Try to understand that the GSP is a Seller Protection program that does very little for buyers and particularly for Canadian buyers.
When a seller chooses to use the GSP, the buyer is paying the Canadian duty* (on imports over $150) and sales taxes (on imports over $40) plus a small (~$5) service charge up front.
But the GSP is a freight forwarder which uses a hub and spoke delivery model, just like USPS, UPS, FedEx**, and Canada Post.
All of those send all the shipments from a large area to a central point from which they are routed to their destination. This may be another closer point with a repeat.
For example. GSP items are sent to Kentucky, from where they usually go to Mississauga's Gateway Terminal. This is confusing when the seller is in Maine and the buyer is in Halifax.
At a guess, by FedEx that parcel would go MN, NJ, Montreal, Halifax. Shorter but still spoke /MN, hub /NJ, spoke/ Mississauga, hub/Montreal, spoke/Halifax.
You can track a GSP item.
Your seller uses tracked shipping to KY.
There the shipment will show Delivered, until it clears customs (yes, in Kentucky, CBSA sub-contracts routinely), then it is assigned a new number which is also sent to you by eBay.
Another seller wrote this up a few years ago.Here's the copypasta.
Unison worked this out for buyers who have not yet received their GSP shipment.
TRACKING SYSTEM FOR GSP
I found this thread today while awaiting a shipment. Once I learned that Pitney Bowes was the relevant company, I was able to find my package's tracking info in about 10 seconds.
Step 1: Go to the Pitney Bowes Parcel Tracker page at https://parceltracking.pb.com/app/#/dashboard/
Step 2: Enter your eBay-supplied Global Tracking number (mine began with UPAA...)
Step 3: You will be shown limited tracking info. In my case, only up to the point the package left the USA and entered Canada.
Step 4: Click on the "Track on carrier's website" link at the top right.
Step 5: You will be provided with tracking on the page of the actual shipping company, in my case Canada Post, with a tracking number in THEIR system.
Problem solved! If only eBay would put a link to https://parceltracking.pb.com/app/#/dashboard/ in their shipping emails, this could all be avoided...
The important thing is : Do NOT look at tracking. It will upset any nervous buyer.
Look instead at the window for delivery eBay gave you.
Mark the last date on your calendar.
If the purchase has not been delivered by that date- which is set by eBay based on the information provided by the seller, including their Handling Time- go to the Resolution Centre at the bottom of this page.
Open a Not Delivered dispute, and be sure to ask for a GSP specialist***.
The GSP must prove delivery or refund you.
And if your item turns up late, the GSP does not want it back.
*These duty/tax free allowances are new. Until the first of July, the allowance was only $20.
**https://bizfluent.com/info-8036798-fedex-hubs.html
*** Because of that Delivered note when the purchase was delivered to the GSP.
