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

afantiques · ‎05-14-2015

In how many GSP listings is it apparent that the seller has used the "item specifics"? I'm betting that after all this time, it's still a pretty small proportion.

This was one of the topics I raised with the UK ebay team, and will plug away at again. I have met the Erlanger depot manager, who seemed to have a suitable work ethic for all I could tell. She seemed to be a tough cookie anyway. Lord knows what she thought of me. I really can't see that work ethic thing as realistic. The technical matters of tracking onward shipments will be discussed.

After years of apparent complete indifference, the UK having a more open attitude to the GSP process might result in some problems being resolved and some improvements being made.

lookinlots · ‎05-15-2015

Personally I will never purchase from a buyer who uses GSP. And I used to be an avid eBay buyer. Too many other online marketplace options these days that don't have this ridiculous cost. Bye bye eBay.

99dogshunting · ‎05-16-2015

GSP is nothing but a cash grab by ebay!

marnotom! · ‎05-16-2015

@99dogshunting wrote:

GSP is nothing but a cash grab by ebay!

Define "cash grab by eBay." Pitney-Bowes actually rakes in most of the program fees.

walker0017 · ‎05-16-2015

@marnotom! wrote:
@99dogshunting wrote:

GSP is nothing but a cash grab by ebay!

Define "cash grab by eBay." Pitney-Bowes actually rakes in most of the program fees.

eBay created the program, PB implements it which links both to each other and I am willing to bet that eBay is raking it's fair share of the profits with this.

reallynicestamps · ‎05-20-2015

So your telling me that once it leave the GS facility it's not tracked until it arrives in CANADA ( this is what EBAY has said to) ??

No.

It's tracked.

But it is tracked by PitneyBowes (GSP) for PitneyBowes.

The buyer may emotionally want to know exactly where his purchase is every second of its travels, but eBay's Buyer Protection Program means that if it is not delivered promptly, the buyer gets her money back.

Promptly in my experience, again eBay or other, GSP or direct, postal or courier, means 20 days or less.

And if the item arrives after the refund, the GSP does not want it returned.

There is no reason for the buyer to pay for tracking which benefits only the seller in case of a Dispute.

As a corollary, GSP is at heart a tracking service and there is no good reason for a buyer to pay for it.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-20-2015

@reallynicestamps wrote:
So your telling me that once it leave the GS facility it's not tracked until it arrives in CANADA ( this is what EBAY has said to) ??

No.
It's tracked.
But it is tracked by PitneyBowes (GSP) for PitneyBowes.
The buyer may emotionally want to know exactly where his purchase is every second of its travels, but eBay's Buyer Protection Program means that if it is not delivered promptly, the buyer gets her money back.
Promptly in my experience, again eBay or other, GSP or direct, postal or courier, means 20 days or less.

And if the item arrives after the refund, the GSP does not want it returned.

There is no reason for the buyer to pay for tracking which benefits only the seller in case of a Dispute.
As a corollary, GSP is at heart a tracking service and there is no good reason for a buyer to pay for it.

That's incorrect. The tracking number is not for internal use, it is for the buyer. It is true that some gsp packages are either not being scanned often or else the information isn't being put into the system in a timely manner.

00nevermind00 · ‎05-20-2015

@reallynicestamps wrote:
No.
It's tracked.
But it is tracked by PitneyBowes (GSP) for PitneyBowes.

Tracking

Once the seller has shipped your item, you receive an email letting you know that the item has shipped. The email includes a global tracking number which enables you to track your item as it travels from the shipping center to you.

The global tracking number can also be found in My eBay and on the Order details page.

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/buy/shipping-globally.html#tracking

cupido84 · ‎05-21-2015

I just paid $28 in shipping and fees (on a $25 item) to PB inc. I'm done using eBay if these ridiculous fees are here to stay. The demise of eBay has BEGUN.

pierrelebel · ‎05-21-2015

"I just paid $28 in shipping and fees (on a $25 item"

Why did you?

Were the shipping charge and "import charge" shown in the listing? If so why did you make the decision to buy and accept to pay those charges? Why not use the "back button".

Why blame eBay for your decision?

We all know GSP is not Canadian buyer friendly. So, why buy the item?

logicaloverload · ‎05-21-2015

No way in hell am I going to buy from ppl that use GSP. I'm in canada and anything below 25$ is non taxable!
So eBay, Paypay and GSP..

You are now triple dipping. crooks!
NO THANK YOU!

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-21-2015

logicaloverload wrote:

No way in hell am I going to buy from ppl that use GSP. I'm in canada and anything below 25$ is non taxable!
So eBay, Paypay and GSP..

You are now triple dipping. crooks!
NO THANK YOU!

The limit is $20 Canadian. The gsp does not add tax to items under that amount. But there is still a service charge.

highland.2112 · ‎05-21-2015

The answer to the GSP trainwreck: SIMPLY STOP BUYING STUFF ON EBAY.

And I'm expecting an eBay-sponsored moderator to jump in here (Yoda, pierrelebel, afaltantique or whomever, feel free) to make the case that it's not eBay's issue and to plead with you to prevent you from leaving.

Only in Canada, eh?

Pitney.

yanavb · ‎05-21-2015

No returns on shipping? That's just lovely. Not to mention, it's 3/4 of the way into the terms and conditions which are, of course, the thing that plenty don't read. Now that may be asking for it, but on what planet is it okay for an organization that prides itself on 'buyer security' like eBay to agree to that?

I'm out ~50-60$ from the one time I, a newcomer to eBay, bid on a GSP item. This is absolutely deplorable and I will never purchase a GSP item again. Pitney Bowes pocketed the shipping part of my fees and there is no projected return - I understand not returning duty but not returning shipping is above and beyond any type of customer consideration.

Good riddance to bad rubbish that's cost me more than I'm happy to admit. 50$ USD isn't chump change, and it's gone. All because I decided to venture to trust eBay. Won't make that mistake again.

afantiques · ‎05-22-2015

an eBay-sponsored moderator

Trying to be moderate does not make posters 'moderators' . I'd love to be sponsored, though. Maybe I could eat something every day instead of every second day.

afantiques · ‎05-22-2015

No returns on shipping? That's just lovely. Not to mention, it's 3/4 of the way into the terms and conditions which are, of course, the thing that plenty don't read. Now that may be asking for it, but on what planet is it okay for an organization that prides itself on 'buyer security' like eBay to agree to that?

In the case of lost, undeliverable or damaged items the buyer gets a 100% refund if they take the trouble to claim it.

The problem lies with cases of seller fault, was this what happened to cause you the loss?

marnotom! · ‎05-22-2015

@pierrelebel wrote:

Were the shipping charge and "import charge" shown in the listing? If so why did you make the decision to buy and accept to pay those charges? Why not use the "back button".

Why blame eBay for your decision?

We all know GSP is not Canadian buyer friendly. So, why buy the item?

Some of these shipping and import charge complaints bring to mind a negative review I read of a Loblaw No Frills store, where the reviewer complained that the store "cost [him] an extra thirty bucks" because it wouldn't do a price match on a competitor.

Why didn't the reviewer simply buy the item from the competitor instead of from No Frills if they wanted to save thirty dollars?

kamdad · ‎05-23-2015

One of my pet peeves about this program is the shipping charges seem totally random. A T-shirt is $21 to ship, something weighing 3 pound is $9. And when I use best offer..the lower I go the higher the shipping? Why is there variable shipping costs...variable duty and taxes of course. Most things I order without the GSP come without any duty or shipping..Canada Post really ignores most things unless they are $100 or more it seems...I know the rule is $20, but that is not how it is applied.

And why when I do a search does the shipping portion say one thing (say $9.86) and then when I look at the item it always goes up a few dollars?

pierrelebel · ‎05-23-2015

"and why when I do a search does the shipping portion say one thing (say $9.86) and then when I look at the item it always goes up a few dollars?"

That could be a currency thing. You see US$10.00 shipping (for example) in search result pages while the listing will reflect Cdn$ 12.00 using current conversion from US$.

"...shipping charges seem totally random."

That is a bit tricky.

The shipping charge you see in the listing is a total of two shipping charges:

1) from the seller to eBay's distribution centre in KY (that amount is determined by the American seller)

2) from the distribution centre in KY to your door (or nearest post office).

"when I use best offer..the lower I go the higher the shipping?"

That is also a tricky thing. It has been explained before. Let me do it again.

Pitney Bowes does charge a fee to handle a shipment. Typically $4/$5 for shipments valued at less than $100. That fee (service charge) is to cover their handling (in and out of the distribution centre). It is in addition to the shipping charge from KY to buyer and taxes (and duty if applicable) for shipments valued at more than Cdn$ 20.

Now, if the item is valued at more than Cdn$ 20.00 the "import charge" will include taxes (and duty is applicable) and the $4/$5 service charge

If the item is valued at less than Cdn$ 20.00 there will be no "import charge" and the $4/$5 fee will be included in the shipping charge.

Now, please bear with me for one more minute.

If an item is offered at $20 for example, it may have $10 shipping and $7 "import charge". If you offer the seller $15, then the "import charges" go away but the shipping charge will go up by $4/$5 which represents the fee payable to Pitney Bowes to handle the shipment (this has nothing to do with duty and/or taxes).

So Pitney Bowes charge $4/$5 handling fee whether taxes are charged or not.

Canada Post charges a handling fee of $9.95 only when taxes are charged. No taxes: no CP fee.

As stated many times before GSP is not "buyer friendly" for Canadians and should be avoided in most instances.

logicaloverload · ‎05-23-2015

So my post has been edited to meat the high eBay standards. Tell me why I should respect eBay standards when eBay them self's take us for ignorant idiots!