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

afantiques · ‎04-08-2016

If anyone is that interested, look at a GSP item coming to Canada valued at about $30US. The change the ship to location to UK and compare details of import charges, in the UK taxes will start at a 20% rate on items over about $25 US.

sylviebee · ‎04-09-2016

The issue is not whether the GSP adds import charges because we know all too well that, in the past, they have always done so when the selling amount was above the tax free limit for that particular country.

The question is: Does the country itself waive those taxes the way Canada does?

If not, then Canada is a special case scenario where the country does not enforce the law while the GSP does.

The GSP is now listing import taxes at zero for items which are well over our $20 limit.

The question is why?

00nevermind00 · ‎04-09-2016

@afantiques wrote:
If anyone is that interested, look at a GSP item coming to Canada valued at about $30US. The change the ship to location to UK and compare details of import charges, in the UK taxes will start at a 20% rate on items over about $25 US.

I just did, and it looks like GSP items valued around $30 no longer attract "import charges" in the UK either.

Screenshot #1: GSP item to Canada

Screenshot #2: Same item to the UK

GSP shipping on this small lightweight item isn't that much more expensive to the UK than it is to Canada. But I'd really like to know what is going on with the "import charges". Are buyers really supposed to believe that eBay/PB are eating those? Ha! What they are likely to think is that the charges will suddenly pop up once they hit the "Buy" button. I really don't understand what eBay hopes to accomplish by constantly tinkering with the program without telling buyers what they are doing and why. Hasn't the GSP gathered enough buyer distrust already? Maybe someone can explain this one to me because I just don't get it.

sylviebee · ‎04-09-2016

@00nevermind00 wrote:
What they are likely to think is that the charges will suddenly pop up once they hit the "Buy" button.

That's what I thought but there actually are no import charges.

I just bought a $45US item and there are no import charges just like the listing promised.

marnotom! · ‎04-09-2016

@sylviebee wrote:

The question is: Does the country itself waive those taxes the way Canada does?

If not, then Canada is a special case scenario where the country does not enforce the law while the GSP does.

It depends on the country. When the US site had an international trading board, Germany gained a reputation for stopping and processing pretty much anything sent by mail for VAT owing. Britain was more hit and miss, which led to a number of posts suggesting that some British buyers figured that something the seller did caused their purchase to be hit with a tax bill.

@sylviebee wrote:

The GSP is now listing import taxes at zero for items which are well over our $20 limit.

The question is why?

Not trying to be nit-picky, but it's what Pitney Bowes calls import charges that are listed at zero, which are the GSP program fees and amount PB is being reimbursed for paying taxes and duty on the buyer's behalf.

Anyway, I'd agree with your earlier musings that this may be some sort of experiment on somebody's part. The discrepancy between the shipping charge in search results and the shipping charge on the listing page reveals the hidden "import charges".

afantiques · ‎04-10-2016

I'd say it is impossible the charges are being waived, so rolling them up with the shipping gives a reasonable result.

xeposter · ‎04-10-2016

I am just wondering how the subject of this message got changed to "From my own personal negative experience with buying from..." Please don't change the subject of important threads like this one.

Alex

This is my POSTING id.

marnotom! · ‎04-10-2016

@xeposter wrote:

I am just wondering how the subject of this message got changed to "From my own personal negative experience with buying from..." Please don't change the subject of important threads like this one.

This happens when the mods incorporate one thread into another thread. The subject you're seeing is the subject of the thread that got merged into this one.

xeposter · ‎04-11-2016

@marnotom! wrote:
@xeposter wrote:

I am just wondering how the subject of this message got changed to "From my own personal negative experience with buying from..." Please don't change the subject of important threads like this one.

This happens when the mods incorporate one thread into another thread. The subject you're seeing is the subject of the thread that got merged into this one.

It is funny, you can just change the subject of any post to whatever you want, lol.

Alex

This is my POSTING id.

00nevermind00 · ‎04-11-2016

@xeposter wrote:
@marnotom! wrote:
@xeposter wrote:

I am just wondering how the subject of this message got changed to "From my own personal negative experience with buying from..." Please don't change the subject of important threads like this one.

This happens when the mods incorporate one thread into another thread. The subject you're seeing is the subject of the thread that got merged into this one.
It is funny, you can just change the subject of any post to whatever you want, lol.
Alex

Soon after the tacked GSP comments/questions threads were created, eBay instructed the Lithium mods to merge any GSP post/thread into these two mega threads. The reason was that the GSP people were supposedly reading those two threads so merging all the GSP posts into those two threads would enable them to read all the comments, complaints, questions, grievances, rants, etc.

The GSP people soon vanished into thin air but the merging continued, presumably because no one had told the mods to stop. It went on until both threads became unmanageable messes.

That is the history behind Marnotom's comment.

xeposter · ‎04-11-2016

Thanks for making that more clear, 00nevermind00! I understand that now 🙂

Alex

This is my POSTING id.

adamcarlseventyfive · ‎04-11-2016

Hello,

Not sure if this is the place but I'll ask anyway...

I'm looking at an item from the US and the seller is using the GSP. The auction starts at $1 with a Buy It Now price of $45. The shipping I'm shown is obviously for the Buy It Now price and states there will be an import fee of $13 with the basic shipping price of $16. If I were to win the auction at a low amount of $5 or less, would the import fee be removed at the end of the auction, leaving me to pay just the basic $16 shipping?

Surely I'm not going to be charged the import fee on the Buy It Now price when I didn't actually pay that amount?

Thanks

xeposter · ‎04-11-2016

@adamcarlseventyfive wrote:
Hello,

Not sure if this is the place but I'll ask anyway...

I'm looking at an item from the US and the seller is using the GSP. The auction starts at $1 with a Buy It Now price of $45. The shipping I'm shown is obviously for the Buy It Now price and states there will be an import fee of $13 with the basic shipping price of $16. If I were to win the auction at a low amount of $5 or less, would the import fee be removed at the end of the auction, leaving me to pay just the basic $16 shipping?

Surely I'm not going to be charged the import fee on the Buy It Now price when I didn't actually pay that amount?

Thanks

The import fees would stay the same no matter what amount you pay for the item.

Alex

This is my POSTING id.

pocomocomputing · ‎04-11-2016

@xeposter wrote:
@adamcarlseventyfive wrote:
Hello,

Not sure if this is the place but I'll ask anyway...

I'm looking at an item from the US and the seller is using the GSP. The auction starts at $1 with a Buy It Now price of $45. The shipping I'm shown is obviously for the Buy It Now price and states there will be an import fee of $13 with the basic shipping price of $16. If I were to win the auction at a low amount of $5 or less, would the import fee be removed at the end of the auction, leaving me to pay just the basic $16 shipping?

Surely I'm not going to be charged the import fee on the Buy It Now price when I didn't actually pay that amount?

Thanks
The import fees would stay the same no matter what amount you pay for the item.
Alex

No, the import fees will change with the final sale price of the auction. The import fee is composed of Canada sales taxes from 5 to 15% (based on province of buyer) of the final auction sale price, customs duties (none or low %) and Pitney Bowes processing fee (About $5 based on previous charges here in these forums).

So the first two charges are variable based on a percentage of the final auction sale price. The import fees thus would not stay the same unless by chance the item sells for the Buy It Now price.

Alex, you should not answer these questions if you do not know how the GSP works. No offense intended.

adamcarlseventyfive · ‎04-11-2016

Ok, that is what I was hoping to hear.

There is a threshold amount with this GSP isn't there? Meaning, if I were to bid and win an item for a very low amount, say $2 or $3, I shouldn't expect to be charged any import fee at all?

xeposter · ‎04-11-2016

@pocomocomputing wrote:
@xeposter wrote:
@adamcarlseventyfive wrote:
Hello,

Not sure if this is the place but I'll ask anyway...

I'm looking at an item from the US and the seller is using the GSP. The auction starts at $1 with a Buy It Now price of $45. The shipping I'm shown is obviously for the Buy It Now price and states there will be an import fee of $13 with the basic shipping price of $16. If I were to win the auction at a low amount of $5 or less, would the import fee be removed at the end of the auction, leaving me to pay just the basic $16 shipping?

Surely I'm not going to be charged the import fee on the Buy It Now price when I didn't actually pay that amount?

Thanks
The import fees would stay the same no matter what amount you pay for the item.
Alex
No, the import fees will change with the final sale price of the auction. The import fee is composed of Canada sales taxes from 5 to 15% (based on province of buyer) of the final auction sale price, customs duties (none or low %) and Pitney Bowes processing fee (About $5 based on previous charges here in these forums).

So the first two charges are variable based on a percentage of the final auction sale price. The import fees thus would not stay the same unless by chance the item sells for the Buy It Now price.

Alex, you should not answer these questions if you do not know how the GSP works. No offense intended.

Sorry. I guess I don't know anything about the GSP

Alex

This is my POSTING id.

marnotom! · ‎04-11-2016

@adamcarlseventyfive wrote:

There is a threshold amount with this GSP isn't there? Meaning, if I were to bid and win an item for a very low amount, say $2 or $3, I shouldn't expect to be charged any import fee at all?

Yes and no. There won't be a line item for "import charges" on your invoice, but there's still a processing fee from PB. That will be lumped in with your shipping cost rather than show up as "import charges".

There have been comments from various users that the shipping price for a GSP item goes down when the price of an item exceeds the C$20.00 tax/duty free threshold for a casual import. However, "import charges" kick in instead.

adamcarlseventyfive · ‎04-11-2016

Thanks for the help!

kutter1967 · ‎04-12-2016

I have been an ebay member since 2002. The GSP is nothing more than a money grab from ebay.....Iwill not purchase any items from members that use this program. I haven't lost any items since I started with ebay. They have always arrived via USPS or Canada Post. As far as duties go , the GSP charges us for items that don't even qualify for duties, The program advertises quicker...which it is not... and states you can track...which rarely works or is even accurate. I have tried in the past to talk to ebay but it is USELESS....I have called 10 different times and got 10 different answers!!!..... When is ebay going to stop with this ABSURD program that only benefits ebay and Pitney Bowes??...At the very least make it an option for the buyer and the seller on whether or not to use the program. As I said before it is MUCH CHEAPER AND MORE RELIABLE to use USPS or Canada Post.. I have no problem paying my required duties, but to pay a third party for doing absolutely nothing of value is unfair to be forced to do so by Ebay. I hope that someone actually reads this because it seems I'm not the only one complaining about this. WAKE UP EBAY AND STOP[THE EXTORTION!!!!

reallynicestamps · ‎04-12-2016

Another poster gave these instructions for tracking GPS items that have arrived (and left) Erlanger.

TRACKING SYSTEM FOR GSP
It's not user friendly... But I found how to track your package via the global shipping program, once it gets to Canada you need to:
- Log on to eBay.ca
- Under the My eBay menu select Purchase History
- Under your orders find the specific order. It should have something like the following:
Estimated delivery Mon, Jan 11 - Thu, Jan 21
Tracking number: Tracking number UPAAB000000#########
- Click on the UPA number. This should open up a Shipment Details window, which should contain something like this:
This shipment has been transferred to CPC for delivery to the final destination # 70351#########
-Click on the Canada Post number to see where the Canada Post Tracking history and expected delivery

I did not note who posted this. Sorry not to attribute.

The GPS, with all its many flaws, is not in place to protect the buyer.

It was designed (badly) to protect the paranoid and xenophobic seller who was terrified to ship outside the USA (and now UK).

At first it was set as the default for new sellers, one group that should never consider international shipping. Amazingly, that was actually changed and now sellers have to actively add the program.

However, the seller has the right to control his products until the transaction is complete. It's one of the few protections sellers have here. Allowing buyers to opt out of a policy the seller wants is not going to happen.