My First GSP Order... OMG!!!

[teenytrinkets]

I normally pick up all of my US Ebay purchases in WA state because I live close to the border in BC. I made my first purchase through the GSP two weeks ago (because the border is still closed) and I can't believe what's happening!

My seller lives 2 hours from me in Seattle, and my order got sent to KY. That was a bit of a shock! Still no updates since it left there over a week ago. I've read it goes through Toronto, and my packages from there have been taking 3-4 weeks! It hasn't even cleared customs yet! UGGGHHH!

Anyone know the most recent GSP timeframes for people living in the West? Ebay estimates 13-18 business days, but even in the best case scenario, I'd be surprised if it makes it here within 30 days of payment...

Just to compare, I ordered a similar item from Japan that arrived (by boat!) in less than 3 weeks. This program is beyond ridiculous...

[byto253]

Check out reship.com.  I used them to receive and forward a purchase to Calgary from the US.  They will also consolidate multiple items into 1 package and ship them.  I have no affiliation, they were recommended by the company I bought from.   I would think that often the overall price would be in line with or cheaper than the GSP extra fees.  Doubly so if there is free shipping inside the US.

[teenytrinkets]

My understanding is re-shippers/forwarders are no better. I've read stories about packages going missing after being delivered to the reshipper, and there's nothing you can do about it because the ebay tracking says "delivered".

I'm just not going to order anything from the US until the border re-opens. It's just not worth all the headaches!

[marnotom!]

The GSP is a forwarding service, too.  That's why your item went through Kentucky: the seller sent it there by their choice of shipping method to be shipped out to Canada.

The GSP serves about 100 countries in addition to this one and as far as I know, everything sent through the program has to be sent to the Global Shipping Center in Kentucky.  Canada isn't a significant enough market to warrant its own special forwarding centres, I guess.

The shipping time estimates for GSP-forwarded items are just as accurate as anything else sent by any other means right now.  They're based on delivery standards that are based on normal circumstances; they don't take COVID-related delays into account.

Your best bet to avoid (or at least reduce) headaches would have been to double the delivery time estimate given in the listing and to not check the tracking of the item until the last estimated date of delivery had passed.

For what it's worth, over the summer my wife purchased something from the United States that got mailed to her in two cheque envelopes and they took a little over a month to reach us here on Vancouver Island.  I wouldn't be surprised if they'd have taken longer if ordered during the busy season.

Roundabout shipping routes aren't unusual, even for non-forwarded items.  Again with my wife (as she's the power shopper), she once ordered something from SE Asia that first went to Alaska, then south of the 49th (can't remember if it was Seattle or San Francisco) before making it up to Vancouver, and then over to Vancouver Island.  I believe the seller used a FedEx service for that.

Incide

[mcrlmn]

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@teenytrinkets wrote:
Anyone know the most recent GSP timeframes for people living in the West? Ebay estimates 13-18 business days

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Best I can do:

[reallynicestamps]

Those printouts look slower than they actually are.

Accepted Dec 2.

Four days with USPS from CA  to Erlanger KY

In GSP plant in KY (Erlanger is very close to Cincinnati- we forget how tiny US states are compared to Canadian provinces.) two more days.

Arrives in Canada on Dec 10 (eight days from posting)

Eight days with Canada Post (?) moves from Mississauga to BC.

Delivered in Delta BC Dec 19.

Seventeen days, 13  of which were in the postal system during the Christmas crush + pandemic surge. I didn't check the calendar for weekends, although the GSP plant is closed on Sundays and Canada Post does not usually deliver on weekends, although that is often ignored for the holiday rush.

Over 30+ years in mail order I have learned to allow 20 days for delivery anywhere in North America. It's often faster, but 20 days is normal.

[mcrlmn]

Oh my.

Here's another one:

[teenytrinkets]

Thanks for that tracking history - that helps put expectations in line. Mine has had no updates since it left KY over a week ago, so it appears to be stuck at customs. It's just a cup, so I'm sure it's volume causing the holdup.

You were lucky to get Intelicom locally, as I've read some horror stories about Apple. Should be interesting to see if and when it arrives!

[mrdutch1001]

Erlanger, KY. USA is what GSP is all about...sellers enrolled in the GSP program ship the items to that location where they are then handed off for transit to their destination points.

GSP is supposedly great for USA sellers shipping to International destinations...

There is little mail that actually travels "by boat" these days...

Surface mail really isn't " by boat" transit anymore, but rather "surface mail" is now just a general term for mail/packages that are not priority and are handled like bottom of the pile, whenever, however, but usually end up on a plane at some point...

[femmefan1946]

@mccrim

And there the slowdown is Canada Post.

The seller bought the label on Oct 7, but it did not get to USPS until the 9th.

The next day it was in KY, and three days later on its way to Canada.

On the 14th it arrived in Canada, probably Gateway in Mississauga.

Then it took 16 days to get to Delta BC.

[mcrlmn]

Ladner to be a little more specific.
Yes, that's been my conclusion also.
Customs and Canada Post seem to be the longest delays.
And I have to wonder if Canada Post bears the brunt of responsibility for the delay at the border also.

I've not had any issue with any of my many GSP transactions to date, aside from always grimacing at the cost.
I'm purchasing collectables for my daughter.
Sometimes there's little to no options regarding rarer items.
I scratch my head, following my purchase's journeys, but whatever, it is what it is, and not my problem.

Some may say I've been lucky, but I have always received my purchases, and in excellent condition.
The delivery drivers have always been friendly and professional.

[femmefan1946]

Canada Post has historically been slower than USPS.

Perhaps, ignoring our vast swaths of unpopulated land, it has something to do with our cities being freestanding, with no exurban areas.

I wonder if Australia has the same problem?

Canada Post might want to look at how USPS has convinced Americans that cheap coast to coast next day delivery with tracking is available for under $5.

Or why they have not been able to perform the same level of service.

[teenytrinkets]

Canada Post will NEVER have service or prices even close to USPS... it's the vast, empty land you speak of, lol. And that we only have about 10% of their population!

[onebadwolf]

I'm in the West. Of the 12 to 15 GSP purchases I made before I quit using the GSP, all stated delivery times of 14-19 days at the time of purchase. The average time was 4 to 6 weeks, with the details on eBay tracking constantly adding 2 to 5 days, as each expected delivery time came and went. And that was pre COVID.

One way to avoid the gouging, is to open a US FedEx account. If the seller does local pickups, have FedEx swoop in, and for the same or less amount, it will arrive in 2 to 5 days usually.

90% of the time, Customs does not charge you for GST as doing the paperwork on items under 200$ costs more than any funds they will receive, even with the ridiculous $10 fee, to collect their fees. If there is tax, FedEx pays it for me, waives the brokerage fee, and mails me a bill at the end of the month. 

[teenytrinkets]

I've had a few things shipped Fed Ex from stores in the US - and the shipping was quite expensive ($25-$30US), but it is SUPER fast, and no headaches! And... the Fed Ex drivers in my neighborhood are excellent. Next time... lol

Question though... what's the benefit of opening a US FedEx account?