eBay

kalvin@ebay.com · ‎09-26-2013

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.

~Kalvin
eBay.ca Community Manager

kalvin@ebay.com

marnotom! · ‎04-20-2014

@mwc1942 wrote:

" that ~~duty~~ taxes thats not being collected"

Pointing out errors or omissions is one thing adding to what was said is a different matter.

Most posters referring to duty on these GSP threads are actually speaking of taxes, whether they realize it or not.

mwc1942 · ‎04-20-2014

"Most posters referring to duty on these GSP threads are actually speaking of taxes, whether they realize it or not"

Very well could be but I was actually referring to duty.

dasia143 · ‎04-20-2014

Quoting Marnotom!:

Seeing that Canada Post does less than these subcontractors and charges ten bucks for what it does do on the seemingly rare occasion when it does do it, four or five bucks seems like an acceptable deal to me."

--Not to me, when you consider that the GSP also:

!) disallows combined shipping

2) typically has higher shipping costs than USPS

3) may repack the item, resulting in damage, and then you have to chase them to redress the situation

4) delivers via CanPar, which if you're not home when they come by, makes you travel to a distant depot to retrieve your item

marnotom! · ‎04-21-2014

@dasia143 wrote:

Quoting Marnotom!:

Seeing that Canada Post does less than these subcontractors and charges ten bucks for what it does do on the seemingly rare occasion when it does do it, four or five bucks seems like an acceptable deal to me."

--Not to me, when you consider that the GSP also:

!) disallows combined shipping

2) typically has higher shipping costs than USPS

3) may repack the item, resulting in damage, and then you have to chase them to redress the situation

4) delivers via CanPar, which if you're not home when they come by, makes you travel to a distant depot to retrieve your item

Agreed that these can be issues, in which case you don't try use combined shipping with a seller using the GSP unless you both can figure out how and agree to work around the program, you don't buy items that are being shipped inappropriately through the program, you try to purchase GSP items where the item's country of manufacture or origin is mentioned in the "Item Specifics" section so that the package doesn't have to be opened and inspected for this information, and you purchase an item small enough to be shipped within Canada by Canada Post rather than Canpar which actually--at least for me--tries twice and accepts instructions on where to leave the item if it doesn't require a signature.

No, the GSP isn't the United States Postal System, but even USPS has issues. The type of items I tend to seek out on eBay are such that even First Class International can drive up the overall price to something I'd consider out of line. I'm sure that's the case for other buyers, too. Where is the thread about that darned rotten First Class International?

arlene_v · ‎04-21-2014

Buyers come here expecting a certain level of competence and professionalism from this program, certainly it has been advertised in this way, all gloss and hype.

The fact that buyers have to do what is suggested in Marnotom's post provides clear evidence of just how much this program is failing the grade.

marnotom! · ‎04-21-2014

@arlene_v wrote:

Buyers come here expecting a certain level of competence and professionalism from this program, certainly it has been advertised in this way, all gloss and hype.

The fact that buyers have to do what is suggested in Marnotom's post provides clear evidence of just how much this program is failing the grade.

I think what's actually happening is that buyers--if they're actually aware that they're making a GSP purchase--are expecting something very similar to the postal service, if not better. Perhaps their expectations would be held more in check if this had been called something along the lines of the "Global Forwarding Service" rather than the "Global Shipping Program" and people would be more likely to read up on the terms and conditions as a result.

No combined shipping? That's in the terms and conditions. Shouldn't be a surprise.

Higher shipping costs than USPS? If you compare it to First Class International, yes, but most commercial carriers aren't going to have shipping rates comparable to oversize letter rates. Now you could argue that Pitney Bowes should be able to finagle a great shipping discount and pass that along to buyers using the program, and from what I can see they do. The problem is that many sellers using the program don't take their domestic shipping charges into consideration when they semi-knowingly opt into the program, and that seems to be the deal-breaker.

Again, perhaps if this were marketed as a forwarding program, the shipping charges wouldn't be quite as much of a surprise to buyers. This might also help reframe the issue of repacking, although I'll grant that it doesn't do anything to improve what appears to be the pee-poor job done of this task.

As for delivery by Canpar, this strikes me as being more of a Canpar issue than a Pitney Bowes issue, and I'm not sure if changing carriers would make this situation much better. I doubt the delivery hubs of the likes of FedEx Canada or UPS Canada are generally much more conveniently located than those of Canpar. As things stand, I think Canada Post is the only national postal system that's currently partnered with the GSP. All other countries have nothing but commercial carriers partnered with the GSP for the final leg of the item's journey, and there have been a few posts suggesting that some of them are even worse than Canpar.

puretrees · ‎04-21-2014

I just want to go on record and say there's a lot of talk about the $4-$5 handling fee with PB vs the $9.95 with CP. Over the years, on hundreds of cross border purchases, of which many have been well over $100, I have maybe paid the $9.95 2-3 times. PB always charges high shipping rates and always collects import fees and the handling fee.

As a general rule, I tend to avoid sellers who use shippers like PB, DHL, UPS, and Fed Ex cause all those companies operate the same (DHL being the worst of the worst in my experience). I have no idea why people don't like using USPS; they are extremely reliable where as I've had 2 items severely damaged while in PB's care.

dean_clifford · ‎04-21-2014

The Global Shipping program has kept my purchases limited from the USA because of perceived and non-existent import duties.

reallynicestamps · ‎04-21-2014

Again, perhaps if this were marketed as a forwarding program, the shipping charges wouldn't be quite as much of a surprise to buyers. This might also help reframe the issue of repacking, although I'll grant that it doesn't do anything to improve what appears to be the pee-poor job done of this task.

This is a very good suggestion.

It is amazing how well carefully chosen naming will change the attitude of consumers.

For example, when our neighbourhood was having problems with heavy through traffic on a residential street next to a school, part of the traffic calming program was to change the name of the street from "Carling Avenue" a regional road that ran for several miles as a four to six lane carrier, to 'Glebe Avenue" when it entered our neighbourhood as a two lane street.

Worked like a charm. Traffic and accidents dropped off almost immediately.

The re-packing will be a problem until the US sellers catch on and start actually marking the place of manufacture of their items. It seems that this is the main reason for opening parcels.

Although the repackaging is still crude.

foreverlouis · ‎04-21-2014

"global shipping program" most significant cash grab in history.

paying taxes on items that SHOULD NOT EVEN be taxed. I mean used items that are half broken I am pretty sure the Canadian gov't does not tax on those. and NO items under $20 are to be taxed.

sadly more and more USA sellers are using GPS. some of them do not even have a clue what it is or why they are signed up (I have read that Ebay signs sellers up automatically for GPS unless they remove themselves from it). ruining Ebay for me for sure. I always now have to think twice if I need something THAT badly before I bid.

on top of the HUGE increase of USA sellers who WILL NOT ship to Canada under any circumstance. sadly if only MORE Canadian sellers SOLD what I am looking for, I would shop here. Canada just does not have the high volume of goods or sellers like USA.

sadly I find Amazon an even bigger nightmare. I have not even figured out if you can ask sellers questions there. shame it is not simpler like Ebay (and shipping costs on there... wow...)

marnotom! · ‎04-21-2014

@foreverlouis wrote:

paying taxes on items that SHOULD NOT EVEN be taxed. I mean used items that are half broken I am pretty sure the Canadian gov't does not tax on those. and NO items under $20 are to be taxed.

As long as the item is one that's legally taxable, it's subject to taxes no matter what the condition. If you buy a used car in my province, at least, one has to pay taxes on it no matter if it's a rusted-out Lada or a mint condition Miata.

There are a few items that actually aren't subject to the $20 tax-free threshold, such as books and tobacco. (See this page: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.html ) If the sub-$20 items you're looking at don't fall into the categories listed, make sure that the item price is in Canadian dollars, not US dollars.

Also keep in mind that "import charges" are defined in the GSP buyers' user agreement as being comprised of processing charges in addition to monies earmarked toward taxes and duties.

@foreverlouis wrote:

sadly more and more USA sellers are using GPS. some of them do not even have a clue what it is or why they are signed up (I have read that Ebay signs sellers up automatically for GPS unless they remove themselves from it). ruining Ebay for me for sure. I always now have to think twice if I need something THAT badly before I bid.

Agreed that it seems that many sellers using the GSP have no idea that they've agreed to use the program, but I think it's more because of the sneaky way eBay and Pitney Bowes get them into the program, which is an "I agree" button at the bottom of the updated eBay.com user agreement. If people actually read the user agreement, they'll find that clicking the button signifies that they agree to using the GSP in their listings. If they don't scan it that thoroughly, they'll likely click the "I agree" button thinking that it means that they've agreed to the updated UA.

I've only purchased a small handful of items on eBay since the GSP kicked in (although my wife's more than made up for my lack of activity), but my biggest purchase was a GSP item. It was a smartphone that no Canadian carrier offers, and because the seller offered free shipping within the US, the GSP's shipping charge was actually very reasonable, as were the import charges which were less than the taxes I'd have to pay if I were somehow able to get the item from a seller in BC registered to collect PST and GST.

I'll have to admit that it took a lot of time, research and number-crunching to get to that stage, but I think the payoff was worth it in my case. My experience seems to be more the exception to the rule, though, although there may be many crazy Canucks who are quite happy with the GSP who simply haven't bothered posting to this discussion board.

00nevermind00 · ‎04-22-2014

@marnotom! wrote:
Agreed that it seems that many sellers using the GSP have no idea that they've agreed to use the program, but I think it's more because of the sneaky way eBay and Pitney Bowes get them into the program, which is an "I agree" button at the bottom of the updated eBay.com user agreement. If people actually read the user agreement, they'll find that clicking the button signifies that they agree to using the GSP in their listings. If they don't scan it that thoroughly, they'll likely click the "I agree" button thinking that it means that they've agreed to the updated UA.

Sellers presented with a "New User Agreement" who think that by clicking on the "I Agree" button they are agreeing to... a New User Agreement! Imagine that! It's funny, but not funny.

Not everyone on eBay has the time to read every single word presented to them. And I guess that until now, there would have been no reason to think that a "New User Agreement" was anything but. I know we'll never see the numbers for the GSP but I sure would love to! I really have to wonder why eBay feels the need to round up sellers into the program in such a sneaky and under-handed way. I don't recall this being done for any other program. I also have to wonder about all the back-pedaling that they have done about the program. My hope is that once the contract is up, eBay will dump PB and, if they really feel the need to have a program of this type, that they'll hook up with an outfit that actually knows what they are doing!

marnotom! · ‎04-22-2014

@00nevermind00 wrote:

Sellers presented with a "New User Agreement" who think that by clicking on the "I Agree" button they are agreeing to... a New User Agreement! Imagine that! It's funny, but not funny.

Not everyone on eBay has the time to read every single word presented to them. And I guess that until now, there would have been no reason to think that a "New User Agreement" was anything but. I know we'll never see the numbers for the GSP but I sure would love to! I really have to wonder why eBay feels the need to round up sellers into the program in such a sneaky and under-handed way. I don't recall this being done for any other program. I also have to wonder about all the back-pedaling that they have done about the program. My hope is that once the contract is up, eBay will dump PB and, if they really feel the need to have a program of this type, that they'll hook up with an outfit that actually knows what they are doing!

The user agreement set-up is pretty sneaky. I've seen a screenshot and the button's at the bottom of a frame with the agreement in it, and there's no context surrounding the button.

I get the impression that the idea is that you accept the agreement whether or not you click on the button. It's only if you don't accept the agreement that you're led to a page giving you instructions on how to leave eBay.

From the eBay FAQ quoted in http://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/comments/2013/8/1375655938.html :

If you decide to use the Global Shipping Program, simply accept the User Agreement in the form of an electronic click-through, when it is presented to you at log in.

I'm assuming that means that if you don't decide to use the Global Shipping Program but still want to use eBay, don't use the electronic click-through. Continuing to use the site is seen as your acceptance of the UA.

At the top of the user agreement is a contents list, one of the items being the Global Shipping Program, so even if somebody doesn't read the entire agreement, there's at least a tip off that there's something odd there to which they should give closer attention.

I think there's a precedent to this, though. Does anyone remember how PayPal was made a "required" payment method until there was some backlash in the form of a class action lawsuit on anti-trust grounds? PayPal is no longer "required" although it's still not really possible for smaller sellers to sell on eBay without it given the way the Accepted Payments Policy is structured.

hushstar · ‎04-22-2014

I am more of a buyer than a seller 🙂

Am from Canada and frequently buy from the US. Since ebay introduced their Global Shipping program the IMPORT CHARGES field now appears on every bid item and sometimes the import fees are higher than the cost of the bid item as shown in the attached picture. I have personally verified several items shipped via ebay's Global Shipping Program with staggering import charge, DO NOT actually have an import duty, that these items are indeed duty free, according to representatives from Canada Customs.

As an example the item in the photo for CBD Oil bid price is $30 US however it has a $91.89 US import charge. I called Canada Customs to inquire specifically about the import charges for this item and they advised that this item would be imported duty free; therefore no import charge would apply. The only charge would the be applicable taxes which in my case would be the GST for Alberta, Canada.

Another example is telescopes. Canada Customs advises that there would be NO import charges for telescopes made in the US or Mexico. Meade telescopes are made in Mexico therefore there would be no import or duty charges into Canada for telescopes purchased in the US. However if you view the attached ebay auction item for a Meade telescope MY import charges are $176.93.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? The Global Shipping Program is falsely estimating Import Charges which is affecting sellers ability to cater to a larger market. For example because the seller of the CBD Oil is using the Global Shipping Program with an incorrect $92 US import charge there is no way I would buy this item, however if this seller removed this item from the Global Shipping Program, I could actually afford to buy the item if the seller would ship the item themselves and I would end up paying NO import charges. The Global Shipping Program may be convenient for sellers but it has become an unnecessary financial burden for buyers and someone (ie. ebay global shipping) is making a lot of money as a result by charges huge fees for no services rendered.

john55l · ‎04-22-2014

Completely agree hushstar...
Hadn't been on EBay in a few months and after searching and reading different postings I am now only looking at sellers who aren't listing Global Shipping program as part of their charges - looks to me like a complete rip off and money grab - example $44.00 for a pair of Nike sunglasses and over $30.00 in "import charges" and postage ???!!??

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-23-2014

In the telescope listing the seller does not have the country of origin listed in the item specifics so the gsp system has no way of knowing that it was made in a NAFTA country. The seller can probably not add that info to the listing now because there are already bids but you could ask them to try to add it in.

That's really odd that the import charge would be so high on the oil listing. Even if it was a dutiable item, duty shouldn't be that much higher than the value of the item.. There has got to be some sort of glitch with that listing.

afantiques · ‎04-23-2014

As usual, import 'duty' is being confused with import sales tax. On the telescope, certainly, I can't see anything relating to oil.

marnotom! · ‎04-23-2014

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

In the telescope listing the seller does not have the country of origin listed in the item specifics so the gsp system has no way of knowing that it was made in a NAFTA country. The seller can probably not add that info to the listing now because there are already bids but you could ask them to try to add it in.

As AF points out, the import charges appear to be for taxes, not duty. The amount charged for import charges on the telescope is less than what I'd pay in British Columbia GST and PST combined.

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

That's really odd that the import charge would be so high on the oil listing. Even if it was a dutiable item, duty shouldn't be that much higher than the value of the item.. There has got to be some sort of glitch with that listing.

The seller appears to have listed the oil with First Class International shipping now. If it's purchased by a Canadian buyer, the only issue to deal with now is whether Canada customs will allow the item into the country.

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-23-2014

@afantiques wrote:
As usual, import 'duty' is being confused with import sales tax. On the telescope, certainly, I can't see anything relating to oil.

I'm familiar with the difference.

The poster stated they were in Alberta which has 5% gst and no provincial tax. Taxes should be $84, not $176

Also, as mentioned, there is no country of origin listed so it makes sense that both duty and sales tax would be on the listing.

But for some reason I thought that there were bids on the telescope but there are not. It would be interesting to see if the import fees change if the seller added in the country of origin.

There are two different listings in the attachment.

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-23-2014

@marnotom! wrote:
@pjcdn2005 wrote:

In the telescope listing the seller does not have the country of origin listed in the item specifics so the gsp system has no way of knowing that it was made in a NAFTA country. The seller can probably not add that info to the listing now because there are already bids but you could ask them to try to add it in.

As AF points out, the import charges appear to be for taxes, not duty. The amount charged for import charges on the telescope is less than what I'd pay in British Columbia GST and PST combined.

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

That's really odd that the import charge would be so high on the oil listing. Even if it was a dutiable item, duty shouldn't be that much higher than the value of the item.. There has got to be some sort of glitch with that listing.

The seller appears to have listed the oil with First Class International shipping now. If it's purchased by a Canadian buyer, the only issue to deal with now is whether Canada customs will allow the item into the country.