Global shipping program and post office boxes

[disisus]

Does eBay’s Global Shipping Program ship to a P.O. Box # in Canada?

I live in the rurals and it’s the only mailing address I have. 

Thanks,

Les

[momcqueen]

More than likely, yes. The end carrier is most often Canada Post in my experience.

[marnotom!]

Hi, Les!  Long time no see!

While the Global Shipping Program terms and conditions for buyers say that P.O. boxes are a no-no, this eBay.com help page states otherwise for certain countries, including Canada:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html

If you're able to incorporate some version of your house address into your mailing address, you may want to do that just to be on the safe side.

[disisus]

Hi Marnotom. Nice to hear from you. 

Thanks for the link. I had read somewhere that PO boxes were ok for Canada and other notes that Po Boxes were not ok, etc. It was/is confusing if it’s not consistent.

I have a section, township and range, which Hydro uses for meter reading and an E911 Location ID # which emergency vehicles use to locate you. 

So I should try and add this emergency# to my eBay delivery address? To make it look like an address? as in:

Box 123

E12345 -Hwy 330

etc. Etc

I’ve avoided sellers that use the Global shipping program for this reason since I moved. When I lived in the city I used it several times and it worked fine.

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

Post Office boxes* are probably safer than any other address because the owner has to open the box with his own key or show ID at the PO counter to get his package if it doesn't fit.

Compare that with a parcel left between screen and door, or in a box at the end of 500 metre driveway.

You could try changing your address to that of the postal outlet where you pickup.

John Doe

Unit 123.

456 Anywhere Lane.

ANYTOWN SK S0L 7E9

Whener 456 Anywhere Lane is the street address of the PO.

*In POs, not community boxes.

[marnotom!]

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@disisuswrote:

Thanks for the link. I had read somewhere that PO boxes were ok for Canada and other notes that Po Boxes were not ok, etc. It was/is confusing if it’s not consistent.

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The problem seems to be that Pitney Bowes is dealing with a myriad of networks of freight carriers and logistics companies, which isn't surprising as there are about 100 countries in the list of countries that the GSP serves.  Some of those logistics companies make use of their country's postal service once the item reaches the destination country, some will likely avoid it like the plague, and these arrangements are probably subject to change.

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@disisuswrote:

I have a section, township and range, which Hydro uses for meter reading and an E911 Location ID # which emergency vehicles use to locate you. 

So I should try and add this emergency# to my eBay delivery address?

---

I just read a Telus article on Enhanced 911 service, and I got the impression that E911 location IDs are only available to emergency personnel.  I don't think a carrier such as FedEx would have access to it.

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@disisuswrote:

I’ve avoided sellers that use the Global shipping program for this reason since I moved. When I lived in the city I used it several times and it worked fine.

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Have you had anything sent by courier since you moved?  When I lived out on the edge of nowhere, anything a merchant was foolish enough to send by courier ended up getting forwarded by mail from the courier's last shipping hub.  I suspect the same thing would happen with your item if, for whatever reason, the logistics company handling it decided to use a carrier other than Canada Post.  I just thought it would be a good idea to have a backup just in case there's no arrangement for forwarding courier items by mail to your location.

[disisus]

There is no courier delivery out here. 

The post office where we pick up our mail does have a street address so using that might be our best bet if PO Boxes are a problem as Femme suggested.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Les

[femmefan1946]

@disisuswrote:

Thanks for the link. I had read somewhere that PO boxes were ok for Canada and other notes that Po Boxes were not ok, etc. It was/is confusing if it’s not consistent.

 Once upon a time, couriers could not deliver to PO boxes, I think because part of their service was a signature on delivery and PO clerks would not (were not allowed to) sign.

So the sellers who were using couriers would refuse to ship to PO boxes.

There may have been a little paranoia about shipping to somewhere without knowing where it would end up. Because some people don't think things through to realize that a PO box requires heavy identification and an annual service fee.  To say nothing of a waiting period in some places where home delivery is fraught.

Then someone copied the reasonable restriction, without knowing why.

And someone copied him.

And someone copied him.

And.....

[dogmilitary]

I purchased a Christmas present for my wife in November!  It was shipped by Global and tracking number provided!

I was contacted by Global.  My package was held hostage for over 30 dollars when the item was only worth 30.00 paid their ransom fee and then they refused to deliver it to my Po box address.

The item was sent back to the vendor and he claimed he never received it.  Global told the vendor it had been delivered when it never had and asked for my refund and global refused claiming that they delivered it.  

Screwed by Global and the vendor!

[reallynicestamps]

Everything about that sounds wonky.

The Global Shipping Program is a Seller Protection offered by eBay to UK and US sellers.

You as the buyer, pay Canadian duty and sales taxes before the seller ships.

He then ships to Erlanger KY using tracking.

That's where the GSP plant is.

Look at the tracking for your parcel.

Does it show arrival in Erlanger KY?

If it does not the seller did not use the Global Shipping Program.

From Erlanger your purchase gets a new tracking number and is shipped to Canada.

Once here (usually the Mississauga /Gateway Terminal) it is subcontracted for last mile delivery.

Usually that is to Canada Post.

they refused to deliver it to my Po box address.

Umm- Canada Post refused to ship to a PO Box?

You see why this sounds wonky?

I suspect your dimwit seller ignored the GSP entirely and shipped by some random courier, which is trying to charge the duty and sales tax again.

Contact the seller.

Ask for the name of his shipper and the tracking information. Also the date of shipment.

Following the tracking should show you what is actually happening.

The name "Global" is pretty common. Some of my favourite TV shows are on the Global network, which has nothing to do with eBay.

What you are looking for is delivery to Erlanger KY. That will tell you the seller did use the GSP.

[reallynicestamps]

@dogmilitary 

Since the purchase was in November, it is well past the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

The Paypal Buyer Protection program is only good for 180 days, you might have a day or two left to claim there.  The PP Resolution Centre is at the top of your PP account page under Tools.

Your best bet would be the credit card you use to back your PP account. While card policies differ, they don't often last over six months and again you are close to deadline.

Start withPP and go on to the card, because if you open a chargeback, PP will not consider your dispute, while losing a PP dispute will not affect a chargeback.

Best wishes.

[marnotom!]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

The name "Global" is pretty common. Some of my favourite TV shows are on the Global network, which has nothing to do with eBay.

What you are looking for is delivery to Erlanger KY. That will tell you the seller did use the GSP.

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My impression from hanging out on these discussion boards for too long is that people who refer to "Global" in their posts are 95% of the time referring to something other than the Global Shipping Program.  They often mean Globegistics, which is something quite different.

The poster with this issue would have been better served starting a new thread rather than exhuming a zombie thread.

[kh-leslie]

Hello Everyone,

Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies.  Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thanks for understanding!