Questions about the Global Shipping Program

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Do you have questions about the Global Shipping Program? Please post here & I'll do my best to track those answers down for you!

If you have any comments about the program, use this forum instead.

Thanks,

[femmefan1946]

In normal times, it takes 15 to 20 days for parcels to arrive from the USA.

There doesn't seem to be much if any delay with the Global Shipping Program.

However, between Christmas and New Year's both USPS and Canada Post have much heavier workloads to deal with and fewer delivery days.

If you ordered on December 18, normally you would not expect the item until around January 3 or even January 8. With holidays, add an easy four days to that, January 7 though 12.

When the delivery hits your doorstep, if there is no one home, a card with the pickup address and hours of business will be left. So don't worry.

With GSP, tracking is always included. This is of no value to the buyer, and is only there as an inducement to the seller to use the GSP service.

Tracking is very rarely useful to the buyer, and buyers should never pay extra for it.

[kmatic734]

Why are the Global Shipping fees so not in tune of what a Canadian would actually pay in duties? I am a total fan of eBay and purchase regularly on this site. but will not purchase anything with this method. Why are you not allowing Canadians to pay for any Custom charges on delivery? ..........I don't mean to be rude or disrespectful and I have certainly done my fair share of purchasing to know that the fees being asked for items is not what I pay with direct delivery so you're actually ripping off Canadian customers and I doubt you are not aware of it.

[marnotom!]

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@kmatic734 wrote:
Why are the Global Shipping fees so not in tune of what a Canadian would actually pay in duties? 

---

While there have been examples of where the GSP's import charges seem to be based on something other than reality, most items that I've run into seem to have a fairly well-calculated charge based on taxes due (HST/GST/PST/RST/etc.) and duties, if they apply, plus a pad (for import/export related charges) that's less than Canada Post's C$9.95 charge for collecting and remitting taxes/duties due on a shipment sent by mail.

Can you give an example of something you've seen recently that's "out of tune"?

[pocariboy73]

Hello there,

I've lived in South Korea for over  ten years and have been an active Ebay Buyer since then, regularly purchasing things from this great site.

However, from a few years back, I noticed some sellers had an additional charge (aside from the Shipping FEE) called "Import Charge" which falls under the new Global Shipping Program by Ebay and Pintey Bowes.co.

The duty-free threshold is 150,000 Korean won (usually around $130 USD) and that includes the shipping fee..  And that's fine is the value of my order is over that amount as I very much would appreciate that GSP service. Below is official law:

http://www.customs.go.kr/kcshome/main/qna/QnaView.do?qnaId=QNA_ID_0000000001341&layoutMenuNo=21035&c...

However, as I'm increasingly noticing, items well below $150 - even items costing as little as $15 are being subject to this extra GSP charge. When I try to tell the buyer about it, they seem unaware and cannot see from their end the extra charge: 

Example, this item for $64.99 which I wanted to buy for my son, requires I spend $16.59 in Shipping Fees, plus an additional $18.80 for the Global Shipping Program:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/BAD-BOY-MMA-KIDS-BOYS-BLUE-MARTIAL-ARTS-BJJ-GI-UFC-MMA-/121207378591

As I've said, I have lived and worked in South Korea for over 10 years now and I do know the laws regarding CUSTOMS importation very well. To me, this smells of some dirty hands trying to get a piece of the pie from the unknowing people.

What can I do about it? Please help me out friends. It's getting to the pint where It's not worth ordering items off EBay due to that that extra change which is totally and 100% incorrect. 

Happy New Years BTW

[pocariboy73]

And this $14.95 t-shirt requires 21.65 for Shipping PLUS $11.39 for "Import Taxes"

And as I said before, South Korea allows by law $150 tax free before that nonsense should apply:
http://www.customs.go.kr/kcshome/main/qna/QnaView.do?qnaId=QNA_ID_0000000001341&layoutMenuNo=21035&c...

[marnotom!]

Closer examination of GSP listings and the terms and conditions page for buyers (linked to on the listing page) shows that what you are paying are "import charges" which are not necessarily the same thing as "import taxes".

It may well be that you're paying for various import/export related charges that have more to do with the processing of the item than anything resembling taxes and duty.

Having said that, clothing seems to be a category with which the GSP has a hard time dealing, for some reason.  For no apparent reason in the past, many GSP clothing listings showed up with astronomical import charges when viewed on eBay Canada compared to other eBay sites.

[kabell219]

I bought an item from a seller on November 24th - it arrived in the GPS centre in Kentucky on November 30th and that is the last thing it shows using the following tracking number - UPAAA000000037111550

I've opened up a dispute with paypal but want to know where my item is......can someone help me?

[bennett4612]

Hi balijeetall. 

I'd be glad to help but need a little more information first. 

Please send me a Private Message with as much as info as you can -- item #, transaction #, tracking #s, email address and user id used in the transaction, etc.

Thanks. 

---Ben

[bennett4612]

Hi kabell219.

Just posted this same info to another Community member. I'd be glad to help you as well.

Please send me a Private Message with as much as info as you can -- item #, transaction #, tracking #s, email address and user id used in the transaction, etc.

Thanks. 

---Ben

[afantiques]

I've opened up a dispute with paypal but want to know where my item is......can someone help me?

Escalate  your case to a claim now.

[123newyorx]

Kalvin
i have purchased a guitar through the global shipping program. The tracking # UPBAA000000002446448 The status of the item shows delivered under the tracking in MY ebay, however I have not received the item. I was told to open a Item not received case, and have done that. Is there a way to see if the package was signed for or is there a depot number I can call

Derrick

[gotwhatchuneed]

The global shipping program has held me back from making purchases because I would be charged duty and import fees on used electronics that normally would not be subject to duty and import  fees.

Is there some way to "circumvent" these fees through communication with the seller? r.e can the seller opt out of the global shipping program for there used items but keep it for there brand new items?

I think it saves buyers money on new item purchases I've been thoroughly over charged before when a package arrived at my door  it's nice to know total cost before purchasing. But I think the software needs tweaked a bit ,

I wonder do you know where all this extra money is going that is being charged on items not legally eligible to such duty / import fees  as it is essentially an illegal tax / fee.?
 

[pierrelebel]

Reality is that taxable items are taxable whether used or new - no difference whatsoever.  There is a misconception out there that used items are not taxable in Canada.  Not so. 

Do not take my word for it.  Visit your nearest "Value Village" store (generally selling used goods) and taxes (GST/HST/PST) will be levied.  Or used car dealer. The same applies to all "second hand" stores in your town (exception of charitable organizations such as the Salvation Army Thrift stores).

The tax(es) levied by Pitney-Bowes in GSP are remitted to the Canadian federal government.

As stated in several posts earlier, the official rules from the federal government are available at:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.html

[arlene_v]

After vowing never to use the GSP I found a listing this AM that tempted me, and since I am curious to see how this program works I thought `what the heck`and bought it.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/271362952512?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

There are cheaper deals out there, but this one isn`t bad when all the costs are added, and, after reading all the comments here I have reached the conclusion that I have to try this program  for myself to establish what is fact vs fiction. 

I would greatly appreciate it if  someone could  explain how the tax amount was calculated on this listing, as  it seems low compared to  items priced lower than this listed through  the GSP.

Many thanks!

[pierrelebel]

"explain how the tax amount was calculated"

Where do you live?  Tax varies by province.

[arlene_v]

I live in Ontario. 

[pierrelebel]

Ontario:

$50.00 x 13% HST = $6.50 + appx $4.00 handling (brokerage) fee by Pitney Bowes.

You will note that the handling (brokerage) fee charged by Pitney Bowes for relatively low priced items is much lower than the $9.95 charged by Canada Post.

[arlene_v]

Thanks Pierre, yes that makes perfect sense. 

What do you make of the tax on this one, very similar to the one I bought and only $10.00 more ... tax amount is $18.73. I am a tad confused  .... 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/VINTAGE-STERLING-SILVER-LADIES-PURSE-DATED-1917-/111247109094?pt=Vintage_Hand...

[pierrelebel]

It would be a guess on my part but, quite possible, the seller has indicated to eBay (not seen by us) that the purse is made somewhere outside the USA and, as such, attracts duty when entering Canada.

For taxable items priced at Cdn$ 20.00+ the "import charges" include:

1) duty is applicable (since most items from the USA are made in the USA, few items will include duty)

2) consumption taxes (GST/HST/PST) rates vary by province

3) Pitney Bowes "handling (brokerage) fee"  (generally in the $4/$5 range for most relatively low priced items)

For items priced below Cdn$ 20.00, there will be no "import charges" shown on most items but the "handling (brokerage) fee" charged by Pitney Bowes is included in the shipping charge.

[arlene_v]

Yes, that is feasible. Thank you .. it explains a lot of the variation in the so called `import charges` between very similarly priced items. A lot depends on the competence of the seller ... and dare I say it, buyers as well!! 

And having said that,  I`m a bit concerned because antiques are restricted under the terms of the GSP, so I hope all will be smooth sailing. But I bought this item knowing that, so ....