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

chemical_x_96 · ‎03-25-2014

I really didn't mind the old system, I only bought from sellers who used their government Postal service, and only paid with paypal, and had relatively few problems.

chemical_x_96 · ‎03-25-2014

yeah but $20 Canadian can change from one day to the next as the dollar fluctuates... one day you don't need to pay duty on it, the next day you do, I've see it happen.

And

Boarder services generally isn't bothered with anything less than $50 because the amount of money isn't worth their time.

chemical_x_96 · ‎03-25-2014

Dear eBay,

We used to have a great thing going. Everyone used to compliment me on the amazing deals you offered me on clothing, unique jewellery and electronics, they were absolutely amazed, but lately things have changed, and not for the better. Your Global Shipping Program has made these deal into dupes. Now if I need to return something, even if the seller is amazing, I still probably won't get all of my money back, there's still that outrageous fee that I paid to Pitney Bowes, the fee that made something less than an awesome deal in the first place.

I really don't want to buy from Americans anymore, it's not in my best interest. Between the GSP BS and the fact that so many of them were too scarred to ship to Canada any ways and the fact that Canadian Boarder services seemed to keep American parcels longer than parcels from Great Britian, maybe I will go back to buying from the U.K.... Ahhh but then there's the catch, good luck finding an awesome deal on used Lululemon from the U.K., and with the restrictions on perfumes coming out of the U.K., there goes the one thing that was always cheaper coming from the U.K..

That really only leaves us with two things now. Electronics accessories, like adaptor cables and cell phone cases from Asia and Jewellery from India. I have quite a good supply of jewellery and I only need to come on once every few months to order a bunch of adapter cables, and those adapter cables are becoming more readily available at my local dollar store. That does not leave our relationship in good shape eBay. It was really the Americans' buyers remorse clothing items (esp lululemon) that was keeping our relationship together.

I feel as though we are going to grow apart with each item that I have to either turn down (there have been so many in the past few months I have lost count), or am unable to easily get a full refund for. Having to call your customer service, or paypal's customer service during business hours does not constitute easily getting a full refund when in the past I just had to say to a seller, "this is wrong" and they said "omg let me fix it for you" and that was that.

chemical_x_96 · ‎03-25-2014

And I will say that now that it has come time for me to let go of some of my lululemon items, I will NOT be using eBay, or even any of it's affiliated sites to sell it. I will see which friends and family members are looking for a good deal first, and then I will look into organizing a clothing swap in my area through a facebook group, because I am THAT upset by how down hill ebay has gone.

arlene_v · ‎03-25-2014

@claymate4391 wrote:
If it is cheaper for some items, that is probably very few items. To pay $30 between import fees and shipping for something that only costs $20 is ridiculous. and ive come across it many times. I go onto the listing as it looks cheaper, only to find out that no, its not.

Ebay needs to add a feature that says "Price+shipping+import fees = lowest first"

I have the exact same experience as you have ... items look great, until the added fees are factored in .. so you have a roller coaster of dashed expectations.

I wonder if it would be possible to have gsp listings offered as a choice selected by buyers and not as a default.

So, something like this:

"Ebay has introduced an exciting new program, partnered with Pitney Bowes INC. to make items that are normally only available to buyers in the US, available to international buyers.

There are additional fees with this shipping choice, so it is important that buyers are aware of these costs because they will increase with bidding. Import charges are paid in full at time of purchase and these charges are non-refundable.

So, if you wish to see thousands of exciting listings now available under the Global Shipping Program, in addition to those already on offer to international buyers, please click here..."

Heavy use of irony.

arlene_v · ‎03-25-2014

@marnotom! wrote:

GSP items are not sent by post between the Global Shipping Centre and the Canadian receiving hub.

Then maybe they should start using the regular post where they can. at least with smaller items, which is everything i ever order.

I can't see this being very advantageous. Keep in mind that for smaller items, what can drive up the price of GSP shipping is the seller's own domestic (U.S.) shipping rate as that gets tacked onto what the GSP charges for shipping from Kentucky to the item's final destination.

A solution that comes to mind is that in order for sellers to list items through the GSP they need to offer free USA shipping, otherwise listings are not eligible. This way at least some of the cost is on the seller in this otherwise lopsided equation.

I am sure someone will post why this is not a good idea, and why it makes zero sense. But really, in this horribly buyer unfriendly program some token has to be offered to make it more palatable.

arlene_v · ‎03-25-2014

My sympathy. It is hard when a virtual online business relationship flounders, but do yourself a favour ...crank up some music (maybe the old Harry Nilsson "You're breaking my heart") , dance about in your Lululemon and find comfort in the fact that there are many other sites in the virtual sea more than happy to do business with you.

We have a broken hearts column here called "Comments about the GSP" .... more than likely this thread will be transferred there, to join all the other folks who are having similar "relationship woes" with eBay.

I hope eBay is listening, but it seems utterly enthralled with PB, its new Best Friend. After all these years of trying to be best friends with buyers.

Fickle.

andyandted · ‎03-25-2014

Just when I thought the GSP could not get any more complicated, last week I get a phone call from a US seller asking me to walk them through the GSP process so they could send me a book I won in auction. If this is not an indication that most US sellers do not understand the GSP themselves, I don't know what is! Then this week I spoke with another US seller asking about the high shipping, he informs me that Ebay penalizes those not using the GSP?? The whole system needs a complete overhaul, its fairly obvious most buyers and sellers don't like it, while the rest are confused over how the GSP works

2011limey1 · ‎03-25-2014

Give your Lululemon stuff to a women's shelter - they're not long for this world anyway hopefully after what the idiot ex-president's remarks about women's thighs re their "see through" yoga pants LOL. And I'm a slim woman but still take offence. They had a good thing going, from a little start-up in my city (Vancouver) - totally overpriced items, but somehow they got their little logo shown all around the world and it was the "in" brand to buy. Now their stocks have plummeted and I hope they go bye bye soon. Their store three blocks away from me has closed.

Maybe you got your perfumes before 911, I don't know......but you can only buy them on ebay from Canada - they are considered not safe, plus they can evaporate and you're left with a cute looking bottle.

Your rant made me want to rant..........heck, I won't even go into The Gap anymore because of their practices.

northendmommy · ‎03-25-2014

As a Canadian who has purchased from Ebay for years with no problems, I will guarantee you I will never purchase from anyone using the global shipping rip off. Myself and anyone else I know WILL NOT buy from sellers using it. I always prefer USPS first class postal service and when the item is over 4 pounds priority shipping. What is so difficult about that system it worked perfectly. If there was a duty charge I paid it upon arrival at my own post office, which I believe has happened twice over the years.

BEWARE US SELLERS you will lose buyers if you use Global Shipping Rip off

femmefan1946 · ‎03-25-2014

the GSP they need to offer free USA shipping, otherwise listings are not eligible. This way at least some of the cost is on the seller in this otherwise lopsided equation.

Ah! But Free Shipping is not free. All it means is 'We don't add on shipping after you buy, because there is a shipping allowance already in the asking price."

There will be instances when Free Shipping means a lower cost to the buyer and ones where it costs more. This would be because Regional and National shipping rates* can kick in.

For example, I can ship a 3cm thick paperback within ON/QC for $5 but it costs $12 to ship it to AB. With Free Shipping I would allow $8 for 'free' shipping in the asking price. Advantage AB/ disadvantage ON. But then I would give the US shipping as $0.00 because the $5 cost of shipping that book anywhere in the USA is covered by the "free" shipping allowance in the price.

One reason that Free Shipping is so popular with buyers is that even intelligent people, like you arlene, don't work out all the details in the transaction.

*Canada Post example, but most postal services have an equivalent distance/weight differential

arlene_v · ‎03-25-2014

You're absolutely right, Femme.

pjcdn2005 · ‎03-25-2014

Further more I can not find any information on what happens if I want to return an item that I paid duty on through the GSP. I have never previously had problems with returns, but now that I have an item that I paid duty on through this GSP system, will I get the duty back?

If you wanted to return the item just because you didn't like it or no longer wanted it, you would have to negotiate that with the seller as there is no return policy with gsp. You would net get back any import fees or international shipping fees.

If the item was damaged in shipping or was not as described, you can file a claim and if you win, you will receive the full amount that you paid back.

claymate4391 · ‎03-25-2014

Femme, youre right.

But theres still the issue that $8 working into the price on a free shipping listing is still cheaper than over $30 in fees and shipping. its still a better deal.

ims_80 · ‎03-25-2014

Haven't been able to wade my way through all 127 pages of postings, but wanted to put on record why I won't buy anything that ships GSP again...

I don't have any issue in principle with the GSP, as I factor in the added costs to my high bid. As such, my bid will be significantly lower than what it would be with a non-GSP item.

Have used it twice. The first time the local delivery service for Toronto (Canpar) delivered to my neighbour, though certified delivery to my address. Didn't think too much at the time -- at least I got that item after my neighbour brought it over.

Second time, no such luck. Canpar certified delivery to my "front door". Bit of a problem, as my front door has no means of securing a delivery (no screen, no mail slot). There is a very visible delivery box at the side of the house (you actually can't miss seeing it in going to my front door!), and a screen door at the side. One would reasonably expect a delivery to be left in...well...a delivery box. (I have never seen a courier or Canada Post delivery left at my front door, and I have lived at the same address for 30 years. Always the side door, in the delivery box or, if too large, inside the screen door.) But even on review Canpar confirmed that they left the package at my front door.

That was end of February. On one of the days when there were heavy wind gusts throughout the afternoon and night. (Canpar's weak defence was that the delivery person didn't recall it being windy at the time of delivery.)

I have never seen the package. I presume it either blew away (it would have been small) or was stolen by a passer-by.

Frustratingly, I was home at the time of purported delivery, but no effort was made to knock and deliver in person.

Here's where the situation gets frustrating:

- Canpar disclaims any responsibility, claiming that they were not instructed by the sender to get a signature on delivery, and leaving it on the premises (unsecured!) was, in their view, acceptable. (I suppose leaving it in a snow bank by the sidewalk would be similarly acceptable, in their view) They bounced me back to eBay.

- PayPal / eBay refuses to issue a refund, claiming that, from their perspective the delivery certificate is adequate proof that the item was delivered. This despite the fact that the certificate (and my correspondence with Canpar) demonstrated on its face that the delivery was made in an unsecured fashion. They bounce me back to try to reach a resolution with the seller.

The seller is blameless in this, so I'm not going to drag him through the mud. Not that I would have any real recourse if I were of vengeful mind.

So I am apparently left out of pocket for the demonstrable gross negligence of a courier that is partnered with or contracted by the GSP. It's very simple -- if ebay, PayPal, Pitney Bowes and its agents will not stand behind this service when it fails, I will not use it again. Ever. It is plain and simple irresponsible corporate citizenship when no one seems prepared to take responsibility (particularly when said corporations are making a tidy profit off the service). I'm not risking it again until there is some clear sign that this is being dealt with.

00nevermind00 · ‎03-25-2014

@claymate4391 wrote:

But theres still the issue that $8 working into the price on a free shipping listing is still cheaper than over $30 in fees and shipping. its still a better deal.

"Free" shipping could work to the buyer's disadvantage if the item's price is close to, but not quite at, the $20 tax-free limit. If the shipping is factored into the item price, it could bump the item's overall price over that limit. And since every single item above that limit gets taxed with GSP, "free" shipping could end up being anything but.