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.

[digitronix]

Wow !!! eBay really needs to review this GSP process. Some of the stories I have read are just unbelievable. Again, give us an option for searching for listings without GSP

[3islanders]

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@bennett4612 wrote:

The intention of the GSP is to open up the marketplace, for both buyer and seller. The idea being that this is good for everyone; buyers get new (US) sellers, seller get new (international) buyers, and eBay enables more transactions.

One of these changes was to add additional levels of customization to the GSP. For instance a seller can choose to use the GSP ... but then choose NOT to use it for Canada.

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"Opening up the marketplace" with overpriced goods (they are rendered overpriced by the extra -- unnecessary -- shipping cost) is useless.  Canadian buyers get new sellers they will not buy from.  What's the point?

Many sellers do not understand the program.  However the customization works, if they don't understand how the basic shipping process even works, they won't figure out "levels" of customization.

Where are some statistics showing that this program has increased eBay sales?  What do those statistics say about Canadian sales?

There are over 3000 posts in this thread?!?!!?  Which part of "we hate this program" does eBay not understand?

[afantiques]

Some of the stories I have read are just unbelievable.

Many are based in simple ignorance of the process. It's a bad idea very badly implemented but there is nothing that something widely misunderstood cannot be fouled up irretrievably by simple human blundering. All quite believeable.

[jean-philippe.vert]

That is true.

However, I would prefer GSP over a fowarder like shipito. At least with GSP, you are backed by Ebay/Paypal. When a forwarder has your parcel he can do whatever he wants to get more money and you lose Buyer Protection. My 2 cts.

[reallynicestamps]

"Opening up the marketplace" with overpriced goods (they are rendered overpriced by the extra -- unnecessary -- shipping cost) is useless.

Many of the problems have been caused because the program opened up the marketplace. The idea was to encourage US sellers a very provincial group to consider selling internationally.

Well, that part worked, but many of those moving to "easy' international selling* had no clue what they were signing up for.

We've seen sellers who, instead of shipping to Kentucky for transshipment, ship directly to the customer, inflicting double import fee.

We've seen customers selling $1.00 or $10 items with $20 to $50 shipping costs. (EBay doesn't encourage this**)

We've seen many buyers who don't believe they should have to pay sales tax "because: NAFTA".

Frankly the whole thing was badly introduced.

But.

If there was no such program, many thousands of US sellers would not be willing to sell to you (or to Puerto Rico or Hawai'i btw) because they are paranoid about sales outside the Lower 48 States. So from that point of view, GSP is working.

* 'easy' selling because the seller is only responsible until the item arrives in Kentucky. No customs forms. No damage or non-delivery claims, which are now GSP responsibility.

** EBay suggests that sellers not use the program for items selling under $50. But they do not have anything on their Sell Your Item form drawing this to the attention of the seller. It would not be difficult in my opinion, because they have similar suggestions that pop up if a listing mentions Native American or Nazi items, which have certain restrictions, and on often counterfeited items like stamps.

[marnotom!]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

** EBay suggests that sellers not use the program for items selling under $50. But they do not have anything on their Sell Your Item form drawing this to the attention of the seller. It would not be difficult in my opinion, because they have similar suggestions that pop up if a listing mentions Native American or Nazi items, which have certain restrictions, and on often counterfeited items like stamps.

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It's a bit of an apples and oranges comparison, though.  eBay's $50 rule of thumb is simply a guideline, while the types of items you're describing may potentially have legal issues surrounding them.

In addition, it's likely that a $50 item weighing 5 kg would be less expensive to ship through the Global Shipping Program compared to the postal system than one weighing 500 grams, even with the "import charges" factored in.  

I think we need to stop the hand-wringing over this $50 guideline.  It's not particularly useful.  What would be more useful to state--and I doubt that Pitney Bowes would allow eBay to state this--is that items that can ship safely as international oversize letters are generally not good fits for the Global Shipping Program.  Besides, sellers unfamiliar with international shipping won't be able to wrap their heads around the concept of shipping "oversize international letters" anyway.

I generally agree with the rest of your post though, Stamps, although I'm not sure how many sellers were actually "encouraged" to use the Global Shipping Program and how many were dragged into it unknowingly.

[highland.2112]

I'm still trying to find out from eBay what a "professional custom processor" is. Surely that is a typo and they meam "customs processor".

Surely.

[digger604]

I have been reading posts about GSP after another difficult shipping experience, never a problem with the old system. My take is that it's just GREED on the part of EBAY I suspect management at Pitney Bowes and Ebay  cooked this up over cocktails. Nicely done,you have managed to **bleep** off just as many CANADIANS as our own government.    Gerald Sayers

[dasia143]

The GSP would be more palatable to Canadians if we could be sure we know ALL the costs before bidding, if it allowed for combined shipping, if the shipping cost itself was more reasonable, if the "import duties" were consistent and more in line with the percentages we're accustomed to paying at the border, and if we didn't have to worry about fragile parcels being poorly repacked in Kentucky.  Also the GSP's use of a courier rather than Canada Post for delivery raises the concern that one may have to drive a long distance to pick up the item if not at home when it arrives.

All this makes the GSP very user-unfriendly, so naturally many of us just wish we didn't have to sift through GSP listings when we go hunting on eBay.

[dasia143]

Quoting froogal-electronic,

"the writing on the wall is clear that all governments are looking to close all the tax loopholes they can. Pitney Bowes / ebay are taking advantage of this, and the governments I am sure are not complaining."

I hope that if this is the direction things go in, that competition will bring down excessive profiteering on shipping and/or brokerage fees. UPS seems to overcharge on brokerage, PB on shipping. So far Borderfree seems to be the only one offering fair costs on both.

And let's keep patronizing sellers willing to ship light, low-cost items by USPS!

[marnotom!]

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@dasia143 wrote:

UPS seems to overcharge on brokerage, PB on shipping. So far Borderfree seems to be the only one offering fair costs on both.

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I think the biggest reason the Global Shipping Program's shipping charges are often out of whack is because sellers don't provide information on the item's packaged weight, so the "GSP bot" ends up making something up.

Also keep in mind that if the seller ships by a (relatively) pricey shipping method to Kentucky, that expense gets added onto the overall shipping cost for a GSP item.  This will definitely not work in the favour of an inexpensive item.

GSP items with "free" shipping within the U.S. sometimes have not too shabby shipping charges to Canada.

[andylyubivy]

Thanks Pal -
to tell what I have ' on my heart ' !

I new a money for whom just can't believe it's ' on scale of Nation " .

[smallmall-ca]

Hi Kalvin. I purchased my first and i would say my last eBay purchase with ( GLOBAL SHIPPING ).

Does not help or improve in any way to international buyers outside of USA.

I am a Canadian buyer and what i paid custom fees (  Pitney Bowes Fees ) would not pay it again to those guys.

I would rather buy it from other country or website such A-----.com and others and would be cheaper.

Every thing about eBay's Global Shipping Program has negative affects on most transactions if not all international transaction.

Fees by Pitney Bowes

Taxes being charged
Slow Slow shipping

Poor Poor tracking information

No Details or invoice regarding how much they charge (shipping) (taxes) (handling fees) ?

[easthayter]

I have attached there contact informaion for anyone who needs it.

If you are still unable to track your package, please call Pitney Bowes GSP Customer Support at 1-866-235-9627 (select prompt 1), or email PBISGSPCS@pb.com and they will happily assist you.

[traced47]

I am a Canadian buyer - At least I was - The outrageous shipping costs however have decided me against many purchases over the past few months - There are many times when I'm considering purchasing a used item, with the added cost for shipping, I could buy the item new, for less in the stores - Such a shame - I find it cheaper to shop the U.K. site now.

TraceD47

[shahril_vitara]

Hi,it's very frustrated when accidently bought an item which has sold with GSP options,my country never charge any item which priced below USD 155 ( approx ),but e-bay and P&B taxes me as import charge with unreasonable price,i'll avoid any item which has this GSP options for future

[patti200865patti]

I agree wholeheartedly. Rarely do I get charged duty on anything and I've declared over $250 at times. It's a money grab. I won't deal with any sellers any more no matter what the item who have this in place.

[marnotom!]

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@patti200865patti wrote:

I agree wholeheartedly. Rarely do I get charged duty on anything and I've declared over $250 at times. It's a money grab. I won't deal with any sellers any more no matter what the item who have this in place.

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It's not a money grab, but you're certainly free to find sellers who don't ship to Canada through the GSP if you don't like the "by the book" approach the program has to taxes and duty on imports.

[mwc1942]

"It's not a money grab, but you're certainly free to find sellers who don't ship to Canada through the GSP if you don't like the "by the book" approach the program has to taxes and duty on imports."

Depends on what your definition of money grab is?   As to the "taxes and duty on imports" without the proper paper trail, how would any buyer know for certain.  As you previously posted, your province does not collect the pst, so has the tax been paid by PB or not?

[kxeron]

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@marnotom! wrote:

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

** EBay suggests that sellers not use the program for items selling under $50. But they do not have anything on their Sell Your Item form drawing this to the attention of the seller. It would not be difficult in my opinion, because they have similar suggestions that pop up if a listing mentions Native American or Nazi items, which have certain restrictions, and on often counterfeited items like stamps.

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It's a bit of an apples and oranges comparison, though.  eBay's $50 rule of thumb is simply a guideline, while the types of items you're describing may potentially have legal issues surrounding them.

In addition, it's likely that a $50 item weighing 5 kg would be less expensive to ship through the Global Shipping Program compared to the postal system than one weighing 500 grams, even with the "import charges" factored in.  

I think we need to stop the hand-wringing over this $50 guideline.  It's not particularly useful.  What would be more useful to state--and I doubt that Pitney Bowes would allow eBay to state this--is that items that can ship safely as international oversize letters are generally not good fits for the Global Shipping Program.  Besides, sellers unfamiliar with international shipping won't be able to wrap their heads around the concept of shipping "oversize international letters" anyway.

[snip]

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eBay's failure to confront PBI on the matter of what it can and cannot state isn't a matter of consequence to us. If eBay signed a contract that put itself over a barrel where PBI can do whatever they want to eBay, that's a failure on eBay's legal counsel's part.

We need to start looking less at the $50 figure and more toward the $20 CBSA figure and too asking why the GSP as a programme is accepting anything and everything into the programme, and not disqualifying things until they can be proven that PBI will successfully process the items.