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

pierrelebel · ‎08-18-2015

"Why am I paying tax and duty on items I am not supposed to pay!!! "

We all understand that GSP is not suitable for Canadian buyers for most low priced transactions.

Could you please elaborate as to why you think taxes should not have been charged?

Was the value under Cdn$ 20? Was it a non-taxable item?

tikazyg · ‎08-18-2015

sad this is still going on.

i don't even browse any sellers outside of canada anymore 😞

mater721 · ‎08-18-2015

Unfortunately, that's where many of the items are being sold.

And our dollar-value is making it even worse.

tch_ca · ‎08-19-2015

GSP is not appropriate for ANY shipping amount.

mater721 · ‎08-19-2015

"GSP is not appropriate for ANY shipping amount."

But it's not just the shipping that is a factor.

If you buy a $150 item, there's a good chance you are getting "dinged" by CBSA - possibly for more money than GSP will charge.

In that situation, GSP may be a reasonable alternative. May...

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-19-2015

@tch_ca wrote:
GSP is not appropriate for ANY shipping amount.

Although the gsp has many areas in which it could be improved I don't agree that it is never appropriate. I have seen heavier items cost less to be shipped through the gsp because they get bulk shipping discounts.

Expensive items are often less expensive or a similar cost when shipped through the gsp. In many cases a seller is not going to be willing to sell an expensive item outside of the country via first class so they would want to ship it Priority or Priority Express.(if they were willing to ship it at all) Those rates are very expensive and are more than gsp shipping rates. In some cases, gsp shipping fees plus import fees are less than the shipping cost sent direct through the USPS.

For example, I did a search on a Coach purse.

Item cost $235

shipping cost through gsp $12

import fees - $30

Total - $277

Item cost - $225

Shipping USPS Priority $45

Total cost - $270

+ possible fees charged by Canada customs

cyber_rover · ‎08-19-2015

I would strongly urge all Canadians to BOYCOTT any seller who uses the Global Shipping Program. I do, and I feel really good about it.

cyber_rover · ‎08-19-2015

I Boycott all sellers who use the GSP and very rarely now use ebay; don't even sign into ebay that often now. If I do use ebay, I buy directly from China where I can get an item shipped to my door for free. Lately have been using Amazon for most of my purchases.

eddy_bayer · ‎08-22-2015

I've been an ebay member for over 13 years and although I don't buy often, when I do I'm usually buying in excess of 100.00 (My largest purchase was approx. $4000.00 so presumably I'm a desirable client for ebay.

This month I have encountered Global Shipping for the first time. I purchased 2 lots from a seller in Oregon. (I live in Calgary, AB)

To make a long story as short as possible the listing said free shipping (I know realize that's probably due to my original sign up info including a US address although my profile and shipping address has been Calgary for years.

So I was surprised to see on checkout that shipping was not included and was relatively substantial. (30-40$, I believe)

Then there was an charge for "import duties" What does the USPS have to do with collecting GST I wondered. Not to mention the fact that by my calculation the amounts listed were well in excess of 5%.

I asked the seller if she would ship by regular mail. She said no because she had to use this "Global Shipping something or other" which meant nothing to me as I'd never heard of it before.

I thought well to hell with it I'll just pay the whole thing and see what happens - and maybe get some answers later.

So I paid for two separate purchases because I guess it's impossible for the seller to combine them (I'd never had that happen before either.)

I paid on Aug. 17 and ebay showed a delivery date of Aug 26. So far so good. But imagine my surprise toas I tracked my items clear across the continent to ohio then kentucky at which point ebay sent me an email proudly announcing that my items had been successfully delivered. Not to my house I knew because there was nothing at my door. AHA! Delivered to Kentucky! Right!

So now although the items had been "successfully delivered" on Aug 20th the estimated delivery date using the tracking number is Aug 26 to Sep 4th! (So ebay is able to know how much "importt duty" to charge me but can't estimate the real delivery date beyond their own GD warehouse in Kentucky! Pretty impressive. NOT!

Which brings me to the point of my story: The distance from the seller in Oregon to me the buyer in Calgary, by road is 864 (google) miles.

The google distance from the seller in Oregon to Ohio to Kentucky to Toronto (closest Canadian postal port of entry) to me in Calgary is at least 5000 MILES!

In closing, I remember the good old days of eBay. Especially the time that I spent literally several hours going from one ebay web page to the next back and forth and in circles trying to find a customer service phone number. I only succeeded in finding it because I was determined not to let them "win." Well, I did find the number and I actually was able to speak to someone at eBay after all. (It was probably the first time the phone had ever rung.)

But guess what Mr/Mrs eBay: I don't remember that phone number. But it doesn't matter because I will never, ever buy anything on your websites again unless the seller will ship it via Fedex 2nd day. I don't care if it costs a bit extra. Fedex gives fantastic service and if they're late - it's free. So if someone's going to get my money I'd much rather have a reliable shipping company get it. Amd you know what the bonus is? They let me clear my own shipments through customs which is my right as a Canadian citizen.

Cheers.

tictoctac66 · ‎08-22-2015

The Gsp is a rip off to Canadians or anyone out side of the U.S.A. .. I should not have to pay a High broker fee.. the tax is a 5% fee in Canada plus a provincial tax pending where you live... and a 5.00 fee at canadapost for paper work.

Ive also noticed.. the when the gsp program is in place by a U.S seller. check the Bids.. everytime a bid is placed the import fee goes up.

Now watch the Shipping fee.. everytime the Bid goes up.. the shipping fee goes up? whats with that? thats Gouging by GSP.. its still shipped the same way.. and takes for ever.

also.. if a item does not show up at your door.. GSP wipes there hands clean of any dispute after taking on the responsibility of shipping for the seller. Ive seen it often..

afantiques · ‎08-23-2015

also.. if a item does not show up at your door.. GSP wipes their hands clean of any dispute after taking on the responsibility of shipping for the seller. I've seen it often..

Where and how have you seen this?

audioheaven · ‎08-23-2015

just got swindled with this cash grab, a purchase of around fifty dollars with a shipping charge of around thirty dollars and an import fee around 10 dollars was all listed in the add but after commiting to the purchase an extra fee was slipped in due to global shipping program.. Thought I was getting it shipped USPS which I am ok with, so why is it being now shipped global shipping? If the seller didn't want to ship to canada why not say so, you pay extra for shipping and get the item even slower than if it where shipped as advertised.

not happy will pay extra attention for any sign of this global program and pass on any purchase that has these types of shippers involved.

00nevermind00 · ‎08-23-2015

@audioheaven wrote:
Thought I was getting it shipped USPS which I am ok with, so why is it being now shipped global shipping?

You can easily avoid all GSP listings when you search for items. Use a computer, not a cell phone, to do your searching. Use "List View" (see top highlight in screen shot) to search, and ignore any item that has the "Customs services and international tracking provided" blurb (bottom highlight on screen shot); this blurb identifies the GSP items.

rhapsode22 · ‎08-25-2015

Viewing a number of complaints about the GSP, I can do nothing but echo my dissatisfaction with the program.

This was the first time in a while I've ordered from eBay, and unknowingly from someone who signed up for the Global Shipping Program. If I knew I would have to pay $100+ on top of my purchase AND have to wait longer, I would never have bothered.

My package has been sitting in the Global Shipping Centre for 3 days, it's been 5 since I purchased. I've gotten packages shipped form the US OVERNIGHT before for cheaper. With no option for any sort of expedited shipping, I'm left stranded with a birthday present that will arrive late because of an inflexible standard.

I will not be using eBay sellers that participate in the GSP.

reallynicestamps · ‎08-26-2015

I should not have to pay a High broker fee..

Brokerage is a service and the broker gets paid for his work.

You can however broker your item through customs yourself, if you have the time and a car to get to the customs office which is often on the outskirts of your city, near the airport.

If an item is sent outside the Global Shipping Program, most couriers (like UPS) will charge $25 or more for brokerage.

the tax is a 5% fee in Canada plus a provincial tax pending where you live... and a 5.00 fee at canadapost for paper work.

Canada Post adds a $9.95 'service fee'. And has for nearly a decade.

The Goods and Services Tax is 5%. Plus whatever the province adds to that. Total will be between ABs 5% and NBs 17%.

There may also be duty on items manufactured outside of countries which have free trade agreements with Canada.

Note manufactured, not sold. An item made in China but purchased from the USA will be dutiable.

Ive also noticed.. the when the gsp program is in place by a U.S seller. check the Bids.. everytime a bid is placed the import fee goes up.

Yes.

That's because both duty and taxes are percentages of the value of the import.

Only the service fee of ~$5 is fixed.

Now watch the Shipping fee.. everytime the Bid goes up.. the shipping fee goes up? whats with that? thats Gouging by GSP.. its still shipped the same way.. and takes for ever.

The cost of shipping includes the import fees which are percentages.

also.. if a item does not show up at your door.. GSP wipes there hands clean of any dispute after taking on the responsibility of shipping for the seller. Ive seen it often..

No actually, buyers whose shipments are late can be refunded by GSP/Paypal. Just open a Dispute as usual and mention the GSP. If they cannot prove delivery, the refund is quick. And if the item shows up later, there is only your own moral compass to decide what to do with the item you did not pay anything for.

reallynicestamps · ‎08-26-2015

My package has been sitting in the Global Shipping Centre for 3 days, it's been 5 since I purchased.

No.

The last place the package was recorded publicly* was at the GSP plant.

It is probably on a truck and in Canada by now.

You paid on Thursday the 20th?

So it went to KY very fast (two days) arriving on a Saturday.

It may have been slowed down if the plant is less staffed on weekends, but no worse than USPS or Canada Post.

Today is the 25th (Tuesday).

If it is in Canada, you'll probably have it by the end of the week if you are in a city.

Unless you have specifically paid for an express/priority/overnight service, stated as such, allow 20 days for arrival of anything from North America (15 days from Europe, 30 days from Asia). That's been my experience in over 30 years of mail order.

And if you have a deadline, buy early or buy local.

But the GSP is a bad deal for Canadian buyers, because the Canadian public service in the form of CBSA and Canada Post have come to the sensible conclusion that it is dumb to assess items valued under ~$100 for duty and sales tax. So they usually don't.

That the maximum that can be imported by mail or courier is only $20, is because the Conservative government didn't change it when they increased the amount to $200 for cross-border shoppers.

* Yes, it is being tracked. Just not publicly. A poor decision, perhaps.

roadrunners123 · ‎08-28-2015

Was going to copy and paste, but seems that I'm unable to do so. I was watching a auction that was going for $19.21 Can, was a Nintendo game Duck Tales, with 2 minutes until the end of the auction. The Shipping amount was for $22.06 Can, and no import fees. One minute and thirty seconds later another bid was placed increasing it to $21.20 Can. With this bid the charge for shipping went down, and now was at $17.01 Can, and the import charges was at $5.05 Can. So if they item is under $20 Canadian, the Global Shipping Program still charges the Import fees, as they place them into the shipping charges. This is NOT right. Yes I understand that if the item is less then $20 dollars Canadian that the seller should not use the GSP, however when using the auction format the seller doesn't know if the item will get over the $20 Can mark. I'm I missing something here? Hope to get a conversation going on this...

afantiques · ‎08-29-2015

Import charges are not just the amount paid over in taxes, they include an approximately $5 processing fee which is charged if there is any tax payable or not.

If there are no overt import charges, the fee is bundled in with the shipping cost.

Items under $100 are usually an automatic bad choice for GSP, but most sellers using it are ignorant of the details or just incompetent, so you get a thread of 5000 complaints.

big_cubehead · ‎08-31-2015

The shipping charges are outrageous!! $18 US for an object the size of my thumb, weighing 40 grams!!!!

The service is slow beyond belief. Pony express is faster. This is the least efficient shipping program that I am aware of. Three and a half weeks to deliver an item to a buyer 200 miles away is unacceptable.

I will never buy another item from Ebay that uses the GSP. It is a complete rip-off.

Sellers. Use the GSP if you want your clients to be angry and unsatisfied. Use the GSP if you want to go out of business. Use the GSP if you don't care about your customer's experience.

BIG_Cubehead