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,

[respiraterry]

I think it worked, if its up you can see on the Metallica stein it clearly says free shipping. Also if you look at the shoes i bought also using the gsp it clearly states the correct shipping.

[pierrelebel]

The original question last week mentioned a $4 difference in shipping , not $15

" and the shipping was listed as $26 i put in a best offer for $12.50 that was accepted, go to pay and shipping is now $30?"

The difference of $4 or $5 has been explained several times by Pitney Bowes shifting their fees from "import charge" to "shipping charge" whenever the value is less than Cdn$ 20.

Now, the poster suggests a $15 difference.  I do not know where that comes from.

[arlene_v]

To me it doesn't really matter if it boiled down to a fifty cents difference, the buyer was presented with X amount, and instead was charged Y. Much like the hidden fees we used to see with airlines a while back, until you went to pay and then it was HUH? Buyers do not like this, and it is understandable.

Something has gone wrong with the way this info is communicated. This much is obvious and if anyone other than community members were actually participating in this thread this sort of feedback would be useful and acted upon by Pitney Bowes.

A buyer should not have to come here to figure this out from the community. What a joke.

Why are international buyers supposed to tolerate this kind of program? It simply isn't good enough.

It should be spelled out clearly so that ANYONE looking at the screen can tell exactly what the fees are, and  there are no surprise program charges tacked on to shipping in cases like this.

[pierrelebel]

"Something has gone wrong with the way this info is communicated."

I think we all agree to that.  The program has always lacked transparency.  And it is not getting any better.  You know that, I know that, most posters know that and even eBay knows that.

Canadian buyers should not be using GSP in most instances.

However, and that is important, should a Canadian buyer decide to use the system despite its flaws, we should be able to help explain the problems when they occur.  Bashing the program over and over again does not help those who need to understand how a specific problem occurred.

[arlene_v]

LOL Pierre, I think we see things very differently.

I don't feel any obligation to explain a bad program, if eBay and Pitney Bowes aren't here to explain themselves, I sure am not going to do their work for them. Why on earth would I do that? Let this program sink or swim on their efforts, not mine is what I say.

I believe this program is very bad news on the whole for Canadians, so yes, I will bash away.

[pierrelebel]

"I don't feel any obligation to explain a bad program"

You are right: we see things differently. 

I do not care about the fact GSP is "bad".  i will not use it. 

However, I feel an obligation to try to help fellow Canadians who have used the program and have a question or two about a specific difficulty.  It is not in me to refuse to help because I do not like something.

Look at it from a different subject.  Nobody likes PayPal charging Canadians (and others) a conversion currency fee of 2.5%, hidden in the conversion formula, every time an amount is converted from one currency into another.  The fact I do not like it does not mean I will not help my fellow Canadian eBayer needing to know how it works.

[arlene_v]

Some would see lending a sympathetic ear as being helpful, or saying "yes, this is wrong, you have the right to be upset"

Think about it.  We just try to help others  differently, perhaps?

[edlomb]

Hi

Does anyone know if you get your import charges refunded if you return the item to the seller?

There have been a few times I have received items not as described but these have all been for items purchases without the GSP option.  

If return an item do the initial customs and duty charges get refunded?  If not, why not

Eddie

[pierrelebel]

"Does anyone know....?"

Unfortunately, the eBay help pages are vague on the subject.

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/buy/shipping-globally.html

You didn't receive an item or the item was not as described in the listing

If you did not receive an item or the item was not as described in the listing, contact the seller. Many issues can be solved with a simple conversation. If the seller isn't able or willing to resolve the problem, you can open a case in the Resolution Centre. Learn more about what do to if you don't receive an item or it doesn't match the seller's description.

You want to return an item

If you want to return an item, check to see if the seller accepts international returns by reviewing the return policy in the listing. If the seller does accept international returns, contact the seller.

[pierrelebel]

arlene "...differently, perhaps?"

Let's agree to disagree.

[00nevermind00]

---

@edlomb wrote:

Hi

Does anyone know if you get your import charges refunded if you return the item to the seller?

There have been a few times I have received items not as described but these have all been for items purchases without the GSP option.  

If return an item do the initial customs and duty charges get refunded?  If not, why not

Eddie

---

I refuse to buy from GSP sellers so I have no first-hand experience, but I think the best way of recouping all your fees would be to open a case with Paypal.  "Not as described" is a grey area in the program and you'd think that after two or so years, they would have told us how it works. *IF* it works...

The seller can only refund you what he has received should you return the item to him, so you'd only get the price of the item + shipping from the seller to Kentucky (unless it was "free").

I agree with Arlene that the GSP treats international buyers very badly. Let's see what happens when US buyers start purchasing items from GSP sellers in the UK...

[arlene_v]

Not only is this program really unfriendly to users, but  so is the way that issues are handled on this forum.

As we all know, all  GSP issues are shuttled into these threads, rather like putting the batty relative in the attic, out of view.

I really shake my head.

Why, eBay, why?

After two years why are all comments and questions still being sent over to two obese threads? The threads are so bloated you can't even access the most recent posts anymore, you need to click on the poster's name.

Oh well, I'll go away for another month or so because these GSP threads are an utter waste of time and if you think about how this program actually works, and the shambles it really is under the slick veneer, who needs to read this voluntarily?  

And when I pop back in six weeks or so what's the bet good ol' LL Bean will under discussion yet again, or someone will  be  telling posters how utterly insignificant Canadian buyers are in the grand scheme, and this program is to benefit US sellers, so we need to "just get over it." and of course how we have no right to complain about having to pay tax we normally didn't before ... so much help offered here on a daily basis it really does make one teary eyed.

All the while not a single answer from Kalvin, or anyone else from eBay or PB.

Not a peep.

[pierrelebel]

"not a single answer from Kalvin"

Kalvin is no longer an employee of eBay.  Has not been for quite some time.

Staffers and management of eBay-Canada have acknowledged on their "weekly board hour" that they are aware of comments and questions raised on these two threads.  However, nothing will change by them reading comments complaining about GSP.

The decisions are made in San Jose and the folks involved in the program have little interest in listening to members writing thousands of posts calling them scammers, thieves, criminals, etc....

See you in six weeks or so.

[00nevermind00]

---

pierrelebel wrote:The decisions are made in San Jose and the folks involved in the program have little interest in listening to members writing thousands of posts calling them scammers, thieves, criminals, etc....

---

Of course they don't, and honestly none of us would like to read stuff like that said about us either.

But you have to admit that they have also completely ignored very sensible suggestions made to improve the buyer's experience with the program.

I agree with Arlene 100% about the merging of all GSP-related threads into these two mega threads. The purpose was so that it would be easier for eBay staff to read the concerns expressed by Canadians over the program. But since eBay itself readily admits that no one reads them any longer, the purpose for the merging is gone. Not to mention that no one at eBay and PB ever gave two hoots about what Canadians think of the GSP.

Obviously the last person to leave the building forgot to turn off the light.

[pierrelebel]

"hey have also completely ignored very sensible suggestions made to improve the buyer's experience with the program."

Yes they have. 

eBay has its own agenda and could not care less about what we, in Canada,  think.

[miketrain2]

I'm getting really put off by the GSP especially when a cheap little item becomes 4 or 5 times the price with the automatic duty and taxes added on when shipping to Canada from the U.S.  No reason the seller can't use an envelope for these things like blasters for Star Wars figures.  Bought one using the  GSP for $10, it became $25 when done and showed up in a shoe-box.  Insane. Alternatively I found another seller, blaster $5, $1.50 shipping in envelope and 10cents more for each additional item and received it within in a couple of days compared to weeks using the GSP.  Note too that my GSP packages always show up mashed and crushed as if they're being re-packed in substandard 'used too many times' recycled boxes. I'd never use it for anything of any real value and never have.  Anything I've gotten through the USPS (nearly 200 over the years) is intact and wonderfully packed and shows up within a week.  

[ddavid2255]

Unfortunately i have done the same thing. This is bizarre and hopefully your seller will agree. She has to somehow cancel entire transaction and then relist opting out of GSP and putting in their own shipping rate. Sellers arent even aware of this but they are automatically opted in unless under site preferences they click no. My seller couldnt figure out to do it so eventually just gave up and paid her full amount. Good luck

[respiraterry]

Complete joke, i finally give up and just pay the full price, seller refunds my money 3 times. Contact ebay, after 25 mins on hold i get " oh nothing we dan do all you can do is leave negative feedback" i leave negative feedback, not about the shipping, about her refusing to sell. Hour later the feedback is removed. I call back, 30'mins later "oh it qualifies ti be removed but we cant discuss any more or our policies" complete BS. What happened to a binding transaction? Useless.

[2bigs3smalls]

When Pitney Bowes applied shipping and import charges twice on one package, they took forever to refund the overpayment.  eBay is not in a hurry to pursue this matter either.  Pitney Bowes charges all these custom and duty fees when the merchandise never went through customs and would not provide any paperwork from customs to substantiate all those so called fees paid to customs.It is so much more economical for US sellers to ship by local postal service.