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,

[barbiegirllyn]

Thanks nudibranch4569

I guess what I really want to know is can Ebay make us use the Global Shipping Program if it`s on the listing? I`ve talked to the Seller & they`re fine with just sending it Priority Mail if Ebay allows it. I really don`t know who to talk to about this.

[marnotom!]

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@breeze2004 wrote:

So "No additional import charges at delivery!" is simply a deceptive, up front, unabashed LIE.

QED.

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The instances of a buyer having to pay additional charges upon delivery of a GSP-listed item appear to be situations where the seller has been confused and has sent the item directly to the buyer instead of through the Global Shipping Center.

The passage quoted in the almost year-old post I think you're referring to refers to very exceptional circumstances of which there's a very small chance of occurance after an item has cleared customs.

[dmil8030]

Hello 'barbiegirllyn',

Yes, the seller can take the listing out of the GSP for you.  I've done this loads of times. 

If you have a seller who is willing to send you the item USPS, she must first take the listing

out of the GSP so you can buy it.

I'm assuming you have agreed upon a shipping fee.  Items over 4 pounds must come Priority,

but less than that they can come First Class which is fully tracked and Delivery Confirmed right

to the buyer's door.  You can find the rates here:

http://ircalc.usps.com/?country=10054

Ebay wants to make money, so as long as the transaction goes through ebay, they'll be happy.

If your seller is willing to accommodate you in this manner, be sure to thank her profusely and

be sure to leave glowing green feedback.

Enjoy your item 

[mwc1942]

"The instances of a buyer having to pay additional charges upon delivery of a GSP-listed item appear to be situations where the seller has been confused and has sent the item directly to the buyer instead of through the Global Shipping Center."

There would be far less "seller confusion" but for the Global Shipping Program. 

"The passage quoted in the almost year-old post I think you're referring to refers to very exceptional circumstances of which there's a very small chance of occurance after an item has cleared customs."

The "Exclusions" referred to are as valid today as they were in the "almost year-old post", exceptional circumstances or not .

[ca2014-ramsa]

PITNEYBOWES Charged my card for $14.85 with no recpit email or any form of trail. To my understanding, it is a company for Ink cartridges etc but I can't seem to get any assistance from Ebay, Visa, OR Pay Pal. Final time I ever use this service. 😞 

[marnotom!]

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@mwc1942 wrote:

The "Exclusions" referred to are as valid today as they were in the "almost year-old post", exceptional circumstances or not .

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I never said they weren't valid, but let's be realistic.  That clause is there to cover the area below Pitney Bowes' tailbone in the unlikely event something should go seriously awry with a GSP shipment.  In all the complaints of the GSP, I have yet to see one where it's clear that Canada Border Services has gone after the recipient for a shortfall in taxes/duty paid on the buyer's behalf by Pitney Bowes.

[amethyst1415]

PITNEYBOWES is a shipping service. I have bought two things on eBay and the person that I am buying from uses a shipping service. The item cost x amount of dollars and in the listing they tell me what the shipping cost will be but instead of one amount it shows up directly underneath what I purchased as a separate amount to PITNEYBOWES.

May 6, 2014		Payment To	XXXXX	Completed			-$22.98 USD
					PITNEY BOWES A separate payment was made to a global shipping provider to ship your package and clear it through customs.	Completed			-$16.38 USD

[2011limey1]

Too bad you used the GSP - lesson learned the hard way unfortunately - never use GSP, expecially for low $ items.  Most posters never use it for anything - hence ALL the complaints on the Boards.

[amethyst1415]

I've never had a problem receiving my item when the seller has used GSP. I don't know why everyone complains about it.

[pjcdn2005]

The item you purchased uses the global shipping program to ship it to you. The listing states a price of $7.99 plus $16.23 for shipping. $10.99 of that total would have been paid to the seller and the rest to Pitney Bowes for the international part of the shipping. The seller sends the item to the depot in Kentucky and then PB will send the item to you from there.

[dfp6b4k]

I'm a Canadian buying a small item from US seller that uses GSP ... 😞

If the fees increase after I purchase the item, can I cancel the transaction ?

Normally ... I just ignore any item listed that requires GSP shipping ... but its just a small item I thought I may take a chance on ...

If I could find any other supplier ... I would ...

I was going to order 2 of these items ...

eBay item number:    130655933256

For a $20 item ( $19.90) ... they add $6.48 import charges ... 😞

There is NO import charges for items under $20 to Canada ... and usually none for most under $100

[toby_le_pue]

There is NO import charges for items under $20 to Canada,  That is $20.00 Canadian.

$19.90 US is about $22.00 Canadian and no you cannot cancel.

You can ask the seller if they will cancel but they are not obligated to.

[tonehunter71]

Who exactly gets the money from the Global Shipping Program? 

If it's not a Customs fee than why are they self imposing an "import" fee that wasn't there in the first place?

Is this just legalized corporate theft? That's what it seems to be.

[reallynicestamps]

I've never had a problem receiving my item when the seller has used GSP. I don't know why everyone complains about it.

I've seen complaints about the speed of delivery, but frankly nothing that indicates more problems than happen with USPS/Canada Post or couriers. There are a few problems from time to time, but nothing statistically relevant.

Most of the complaints are about paying the applicable duty and sales tax. There is a profound misunderstanding with Canadians about how NAFTA works, how duty is charged, and that sales tax is applicable to imports including used items.

[roadrunners123]

Would'nt  it be wise then if Pitney were to launch a PR campaign in Canada, and explain all the wonderful services they offer, and maybe debunking some "myths" that the common folk may have of them...

[marnotom!]

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@tonehunter71 wrote:

Who exactly gets the money from the Global Shipping Program? 

If it's not a Customs fee than why are they self imposing an "import" fee that wasn't there in the first place?

Is this just legalized corporate theft? That's what it seems to be.

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The GSP terms and conditions page for buyers provides some information on what sort of fees are loaded into the "import charges."

Check out section 3 ("Payment and Program Fees"), part b(ii):

http://pages.ebay.ca/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html

"Import charges" is just a generic, catch-all term that's being used by the GSP/Pitney Bowes.  As far as I know, it has no legal weight.  If the GSP wanted to levy a charge for someone picking their nose and smearing the residue on your package and call it an "import charge," there'd be nothing to stop them from doing so.

The main reason they're called "import charges" and not "tax, duty and handling charges" is because Pitney Bowes goes on record as paying these charges.  The buyer is simply reimbursing Pitney Bowes for its good-heartedness.

[pjcdn2005]

I hope that you didn't type that last line with a straight face.

lol

[mwc1942]

"Import charges" is just a generic, catch-all term that's being used by the GSP/Pitney Bowes.  As far as I know, it has no legal weight.  If the GSP wanted to levy a charge for someone picking their nose and smearing the residue on your package and call it an "import charge," there'd be nothing to stop them from doing so."

Sad but true, even if the narrative leaves something to be desired.

"The main reason they're called "import charges" and not "tax, duty and handling charges" is because Pitney Bowes goes on record as paying these charges.  The buyer is simply reimbursing Pitney Bowes for its good-heartedness."

Buyer prepays everything, there is no reimbursement.  Odds of PB using their own money is next to nil.  

[marnotom!]

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@mwc1942 wrote:

"The main reason they're called "import charges" and not "tax, duty and handling charges" is because Pitney Bowes goes on record as paying these charges.  The buyer is simply reimbursing Pitney Bowes for its good-heartedness."

Buyer prepays everything, there is no reimbursement.  Odds of PB using their own money is next to nil.  

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Buyer can't "prepay" tax and duty because the buyer won't be on record as having paid those duties.  Pitney Bowes is the "importer of record".

Perhaps "reimbursement" isn't quite the right word for it as this payment is before rather than after the fact, but on the other hand, the buyer isn't technically the one paying the taxes and duties, either.  Perhaps "non-refundable deposit" is a better way of looking at it.

The carrier or an agent of the carrier advancing the amount due for taxes and duty and having the owner of the goods pay the carrier is pretty standard practice for non-postal imports.  Even with FedEx Ground shipments from the US where FedEx bills the recipient after having delivered the goods, the taxes/duty have already been paid--or "advanced."  The buyer is simply paying FedEx back.

[mwc1942]

"Buyer can't "prepay" tax and duty because the buyer won't be on record as having paid those duties.  Pitney Bowes is the "importer of record"."

Everything is prepaid by the buyer including tax and duty. Would bet that PB gets their portion of monies owed to them before the seller even sends the item to Kentucky.  They simply make use of your prepaid money and keep what's left over for themselves.  

If your buddy gives you 10$ to pick up a widget for him/her and you do that, was the widget prepaid or do you expect reimbursement? Technically speaking your buddy isn't the one paying for the widget , are they!

"Even with FedEx Ground shipments from the US where FedEx bills the recipient after having delivered the goods, the taxes/duty have already been paid--or "advanced."  The buyer is simply paying FedEx back."

Having never used FedEx, the "bills recipient", "been paid" and "paying back" is darn confusing, so I'll take a aspirin, have lay down, take a snooze and then forget about it.