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,

[afantiques]

  However, this one, instead of the usual tracking messages that show it is working through the system, says "In Transit - Available For Pick Up".  Has anyone had this one before, or know what it means?

It almost certainly means someone pressed the wrong key, it won't have any effect on the actual progress of your package.

[afantiques]

If the import charges include everything but I have to pay for it, that's understandable, but my question is whether I have to expect more when the item is delivered.

You will not have to pay anything extra on delivery.

I commend your diligence in reading the T&C but a lot of that is legal boilerplate designed to cover any  eventuality however unlikely.

The only way you could get stuck  with more customs charges on delivery is if the seller ships direct, bypassing the GSP process you have paid for.

[divingmachines]

I purchased a item from a US based seller and was given a Ebay invoice that included Global shipping fees pre paid import duties etc etc, it came out to be $117 extra on top of shipping and the item cost. The seller went ahead and shipped the item to me by USPS and did not use the Global shipping program, why he did this i have no idea he won't communicate now. When the item arrived at my home in Canada i had to pay duty that was much cheaper than i was billed from the Global shipping program, that said the Global shipping program need to refund me the money i paid out. I called Ebay all ready five times and so far no luck to resolve this problem they told me twice they would send a email to me showing me how to get my money back guess what NO EMAIL SENT. The third time i spoke to them they said they would have some one from Global shipping call me guess what NO PHONE CALL. The fourth time i spoke to Ebay they told me that Global shipping no longer takes phone calls and the Fifth time i got more promises of email to be sent explaining how to get my money refunded. To date NO EMAILS RECEIVED. Im not sure what going on at Eaby but it leaves me no choice but to file against the seller and let him deal with some of this fustration after all he is the person who shipped the item outside of the Global shipping program.

[karl*katz]

No buyers do not have to register.

However I would advise you to avoid sellers using Global Shipping

I have no personal experience with it but you may want to browse the two threads pinned to the top of the board I have linked to below.

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Buyer-Central/bd-p/23003

[briandwlee]

Who delivers GSP in Canada?

Is it Fedex, UPS or Canada or can it be anyone randomly?

Thanks.

[pierrelebel]

It could be anyone.

Goods are forwarded "in bond" to Canada where they are given to the carrier(s) best suited for delivery.  Most parcels seem to be given to Canada Post, CanPar, Purolator, etc...

At the end of the day it should not really matter, since Customs clearance and tax collection is done prior to the final delivery.

[afantiques]

This is not an uncommon situation, but the program designers made no plans for dealing with it.

There should be a formal redress route for all situations, but there isn't. All I can think of is a claim that the item was not as described because it was not tax free at the point of delivery as the listing promises.

If you  manage to get any results please report back.

[afantiques]

As far as I know Canada Post is the sole contractor, borne out by the fact that Canada ia the only country where GSP items can go to a PO Box address.

No courier company delivers to PO Boxes.

A minor technicality, but they are not sent 'in bond' to Canada since during this time they have not incurred possible customs fees. In Bond means physically entered a country, but no customs fees have been paid, as in 'Bonded Warehouse'.

GSP items are paid and cleared at  entry.

[aubreyclay56]

Noo you dont like the other guy said,but keep in mind you wont hve any customers from canada, if you do use global shipping being that it makes shipping costs more expensive to the buyer and slows down the shipping time ,i never buy from sellers  using gsp

[chaldo2010]

NO to GSP. It is way to expensive to have an item mailed to your address. For a bag I bought, I had to pay for shipping, PLUS GSP fees....including the purse price ofcourse. Wasn't worth it to be honest.

Avoid those sellers. If you want to purchase from them, then be prepared to pay the "fun" GSP nonsense fees.

[pjcdn2005]

Some posts on the boards have mentioned Canpar Courier being used as well as Canada Post.

[afantiques]

I was assuming  that Canpar was a division of Canada Post in the same way that in the UK Parcel Force handles parcel and Royal Mail does the letters and small packages, but  they are still two legs of the same trousers so I sort of included Canpar in Canada Post, but if  I am wrong, I  apologise. 😞

[pierrelebel]

Canpar is not associated with Canada Post.  It is owned by Transforce a Canadian public company with shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Purolator (mentioned earlier) is owned by Canada Post.

[pierrelebel]

For more information on Canpar:

https://www.canpar.ca/en/about/about_canpar.jsp

[fiona_w1956]

Thanks.  It seems to be moving again now.  However, I'm wondering if this is actually a new message we may see from time to time.  Another one of mine is now showing it.

[dmil8030]

<<DO I HAVE TO REGISTER WITH GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAM TO BUY FROM EBAY SELLERS USING THE PROGRAM ? >>

Oh, now that would be good, . . . . . .   If,  until we here registered for the program,  no GSP listings

would appear in our Search!

[pierrelebel]

This is the eBay Global Shipping Program (GSP) where an American seller ships the goods to a central distribution centre in Kentucky where it is re-forwarded to Canada (and many other foreign countries).

The forwarding is handled by Pitney Bowes who also arranges Customs clearance so that the item is delivered in Canada (and other foreign countries) by local delivery (and no tax collected at that time since they were prepaid).

For more information:  http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Buyer-Central/Questions-about-the-Global-Shipping-Program/m-p/149063#U14...

It should be noted that in most instances, the program is NOT suitable for Canadian buyers.

It is generally best for Canadians to purchase from sellers who will ship directly using USPS (postal service).

[Anonymous]

you are so right!!!! i will not buy from any seller that uses the Global Shipping Program, no matter how good the deal might be. Also most sellers that i contacted were not aware that Pitney Bowes was charging anywhere from 10 20 dollars more than they were asking to ship to Canada.