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.

[toby_le_pue]

If it would have been shipped by regular mail and

checked by Customs you would have paid

$9.95 customs fee plus GST and your provincial sales tax.

Most Anything over $20.00 canadian is subject to Canadian taxes.

[kokojjh]

Will no longer buy from sellers who use this program.  I bought a small item for under $24 and with the shipping and fees it cam to $57.  More than double the cost of the item.  Have bought over 50 items from all over the world and only had to pay duty once.  So the odds of having to pay the duty without this program are low, so why would I bother with the GSP?  I won't.!!

[marnotom!]

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@kokojjh wrote:

Will no longer buy from sellers who use this program.  I bought a small item for under $24 and with the shipping and fees it cam to $57.  More than double the cost of the item.  Have bought over 50 items from all over the world and only had to pay duty once.  So the odds of having to pay the duty without this program are low, so why would I bother with the GSP?  I won't.!!

---

The math here strikes me as being a bit odd.

T'he pet door cost US$23.87.  Shipping to Ontario was listed as $22.07.

Import charges were listed as US$8.62.  Ontario HST on the pet door would be 13% or $3.10.  As the item is made in China it would have been subject to a small amount of duty as well, but even not counting that would mean that US$5.52 would have gone to charges other than taxes, which is less than the C$9.95 Canada Post charges in the event that taxes are charged by Canada Border Services.

Yes, the odds are pretty low that your item would have been taxed if sent by the mail, but as any item with a declared value of over C$20 can potentially be assessed and charged taxes, one should never assume that an item they purchase from outside Canada of that value will never get taxed.

What I really don't understand is why you bought the pet door if you didn't like the additional charges associated with getting it to you.

[kokojjh]

Seller did not initailly ship to Canada, sent an email and asked if he would, said yes.  Bought for that amount at auction, then program would not allow to add shipping as the original item did not ship to Canada.  He cancelled transaction then let me buy it for that price and he must have used the GSP at checkout.  Didn't realize till after.  Still about half the price of buying one off he rack here though.  So still happy.  He had never shipped anything to Canada before, so I am grateful. 

[marnotom!]

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@kokojjh wrote:

Seller did not initailly ship to Canada, sent an email and asked if he would, said yes.  Bought for that amount at auction, then program would not allow to add shipping as the original item did not ship to Canada.  He cancelled transaction then let me buy it for that price and he must have used the GSP at checkout.  Didn't realize till after.  Still about half the price of buying one off he rack here though.  So still happy.  He had never shipped anything to Canada before, so I am grateful. 

---

If I were "still happy" and I got a good deal compared to purchasing the item locally, I think it would make more sense to conclude that it's best to read listings carefully and decide if the shipping option and associated fees make sense, rather than conclude from one sale that the GSP is unsuitable 100% of the time.

But maybe I'm weird that way.  🙂

The GSP can't be added at Checkout time, by the way.  Either the listing has it or it doesn't.

[femmefan1946]

 I don't pay customs where I live because there is no place to collect it.

That's a silly statement. Everything you buy in any store or catalogue that was imported to Canada includes some duty or GST charges in its price.

If those pens were made in the USA there probably was no duty, but there still would be GST, and PST in most provinces and territories.

The costs are collected at the border or at the PO counter or by the postal worker on your doorstep.

In the case of the GSP, that "border" is in their bonded warehouse in Kentucky. It's a global economy, eh?

About $1.95 of that PB charge was probably GST/HST. If the pens were made in Asia there may be some duty as well. PB takes the rest , somewhere around $4.50-$4.95, as a service charge with which they pay their workers and stockholders for processing the paperwork and putting your parcel on the right truck.

[Anonymous]

Hello to all, I'm a newbie here on the forums but have been ebuying for several years now.

I must say since this whole debacal with gsp or w.e it is called I have lost total interest in ebay and buying from ebay all together.

as previously mentioned there are more negative impacts then positive and I have yet to see any form of a positive impact.

the reason why i started ebuying is becuase of cost savings big time cost savings but since pitney and bows have come into the picture it has completely ruined this for me. sure we have a larger product base but a larger product base that comes at higher cost to the point where its more exspensive then retail is a senseless buisness path for ebay.

prior to this system if i recieved bad product i would go about contacting the seller in hopes its rectified but depending on the situation I would just consider it a minor write off. issues rarely ever came about tho but now with this system its more senseible for me to just got to a retail store, if there is trouble down the road it will cost me far more then retail prices and this is why i ebuy even if there is a minor issue the return shipping with likely mean that i break even at the retail prices so no biggie. now tho im better off just returning the goods to the retailer i now buy from. i have not bought one thing in over 6 months from ebay becuase of this system when i used to buy nearly daily. i have recently bought a few items but realized that i now spend more time searching for what i want writing down prices and doing the math myself becuase these gsp prices are not inclueded in the over all price which is terribly frustrating. 

In conclusion, this will be the last few purchases I will ever likely make on ebay now due to this gsp system.

I feel it was a bad path for ebay to take and hopefully it is rectified but for the time being. as a former avid ebayer i am now bowing out becuase i no longer see a benifit to the services that ebay offers me. 

Steve

[bennett4612]

Hello bushlite2011. 

Just wanted to post a couple pieces of info regarding your comments. 

#1 it is worth noting that buyers (and sellers) using the GSP are afforded the same protections as in non-GSP transactions. Plus with the GSP if an item is lost or damaged in transit, SNAD cases, buyer's remorse, etc. -- buyers are refunded all costs, including purchase price, shipping, and GSP program fees. 

#2 in a GSP transaction the Buyer sees estimated costs in the listing itself and then final costs on the checkout page. 

Anyway. Hope that helps. 

---Ben

[rick31797]

Spoiler

Anybody that uses this GSP  so called program, should see a loss in sales, as this program, just adds more cost to the buyer..

Spoiler

When i search for items to buy i skip over anybody using this, sometimes i ask if they will ignore this and some think its a crime, not to use it.

Spoiler

I just seen an item for 32.00  shipping 15.99  global custom fee 12.50.

Spoiler

Do you realize that Canadains can buy items under 40.00 with no customs fees, sometimes they will waive items costing 60.00.

Spoiler

no thanks to GSP,  we all know this is good for Ebay, not for sellers..

[marnotom!]

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@rick31797 wrote:

Anybody that uses this GSP  so called program, should see a loss in sales, as this program, just adds more cost to the buyer..

I just seen an item for 32.00  shipping 15.99  global custom fee 12.50.

Do you realize that Canadains can buy items under 40.00 with no customs fees, sometimes they will waive items costing 60.00.

---

I doubt that most U.S. sellers who have blundered into the GSP and are using it inappropriately are seeing much of a loss in sales.  I get the sense that sales to Canada don't make up a huge proportion of most U.S. sellers' sales unless they're selling t-shirts with beavers and maple leaves on them.  What Canadians don't buy from sellers using the GSP will possibly be purchased by Americans instead.

And while Canadians can buy items under $40 with no taxes and customs processing fees charged, the actual tax/duty-free limit for most items is C$20.  PitneyBowes is simply adhering to the letter of the law.  If you think that limit is too low, have a word with your Member of Parliament.

[rick31797]

Well i spent alot of money from US sellers, no more..they can sell to there own people. , like i said before, you can buy items for 40.00 or less with no added fees, so why would i welcome the GSP,and pay more., i have rarely bought anything from the USA , since the GSP came along, now i sell to USA customers and then spend there money in Canada , now that alot of Canadian stores take paypal..win win...

[marnotom!]

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@rick31797 wrote:
Well i spent alot of money from US sellers, no more..they can sell to there own people. , like i said before, you can buy items for 40.00 or less with no added fees, so why would i welcome the GSP,and pay more., 

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And like I said before, legally speaking, any item with a declared value of over C$20 can be assessed taxes by Canada Border Services.  If that happens, Canada Post charges ten bucks on top of that to collect, process and remit the taxes.

I suspect that if more items sent by mail were taxed this way like they were when my wife and I started using eBay in 1999, the posts about the GSP would be quite different.

[rick31797]

You dont seem to know much about how Canada customs works, with only 1 transaction on Ebay and probably living in the USA how could you..I have did enough buying i know what they allow and what they dont. i also know from reading other posts, there are alot of people not liking the GSP, and with Ebay shoving it down peoples throats..You are a Lover of the GSP, and I wonder why.. what benefit does this option if it really is an option to you..You just want to be different... 

I think Ebay should allow a person to go into there settings and be able to search for items with sellers that are not using the GSP... Thats the first thing i look for when buying, if they have it i move on, Ebay is making money off it or some type of a benefit for themselves or it would not be there...

[marnotom!]

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@rick31797 wrote:

You dont seem to know much about how Canada customs works, with only 1 transaction on Ebay and probably living in the USA how could you..I have did enough buying i know what they allow and what they dont. i also know from reading other posts, there are alot of people not liking the GSP, and with Ebay shoving it down peoples throats..You are a Lover of the GSP, and I wonder why.. what benefit does this option if it really is an option to you..You just want to be different... 

I think Ebay should allow a person to go into there settings and be able to search for items with sellers that are not using the GSP... Thats the first thing i look for when buying, if they have it i move on, Ebay is making money off it or some type of a benefit for themselves or it would not be there...

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This post is very confusing.

I don't understand what you mean by "what they [Canada Border Services] allows and doesn't allow".  That sounds to me as though you're talking about restricted imports, and that has nothing to do with what's being discussed.

I also don't like the GSP but I find it's useful to take some time to learn the ways of one's enemy.  I seem to be one of the few posters on this board who's trying to take some time to understand how and why the GSP works as it does and I've concluded that it's not a scam.  It can be pricey if used inappropriately, but that doesn't make it a scam.  The customer service to buyers--including the paperwork--sucks, but that doesn't make it a scam.  The instances where sellers have found themselves unknowingly opted into the GSP are often due to them misunderstanding the use of a poorly-designed click-through process.  Sneaky or conspiracy?  Your choice.

And of course eBay is trying to increase revenues with the GSP (although probably not the way you think it is).  People sell on eBay to make money, as well.  Should they be condemned for that?  eBay and its sellers aren't charitable organisations, last time I checked.

Sorry to be different by doing a bit of homework first as opposed to injuring my knees on the table.

[afantiques]

All the fiercest and most inaccurate objectors seem to be only semi literate, but there do seem to be a lot of them.

Still, not bad standard to differ from.

BTW, I think it is a bad idea too. Just not some kind of crime or trade war.

[katee1958]

Re: GSP.

I will no longer buy anything from a seller using the GSP. This is a totally unnecessary cost to the consumer. Canada Customs will charge GST when needed, usually on big ticket items. This money goes to the Government of Canada, not Pitney Bowes! All packages from the USA are automatically tracked by Canada Post. 

This is NOT an improvement to the experience of Canadian buyers, but rather a deterrent!!!

Thanks, Kathy

[katee1958]

I worked for Canada Post for 33 years. Trust me, there is a huge volume of parcels coming from eBay. Secondly, Our national sales tax is 5%. The fees being charged via the GSP are far greater than that! Also, it has been my experience, customs charges are  for big ticket items. As a Canadian shopping on eBay, I look for things that I CANNOT get in Canada.

Thanks,

Katee

[marnotom!]

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@katee1958 wrote:

I will no longer buy anything from a seller using the GSP. This is a totally unnecessary cost to the consumer. Canada Customs will charge GST when needed, usually on big ticket items. This money goes to the Government of Canada, not Pitney Bowes! All packages from the USA are automatically tracked by Canada Post. 

This is NOT an improvement to the experience of Canadian buyers, but rather a deterrent!!!

I worked for Canada Post for 33 years. Trust me, there is a huge volume of parcels coming from eBay. Secondly, Our national sales tax is 5%. The fees being charged via the GSP are far greater than that! Also, it has been my experience, customs charges are  for big ticket items. As a Canadian shopping on eBay, I look for things that I CANNOT get in Canada.

---

What do you mean by an "unnecessary cost to the consumer"?

What do you mean by "[Canada Border Services] will charge GST when needed."  When is GST "needed"?  When is it not "needed"?  And don't forget that provincial taxes or HST are charged, not just GST.

Yes, taxes charged by Canada Border Services do go to the Canadian government.  I see no reason why the taxes charged by Pitney Bowes or its agents wouldn't go to the Canadian government, either.  You neglect to mention that Canada Post charges the importer almost ten bucks to collect and remit the taxes charged by Canada Border Services.  I've found many instances where the GSP's cut of the import charges after taxes is less than that.

[pierrelebel]

"Our national sales tax is 5%."

Reality is that Canada Customs levies tax based on the rate applicable to each province (5% in AB to 15% in NS), including PST if applicable on taxable items.

With 33 years at Canada Post you know that, don't you? 

You have collected these taxes over the years, have you not? 

You also have collected that $9.95 administration charge levied by Canada Post whenever taxes are charged, have you not?

[rick31797]

Katee ,marnotom doesn't seem to get it, he thinks that Canada Customs charge HST and custom charges on everything we buy

from the US, when in reality, as i say for the 3rd, time you can spend 40.00 and not have to pay anything, i have bought items 60 to

80.00 and paid nothing, but for sure items under 40.00 they let go and there are no fee's, how many under 40.00 items have i

bought.. probably over 100 to 150 items, with no charge... now how hard is it for a guy to understand this, A guy that has no history of

living in Canada and buying from the USA.. Now that the GSP is here.. any items that Canada Customs would NORMALLY LET GO,

WITHOUT ANY EXTRA COST. The GSP will charge you, Just today i wanted to buy something for 32.00 it had a 15.00 shipping

charge and 12.50 customs fee's i ask the seller if he would drop the custom charge and he said no and i said no thanks... i will

buy from a seller that doesn't use GSP.. they are getting harder to find, because most Ebayer think its the Law...Katee being with

the Post office that long you have alot of insight of what is going on , and i am with you,the sellers that use GSP, i will not be buying

from.