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.

[mater721]

"To be fair, they  do seem to have a good track record of refunds without quibbles in such cases."

Maybe that's true.

However, it creates a poor experience for the buyer. Time and lost opportunities.

It is a poor business practice in my opinion.

[pjcdn2005]

It shouldn't have cost you anything extra. The seller would have received the same amount that he would have received for shipping to any domestic customer. Then he would ship to Kentucky and the gsp would ship from there...that's why they get part of the shipping amount. If you did pay extra for the seller to ship the item to you directly and it is within the claim time, you should be able to get back your fees that were paid to PB.

[bike*pope]

Hello
I will never ever again buy anything from a seller that uses GSP

All custom charges are guesstimates and have nothing to do with the actual fees. I ordered something with shipment to Switzerland and for the Item I should have to pay about 8$ tax if ever. But I paid 34$ to the Global Shipping Program plus 34$ shipment.
It's a rip off and completely useless.

[charley5]

I actually know that there are no import duties on telescope accessories for Canadians. In short, what eBay is doing is illegal when they charge me for import duties on telescope eyepieces. I plan to contact Canada Customs and see if they have anything to say about it.

-Charles

[pierrelebel]

Where do you see eBay charging you "duty"?

The "import charges" shown in the listings are not "duty".  There is nothing "illegal" about the charge. 

The amount represents a service charge levied by Pitney Bowes to cover the tax payable (GST/HST depending on province) and a handling fee.  Duty will also be included in the "import charges" if deemed applicable.

That said, the program (GSP) is not suited for most Canadian buyers in most instances.  Avoid it and buy from sellers willing to ship to you directly through USPS.

[pierrelebel]

"I actually know that there are no import duties on telescope accessories for Canadians"

Actually there is duty applicable, depending on the country of manufacture.  Made in the USA is "duty free" under NAFTA but taxes (GST and HST still apply).

http://www.dutycalculator.com/dc/158527795/sports-leisure/other/gyroscopic-compasses/import-duty-rat...

[316jhn]

I hope to NEVER buy any item from anyone who participate in GSP ( Global Shipping Program ). You buy an item by spending certain amount, from a seller who participate in GSP and the seller is from USA, and you received a tracking number, but it is impossible and hard to track your item every step of the way from the seller/GSP to it's destination, the buyer. My advise to you is don't Buy from anyone who participate in GSP, but you could make your own opinion and decision.

[316jhn]

This is an advise to a seller that is in USA, give option for a buyer outside USA, to not choose GSP but instead, you the seller to send it directly, without using GSP ( Global Shipping Program ).

[expressly-yours]

When this program came into effect for US sellers the cost of shopping from US seller became prohibitive so I took my shopping elsewhere.  

Thanks to the escalating cost of postage everwhere eBay was become less and less a bargain hunters paradise anyway but with the added cost of postage AND taxes AND the extra wait time that the GSP added I took my shopping to the UK and Europe or to US sellers that don't participate in the GSP.  Now the UK has it same thing....I only buy from those not participating in it.  eBay is killing itself (and it's sellers) with this program.  I'm on the hunt for a search engine that can weed GSP sellers out.....or just give up on eBay all together as I don't have the time to filter the GSP out on my own....

[00nevermind00]

---

@expressly-yours wrote:

I'm on the hunt for a search engine that can weed GSP sellers out.....or just give up on eBay all together as I don't have the time to filter the GSP out on my own....

---

Filtering is easy. Just use "List View" (not Gallery View) to search for items and ignore any item that has the blurb "Customs services and international tracking provided". Those are the GSP items. You don't need to click the item's link to find out, it's right there on the list of items your search returns.

[mater721]

"Just use "List View" (not Gallery View) to search for items and ignore any item that has the blurb "Customs services and international tracking provided"."

Would be nice if they gave us an actual filter so I don't have to scroll through so many pages or read as many rows.

Makes me sound lazy but...

[expressly-yours]

Nope your not lazy but they sure are greedy!  They now take a cut of the cost of the postage charges too!  If a seller has to charge the much higher rate for postage in the GSP then eBay's take is of course that much larger than if the seller uses my preferred cheaper postage method.

"Just use "List View" (not Gallery View) to search for items and ignore any item that has the blurb "Customs services and international tracking provided"."

I wish there was a way to completely filter out GPS results so they don't clog my search results with items I won't persue.  I'm sure not holding my breath for eBay to provide this!  It's all about their bottom line---not customer service by any means!

[reallynicestamps]

If a seller has to charge the much higher rate for postage in the GSP

umm.

The seller is only paying for Confirmed Delivery to a US address. This adds about 25c to the cost of shipping to Kentucky. The rest of the cost are down to PB/GSP.

And to be fair, the GSP ships to Canada and then sub-contracts to a Canadian shipper (usually Canada Post sometimes CanPar). While they undoubtedly get a special deal for this, it might be worth looking at the cost of Confirmed Delivery from the US to Canada once you know the dimensions and weight of your parcel. That information would be available on usps.com.

As said above, the GSP is not worthwhile for most Canadians purchasing low-value items from the USA and now from the UK. There might be some excuse if the item is valued over $100.

[conrob-0570]

I will only purchase from a seller using the GSP in very exceptional circumstances. My reasons are:

1. Shipping generally takes about twice as long as USPS

2. Most of my transactions would not be assessed duty if shipped USPS

3. The total cost of shipping at PB's fees is often double what USPS would cost

4. If I have more than one item in transit at the same time, it is impossible to track
which item is coming when, because the tracking number from PB (and there
are four of them!) bear no resemblance to the original tracking number provided
by the seller.

It would be hard to imagine more good reasons NOT to buy if the seller uses the GSP!

Bob

[maximus7001]

Was browsing some records in the UK and the one I was going to bid on is listed with the UK gsp. Of course I will not be bidding on that one. It appears that the import fees are still there for items under $20 CDN.

Ebay is doomed if this practice keeps up.

[jewelmaid]

When is eBay gonig to correct the "Import Fees" under their global shipping program? Anyone who uses this program has import fees showing in their auction...fees that don't even exist when an item is shipped most times. Example, shipping through USPS no brokerage fees, if it is under a certain amount no duty fees, no taxes, etc....yet they routinely still show up in the auction's import fees and there is no way the seller or the buyer can opt out of them. Frankly I don't purchase anything with these fees when I know they are not actually charged. Which is a shame as there have been several items that I would have purchased expect they had an additionally 10.00 or more for false "import fees". Why would eBay create something so flawed that it stops people from bidding and what are they doing to correct it? I feel I sadly know the answer but just hope I am wrong.

[pierrelebel]

"shipping through USPS no brokerage fees, if it is under a certain amount no duty fees, no taxes, etc..."

That is correct.

When parcels arrive by mail from the USA or overseas, no tax or brokerage fee are added if the value is below Cdn$ 20.00. 

According to the official government site, tax (GST/HST/PST) may only be added for parcels with value of Cdn$ 20.00 or more.  A brokerage fee of $9.95 is added by Canada Post when tax needs to be collected:

For more information:  http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.html

It is also well known that Canada Customs lets many parcels go through at times without adding tax even if the value exceeds Cdn$ 20.00

However, that only happens when parcels are coming using the postal service.  When goods come by courier or consolidator (such as Pitney Bowes) the law requires tax be collected on every parcel valued at Cdn$ 20.00 or more.  The couriers or public transports have no choice but to collect the tax on behalf of the Canadian federal government.,

As far as service charge, Pitney Bowes charges $4/$5 for parcels under $100 while Canada Post charges $9.95 regardless of value as long as tax is collected.

It should be understood that "import charge" seen on eBay for items valued at more than Cdn$20.00 is made of consumption tax (GST/HST/PST) and a service charge ($4/$5) and duty (if applicable).

Also, if the goods are valued at less than Cdn$ 20.00, while no "import charge" will be seen when coming from the USA, the service fee ($4/$5) charged by Pitney Bowes to handle the parcel will be added to and incorporated with the shipping charge.

As stated many times over the last three years the program is not beneficial to Canadian buyers for most items, most of the time and should generally be avoided.  It was created to help eBay American sellers export goods at no additional cost or risk while the additional costs are paid by worldwide buyers.

[avianmanor]

For me the Global Shipping Program is definitely a deal breaker for US purchases -it delays delivery but costs as much as USPS priority service and bogus "import and duty" charges are being charged when a free trade agreement is in place between Canada and the United States. There have also been many reports of repackaging to reduce cost and goods being damaged as a result. I can confirm what other posters have mentioned, this program is adding so much addition cost to auctioned items it's cheaper for me to purchase locally.

Personally, I will no longer bid on items listed under this program unless the seller offers alternate shipping methods. To be honest, the whole experience has me trading on on other web sites, both buying and selling. I've contacted eBay several times regarding this without a response. Case in point, this forum  ....... have any changes or improvements to this program come about by means of it's existence? Shame on you eBay! The GSP should have been scrapped long ago.

Just my two cents worth, which probably wouldn't buy a book of matches these days.

[mg152]

316jhn,
This is precisely why I ship direct to Canada! I've done it several times with 0 problems.
Shipping from the US is still pricey but it beats GSP by a mile or km. lol!
I completely took GSP off my account because I value my Canadian buyers and didn't want em to think they'd be paying these nonsense fees!

[mg152]

I did not sell one thing through GSP. However, I ship direct to Canada. It's easy and cheaper.
I used GSP for visibility mostly but I recently took it off my account so my Canadian buyers wouldn't be confused. I still ship direct to Canada. I respect and value my Canadian buyers and don't want to do anything to dissuade them from buying.
I've not had 1 problem with Canadian buyers. They're patient, friendly and polite! I love you guys.
You can buy from me anytime! 🙂