magic formula to charge per foot the shipping to be over $42 plus GSP fees after that so would have been over $65.

Needless to say i did the deal side steeping Ebay, cause there was ZERO way to correct the overcharged shipping! I

Sure we all know Ebay is losing money and not hitting financial targets. This Global shipping scam is just another way to try to create revenue. Selling to Canada and offering the GSP is a total sham! It offers the seller nothing different then before the program, well besides ebay ripping us off along with this pitney bowes scam.

I avoid any seller with GSP because it's clearly a cash grab when the shipping fee the seller wants, the GSP want along with import fees higher 90% of the time then the item is worth. They can stick it.

This program should be REMOVED for Canadians as it's just hurting sales. Everyone avoids this scam.

But venting is pointless because Ebay couldn't care less what buyers or sellers think. It's all about dollars and sense. To bad the CEO has no clue.

Also still waiting to see a REAL Tax number from Pitney Bowes like Amazon and other US seller provide on receipts. Pitney Bowes receipts are clearly a joke and no tax number is included. We all no they are just skimming tax money and not submitting it to Canada. They are a ("middle man") right.....

[karl*katz]

Your post is more likely to be seen by US based sellers if you posted on the US discussion boards.

[brandeentertainment]

Sense Gsp program international sales on ebay has grown 13% .... Let's see what this year brings because I believe that 13% was made up of never again customers and happened without sellers even knowing they chose to shipping internationally ..

I had some bad and some good experiences with it but there are so many post on this subject it has been beaten to death ..

Ebay should do something about it I mean and company with that many complaints should realize it bad not good .... I mean ebay will kick you off selling for what 10 Negs out of 500 for yearly sales ...

I wonder how many Negative ratings this program would have had ...

Ebay WE PRIDE OURSELF ON MAKING BUYERS EXPERIENCE THE BEST IT CAN BE WE ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING TO MAKE IT BETTER...

I am just gonna put this out there ... YOUR GSP PROGRAMS HAS LOST YOU MORE CUSTOMERS THEN PROBABLY THE LAST 1000 buyers you have kicked off here ...

Although it is no lies or stealing and I completely understand how it works it has still manage to lose or tick off so many buyer for ebay that it doesn't take even a 10 year old to tell you that the program is driving away buyers but I guess everything has it's perks and this program will never go away so let's all get use to shopping domectically,off ebay or with knowledge and no how..

[femmefan1946]

I agree Brandee.

Unless eBay can work out a way to clearly tell US sellers what their foreign customers will pay in import fees, they are doing their US sellers a disservice.

On the other hand, we both export and disenchantment with a program that we don't have to use can only be good for us.

I don't believe there's a power in the 'verse can stop Kaylee from bein' cheerful. Sometimes you just wanna duct-tape her mouth and dump her in the hold for a month. -- Captain Malcolm Reynolds

[afantiques]

I doubt Pitney Bowes is paying the import charges that are collected especially for items under $100

They would be paying what is strictly due, and that is the equivalent to Canadian sales taxes on items over $20 and any applicable duty charges.

The GSP import process has nothing in common with the postal import process apart from having the same ground rules. Ground rules that are often ignored in the buyer's favour when items are sent postally but are still applicable in theory.

The truer comparison is with imports by courier.

[bp-elec1]

Until we get legal receipts showing the actual paper trail of the money we have paid - we have no assurance that PB has paid the GST to the Canadian government.

Need the actual B3 form - which is the only legal receipt that CRA will allow you to claim if you are importing and doing the input tax credits.

The way PB and eBay is dragging this out makes it "appear" that there may be some funny business going on with the tax money.

Only a legal B3 with PB tax number on will do.

bp

[kris24k]

Prices to seem to be a little steep.

[bp-elec1]

In my discussion with a young lady at the GSP program this morning - PB claims that they do not have to issue receipts or B3 forms since this is only for "private" citizens and not for business.

Correct me if I am wrong - but where in Canadian law does it say that a private citizen is not entitled to a receipt for taxes paid?

No receipts issued - suggests that something is not being done legally in this program.

Paper trails are always required - or at the bare minimum a receipt is offered to any and all transactions.

Receipts detail what you have paid to whom and what taxes and fees were paid for the item.

bp

[thegreatcanadiannorthernstar]

19very since the ebay global shipping program came, I purchased my last 75 item through it. The main benefit of the ebay global program is the avoidance of UPS, FED EX fees which many have complained about before, with everyone saying, god help you if your purchase through UPS, as you will get dinged a huge percentage of value. You can view UPS charge rates for clearance alone at their site.  Pitney is clearing these items for a nominal fee of a few dollars!!!. 

Many sellers now ship with only a small amount extra charged for shipping, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THE ITEM PRICE ALREADY INCLUDES SHIPPING TO ANY USA DESTINATION. The best example is 60 lb bird cages i have purchased from bestshoiceproducts.  149 for the cage 15 extra for ebay global shipping cost, and 22 more for customs clearance , duty, and taxes. Never see deals like this before the existance of the global program. if you know your border rules , you already know your border charges are for gst. pst, hst, or duty.  Chinese items carry 6.5 extra duty, and technically all provinces want the sales tax on all imports and the feds want the gst. For manitoba that is 19 percent taxes extra if the item is china made, and aprox 13 percent extra on all items imported. A lot of complanining over nothing!!! I say. 

The only drawbacks is that they seem to want to open stuff up for some reason. Probably because they are the ones declaring country of origion this can not always be determined by a packaging box, especially if you got a power amplifier coming in a microwave box from a seller.  OTher than this issue, the program has been a huge money saver for me. 

[afantiques]

the program has been a huge money saver for me.

This can happen on heavy items, that birdcage must have been a loss for them on shipping. Stick to the right bulky and weighty items and they can be cheaper. I'd not pack up and lug that 60 pound lump down to the local post office for $15.

But, most complaints are about the use of GSP for lightweight items that could eassily and safely travel by basic airmail.

[pjcdn2005]

The main benefit of the ebay global program is the avoidance of UPS, FED EX fees which many have complained about before, with everyone saying, god help you if your purchase through UPS, as you will get dinged a huge percentage of value

But until the gsp, most U.S. sellers shipped to Canada using USPS so the chances of getting charged for any taxes or fees was minimal. But I agree that shipping for that birdcage was a great deal and I'm sure it would have been more expensive to ship via any other method.

[seakayakerbruce]

I find with the added costs of the GSP and the exchange rate on the US dollar vs Cdn dollar at this point in time.......I will probably discontinue using ebay......intially i found prices very reasonable......now they are very expensive ,especially consdiering I pay shipping and import charges in US dollars.......when the dollar comes back towards par with the US ,I may go back to using ebay.

It just costs too much when the items are expensive!!!!  Canadians are probably a very small percentage of the seller's market......and sadly we have little shopping choices here.

[roadkinglady1]

This program is for the birds, many items have the import charge and it doesn't even apply to the item!!

This appears to be a big money grab and it stops me from buying many items from the USA.

Big mistake , I know many others who shop less to because of this!!!!!!!!!!!

[jersey..authentix]

This really sucks. I didnt pay enough attention to my sellers listing and only noticed now that there is an additional $36.00 import charge to my bill. If I knew this was coming I would probably not have made the purchase. I dont mind having to pay duties or other taxes but I would rather take my chances. Most of the time I havent had to pay anything. This program guarantees that you are paying.

[nan*55]

Yes it really does "suck". Happened to me when the progam first started 😞

[grenfellbuckfisher]

If you check the charges, NONE of them are actually for duty, they are a BROKER'S FEE! This is a obvious RIP-OFF and not necessary. If ebay doesn't GET RID OF IT, I will not buy ANY international purchases. Since there are little or no good Canadian dealers, ebay can kiss my a$$ goodbye.

[femmefan1946]

Again, any item over $20, regardless of place of manufacture or age or whether it is used or new, is subject to sales tax which runs between 5% and 15% of value of the imported item.

And another error made by buyers is believing that an item BOUGHT in a NAFTA country is not subject to duty. In fact it is the place where the item is MANUFACTURED that determines whether or not duty is applicable.

The service charge on ascertaining the duty and tax applicable (and the cost of shipping from the USA to Canada) seems to be about $5.

[afantiques]

The service charge on ascertaining the duty and tax applicable (and the cost of shipping from the USA to Canada) seems to be about $5.

The cost of shipping is quite another item from the service charge for the import process. You will not get anything shipped for $5.

[marnotom!]

---

@bp-elec1 wrote:

In my discussion with a young lady at the GSP program this morning - PB claims that they do not have to issue receipts or B3 forms since this is only for "private" citizens and not for business.

Correct me if I am wrong - but where in Canadian law does it say that a private citizen is not entitled to a receipt for taxes paid?

No receipts issued - suggests that something is not being done legally in this program.

Paper trails are always required - or at the bare minimum a receipt is offered to any and all transactions.

Receipts detail what you have paid to whom and what taxes and fees were paid for the item.

---

As far as Pitney Bowes sees it, you didn't pay the taxes owing on the item.  With a GSP purchase, you allow (possibly under questionable means) Pitney Bowes to act as importer on your behalf and it's the one who goes on record as having paid the taxes owing on the import.  The "import charges" are, in effect, an amount "paid back" to Pitney Bowes plus a few other bells and whistles.

The terms and conditions for the GSP state that the program isn't to be used for items intended for resale.  I'm assuming that's to get around the whole issue of receipts for taxes and duty paid.  However, it would seem that Pitney Bowes didn't anticipate that purchasers of items through the GSP may require detailed receipts for other reasons.