Comments about the Global Shipping Program

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

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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Anonymous
Not applicable

To femme,,   It is benefit to eBay as well because eBay gets to charge sellers the final value fees on high shipping costs that come with GSP!  eBay is happy!!  That is why eBay loves it so much!! 

 

I was hoping that eBay would "retire" GSP like they did with eBucks but am not seeing it happening as long as eBay gets final value fees on higher shipping costs with GSP!!

Message 161 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@Anonymous wrote:

It is benefit to eBay as well because eBay gets to charge sellers the final value fees on high shipping costs that come with GSP!


You've been misinformed.

 

The FVF on GSP sales are based on the item price plus the seller's first domestic shipping option, same as a regular international sale from the U.S. listed on .com.

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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

To marnotom.

No ,it does not make sense !

WHY is the seller being made to send the purchased  item(s) to the Global Shipping  centre in KENTUCKY (!)  in the first place,when he/she used to send it DIRECTLY to the buyer?

My purchased item comes to MONTREAL from MAINE via KENTUCKY?

And I have to pay for this?

Sorry! I won't!

 

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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

to toby_le_pue ,

 

I PAID  OVER $30  DUTY on  the shoes that you snooped around to find.

I resent this snooping into the exact nature of my purchases.

 

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Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@16blythest wrote:

To marnotom.

No ,it does not make sense !

WHY is the seller being made to send the purchased  item(s) to the Global Shipping  centre in KENTUCKY (!)  in the first place,when he/she used to send it DIRECTLY to the buyer?

My purchased item comes to MONTREAL from MAINE via KENTUCKY?

And I have to pay for this?

Sorry! I won't!

 


Then tell your seller to stop using the Global Shipping Program.

Message 165 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

I bought an item from Wolverhampton in the UK : distance = 3,144 miles from Montreal.

It was shipped on Oct.18th.

I received it today, Oct.21st.

There were no extra charges above the cost of the item & the postage charged by the buyer.

 

I also bought an item from a seller in Pennsylvania: distance =  521 miles from Montreal.

It was shipped on Oct.14th.

It hasn't arrived yet. Today is Oct.21st.

The seller  billed me a sum equalling  the cost of the item + shipping.

This is what I've been used to.


Pitney Bowes,Inc.,the GS corporation, added a further 57% of the above sum to my bill.

YES, that's right, a WHOPPING 57%  of my seller's total !

 

I'm sorry, but I really don't have the time or the inclination to wade through all the long, complicated ,verbose explanations written by those who would like to show me the error of my ways in not accepting eBay's  & Pitney Bowe's  shiny new "GLOBAL SHIPPING" scheme.

 

It's devious & it's exploitative & someone's stacking up the dollars somewhere.

 I won't shop from the US on eBay till it's gone.

 

I ordered a few things on Amazon.ca yesterday.

Free shipping.

No problem with exchanges.

 

A BREEZE !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Message 166 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

By an odd coincidence I am  writing this from Wolverhampton. Not my item though. There are  a few of us here.

 

I'm sorry, but I really don't have the time or the inclination to wade through all the long, complicated ,verbose explanations written by those who would like to show me the error of my ways in not accepting eBay's  & Pitney Bowe's  shiny new "GLOBAL SHIPPING" scheme

 

 

I don't think I have seen anyone try to do this, not even the ebay staff posts, it is simply that the complaints tend to be about details that are widely misunderstood by buyers and sellers, all presented in a flood of vitriol.

 

Nobody is arguing that the way this scheme was introduced and is being applied is not one of the most ill advised marketing schemes ever, with sellers 'signed up' by stealth,and buyers who have gross misapprehensions due to a total lack of marketing explanation or support.

 

Therefore there are a few posters who suggest sensible things like working out comparative costs, asking sellers to opt out, shoping only with non GSP  sellers, and so on. These posters are not trying to puff the program, I doubt if even the originators are much in love with it by now, but just trying to balance some of the utterly silly claims made by others.

 

 

 

Although the official line is now that it is unsuitable for many items, on launch they were not so careful, and the negative impact of this is still far more apparent than any understanding of the program as a whole.

 

There were many real world situations that went completely unaddressed because the program designers had worked it out purely theoretically, and with no understanding of how things normally worked, a situation that led to all the current problems.

 

I suspect that if it was only used for those heavy, low value items where the gross GSP costs can be less than costs with other carriers including USPS, it would be uneconomical to run and would wither on the vine.

 

As it is we will all be waiting and seeing what happens. But no-one will shed a tear if it all dries up and blows away.

 

 

Message 167 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

I had one seller signed up for Pitney Bowes who was willing to mail me the small item via USPS first class instead, but she could not find a way to invoice me for it. It would not allow her to send an invoice for the item because it was linked to Pitney Bowes shipping. No choice = no sale!

 

All she has to do is to go to Paypal and send you an invoice. The text box should include the eBay listing number.

Then she marks the item Paid (when you pay). This is not an off-eBay sale, just an off-eBay payment.

 

Now better would be to opt out of the program entirely, if her items sell for less than $100, and certainly if they sell for less than $50. But the seller controls the shipping service. The buyer only controls the decision to purchase or not under the listing terms.

Message 168 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Anonymous
Not applicable

I really enjoy shopping on Ebay l am wondering why shipping has become so high and just a thought the new shipping for US sellers that Ebay has put in place dose not mean us Canadians don't pay a duty fee we do, plus the high shipping cost for something that cost less then five dollars. I just want to know how dose this benefits anyone.

Pitney Bows is not the best way to go for a 3.00 cookie cutter l paid 6.99 to the seller then 13.32 to

 

Pitney Bows when l know post office would have been 3.00 to ship so why l ask. 

Message 169 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Unfortunately, many American sellers offer Global Shipping Program (GSP) through Pitney Bowes when they should not.

 

eBay suggests American sellers use it when selling items mor more than $50 on average and shipped as parcels.  Personally, I think $100 would be more appropriate in most instances.

 

Most Canadian buyers avoid buying from listings offering GSP.  They are all clearly identified and easy to avoid.

Message 170 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

you guys gotta ditch this.
it's stopping me from buying anything here anymore.

i've wanted to.. but every time i come here, i'm appalled at the shipping prices.
why should the shipper make more for shipping, than the seller makes for selling the item?

kinda messed up.

i'm sick of it, and looking for alternatives now. sure i'm not the only one. would probably be wise to drop this policy.
Message 171 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

"Pitney Bows when l know post office would have been 3.00 to ship so why l ask.
"

 

You cannot ship anything USA>Canada  (other then paper like a letter)for $3 anymore.  The lightest item is over $6, and goes up from there.  Rates increased as much as 140% in Jan

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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

As a Canadian buying clothing from the US since 2005, I have NEVER EVER been charged import duties upon arrival. So !  why would I want to buy now from sellers who use this Global Shipping Program.

 

If you are an American seller of clothing and using this system, be prepared to not only lose my business, but from others who are looking at this the same way I am.

 

During my 9 yrs on eBay, I have found that USPS works just fine. If it's not BROKEN, don't FIX it !

 

 

🙂

Message 173 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Smiley Mad This message is for all the eBay buyers who are fed up with the shipping charges that have been implemented to rob buyers.  Simple solution, do not deal with sellers who use this method of shipping.  Don't be a victim, anyone who charges these fees must think that buyers were born yesterday without any brains.  If enough of us say NO then they will get the message that we will not put up with it no matter how much we might want the item.  Have a great week

Message 174 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

I'm not sure what makes the GSP "crooked" but I agree that it's often not a viable shipping option for the small, modestly-priced items that most Canadians using eBay seem to buy.

 

Unfortunately, some sellers using the GSP are either unaware that they've blundered into the program or else they have no idea of the fact that it can cost buyers more than if the item were shipped directly to them.  Polite messages to these sellers explaining why you won't be buying from them may also be a good course of action.

Message 175 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Canadian buyers are all victims of the GSP.

 

Sure, we can boycott sellers who use it, but that solves nothing as long as eBay continues to baby and nurture the program the way it's been doing.

 

 

Never has a topic been so discussed on this message board.   Most of the posts mirror the one above.  

 

 

The GSP situation is getting worse in spite of complaints from buyers and sellers alike.

 

 

The message is clear:  Suck it up, buy Canadian .................. or leave.

Message 176 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

Sales have slowed down a great deal. Buyers not buying from GSP users and staying away from enay should make them realize there's something wrong with this site. For the first time my sales on ebid have surpassed ebay.

Message 177 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program


@angus_coin_shop wrote:

Sales have slowed down a great deal. Buyers not buying from GSP users and staying away from eBay should make them realize there's something wrong with this site.


Given that the pool of Canadian eBay buyers is significantly smaller than the pool of American eBay buyers, I doubt that the loss of Canadian buyers would have the deleterious effect on U.S. sellers that you're suggesting.

 

My sense is that the GSP is being inappropriately adopted largely by sellers who have little to no experience shipping internationally.  If buyers are staying away from those sellers' listings in droves, they wouldn't have purchased items from those sellers prior to the GSP so it's not going to make much if any difference to those sellers' sales.

Message 178 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

YA a funny thing Has happen over the course of a week PITNEY BOWES  INC. HAS SOMEHOW ACCESSED MY FREAKING PAYPAL ACCOUNT TOOK MONEY OUT PUT IT BACK IN LATER IN DAY AND YES CREDIT CARD WAS CHARGED.  AND THEY HAVE DONE THIS 8 TIMES WITHIN A WEEK,  AND WE DON,T EVEN SHIP WITH THIS COMPANY WHAT KIND OF FRAUD IS THIS A MINOR MISTAKE 

AND HOURS ON PHONE WITH WELL ON HOLD.

 

NO ANSWERS, FROM EB OR PAYPAL

THEY NEED TO INVESTIGATE IN TO THIS KIND OF SCAMMING AS WE HAD NOT GIVEN ANY ACCESS TO OUR PAYPAL ACCOUNT OR THE PITNEY BOWES INC.  TO TAKE MONEY OUT HERE AND THERE

WHAT IS THIS THE STOCK MARKET!!!!

**bleep** OFF WITH A CANCELED CREDIT CARD

 

Message 179 of 6,171
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Comments about the Global Shipping Program

No, you don't ship with Pitney Bowes for a sale made through the GSP, but Pitney Bowes does arrange the shipping for you, as per the terms and conditions you agreed to when you committed to making payment for the item.

 

http://pages.ebay.ca/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html

 

Having said that, it does appear that some sort of glitch or sloppiness is at work here.

Message 180 of 6,171
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