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.

[pierrelebel]

" I only buy from sellers that use USPS."

That is a great policy, used by most Canadian buyers when looking at an eBay listing requiring Global Shipping program (GSP).

With very few exceptions, GSP is not Canadian buyer friendly and should be avoided. 

It has been created a few years ago for the exclusive benefits of American sellers who get the advantages but do not pay any portion of the program.  All costs are charged and paid for by international buyers (including Canadians).

The government loves the program as it receives taxes (and duty if applicable) that it would not otherwise have received.

To answer your question specifically, the "import charge" of $10.28 would represent $5 to $6 in consumption taxes (GST/HST/PST) and a handling fee of $4/$5 going to Pitney Bowes (under contract from eBay)

[reallynicestamps]

but that deminshes my available chances of good dealers.,

...

up in canada buying and than selling has a unique set of issues , one being a lot of usa sellers just dont sell up north!

Those are the reasons for the program.

US sellers , actually Americans in general, are somewhere between provincial and xenophobic.

With the world's largest economy, most sellers saw no reason to ship outside their own country. Many get upset by orders from Alaska, Hawaii and APO addresses, never mind Puerto Rico.

When domestic sales stalled, eBay came up with the Global Shipping Program to calm the fears of US sellers.

Under the program, the US (and now) UK seller only has to ship , with cheap (25c) domestic Confirmation of Delivery, to the GSP plant in Kentucky, from where it is transported to its destination.

The seller cannot be faulted for slow shipping, for non-arrival, for damage in transit, or for foreign duty and/or tax.

So -- good for the seller.

Overlooked were the problems discussed ad infinitum in these threads.

Low value items should not be shipped through the program.

Canada, and possibly other countries, doesn't assess mailed low-value items (under about $100) for the applicable duty and tax, which should be assessed on all items under $20.

PB/GSP charges a service charge of about $5 even if the item is not dutiable.

Couriers MUST assess and collect the applicable duty and taxes even on $20 items (And that $20 Canadian, or $18 USD)

OTOH

Many more US sellers are now offering their products to foreign buyers.

International sales from UD sellers have skyrocketed since the GSP was introduced.

It's a poorly designed program, implemented badly, and explained worse. 

You can watch for the Customs services and international tracking provided

note on all listings in Search  and the

No additional import charges at delivery!

This item will be shipped through the Global Shipping Program and includes international tracking. Learn more

on listings.

Don't order from a mobile device, where these warning notes do not appear because, bandwidth.

[croz3327]

Totally, but totally riddiculous. Very time i buy and Global is involved, tracking is on for 3-4 days and oups, nothing. And EVERY time, at least 5-6 weeks to get my stuff. Mind me for mone money than USPS and much slower. Why offer this ? No more global. for. me. ever again

[rykenobl]

Overpriced and not worth the money.

Repackaging your goods to save on shipping costs, at the risk of them being damaged.

Charging more than you'd pay for customs.

Extremely slow shipping, items sit in their warehouse until they can find a free spot for the cheapest possible shipping option.

Canadian buyers should avoid buying anything under this program.

[5536trevor]

This system is ridiculous. I contacted a seller in regards to shipping costs of an item. and they gave me a quote to have it shipped USPS to Canada so I purchased the item. At no time was GSP mentioned in my correspondences or in the item listing.

Now I can't pay for the item as the seller hasn't entered the shipping costs on the invoice! The seller keeps telling me its my problem and that I have to contact eBay as its a GSP issue and that they cannot just opt out of the program,. They have even opened a non-paying buyer case against me!

How do I contact eBay to get this resolved so that I can pay for my purchase? I can't call them as I am presently overseas in Iraq and long distance charges are excessive from here.

[pocomocomputing]

email raphael@ebay.com about your issue. He is a manager in eBay Canada and may get someone to contact you by email.

[arlene_v]

If you pay the GSP invoice, can you then leave feedback for the seller? I've never had an unpaid case against me so am not sure how this works. Anyway, if you can in fact pay for this as a GSP item, if I were you I might be tempted just to pay for it and be done with the hassle and aggravation. Time being money, reduce blood pressure etc etc.

If possible, leave a negative review and 1 as a rating in all categories, making sure NOT to reference the GSP in any feedback as this will result in removal of feedback.

Short and  not so sweet.  

"Terrible buying experience. F grade" 

It really was a terrible buying experience, so just tell the truth and let them live with the consequences. 

[5536trevor]

Thanks! I'll send a message right away

[5536trevor]

I don't get an option for paying via GSP, is that something I have to arrange? Is a GSP invoice mailed out separate from an eBay invoice?

I just get reminders from eBay to pay and when I try its just a link to the regular eBay site with the pay now button faded out and a banner across the top telling me the transaction cannot be completed as the seller has not included the shipping costs. I have sent the seller multiple automatic reminders but they just keep telling me the problem is on my end.

Normally I would have just give up but I really want this item and got a great deal through the best offer option. Could the seller be trying to block me from buying as they have gotten "sellers remorse"?

[arlene_v]

No special invoice is required.

I have only bought two items through the GSP and both times I was invoiced immediately.

You seem to have run into an uncooperative seller, and worse yet, I don't understand how you can get an unpaid strike when you CAN"T actually pay. This is just so frustrating for you.

Hopefully the contact person you are planning to email will be able to help. It is absurd that you have to go through such hoops just to buy an item on eBay. I hope you can get this sorted out.

If you can buy the item finally .... please consider leaving appropriate feedback - as I said omitting any reference to the GSP, because that is grounds for feedback removal - but just to let this seller know that their customer service was well, well below what is considered acceptable. 

[5536trevor]

It's unbelievably frustrating. I have been on here for years and due to where I live have been depending on eBay for purchasing a lot of things that I would otherwise not have access too.

Until this purchase I have never heard go the GSP but in the future I will defiantly be avoiding it. 

I have noticed shipping costs creating up, is this due to this program? I wanted to buy a couple of tooth brushes on eBay but the shipping was over $30 usd!

[mater721]

"Now I can't pay for the item as the seller hasn't entered the shipping costs on the invoice!"

Couple of questions for you...

1) On the ebay listing, do you have the following text...

"No additional import charges at delivery!"

"Shipping: $##"

"Import charges: $##"

If so, it's a GSP listing.

2) Did the seller send you an invoice with the correct Bid/BIN amount? But invoice has no shipping charges?

[5536trevor]

The seller sent me the standard eBay invoice, the amounts are correct and is only missing the shipping charges.

I contacted eBay via the email address given to me by another poster and the recipient confirmed that the list was not GSP and that I should have received a GSP invoice if it was. The only mention of Canada shipping was contact the seller for pricing which I did before I committed to buy and the seller gave me a quote from USPS.

[mater721]

"The seller sent me the standard eBay invoice, the amounts are correct and is only missing the shipping charges."

I wonder, if you pay the current invoice, if you will get the item for that price, and not a dime more.

Not sure they can get any more money from you once you pay the invoice.

At worst, seller may get transaction cancelled if they will be forced to ship for free.

[5536trevor]

I have tried just paying but the continue button is faded out. I have in the past paid without shipping and then received and paid a second invoice requesting shipping costs. this is the first time that I have not been able to proceed though.

I received an eBay email telling me that the seller has canceled the order as I am an unsaying buyer but it still shows as outstanding on my recent purchases. Should I not see the unsaying buyer report on my account somewhere? Possibly in my feedback?

 

[micaylah]

---

@mater721 wrote:

"The seller sent me the standard eBay invoice, the amounts are correct and is only missing the shipping charges."

I wonder, if you pay the current invoice, if you will get the item for that price, and not a dime more.

Not sure they can get any more money from you once you pay the invoice.

At worst, seller may get transaction cancelled if they will be forced to ship for free.

---

This has happened to me before, and yes the Seller had to eat the shipping.

I threatened to open a complaint if they didnt send my item which I had already paid for via their invoice.

[micaylah]

---

@5536trevor wrote:

I don't get an option for paying via GSP, is that something I have to arrange? Is a GSP invoice mailed out separate from an eBay invoice?

I just get reminders from eBay to pay and when I try its just a link to the regular eBay site with the pay now button faded out and a banner across the top telling me the transaction cannot be completed as the seller has not included the shipping costs. I have sent the seller multiple automatic reminders but they just keep telling me the problem is on my end.

Normally I would have just give up but I really want this item and got a great deal through the best offer option. Could the seller be trying to block me from buying as they have gotten "sellers remorse"?

---

It is possible that the GSP doesnt understand Best Offer. You should not have to arrange anything for GSP. That is the Sellers domain and they seem to have done it incorrectly.

Open a case against the Seller. In it, tell ebay what they have done. That should get them off your back.

I have a Seller Cancelled because I failed to remember I had bid on an item. Thankfully they just cancelled the order and relisted. but it still shows as awaiting payment in my list. I just hide it.

[micaylah]

I have never heard of an Unsaying Buyer. I think I need to look that one up.

[morganandamberskelly]

Just figured I'd leave my 2 cents here .

1: NAFTA  Anyone ? 

2: You are driving away people ,there's no "Deals" on ebay for Canadians anymore. 

3: I will be spending my money  elsewhere. No skin off my back . 

Ebay your new role is online pricing guide....... Hello Amazon you sexy lady you .

[pierrelebel]

"NAFTA  Anyone ?"

For more information about NAFTA, please go to the source:

http://www.naftanow.org/about/default_en.asp

There is often a misconception about NAFTA - very evident on these threads.

While NAFTA more or less eliminated tariff (duty) on most items manufactured in the USA and entering Canada, it has NOT changed the need for Canadian buyers (importers) to pay consumption taxes (GST/HST/PST) and handling fee at time of Customs clearance.

For more specific information from the Government of Canada: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.html

It does not change the fact that GSP is not suitable for most Canadian buyers in most eBay transactions.  But NAFTA has nothing to do with it.