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.

[pm1941]

The eBay Global Tracking Service is fast and efficient but has a major flaw when it comes to a buyer trying to track the package past an International border.

Example:

I'm in Canada and just bought electronics from a reputable seller in the USA on eBay.

I paid for shipping, all customs fees and taxes in advance.

The package is somewhere with "a carrier" in the vicinity of my city as we speak.

There was great tracking information provided from the seller to the US/Canada border, and the Global Tracking information thus far provided, tells me it's cleared Customs and with "Destination Carrier".   But now no Carrier details nor tracking number.

It looks like it may be delivered today, or tomorrow at the latest and, because I have no details, have no idea if they are just going to dump it at the door, where it could be stolen, or if they are going to knock.

As someone else said, all Global Tracking seems designed for is to cover the retailer against risk.

In my case at least, it seems otherwise useless.

[femmefan1946]

Normally carriers will leave a Notice rather than a parcel, telling you where and when you can pick up your shipment.

Most of the time GSP uses Canada Post in Canada. Sometimes CanPar or FedEx.

In any case, put a notice on your door or mailbox NOT A SAFE DROP Leave Notice not parcels for the carrier.

There is a certain amount of human error in every transaction, but that should get the message across.

Then the next day, you can pick up your parcel at the PO in Shopper's Drug Mart after work.

[pm1941]

I was in when it arrived an hour ago fortunately. By my Canada Post letter carrier who now does double-duty as parcels delivery person too.

[blackranda2]

I was going to leave this subject alone but need to clarify your comment about the GSP being fast and efficient. The only time the GSP is fast and efficient is if both the buyer and seller live on the east coast. If the seller lives on the west and the buyer lives on the west you are looking t up to 3 times the normal delivery time by USPS. This is because the seller has to ship to Kentucky Center on the east coast and then GSP has to ship all the way back to the buyer on the west coast. I purchased 4 items from 4 different US sellers within a week. The GSP item was purchased on the March 11 and the other 3 were purchased on the 11th, the 12th and the 17th and were shipped by USPS. One from New Jersey, 1 from Colorado and one from Washington. The one from Washington arrived in 5 business days, the one from New Jersey arrived in  9 business days and the one from Colorado arrived in 5 business days. Guess what the GSP arrived a few minutes ago. It took 17 days or 13 business days and it cost more than 2 times more for the shipping. I haven't opened it yet but can hear things ratting around inside the package so I am almost afraid to open it! My biggest concern is what happens if it is damaged? Will I be fully refunded or not? Or will I have to sacrifice the import charges and the Pitney Bowes shipping cost? From what I have read on this thread it doesn't sound very promising. We will see. 

[marnotom!]

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@blackranda2 wrote:

If the seller lives on the west and the buyer lives on the west you are looking t up to 3 times the normal delivery time by USPS.

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This has not been my experience as a buyer in British Columbia.  I purchased a mobile phone from a mid-west-based seller shipping through the GSP and on the same day I purchased a case for the phone from a seller in California shipping directly to Canada by USPS.  The phone made it to me several days before the case did.

Of course, one has to purchase a lot of GSP items to see any sort of pattern or rhyme/reason develop, but I'd say that there's probably just as much inconsistency in delivery times for a GSP item as there are for an item sent directly by USPS.

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@blackranda2 wrote:

My biggest concern is what happens if it is damaged? Will I be fully refunded or not? Or will I have to sacrifice the import charges and the Pitney Bowes shipping cost? From what I have read on this thread it doesn't sound very promising. We will see. 

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You haven't been reading enough posts, then.  If you file a "not as described" claim and note that the item was shipped through the GSP and damaged, you should see all your charges reversed and probably not have to return your item, to boot.

[blackranda2]

I know now why there was a rattling sound when I picked up the box. One piece of the item was damaged probably because all the pieces were rattling around in the box loosely. There was bubble wrap stuffed loosely around the pieces but not enough to keep the pieces from rattling around. I wondered why such a large box was used. There was a blank label covering something off to the side of the label used to ship it to me. I peeled this blank label off carefully. Under it was the original label the seller used to ship it to Kentucky. Curious I emailed the seller and told her how it was packed. She told me she had wrapped all the pieces individually with bubble wrap. I am assuming she also packed extra bubble wrap around the pieces so they wouldn't rattle around.  Since she had packed it so well she wasn't concerned about damage. She also said the piece which was now cracked was not cracked when she mailed it. This appears to stress cracks perhaps from the poorly packed box being dropped. I would not mail a package so poorly packed around the corner never mind across the country. To me this is not the seller's fault. Where does the refund for the damage come from then? It is my understanding that in an item not as described dispute the seller has to refund the buyer which is totally unfair since she did not cause the damage. Am I wrong about this?

[femmefan1946]

That's a Not As Described dispute.

In the Dispute state that the damage was in transit and that this was a GSP shipment.

You may have to call to get the dispute transferred to a 'gsp specialist'.

The GSP doesn't usually open and repack packages -- rumours to that effect are just that. Frankly it would be impossible to do cheaply and the GSP is all about efficient use of resources.

Yes I am being serious.

So if they did open the well packed box the seller used, it would be to check what she was actually selling because someone at the plant was not sure.

Nonetheless, the damage was caused by GSP and the refund should come from GSP. They don't usually want the item itself back.

Let your seller know how it all worked out.

[bobenis]

Well I just had ANOTHER ebay item purchased via the GSP (2 in a row now) be handed off to USPS from Pitney Bowes vs them doing the customs clearance using their own service to Canada and then handing off to a private courier to be delivered within 2 days. Instead it was shipped via USPS SMALL PACKET from Chicago and now stuck in customs, like the last item I ordered, for a week. Once released it is sent ground that takes another 7-10 days to arrive. I paid for AND agreed to the GSP terms before making the purchase and those terms specifically state Priority International SHipping. Ebay iand/or PB are cutting corners to save money and negating on their written terms within the auction agreement! Total absolute joke...so what happens if there is an issue with the item since it was shipped via USPS? Does ebay still cover the damage and go after Pitney or are they going to tell me to send it back and not be able to leave just FB for the seller if he was not honest?

[bobenis]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

That's a Not As Described dispute.

In the Dispute state that the damage was in transit and that this was a GSP shipment.

You may have to call to get the dispute transferred to a 'gsp specialist'.

The GSP doesn't usually open and repack packages -- rumours to that effect are just that. Frankly it would be impossible to do cheaply and the GSP is all about efficient use of resources.

Yes I am being serious.

So if they did open the well packed box the seller used, it would be to check what she was actually selling because someone at the plant was not sure.

Nonetheless, the damage was caused by GSP and the refund should come from GSP. They don't usually want the item itself back.

Let your seller know how it all worked out.

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False, I have had almost every item opened by GSP and retaped with GSP Ebay branded packing tape. I have had items arrive with NO padding etc but instead just tossed loose into the box and when I contacted the seller they advised me the item was wrapped and taped in bubble wrap, popcorn foam, etc when they shipped it to PB. They do indeed open, inspect, and retape items and they do not properly repack with care.

[blackranda2]

My package was opened and taped with the same eBay branded tape which says: resealed by the Global Shipping Program.The seller had cleared marked the box Fragile in many spots so this should have been an incentive to pack it carefully.

[afantiques]

I am assuming she also packed extra bubble wrap around the pieces so they wouldn't rattle around.

This may have been an auumption too far. Many sellers have little idea about packing stuff for safe transit, and I doubt if any seller is going to say they used poor packing.

However, do the dama ge claim, and you get your money back and keep all the items, damaged or undamaged.

THe routine ebay proceedure for damaged items does not apply to GSP items and the GSP do not quibble about details like ebay sellers.

[afantiques]

Well I just had ANOTHER ebay item purchased via the GSP (2 in a row now) be handed off to USPS from Pitney Bowes vs them doing the customs clearance using their own service to Canada and then handing off to a private courier to be delivered within 2 days. Instead it was shipped via USPS SMALL PACKET from Chicago and now stuck in customs

Have you got any evidence of this in the way of tracking or pictures of the box labels on arrival. This is not the way the GSP works.

It is the way some sellers who use the GSP but do not understand what to do work, so I suspect seller error here. The labels on the box when it arrives would be proof of what happened. If the seller sent the item USPS you can claim back any money paid to the GSP.

[bobenis]

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@afantiques wrote:

Have you got any evidence of this in the way of tracking or pictures of the box labels on arrival. This is not the way the GSP works.

It is the way some sellers who use the GSP but do not understand what to do work, so I suspect seller error here. The labels on the box when it arrives would be proof of what happened. If the seller sent the item USPS you can claim back any money paid to the GSP.

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This is now how they are randomly doing it, yes. Here is a snippet and it was just like my last parcel, USPS.

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2017 12:23 AM	CA	In Transit with Destination Carrier
Monday, Mar 27, 2017 11:49 PM	ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)	In Transit with Destination Carrier
Monday, Mar 27, 2017 12:29 PM	Erlanger , Kentucky	Shipped from the Global Shipping Center to International Destination
Friday, Mar 24, 2017 9:44 PM	Erlanger , Kentucky	Customs Documentation and Labeling
Friday, Mar 24, 2017 8:41 PM	Erlanger , Kentucky	Processing at Global Shipping Center
Friday, Mar 24, 2017 10:56 AM	ERLANGER , KY	Arrived at Global Shipping Center

[bobenis]

OK someone just deleted my post as it no longer is there no matter how much I refresh this. Here are the details from my parcel in Feb Time and date Place Message Wednesday, Mar 1, 2017 9:55 PM CA Delivered Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 6:48 PM CA In Transit with Destination Carrier Tuesday, Feb 21, 2017 12:05 AM ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) In Transit with Destination Carrier Monday, Feb 20, 2017 2:25 PM Erlanger , Kentucky Shipped from the Global Shipping Center to International Destination Friday, Feb 17, 2017 8:55 AM Erlanger , Kentucky Customs Documentation and Labeling Friday, Feb 17, 2017 8:43 AM Erlanger , Kentucky Processing at Global Shipping Center Thursday, Feb 16, 2017 10:00 AM ERLANGER , KY Arrived at Global Shipping Center Thursday, Feb 16, 2017 5:37 AM CINCINNATI , OH Out for delivery to Global Shipping Center AND the newest one Wednesday, Mar 29, 2017 12:23 AM CA In Transit with Destination Carrier Monday, Mar 27, 2017 11:49 PM ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) In Transit with Destination Carrier Monday, Mar 27, 2017 12:29 PM Erlanger , Kentucky Shipped from the Global Shipping Center to International Destination Friday, Mar 24, 2017 9:44 PM Erlanger , Kentucky Customs Documentation and Labeling Friday, Mar 24, 2017 8:41 PM Erlanger , Kentucky Processing at Global Shipping Center Friday, Mar 24, 2017 10:56 AM ERLANGER , KY Arrived at Global Shipping Center

[bobenis]

Great, mash it all together ebay, well done lol.

[bobenis]

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@afantiques wrote:

Well I just had ANOTHER ebay item purchased via the GSP (2 in a row now) be handed off to USPS from Pitney Bowes vs them doing the customs clearance using their own service to Canada and then handing off to a private courier to be delivered within 2 days. Instead it was shipped via USPS SMALL PACKET from Chicago and now stuck in customs

Have you got any evidence of this in the way of tracking or pictures of the box labels on arrival. This is not the way the GSP works.

It is the way some sellers who use the GSP but do not understand what to do work, so I suspect seller error here. The labels on the box when it arrives would be proof of what happened. If the seller sent the item USPS you can claim back any money paid to the GSP.

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Both items have USPS tracking numbers.

They obviously are being shipped from PB to Chicago via a private courier and then from Chicago to me via USPS. 

[bobenis]

And here are more details and proof for you. Image attached...notice what USPS says at the bottom?

[marnotom!]

Using your post and one or two by others,  Bobenis, it looks as though Pitney Bowes or a subcontractor may be using a letter mail consolidation service for smaller items sent through the GSP.  "Small packet" is not the name that USPS gives to its oversized international letter mail service, but a company doing mail consolidation might use it as it's not a proprietary term.

Using mail consolidators is less expensive than directly shipping single small packets, but the trade-off, as you seem to be finding, is often slower transit time.

[bobenis]

Perhaps but it is NOT a small packet by any means. It will be arriving in the retail box, which is approximately 20in long by 12in wide, and 8in in height. Then it will be inside another box of course so it should be a good 4in larger than that in all directions.

[blackranda2]

I don't think I made a wrong assumption. Why would the seller use a larger box and pay more to ship it to Kentucky than she had to unless she felt it was necessary to pack it well to protect it? This was a collectible item which can not be easily replaced. It belonged to her mother. What a shame that it has now been damaged due to lack of respect. And yes now eBay wants me to call them. Waste some more of my time being put on their call wait list. I guess what bothers me more than anything else is that I allowed myself to participate in the GSP in the first place. Nothing is very clear about how it actually works. I should have known better. I do now.