Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

maousus
Community Member

I have not received an order I placed on Feb 4th, shipping from US to Canada using Global Shipping Program.

The last Tracking Update displayed on eBay "Purchased History" page is as follows:

 

Arrived at Global Shipping Center

Feb-08-17, 10:25 AM, ERLANGER, KY 41025

 

Today is March 1st, it has since been over 20 days without any movement and new Tracking Update information on eBay.

I still want the item. Any suggestion at this point would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you very much.

 

Message 1 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

It's not my responsibility to convince you what the OP should do. There are procedures that must be followed, regardless of how effective bystanders judge them to be.
Message 21 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

Buyer, open the not received case. This will make no difference whatsoever to the arrival or non-arrival of the item but it does get you a free entry in the GSP 'Stuff for Nothing' lottery.

 

The reason for this is that if a GSP item arrives after the original payment has been refunded, you get to keep it, with no obligation to repay anyone.

The GSP do not want the item returned, the seller has not lost their payment, and the GSP has no system for accepting repayments as you would make to a seller who had refunded you.

 

So get that non receipt claim in now, and turn a negative experience into a chance of a free item!

Message 22 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated



So get that non receipt claim in now, and turn a negative experience into a chance of a free item!
_________________________________________________________________________

afantiques /&/ mornotom!  : This is precisely what mj and I have been posting all along.

 

However, I would never have put it that way because delineating the exact outcome smacks of greed and other negative behaviours.

 

 

Message 23 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated


@mjwl2006 wrote:

It's not my responsibility to convince you what the OP should do. There are procedures that must be followed, regardless of how effective bystanders judge them to be.


And this "procedure" you speak of instructs buyers to get in touch with the seller before doing anything else.

 

I agree that getting in touch with the seller would be useful to keep them in the loop and possibly help prevent a situation like this occurring in the future, it's not going to be as effective as the seller has had no control of the shipping of the item to Canada, which is why the party assuming the seller's role then needs to be contacted.

The buyer is only trying to find out if their order is going to reach them!

Agree that the way things are shaking out right now, the pursuit of a refund would be the next step if the buyer is unable to get in touch with those responsible for shipping the item.

Message 24 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

Again, it's not my responsibility to convince you, martnitomi, what the Original Poster should do but the notion of contacting Doug on the Floor at the Global Shipping Program hub in Kentucky is ludicrous. It's a logistics company responsible for handling (or mis-handling as the case may be) hundreds of thousands of parcels. They cannot stop drop and roll every time an order has reportedly gone missing to take that call and then search only for it. There are actual ways that a parcel trace is initiated and it doesn't begin with a call to a lunchroom in Kentucky. This is the logistics in logistics. It follows logical order. 

 

As an actual SELLER familiar with the manner in which tickets and claims are opened and closed for carriers, I can tell you the only thing ebay will approve of the buyer in this case doing is following official channels to inquire as to what happened to their order. I'm not speaking in a hypothetical sense here, my advice is based on real-life, real-world experience using ebay as a buyer and worldwide seller and shipper. This case presents neither the time nor the place to pretend to be Sherlock Holmes and go knocking on the door of the sortation centre in the Kentucky with notepad, tobacco pipe and magnifying glass in hand. That is not good advice. 

 

That being said, this entire argument, I suspect is pointless. The OP's use of the word 'rare' in an earlier post in this thread has led me to suspect their parcel was set aside because it contained some portion or component that is prohibited or restricted from entry of import into Canada.

 

The OP has not responded to my query about what this order contained so I will instead suggest he check it against this very useful and import link to information about banned or restricted items to all the countries in there world. 

 

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/pgIntDest-e.asp?letter=R%C2%A0

 

While it might be possible that an individual ebay seller may unwittingly slip something past Canada Customs that is listed below, any order being processed through the GSP will not. They will err on the side of caution, that is their job. If the OP's order contained anything that looked or smelled like an item listed below, this would be the reason for the delay. That, however, should have been communicated to the buyer long ago. But, like I said, due to the hundreds of thousands of orders processed, that communication may be been omit. 

 

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CANADA
(Country code: CA)

 

Services Available

For a list of postal services available to Canada, contact the country of origin's postal administration.

Import Restrictions

Senders should determine import restrictions from Canadian authorities before posting:

  • copyright works
  • currency
  • dead animals, including wild birds or their parts
  • diamonds (rough)
  • drugs and other controlled substances
  • eggs, milk and other dairy products
  • films
  • fish, game, meat, poultry, fruit, vegetables and their products
  • intoxicating liquors
  • liquids, liquefiable substances and powders
  • live chicks, parasites, leeches, bees and bees' wax
  • medical material, including specimens
  • plants, seeds, fruits, bark, plant parts and soil
  • seed potatoes, onions and other raw root crops
  • tobacco
  • wheat, straw, bran, chaff, barley and their products.

Alcoholic Beverages

The importation of alcoholic beverages (including wine) to Canada is strictly prohibited unless being mailed to a Provincial Liquor Board or Commission, or to a manufacturer or distributor of such beverages in Canada.

Periodicals

Canada prohibits periodicals:

  • that contain advertisement primarily directed to a Canadian market and which does not appear in identical form in all copies of that issue in the country of origin
  • in which more than five per cent of the advertising content indicates specifically where goods or services may be obtained in Canada, or indicates specific terms or conditions relating to the sale or provision of goods or services in Canada.

Tobacco products

Tobacco and tobacco products may be imported for personal consumption in limited quantities, provided that they meet the requirements of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Importation of tobacco products must also meet the requirements of the Tobacco Departmental Regulations available at the following website: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/E-14.1/sor-2003-288/219094.html and the Tobacco Act at: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/T-11.5/.

NOTE: Labelling and stamping requirements of the Tobacco Departmental Regulations do not apply when an individual imports five (5) or less units of packaged tobacco. A unit is defined as: 200 cigarettes; 50 cigars; 400 tobacco sticks; or 400 g of manufactured tobacco.

Electronic smoking products (i.e. electronic products for the vaporization and administration of inhaled doses of nicotine including electronic cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and pipes, as well as cartridges of nicotine solutions and related products) currently require market authorization by Health Canada prior to being imported. Failure to obtain this authorization will result in your items being refused entry by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). For additional information, refer to the Notice - To All Persons Interested in Importing, Advertising or Selling Electronic Smoking Products in Canada on the Department of Health Canada website at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodpharma/applic-demande/pol/notice_avis_e-cig-eng.php.

Prohibited Items

In addition to items considered non-mailable matter by the Canada Post Corporation Act & Regulations (refer to the Canada Postal Guide under "Non-mailable Matter"), the following are prohibited:

  • bee-keeping apparatus, used
  • chain letters and other literature pertaining to fraudulent schemes
  • contraceptive devices and literature
  • corrosives, nuclear substances or oxidizing substances
  • counterfeit or imitation coins
  • explosive, flammable or combustible liquids, gases or solids
  • firearms, weapons and ammunition
  • gold bullion, gold dust or non-manufactured metals
  • hate propaganda
  • live animals
  • manufactured goods bearing insufficient markings or origin
  • margarine or butter substitutes
  • metallic labels
  • obscene, immoral, indecent or scurrilous matter
  • poisonous or infectious substances
  • prison-made goods
  • unlawful lottery tickets and advertising.
Documentation Required

Information regarding Customs can be found in "Customs Requirements" of the Canada Postal Guide.

Invoice

Commercial consignments valued at more than $1,200CDN must be accompanied by a certified invoice. The sender must send three copies separately to the addressee and include one copy in the article.

Gifts

Canada admits duty-free gifts up to $60CDN in value that are labelled UNSOLICITED GIFT.

 

Legal, Copyright, Privacy© 2017 Canada Post

 

 

Message 25 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated


@mjwl2006 wrote:

Again, it's not my responsibility to convince you, martnitomi, what the Original Poster should do . . . 

 


You certainly seem to be trying pretty hard to do so, though.  Not sure what the point of mangling my username in the process is, though.

 



@mjwl2006 wrote:

the notion of contacting Doug on the Floor at the Global Shipping Program hub in Kentucky is ludicrous. It's a logistics company responsible for handling (or mis-handling as the case may be) hundreds of thousands of parcels. They cannot stop drop and roll every time an order has reportedly gone missing to take that call and then search only for it. There are actual ways that a parcel trace is initiated and it doesn't begin with a call to a lunchroom in Kentucky. This is the logistics in logistics. It follows logical order. 


Of course it's a ridiculous notion.  That's why Pitney Bowes has customer service telephone reps to handle these things.  You don't seriously think they'd have a toll-free number for a wall-mounted phone in a warehouse or lunchroom, do you?  Pitney Bowes' international shipping operations encompass more than just the Global Shipping Program.


@mjwl2006 wrote:

 


As an actual SELLER familiar with the manner in which tickets and claims are opened and closed for carriers, I can tell you the only thing ebay will approve of the buyer in this case doing is following official channels to inquire as to what happened to their order. I'm not speaking in a hypothetical sense here, my advice is based on real-life, real-world experience using ebay as a buyer and worldwide seller and shipper. This case presents neither the time nor the place to pretend to be Sherlock Holmes and go knocking on the door of the sortation centre in the Kentucky with notepad, tobacco pipe and magnifying glass in hand. That is not good advice. 


You certainly have a vivid imagination, but it's misplaced.  The toll-free number is for customer service.  Those who have used the telephone number have reported that all they had to do was provide the APAA number and someone on the other end with a computer in front of them did the rest.  Nobody necessarily has to hunt down anything.  The CSR may have more information at his or her disposal than what's been transmitted to eBay.

The buyer is simply wanting to know if there's a chance that his or her order will reach them.  They haven't expressed a desire to hunt down the item.  A CSR may be able to use the APAA reference number to find out what's happened to it.

If the CSR decides that some sort of hunt or trace is necessary here or offers to do this for the buyer, that's a Pitney Bowes decision.


@mjwl2006 wrote:

 

That being said, this entire argument, I suspect is pointless. The OP's use of the word 'rare' in an earlier post in this thread has led me to suspect their parcel was set aside because it contained some portion or component that is prohibited or restricted from entry of import into Canada.

 

The OP has not responded to my query about what this order contained so I will instead suggest he check it against this very useful and import link to information about banned or restricted items to all the countries in there world. 

 

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/pgIntDest-e.asp?letter=R%C2%A0

 


What I think would be more useful is the lists of categories and items that are restricted and prohibited through the Global Shipping Program.  Those lists are not perfect, but it should underscore the fact that while something may be legal to ship out of the United States, it may not necessarily be a good fit for the GSP:

http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/global-shipping.html#m17-2-tb2

http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/global-shipping.html#m17-2-tb3



Message 26 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

My purpose here on eBay Community is to share my experience and expertise in the areas in which I am knowledgeable, and provide advice in terms of what eBay policies and procedures would have its users follow. My advice is for the person who posted the thread, and others to follow with similar situations. I can only share the information I know to be correct.
Message 27 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

(And marnotom! while we're on the subject of user names, mine is not MJ.)

Message 28 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated


@mjwl2006 wrote:

My purpose here on eBay Community is to share my experience and expertise in the areas in which I am knowledgeable, and provide advice in terms of what eBay policies and procedures would have its users follow. My advice is for the person who posted the thread, and others to follow with similar situations. I can only share the information I know to be correct.


That's fine, but you have no experience using the Global Shipping Program as a seller.  I don't think any of us on this discussion board do.

I've sold on eBay in the past as well and I've worked in B&M retail and customer service environments where things were shipped in a manner similar to that of the GSP.  In the event of a problem with the shipment, the shipper was generally contacted first.

I'm not saying my experience is any more valid than yours, but I think instead of envisioning warehouses of packages, we need to look over the GSP's terms and conditions and determine who's responsible for the safe delivery of a GSP item from Kentucky to the buyer.  And my reading of it is that it isn't the seller.  

Because Pitney Bowes is acting as the seller's agent and eBay encourages buyers to contact sellers in the event of a problem with delivery, it doesn't strike me as being "above the law" or an endrun to try to contact Pitney Bowes or a Global Shipping Specialist if the buyer is concerned about whether or not their item is going to reach them.  This isn't a case or claim.  This isn't a demand to hunt down the item.  It's simple communication of a problem.  The world isn't going to collapse as a result of this.


@mjwl2006 wrote:

(And marnotom! while we're on the subject of user names, mine is not MJ.)



My apologies.  I think I confused you with a user with a handle very similar in structure to yours who invited me to address them by the first two letters in that handle.

Message 29 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

Thank you all for sharing your expertise in this matter, I appreciate all of your inputs and information.

 

To clarify, the package simply contains a number of ornament figurine from Enesco brand, the "Precious Moments" cute type - total priced just slightly over a hundred dollar, very normal product.  You see these listed on eBay everyday and I have successfully purchased quite a few with absolutely no issue through the years.

 

I've since ordered a couple more of same type figurines from the same seller, order placed on Feb 6, arrived safely on Feb 18 through Global Shipping Program with no problem.

 

So the question still remains as to what happened to my initial order, Arrived at Global Shipping Center on Feb 8, and no more Tracking news to this date (March 3).  Hope it would one day turn up still.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Message 30 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated


marnotom! wrote:


That's fine, but you have no experience using the Global Shipping Program as a seller.  I don't think any of us on this discussion board do.


 


I do.

 

In fact, I receive items shipped via the GSP on a regular basis, yet you are on my posts like white on rice eager to dispute my every comment on the subject.

Message 31 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated


@marnotom! wrote:

@mjwl2006 wrote:

My purpose here on eBay Community is to share my experience and expertise in the areas in which I am knowledgeable, and provide advice in terms of what eBay policies and procedures would have its users follow. My advice is for the person who posted the thread, and others to follow with similar situations. I can only share the information I know to be correct.


That's fine, but you have no experience using the Global Shipping Program as a seller.  I don't think any of us on this discussion board do.

I've sold on eBay in the past as well and I've worked in B&M retail and customer service environments where things were shipped in a manner similar to that of the GSP.  In the event of a problem with the shipment, the shipper was generally contacted first.

I'm not saying my experience is any more valid than yours, but I think instead of envisioning warehouses of packages, we need to look over the GSP's terms and conditions and determine who's responsible for the safe delivery of a GSP item from Kentucky to the buyer.  And my reading of it is that it isn't the seller.  

Because Pitney Bowes is acting as the seller's agent and eBay encourages buyers to contact sellers in the event of a problem with delivery, it doesn't strike me as being "above the law" or an endrun to try to contact Pitney Bowes or a Global Shipping Specialist if the buyer is concerned about whether or not their item is going to reach them.  This isn't a case or claim.  This isn't a demand to hunt down the item.  It's simple communication of a problem.  The world isn't going to collapse as a result of this.


@mjwl2006 wrote:

(And marnotom! while we're on the subject of user names, mine is not MJ.)



My apologies.  I think I confused you with a user with a handle very similar in structure to yours who invited me to address them by the first two letters in that handle.


Like nailing Jello to the wall.

Message 32 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

You know, slylviebee, I cannot even begin to express my frustration with threads such as this.

 

When I post something on ebay Community, I do so with the full intent to assist members who've come for advice about how to handle problems that they face. I post as myself so my INTEGRITY as a seller lays on the line with every single post I leave behind. I don't make a habit of participating in discussion boards anywhere else for the simple reason that I have never enjoyed arguing with strangers about things that aren't relevant. I don't have time or the will or the energy to engage in arguments that lead down a rabbit hole.

 

To the original poster, maousus, thank you for your reply. Knowing the nature of the items in your order goes a long way to clearing some of the air around the reason your item may have gone missing en route. If it's figurines that you ordered and assuming they're not composed in part of anything weird (like ivory or banned kinds of bone, or made in a country under embargo) then we can probably assume the parcel was simply mislaid or misplaced after it arrived at the GSP hub in Kentucky.

 

If your problem was my problem (remember, I am a buyer and seller with more than ten years of experience here) my first step would be to contact the seller and tell them I didn't yet have my order and I would appreciate their assistance in finding it. Stress that you want the items and not an immediate refund. They may tell you their responsibility for it ended when the box arrived at the GSP hub but that's not entirely true. And the easiest way for the seller to make you go away is to quickly refund your money but if it's that you have your heart set on receiving what you bought, ask the seller to contact the GSP and initiate a trace on there parcel. It's the seller's job to do so. If the GSP doesn't know it's missing, they cannot look for it.

 

If you feel you're getting nowhere with the seller's assistance, go to the Resolution Centre and open and Item Not Received Case. It's likely they will simply look at the amount of time that has passed and just refund you. At least, you will have your money back. Don't wait too long to do this or you'll have to do it through paypal which is fine because you still get money back but my advice would be to keep as much of this as possible within the framework of ebay so that the GSP will use your experience as a learning one in order to improve their service. Orders are not supposed to disappear. In all your communication within ebay, stress that you want your parcel. Don't refuse any refunds but make it clear it's the order you prefer. 

 

Good luck. Let us know how this works for you.

 

Message 33 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated

ALSO...

 

My computer auto-correct mangles most posters' user names. Please accept my belated apologies or those in advance for any shift my keyboard makes between your actual poster name and the one that appears in my posts. Plus, full disclosure, I am a terrible typist and I usually have to edit my posts a half-dozen times to remove spelling mistakes.

Message 34 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated



marnotom! wrote:

 

That's fine, but you have no experience using the Global Shipping Program as a seller.  I don't think any of us on this discussion board do.


sylviebee wrote:

 

I do.

In fact, I receive items shipped via the GSP on a regular basis, yet you are on my posts like white on rice eager to dispute my every comment on the subject.


If you receive items shipped via the GSP, you have experience using the Global Shipping Program as a buyer, not a seller.

Message 35 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated


@maousus wrote:

 

I've since ordered a couple more of same type figurines from the same seller, order placed on Feb 6, arrived safely on Feb 18 through Global Shipping Program with no problem.

 

So the question still remains as to what happened to my initial order, Arrived at Global Shipping Center on Feb 8, and no more Tracking news to this date (March 3).  Hope it would one day turn up still.

 

 


If you've received full tracking information with your other shipments from this seller, it does seem possible that this particular shipment has dead-ended in Kentucky.  Pitney Bowes may have more information on it than what's been transmitted.  While it's possible that it's been misplaced, my guess is that given the nature of your order, it arrived damaged at the Global Shipping Center or it got damaged while it was there and not forwarded to Canada as a result. 

I agree with mjwl2006 that letting the seller know that you haven't received your item would be a good idea in terms of a general heads-up, but they're not likely going to be any help to you if either of you can't get through to anyone at Pitney Bowes.

Message 36 of 37
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Item not received, Global Shipping Program Tracking not updated


@mjwl2006 wrote:

You know, slylviebee, I cannot even begin to express my frustration with threads such as this.

 

  


Yup. 

Message 37 of 37
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