eBay

kalvin@ebay.com · ‎09-26-2013

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,

~Kalvin
eBay.ca Community Manager

kalvin@ebay.com

jessicalex2004 · ‎02-04-2014

Tk goodness not all US sellers are using this GSP non sense . It is indeed a terrible experience and a magnificent rip off . Not even sure if it is indeed legal . Anyway just disregard any US sellers using this GSP . And in most cases they aren't even aware of it . They just clicked on something that Ebay offered them not knowing that it would backfire . Every time I see one of them , I just pass no matter how bad I want the item . I had one charging an extra $38 GSP on top of a $23 shipping charges for a $40 item !!!??? Lol . Insane . But I think they are getting the message . Good luck . Now the problem is Canada post increase !!!!Wow !!

marnotom! · ‎02-04-2014

@mater721 wrote:

"My contention simply is that many of those items likely wouldn't be available with shipping to Canada by more conventional means if the GSP suddenly went "poof""

As I've said before, there were a lot of ~ $5 items available with First Class shipping pre-GSP. I guess we just have differing opinions on this.

Also keep in mind that we may both be seeing Cassini-manipulated search results.

mater721 · ‎02-04-2014

"Cassini-manipulated search results".

Whatever floats your boat.

jefflitzy · ‎02-05-2014

How do I get A receipt / invoice for the HST / freight / brokerage that was charged on the global shipping program to Canada

afantiques · ‎02-05-2014

How do I get A receipt / invoice for the HST / freight / brokerage that was charged on the global shipping program to Canada

You cannot.

GSP is not applicable to business to business sales and a private customer would not need such detail, or so goes the reasoning.

true19560 · ‎02-05-2014

THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO BEFORE WE BID ON SOMETHING WE NEED TO CONTACT THE SELLER AND ASK THEM TO SCAP THE IMPORT CHARGE THING BUT WE NEED TO SPEND THE TIME AND EXPLAIN THE WHOLE THING TO THEM MOST HAVE NO IDEA WHATS GOING ON I HAVE A SCRIPT ALREADY WRITEN OUT TO COPY AND PASTE TO AD ON MY MESSAGE TO THEM. .. I KNOW IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME AND ITS A PAIN BUT WE WILL WIN IF WE ALL STAND TOGETHER

pierrelebel · ‎02-05-2014

"GSP is not applicable to business to business sales and a private customer would not need such detail, or so goes the reasoning."

Let's take a moment to reflect on this.

If American sellers signing for GSP were told in terms they clearly understand that they cannot sell their items to a business or anyone for resale, how many would hit the back button?

I have read the terms and conditions of the program a few times. I do not see anywhere anything preventing an American seller from offering laser printer cartridges (for example) using GSP although a large percentage of potential buyers would be businesses purchasing the item for their own use and, as such, eligible to ITC's in Canada (and similar VAT programs overseas).

eBay has already acknowledged that they are finally working with Pitney Bowes to provide buyers more information (shipping, fees, duty, taxes) to buyers. It took over a year to get them to that point. Let us not sabotage their efforts by finding excuses why it is not needed.

Buyers need and want clarity. Buyers want and deserve to know what they are paying for.

- How much are they paying in additional shipping charge?

- How much are they paying for duty and under what tariff?

- How much are they paying in consumption taxes (GST/HST/PST) and at what rate?

- What fees are being paid to Pitney Bowes for the service they provide (re-forwarding and arranging Customs clearance).

To suggest "private customer would not need such detail," is, quite frankly, insulting to all buyers, business or private.

pierrelebel · ‎02-05-2014

"GSP is not applicable to business to business sales"

Actually, that is not what the terms and conditions state:

2) g - "Non-Commercial Use. Merchandise available through the Program may not be sold for commercial resale purposes. By selling GSP Items, you agree not to sell any merchandise through the Program for commercial resale purposes."

http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/shipping/globalshippingprogram.html

Follow the links to terms and conditions.

bennett4612 · ‎02-05-2014

Hi jefflitzy.

Not sure if this is applicable in your case. But in the past I have been able to request that an additional invoice be sent to a buyer, including additional details like VAT.

If you think this would suffice in your case, please send me a direct message and include the transaction #, item #, and eBay email + user id used in the transaction.

On a related note, we are working with Pitney Bowes to make this type of info more readily available to buyers.

Again, not sure if the above will help in your case. But happy to try and provide.

Hope this helps.

gkl-account · ‎02-05-2014

bennett4612,

Thank you for your reply, but I would really like to get an answer to my followup to your reply:

First of all, how does the seller change an active listing from GSP to USPS? There is an item that I am interested in, and the seller is willing to ship via USPS, but doesn't know how to go about changing the shipping.

Secondly, if the only option to change the shipping method post-auction is to cancel the sale and re-run the auction, then that means that I would stand a good chance (especially with a hot item) of losing out on an item that I had previously won. Correct? Unless there is some sort of protection that I am missing out on?

Why isn't GSP being run like Fedex / UPS / USPS used to be? In the past, I have seen sellers offering multiple options for shipping that the buyer could choose from. The GSP seems to be an all-or-nothing sort of thing where you are either in or out and no middle ground. Doesn't make a lot of sense...

Thanks.

afantiques · ‎02-06-2014

Secondly, if the only option to change the shipping method post-auction is to cancel the sale and re-run the auction, then that means that I would stand a good chance (especially with a hot item) of losing out on an item that I had previously won. Correct? Unless there is some sort of protection that I am missing out on?

Seller relists item as a BIN. Seller sends item number and it's odds on you can buy it before it even gets indexed into the general search.

456sincerely · ‎02-06-2014

Folks,

I have been buying sheet music on eBay for a while, but now many sellers are using the ultra-expensive Pitney Bowes Global Shipping Program. This program does not allow for combined shipping.

I won seven pieces of music recently, totalling $20.00. Shipping from USA to Canada would normally total between $5 - 7.00, depending on dimensions. Pitney Bowes charges me for the seller mailing each piece separately to Virginia, then charges me for forwarding each piece separately to Canada, and then charges me a customs fee on top, just on speculation that one may be required.

I have purchased items from around the world; I have had Canadian Customs examine my packages; I have never, ever paid a Customs fee.

I am extremely frustrated at how expensive eBay has become for me, supposedly to make transactions easier for the seller.

I won't buy from any dealer who uses the Pitney Bowes Global Shipping Program. I would like to exclude those dealers from my searches if possible.

The Question:

When rating a seller who has opted for this program and caused me outrageous costs, is it fair to be negative about "How reasonable were the shipping and handling charges?"

456sincerely · ‎02-06-2014

Sorry, I meaned to say that instead of $7 maximum for my sheet music, Global Shipping Program wanted $40.

marnotom! · ‎02-06-2014

@gkl-account wrote:

Why isn't GSP being run like Fedex / UPS / USPS used to be? In the past, I have seen sellers offering multiple options for shipping that the buyer could choose from. The GSP seems to be an all-or-nothing sort of thing where you are either in or out and no middle ground. Doesn't make a lot of sense...

I'm not sure what you mean by "used to be" when those shipping options you state are still available for sellers to use on eBay.com, but as far as the GSP being an "all or nothing" option, it probably has something to do with the fact that the shipping and import charges for a GSP item are set by a Pitney Bowes-controlled bot and the invoicing is done through Pitney Bowes who sees some of the payment that the seller remits. Checkout works a little differently for a GSP sale. It's not too apparent to buyers, but the mechanics are quite different "behind the scenes." I'm sure a little careful coding could make the GSP a choice for buyers if there was really the corporate will to do so, but I suspect someone decided that the time and costs involved would outweigh the benefits.

Remember, the GSP was assembled with the seller in mind. Now that it's place, eBay and PBI are slowly putting the pieces back together on the buyers' borked end of things.

trixie-cat · ‎02-06-2014

I think its fair. You are being honest, and i am sure ebay doesn't want you to lie... But it might be more helpful if the seller knows exactly why you are giving a low rating in that category.

karl*katz · ‎02-06-2014

I don't think it is fair to rate a seller poorly because they used the Global Shipping Program.

When a seller using the Global Shipping Program that is clearly explained near the top of the listing and you had the option of not purchasing from that seller.

chaldo2010 · ‎02-06-2014

I won the auction knowing I was going to pay the amount VISIBLE in the listing as stated above...approx $65. Then I see "import charges" post auction end....why did it show up after the auction end and not during??? Any way to avoid this fee? I've contacted the seller to notify them about the import charges I did not see and they're understanding and offered to cancel my bid. But whyyyyyyy the hidden fees, as I call it 😞

456sincerely · ‎02-06-2014

I get into this situation because it does NOT say that they are using Global Shipping. What it says is "Seller may not ship to Canada". That leaves me having to contact the seller each time to ask if they ship internationally. They almost always say yes, and they claim not to know why the statement appears. There's no up front about Global Shipping being involved.
I've even had a seller promise that they will combine shipping, only to find to their surprise that the matter is out of their hands when Global Shipping takes over.