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.

[ironchachi]

Yes - I'm with you...this is the first Christmas in many years that I have ordered 0 items on E-Bay for Christmas. It bothers me because I really like the personal experience involved with using E-Bay. My wife and I also used amazon and I just blew a bunch of dough on newegg, and took advantage of free shipping on some box store websites after cross referencing prices. This GSP is absolutely crushing U.S sellers...I have even gone so far as PMing a lot of my favourite sellers to let them know. Come on E-Bay wake up already...

[johnnysquatch]

If i buy an item from Seattle wash,  and I live in Vancouver B.C. your Global shipping scam sends it to KENTUCKY . How could this benifit me . Your charging me to ship this item all over the continent and the item is less than 200 miles away . It's a total joke . Way to go E bay keep scamming the people that don't know any better. I buy at least two to three items a month and always ask the seller for a different shipping option 99% of the sellers oblige . I never ever get charged customs fees . I could go on and on about the mark up of your custom fees etc. You buyers have got to stop buying from sellers useing this service WAKE UP !!!. It's a THIRD PARTY SHIPPING SERVICE OF COARSE your gettig SCAMMED !!!!

[dollyfife123]

The one item I purchased was a shower curtain that did not have the original box but was unused. I checked and this item would not have had any customs issues but there was still the $10 charge for someone to tell me. Overall it adds to the cost of the item so in most

cases makes the price out of range.

[cerebus]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

"..And now it seems that eBay's infamous Global Shipping Program is actually EXCLUDING CANADA when it comes to countries that some dealers have agreed to ship to (after they opt into the program)"

Think about it.  That is a good thing!

It means that American sellers will use GSP to ship overseas but not to Canada. 

They will ship to Canada directly using USPS, not GSP.  Don't you think that is a good thing?  That is what most Canadian posters have been asking for.

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Yes, excluding Canada from eBay's 'Global Shipping Program' WOULD indeed be a good thing if the new shipping process wasn't sooooo complicated that many if not most USA-based sellers fail to include Canada AT ALL in their new auctions! I've seen this issue pop up now at least three different times from three different sellers. All three sellers (when I contacted them) were blissfully ignorant of the fact that people from, say, New Zealand COULD participate in their auctions, but those north of the USA/Canada border are excluded, or at least have no default shipping fee available. I am still convinced that eBay never should have brought in their Global Shipping Program in the first place.  At least they now seem to be aware that there is a problem, especially for Canadian bidders.  That, indeed, is a good thing.

[lollio22]

The eBay shipping program is horrible.. The shipping is too expensive from US to Canada. The import charges are not even the same across the board. Getting charged an import charge on items that I wouldn't even normally be charged for.

[sandee08]

I actually contacted a seller who isn't aware of the customs charges added by ebay, they can't see it on their listing. They kindly changed the listing for alternate shipping and the automatic (and bogus) customs charges disappeared. This is such a scam by ebay, but soime sellers are willing to work with a buyer to remedy this. I hate this new shipping method as much as anybody, and will be the among the Canadians crying foul, but suggest potential buyers have faith in the sellers. I generally won't buy from anyone using the global shipping method, but if I really want the item being offered, will contact the seller to see if they are willing to work with me.

[highland.2112]

For the first time, I've just left negative feedback for a seller. They chose not to opt out of GSP, and I chose to indicate that I was highly unsatisfied with their shipping charges. The package took a circuitous route to even get out of the US and the cardboard looked like it had been beaten to a pulp. Thankfully the goods inside were leather and were undamaged.

I suspect my next GSP experience will be the same, and that I will again be leaving negative feedback.

[pocomocomputing]

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@highland.2112 wrote:

For the first time, I've just left negative feedback for a seller. They chose not to opt out of GSP, and I chose to indicate that I was highly unsatisfied with their shipping charges. The package took a circuitous route to even get out of the US and the cardboard looked like it had been beaten to a pulp. Thankfully the goods inside were leather and were undamaged.

I suspect my next GSP experience will be the same, and that I will again be leaving negative feedback.

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Your negative feedback will most likely be removed. See the following

http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/ship-smart/advanced-shipping/Global-Shipping-Program/GSPUAFA...

Your Buyers will be able to leave you Feedback for transactions involving GSP Items.

However, eBay will remove negative or neutral feedback associated with GSP transactions in the following circumstances:

1. If your Buyer files an eBay Money Back Guarantee claim against you involving a GSP Item and eBay resolves the claim in your favor because you were not at fault (or because eBay determines that Pitney Bowes or its third party service providers were at fault), eBay will remove any negative or neutral feedback associated with that GSP Item.

2. If after acceptance at the U.S. Shipping Center a GSP Item is not, or cannot be, delivered to your Buyer, eBay will remove any negative or neutral feedback associated with that GSP Item.

3. If a GSP Item is delivered to your Buyer and your Buyer leaves you negative or neutral feedback associated with the GSP Item but does not file an eBay Money Back Guarantee claim, you may contact Customer Support to request that any negative or neutral feedback associated with that GSP Item be removed.

[00nevermind00]

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@highland.2112 wrote:

I suspect my next GSP experience will be the same, and that I will again be leaving negative feedback.

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As Pocomocomputing said, your negative feedback will be removed (if the seller knows to ask eBay for it). If you buy a GSP item again and leave negative feedback again, it will also be removed.

Wouldn't it be a better idea to avoid the bad experience again by avoiding GSP sellers from now on? Unless you are browsing on a mobile device, you can easily spot the "International tracking and customs services provided" GSP blurb if using List View (not Gallery View) to search for items.

[armonroe]

First encounter with GSP.  Seller wasn't even aware he had this enabled.  So when discusssing via email at end of auction, then me paying (what was/is indeed exhorbant fees for this service) he had no idea what was going on getting an email indicating ship to Kentucky, when we had been discussing shipping to a Canadian address . . . and best methods of doing so.  He was slightly reluctant to ship it there, and indicated he's send direct to the Canadian address, then I read about this goddamned program . . . .

How could this be so invisible to two people involved in the auction?  How could he not even be aware of what he had signed onto?

Anyway, no more GSP auctions for this cat . . . ever.  I don't care how efficient it may or may not be nor or in the future.  It simply complicates things that worked reasonably well before.

[highland.2112]

Wow, looks like eBay / PB anticipated dissatisfaction and/or outright hostility towards their program from the outset and have elected to control any negative feedback by simply erasing it.

So, I cannot leave any negative feedback about anything or any seller who is a

sociated with the GS

P.

And I'm expecting a reply from an ebay payrollee to clarify or correct me on this, of course, since that's their job.

[kstjm5]

I bought glass ornaments from the U.S. using that global shipping program and I found I was being exploited and the service Pitney Bowes offers is the pit.  If people don't know yet, they open all the packages and they do not repackage them well at all.  I only bought a few times with that program, but the last drop was when they kept 1 of the 4 ornaments I bought, and 2 of the 3 left were broken because Pitney Bowes removed all the packaging (Styrofoam peanuts) and the only ornament that survived is the one that was still wrapped in bubble wrap.  I could not believe it when I opened the box.  That NEVER happened before.  The main ornament I wanted out of the 4 was not in the box anymore.  Never had a problem with this seller until they switched to the Global Shipping Program.  Why should I pay for this program when I basically never pay customs and Pitney Bowes offers a **bleep**py service.  I tried to explain to Americans why we won't buy and they seem to not understand what you are talking about.   A seller today did not get much for ornaments and I was going to bid higher, but did not want to change the shipping and lost money.  Some of them think they can change it after the auction is over.  I explained to them that they can't, but they still believe they can.  It is pitiful and I will NEVER buy from anyone that uses the GSP.  It's that simple!

[afantiques]

How could this be so invisible to two people involved in the auction?  How could he not even be aware of what he had signed onto?

Go to a US listing and change the delivery address (Shipping and Payments tab) to any random US zipcode with the destination country set as USA in the dropdown menu on the left. Hit 'Get Rates' and you will then see the US version of the item page.

You will see it is very different from the internationally visible page. That is why US sellers are mystified, they never see the GSP guff or the GSP charges. They are unlikely ever to do so as they are unlikely to know how to look at the overseas version of thier page, or ever to see any need to do so.

The instructions above work in reverse. If the US seller sets Canada as the destination, they can then see what you see.

Many sellers were signed up by stealth, many are now being signed up by default. It will be the most inexperienced sellers who get roped in. These are the least suitable GSP users. I doubt if half of them know they are enrolled.

[00nevermind00]

Ebay still denies that they are enrolling sellers without letting them know. But I've seen posts on the US boards where sellers said that this is exactly what happened to them. Experienced sellers, who know what to look for. Others have said that they have to keep opting out because they keep being opted back in despite their preferences.

Add the buyers into the mix. Since most experienced buyers give most GSP items a very wide berth, that leaves a lot of newbies buying GSP items. No wonder confusion abounds. Yet eBay seems to think that the system is working perfectly.  Oh, and pigs do fly!

[js92rr2114john]

Yeah, I've been doing some browsing on the site for Christmas and I agree that the GPS deters me from buying. And if you look closely you'll notice discrepencies between different sellers selling the same item. e.i. one will charge 75 for gps and another 50 bucks for the same item. As for helping out Canadian sellers to sell to Canadians...I'm not sure, I still don't see the prices any better than going to a store across town  myself and buying the item in question.

[mater721]

"And I'm expecting a reply from an ebay payrollee to clarify or correct me on this, of course, since that's their job."

What's an "ebay payrollee"?

"So, I cannot leave any negative feedback about anything or any seller who is asociated with the GSP."

I don't understand why you would buy something if you don't like the cost. Why not look for another item where you are happy with the Total Cost - as shipping is part of the cost...

[walker0017]

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@00nevermind00 wrote:

Ebay still denies that they are enrolling sellers without letting them know. But I've seen posts on the US boards where sellers said that this is exactly what happened to them. Experienced sellers, who know what to look for. Others have said that they have to keep opting out because they keep being opted back in despite their preferences.

Add the buyers into the mix. Since most experienced buyers give most GSP items a very wide berth, that leaves a lot of newbies buying GSP items. No wonder confusion abounds. Yet eBay seems to think that the system is working perfectly.  Oh, and pigs do fly!

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When any company says one thing and does exactly the other they are considered using deceitful practices in order to increase profits on a questionable unnecessary service. You have eBay saying one thing and an increasing number of buyers saying the opposite, who to believe? Me I am calling it for what it is, lying and cheating in order that some executive gets a nice bonus cheque at the expense of US/ UK sellers on the backs of international buyers.

But on the bright side, China and everywhere else except the US and UK are much more affordable and their shipping rates and shipping times has the GSP beat hands down. The GSP has also forced me to look actively at other e-commerce sites such as Amazon where their shipping and prices are much more in line with reality.

As long as eBay keeps making some sort of profit with the GSP nothing will change and by the time it does change it will be too late.

[pierrelebel]

"and by the time it does change it will be too late."

Too late for what?

[walker0017]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

"and by the time it does change it will be too late."

Too late for what?

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 The one thing most reputable businesses need to survive in the long term is trust from their customers, and by too late I mean that any sort of trust buyers and sellers have will be gone and once gone it is gone for good because who is going to trust an organization that says it will do something to improve customer relations and address complaints when it is their intention to do nothing and have been living up to that part since the beginning. We see this here on this board and we are seeing it on the UK GSP boards when similar questions are posed.

[pierrelebel]

It is important to read and understand a recent announcement on eBay.com:

http://announcements.ebay.com/2014/12/sellers-extra-protection-now-available-when-you-ship-to-34-cou...

The key sentence refers to a 27% increase in international trade.  In other words, American sellers have benefited from GSP by getting additional overseas sales. 

Sales to Canada may have declined but Canada has never been that important in the big picture.  Europe has ten times the population and buying power not to mention Asia.

As stated so many times by so many posters in this long thread, GSP is not suitable for most Canadian buyers in most instances.  However, it works well for many American sellers, increasing their sales and profit.