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]

If so, this would account for the total lack of GSP awareness some sellers seem to claim for some sales.

Another thought.

A seller might have been enrolled by default over a year ago, and only now have the first non-USA sale.

Given the size of the US market and the small number of listings and sales many sellers have , it would not surprise me at all.

[lisemae]

Thanks for your reply!

PB told me they had yet to receive my parcel, not just me. Paypal states USPS picked it up from seller. Hence, the frustration.

[marnotom!]

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@lisemae wrote:

Thanks for your reply!

PB told me they had yet to receive my parcel, not just me. Paypal states USPS picked it up from seller. Hence, the frustration.

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Okay, then in your case your problem isn't with Pitney Bowes tracking system and it's not with the GSP--so far, at least.  This sounds like an issue with USPS.

This won't make you feel any less frustrated, I'm sure, but your situation seems to be one of those rare instances where the GSP hasn't done anything amiss because it hasn't had the chance to make anything go wrong with your purchase!

[xenotime]

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@dmil8030 wrote:

Hello 'jepcik', 

<<My recent transaction has one of those non working "UPAAB" tracking numbers. I just emailed the seller for the actual

tracking that's on his invoice. So I at least know that the item made it to Kentucky.>>

You highlight one of the more irritating aspects of the GSP, - they assure buyers that they will be able to track their 

purchases and then make it impossible to do so.  

If your main concern is knowing that the item is on its way then you certainly did the right thing by asking the seller. 

GSP items take longer than those mailed directly through the post, but it will get to you eventually.  

I would, however, urge you to not be in a rush to file a 'not received' claim.  Online buying means mail-order and that is 

always a slow process.  Too many 'not received' complaints and you could get in a stew with paypal.  Not to mention that 

just because Pitney-Bowes does not provide a tracking number does not mean the item is lost and you will lose the claim 

unless the parcel is clearly traced to Beirut or some such place.

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Three days had passed since the UPS tracking (the seller gave me) stated that PB received the item and I still didn't get  an update from them.. I ended up emailing PB and asked them if I could have confirmation of receiving the item in Kentucky and for a forwarding tracking number. (I gave them all the info I had on the transaction) I didn't expect anything but 5 hours later they emailed me a confirmation with a working tracking.  Perhaps a coincidence, I dunno. Here's the email I used: pbisgspcs@pb.com

[xenotime]

I don't know what's going on with USPS but lately I have been noticing US sellers charging $25+ shipping for a single wristwatch via USPS First Class International. With rates like those the GSP sometimes is a better deal.

[dmil8030]

Hello 'jepcik', 

<< I ended up emailing PB and asked them . . . for a forwarding tracking number. (I gave them all the info I had on the

transaction) . . .5 hours later they emailed me a confirmation with a working tracking.>>

Excellent!  That is very good to hear.  Well, there is no reason for them to withhold it, is there.  Still, they should make it 

available without people having to knock on doors.  

Then again, maybe if they got hundreds of these requests every day the would finally realize the only way to stop the 

barrage is to either post the numbers they promise at time of sale, or remove the offending phrase from their enticement

blurb.  

Good for you, though.  Way to go! 

<<With rates like those the GSP sometimes is a better deal.>>

Haha, that has been said elsewhere around here, too.  Who would've thought that the GSP might ever seem like a good 

thing.  If you have not aleady heard, USPS recently had a mega-increase in their rates.  Well, some things went up 

considerably, like First Class and the nearly 22% increase. (*gasp*)  

If you want to see a link all about rates, there is this:

http://www.fp-usa.com/ratechange/january-17-2016-rate-increase/

If you want more extensive detail, (hah!) there is this one here:

http://blog.stamps.com/2015/10/22/usps-announces-postage-rate-increase-starts-january-17-2016/

[00nevermind00]

The rate hike is one reason, but there are also sellers who have one international shipping rate to all countries. So in essence they charge the same to Canada and to Australia.

When I suspect that this is the case, I change my country to Australia. If the rate is the same, I either hit the back button (something I seem to do more and more often) or I email the seller asking why they are charging the same price to ship to both countries. Most of the time they'll come back with a lower rate to Canada.

I refuse to buy anything that has the GSP tacked on. I simply will not support a program that I despise so much and which has so little consideration for the buyers.

[xenotime]

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@dmil8030 wrote:

Hello 'jepcik', 

<< I ended up emailing PB and asked them . . . for a forwarding tracking number. (I gave them all the info I had on the

transaction) . . .5 hours later they emailed me a confirmation with a working tracking.>>

Excellent!  That is very good to hear.  Well, there is no reason for them to withhold it, is there.  Still, they should make it 

available without people having to knock on doors.  

Then again, maybe if they got hundreds of these requests every day the would finally realize the only way to stop the 

barrage is to either post the numbers they promise at time of sale, or remove the offending phrase from their enticement

blurb.  

Good for you, though.  Way to go! 

<<With rates like those the GSP sometimes is a better deal.>>

Haha, that has been said elsewhere around here, too.  Who would've thought that the GSP might ever seem like a good 

thing.  If you have not aleady heard, USPS recently had a mega-increase in their rates.  Well, some things went up 

considerably, like First Class and the nearly 22% increase. (*gasp*)  

If you want to see a link all about rates, there is this:

http://www.fp-usa.com/ratechange/january-17-2016-rate-increase/

If you want more extensive detail, (hah!) there is this one here:

http://blog.stamps.com/2015/10/22/usps-announces-postage-rate-increase-starts-january-17-2016/

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I have to say that with over 20 GSP transactions I have never had an issue with PB. Nothing has gone missing or come broken and the delivery time isn't THAT much worse than First Class/Priority. It's also nice not to have to bother paying at the door, for items that probably would have some tax applied. My only problem is the cost...but on the flip side...I've also had some good shipping prices with a few of those transactions. Like a 4 pound soldering station and two soldering irons coming up as $9.58 shipping. (With $12.24 duty...which I may or may not have had to pay at the door)

[domecreeke]

The Global Shipping Program is not useful to Canadians who want to purchase items from American Sellers. The GSP does not ship to Canadians who utilize Box Numbers for their addresses. There were three items that I wished to purchase today (Buy it Now Pricing) but all three sellers were using the Global Shipping Program so I didn;t Buy  the items.

If American sellers utilize the United States Postal Service, who ship to Canadian Postal Box Numbers, then I would have bought these three items today. American sellers lost out on sales today - Simple !

Spoiler

!

[marnotom!]

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@domecreeke wrote:

The Global Shipping Program is not useful to Canadians who want to purchase items from American Sellers. The GSP does not ship to Canadians who utilize Box Numbers for their addresses. There were three items that I wished to purchase today (Buy it Now Pricing) but all three sellers were using the Global Shipping Program so I didn;t Buy  the items.

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According to this eBay help page, Canadian post office boxes are an exception to the "no P.O. boxes" guideline:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html#eligibility

Many GSP items are shipped by mail once they're on Canadian soil, so this exception would seem to make sense.

However, this wouldn't be the first time that an eBay help page regarding the GSP has been at odds with the GSP Buyer Terms and Conditions Page.

[lisemae]

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@marnotom! wrote:

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@lisemae wrote:

Thanks for your reply!

PB told me they had yet to receive my parcel, not just me. Paypal states USPS picked it up from seller. Hence, the frustration.

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Okay, then in your case your problem isn't with Pitney Bowes tracking system and it's not with the GSP--so far, at least.  This sounds like an issue with USPS.

This won't make you feel any less frustrated, I'm sure, but your situation seems to be one of those rare instances where the GSP hasn't done anything amiss because it hasn't had the chance to make anything go wrong with your purchase!

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What a mess! The seller provided the reference # for USPS, but of course, being outside of the US, it's in the sellers hands. I've exhausted my options at trying to track it down. 

[pierrelebel]

Go to www.usps.com to track your parcel

Enter your tracking number in the box at top right.

[d_ca03]

This is the first time I've encountered the GSP. I accepted the charges and paid for it. Now the seller wants to send out my package. She tried to send it to the Kentucky address (although I'm in Canada) and they wouldn't take it at her post office. So I messaged her with my exact address..

If she ships it to me directly, am I going to have to pay for the duties? And since I paid for the GSP, who refunds it if it doesn't go through Kentucky?

[afantiques]

She tried to send it to the Kentucky address (although I'm in Canada) and they wouldn't take it at her post office. So I messaged her with my exact address..

Did they give any reason why they would not take it? Could it be oversize or weight?

If she ships it to me directly, am I going to have to pay for the duties? And since I paid for the GSP, who refunds it if it doesn't go through Kentucky?

Depends on the value declared, under $100, unlikely. You can claim the unused shipping and import charges if the item is not sent by the GSP.

Do not expect it to be easy

[mrcollinz0]

Hey everyone,

Simple question, has anyone received their shipment via GSP and when it arrived had to pay additional duties/fees?.

Ordered a pair of Lebron sneakers, paid $55us plus shipping, gsp fees. Just wondering if I'll be getting my package with even more fees due on delivery?.

[pierrelebel]

" has anyone received their shipment via GSP and when it arrived had to pay additional duties/fees?."

When the seller uses GSP, no additional taxes or fees are payable at time of delivery to the Canadian buyer. That is the whole point of the program.

Unfortunately, from time to time, a few sellers make a mistake and ship directly instead of shipping the the eBay distribution centre as instructed.

[mrcollinz0]

Thanks for the answer this helps me a lot.

Cheers

[diminuativedesigns]

I avoid buying as much as possible from sellers that offer the global shipping program...it is often more than what I would have to pay to my delivery person if I were to receive my parcel the 'old way'.  You should only pay taxes from your province plus a flat 'processing fee" for items over $25...you are often paying more than that.  The other issue for me is that your parcel is moved and travels even more than it would if it were just shipped directly...my last parcel through the program was scanned a whopping 26 times!  lol  This is just more opportunity for damage or loss as it must go through more hands.  The next issue for me is that if you wins multiple auctions from a seller, you cannot get combined shipping....that means that you have to pay for each item individually, this has actually stopped me from buying multiple items from the same buyer, as shipping is double!  Loss of sales for the seller, and ease of shipping several items to the same buyer is a no win for sellers in my opinion...so I see it as a negative for both buyers and sellers. Lastly, if you need to return an item because something did go wrong...I could contact Canadapost and apply for a refund on my customs fees....it takes a bit but you do get it back...I am not sure what would happen in the case of the global shipping program, I can't seem to find an answer anywhere on the site..which make me think that you will likely either have a huge hassle or no recourse at all.  

[reallynicestamps]

You should only pay taxes from your province plus a flat 'processing fee" for items over $25...you are often paying more than that.

No.

You should be paying duty on any dutiable import over $20CDN (about $14 USD) plus applicable taxes on any import, dutiable or not.

And the shipper is allowed to add a service fee/brokerage fee for wrangling the item across the border.

For GSP/PitneyBowes, this is about $5USD. For Canada Post $9.95. For couriers it is variable but starts around $25CDN,

if you wins multiple auctions from a seller, you cannot get combined shipping...

I understand you can if you put all the items into a Shopping Cart.

I could contact Canadapost and apply for a refund on my customs fees......I am not sure what would happen in the case of the global shipping program,

It's a real bummer, but technically with the GSP you didn't pay duty and tax. You paid a fee to GSP?PB which covers the import fees from which PB pays duty and taxes.

I have heard of buyers getting this returned, but it was reported more than a year ago and involved calling eBay and asking for a GSP specialist during North American business hours.

BTW-- You make a strong point in your listings that you do not accept returns.

You should know that if you accept Paypal you make refunds.

If you refuse returns, Paypal can and sometimes will, refund the unhappy buyer, without requiring her to return the doll, on the basis that you don't want it back.

It's a poor program unless you are buying bulky, heavy and expensive items. For those the GSP can actually save you money.

More often, Canadians should look for another seller.

[00nevermind00]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

if you wins multiple auctions from a seller, you cannot get combined shipping...

I understand you can if you put all the items into a Shopping Cart.

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The poster is talking about auction items. Can you even put those in a cart? I'm not so sure that there is a way to combine auction purchases with the GSP.

Going on 4 years, it's still a half-baked program!