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

pierrblange_0 · ‎04-04-2017

Am I supposed to get an other tracking number for the delivery from kentucky to my house?

marnotom! · ‎04-04-2017

@pierrblange_0 wrote:

Am I supposed to get an other tracking number for the delivery from kentucky to my house?

If everything works properly, you should only need the one tracking number (the one starting with "UPAA") from Pitney Bowes. All the tracking information from the various carriers will be consolidated.

At least, that's how it worked with the package my wife received today. I'm not sure how quickly the tracking information updated, however.

https://parceltracking.pb.com

pierrblange_0 · ‎04-05-2017

During the international shipping part (after the global shipping center) do they continue ship on weekends?

pierrblange_0 · ‎04-05-2017

Its been more than a day that my package was in transit from kentucky to my house in quebec and I get no more tracking..

gushamilton99 · ‎04-05-2017

Hi,

I am concerned that if I buy an item from the U.S., I will be shocked with an unexpected tax/import fee.

The item I am currently looking at says estimated import charges are zero. I only want to pay for the item and shipping. How do I confirm this? Do I need to contact a broker?

pierrelebel · ‎04-05-2017

"The item I am currently looking at says estimated import charges are zero. "

If the price is below Cdn$ 20.00 (appx US$15), then there will be no "import charges".

And NO you do not need a Customs broker.

afantiques · ‎04-05-2017

Ifit is a BIN item, use the Buy Now button.

On the next page you will see all the actual charges involved. If you do not like them simply back away.You are not commited to buy until you use the Commit to Buy button on that page.

marnotom! · ‎04-05-2017

@pierrblange_0 wrote:

Its been more than a day that my package was in transit from kentucky to my house in quebec and I get no more tracking..

Your item is travelling as part of a freight shipment from Kentucky to a hub in Canada (probably Mississauga, ON, but if you're in Quebec I'm guessing that there's a chance it may be Saint-Laurent).

You won't see more tracking information on your item until it reaches Canada.

marnotom! · ‎04-05-2017

@gushamilton99 wrote:

I am concerned that if I buy an item from the U.S., I will be shocked with an unexpected tax/import fee.

The item I am currently looking at says estimated import charges are zero. I only want to pay for the item and shipping. How do I confirm this? Do I need to contact a broker?

eBay is also experimenting with adding the import charges to the shipping charges on some Global Shipping Program listings.

As mentioned earlier, check before committing to purchase that this is indeed the case.

You shouldn't have to pay anything on receipt of the item unless the seller screws up and ships the item directly to you instead of to the Global Shipping Center in Kentucky.

gushamilton99 · ‎04-06-2017

Thanks. So I will be able to see ALL the costs (shipping, duty, taxes) associated with the purchase BEFORE I commit to buying?

marnotom! · ‎04-06-2017

@gushamilton99 wrote:

Thanks. So I will be able to see ALL the costs (shipping, duty, taxes) associated with the purchase BEFORE I commit to buying?

You'll see the total you'll be paying and if the import charges are separated you'll see a separate line item for those, but they'll be listed as "import charges". You will not see a more detailed breakdown of the various components of the import charges.

Technically speaking, Pitney Bowes pays all taxes, duties, customs processing and clearance charges on your item. The "import charges" are an estimate of the total for those charges, and you are paying Pitney Bowes back what it paid on your behalf. What you pay may be a bit higher than what Pitney Bowes actually pays, it may be a bit lower. There's no way for a computer program to accurately calculate all these charges for an item that nobody except the seller has actually seen.

I don't know if this is more information that you wanted, but it's important to underscore that if you're wanting a detailed receipt or breakdown for taxes, duties and customs charges for a GSP item, then forget it. The GSP doesn't work that way.

bobenis · ‎04-06-2017

So far the last two items shipped to me via the GSP to Canada were handed off by PB to USPS in Chicago!

Not only that, USPS was told to ship it small packet and NOT Priority International, as stated clearly in the ebay auction.

Both the past two items ended up sitting in customs for almost 10 days when that process and paperwork was SUPPOSED to be done by PB to streamline to delay and shipping!

As a result my headphones I purchased on Mar 21st was just yesterday released from Canada Customs, after a 9 day wait, and are being transferred to me via regular mail, not Xpresspost as usually done.

This puts the delivery well past ebay's expected delivery date and totally contradicts the whole idea of the GSP.....well done, ebay.

marnotom! · ‎04-06-2017

@bobenis wrote:

So far the last two items shipped to me via the GSP to Canada were handed off by PB to USPS in Chicago!
Not only that, USPS was told to ship it small packet and NOT Priority International, as stated clearly in the ebay auction.

Could you show us a screen shot of the shipping portion of these listings or provide listing numbers? I've never seen a listing for an item forwarded through the GSP that states that it's shipped through USPS Priority Mail International. All I've seen are listings that state "International Priority Shipping" which, as AF pointed out elsewhere, is simply a marketing term.

Even "Priority Mail International" is just fancy marketing, as it doesn't take priority over any other international parcel service USPS offers.

@bobenis wrote:

As a result my headphones I purchased on Mar 21st was just yesterday released from Canada Customs, after a 9 day wait, and are being transferred to me via regular mail, not Xpresspost as usually done.

This puts the delivery well past ebay's expected delivery date and totally contradicts the whole idea of the GSP.....well done, ebay.

GSP items normally do not travel by mail from Kentucky to Canada. My guess is that either Pitney Bowes is giving a new carrier a trial run, and that carrier lost the plot and used an international mail consolidator to send the items to Chicago, or else there are new employees at the Global Shipping Center who lost the plot and had the items sent through irregular channels.

bobenis · ‎04-07-2017

As I previously stated in the other thread, the last 2 items purchased through GSP went via the Chicago USPS route via small packet followed by sitting in customs for nearly 10 days so unless someone is making the same mistake a month a part I would lean towards this being a known and conscious decision made by PB.

marnotom! · ‎04-07-2017

@bobenis wrote:

As I previously stated in the other thread, the last 2 items purchased through GSP went via the Chicago USPS route via small packet followed by sitting in customs for nearly 10 days so unless someone is making the same mistake a month a part I would lean towards this being a known and conscious decision made by PB.

This doesn't really explain why the small package my wife received earlier this week went through the usual channels, though.

Your situation may be the result of a "conscious decision" by someone not completely up to speed on how the GSP is supposed to work, but I don't sense it's Pitney Bowes The Corporation who's made that decision. There's a small army of subcontractors handling GSP items, after all.

If or when you have a shipping label you can share with us, it would be useful to see it. It would be of interest to see if it has a customs declaration form on it and what return address--if any--is on it, as well as any unusual details.

bobenis · ‎04-07-2017

Surprise surprise!

USPS CN22 Label and PB made it appear the the original seller shipped it direct via his return address but we know that wasn't the case as the seller shipped it to PB via the GSP and they forwarded it on.

My last purchase at the end of Feb was just like this as well.

bobenis · ‎04-07-2017

Edited and reposted

marnotom! · ‎04-08-2017

@bobenis wrote:

Surprise surprise!
USPS CN22 Label and PB made it appear the the original seller shipped it direct via his return address but we know that wasn't the case as the seller shipped it to PB via the GSP and they forwarded it on.
My last purchase at the end of Feb was just like this as well.

Hey, but you got your beloved Xpresspost delivery within Canada. 😉

bobenis · ‎04-08-2017

**bleep** straight!
All due to that little "Post Expres" badge 😄

Shows us all that the GSP and PB are cutting a few corners.
Now we will see how they handle a claim via their shipping route as the headphone amp does not work!