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,

[dfp6b4k]

My original question was really just asking if you had the ability to cancel a purchase if there were extra charges applied after the agreed upon amount when you agree to purchase an item ...

From reading the previous 59 pages of questions ... it seems that its a common theme ...

Its just not worth taking the chance ... even for a $20 item ... where the shipping / fees / taxes ect could be more than the item ...

I sent an email asking if the vendor would consider USPS shipping for this small item ...

If not ... I don't need anything bad enough to agree to purchase an item before knowing exactly what shipping / fees / taxes ect will be ...

I've never used GSP before ... and I'm certainly NOT going to begin anytime soon ...

[marnotom!]

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@mwc1942 wrote:

Everything is prepaid by the buyer including tax and duty. Would bet that PB gets their portion of monies owed to them before the seller even sends the item to Kentucky.  

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I can't see that, given that PBI isn't the one preparing the item for shipment to the destination country.  A lot has to be verified such as the size and nature of the item in addition to the taxes/duty owing.   The freight shipper and Canadian shipper can only be paid the appropirate amount once all that's been calculated.  Only then can PBI take the portion of monies that they consider theirs.

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@mwc1942 wrote:

Having never used FedEx, the "bills recipient", "been paid" and "paying back" is darn confusing, so I'll take a aspirin, have lay down, take a snooze and then forget about it.

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Perhaps this is some of the issue.  A GSP shipment is quite different in nature than an item imported by mail.  Items not sent by mail have to be cleared through customs and have taxes/duty accounted for prior to reaching the recipient.  The post office does it "backwards" in comparison, assuming that the item is assessed taxes, etc. by CBSA in the first place.

[marnotom!]

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@dfp6b4k wrote:

My original question was really just asking if you had the ability to cancel a purchase if there were extra charges applied after the agreed upon amount when you agree to purchase an item ...

From reading the previous 59 pages of questions ... it seems that its a common theme ...

Its just not worth taking the chance ... even for a $20 item ... where the shipping / fees / taxes ect could be more than the item ...

I sent an email asking if the vendor would consider USPS shipping for this small item ...

If not ... I don't need anything bad enough to agree to purchase an item before knowing exactly what shipping / fees / taxes ect will be ...

I've never used GSP before ... and I'm certainly NOT going to begin anytime soon ...

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I don't have the sense of this being a "common theme."  Perhaps I'm reading these posts differently than you are.

What I suspect is happening is that people are basing decision to purchase an item on the information on the search results page, which doesn't state the "import charges" on a GSP shipment, and are getting blindsided by "unexpected" charges at checkout.

I haven't seen any posts where its been clear that the buyers have had to pay taxes, etc. on an actual GSP shipment upon receipt.

[dasia143]

That is exactly the question I asked awhile ago and Bennett basically answered, "No," even while admitting that the charges could increase after bidding or  committing to buy it now. I DO think this is a concern for several eBayers who understand they are asking about extra charges AT CHECKOUT and not upon arrival at the door.

[marnotom!]

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@dasia143 wrote:

That is exactly the question I asked awhile ago and Bennett basically answered, "No," even while admitting that the charges could increase after bidding or  committing to buy it now. I DO think this is a concern for several eBayers who understand they are asking about extra charges AT CHECKOUT and not upon arrival at the door.

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Let's think about this for a moment.  While I can see there's a possibility of this happening with a major undercharge by the "GSP bot," the chances of this occurring are pretty minimal seeing as the "GSP bot" seems to calculate "worst case scenarios" when the seller hasn't provided sufficient information for it to make a truly accurate calculation of the import charges.

As for extra charges upon arrival, if there's a minor undercharge based on the GSP bot's calculations, it's likely neither efficient nor cost-effective for Pitney Bowes to chase down what's owing by the buyer and much simpler for PBI to dip into its GSP contingency fund instead.

If there's a major undercharge, who's going to collect the difference from the buyer and how?  Since Pitney Bowes is on file as "importer of record," it's going to be the entity who's technically on the hook for the taxes/duty owing.  How would Canada Post or Canpar collect these monies from the buyer and transfer them to Pitney Bowes?  I don't think there's any sort of mechanism like that in place, but someone out there may have more insights into this than I do.

[mtimimi71]

I have bought an item from an eBay seller based in the USA.He provided me a Global tracking number starting with UPAAA.

The tracking number can be traced only from eBay's website.

It shows it had arrived in Sweden and  its been in Transit with a Destination Carrier(Multiple Carriers).The tracking information does not specified who these Multiple Carriers are . when I told the Ebay customer center that I didn't receive the item, they answered me that the the item has been delivered to me but I didn't receive it yet.l

Now I wonder:

1-why I can't find any information about this item when I use this tracking number on a planty of tracking websites. And why the address that the item has been delivered to is unknown to me as you see in the attachment below.?

2-(according to the seller tracking information) shows that I bought it at Apr 23, 2014 and it has been delivered on Saturday, Apr. 26, 2014, how it could be delivered in 2 days?

3- there is som thing in the order details that I don't understand it, there are two packages for the same item, it shows that the first is not delivered yet, the second is delivered, what does that mean? the first one has a different tracking number (9400109699937517085039) and when I track it it shows(Your item was delivered at 10:01 am on April 26, 2014 in ERLANGER, KY 41025) and that is not my shipping address. Please explain to me what does this mean. I am sure that some thing is wrong please help me to get this item or get my $95.61 back.

What should I do. I feel that i became a victim.

[pjcdn2005]

That tracking number shows that it was delivered by USPS to the global shipping center in Kentucky on April 26. Any items in the GSP go first to that center in Kentucky. From there it was probably sent by another carrier  to the UK...I think that is where GPS items going to Europe are processed.  It looks like it was then sent on to you and they tried to deliver it on May 6 but if they did that, you should have some sort of notice about it., Does it tell you which delivery service they are using in Sweden? Perhaps you can phone them and ask if they have the package.

There is no need to feel like a victim as you will either receive the item or your money back. The delivery estimate for that item was 7 - 9 business days so that would have been early last week. There are a few options...You can wait a few more days to see if the package is delivered. You could email PBISGSPCS@pb.com to reach the GSP Customer Service group.  I do not know if they can help you or not but they may be able to give you more information. Or, you can file a claim for an item not received through Paypal either now or in a few days.

[reallynicestamps]

Of the various options the simplest is to file the Item Not Recieved dispute and get your money back.

It would be polite to wait until perhaps 15 days have passed since purchase, but not actually necessary.

If the parcel arrives while the case is open, you can close the case.

[mtimimi71]

I went to the Post office in my town and they told me the tracking number that I have is invalid.Why they provide an invalid tracking number that is very disappointment.
How can I not feel as a victim when the Ebay Costumer service instead of protect me they answered me that the item has been delivered to me ?

[bennett4612]

Hi mtimimi71. 

First off sorry to hear about the trouble with your transaction. 

The community has provided some good insight, as usual. But I thought I'd add a little info that might help. 

First off your local post office would likely not be able to help. GSP transactions use different carriers for the "last mile"; these are chosen based on location and I don't believe these "last mile" carriers ever include the postal service.

With the GSP, once an item leaves the US Shipping Center it becomes the responsibility of eBay / Pitney Bowes to see that it gets to its final destination. If an item is lost or damaged during international transit it is our responsibility to make things right.

I can't really speculate about your specific transaction without some additional information. If you would like me to look into it from this end, please send me a Private Message. Please include transaction #, item #, complete tracking information, + eBay user id and email address you used in the transaction. 

Hope that helps. 

---Bennett

[marnotom!]

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@bennett4612 wrote:

First off your local post office would likely not be able to help. GSP transactions use different carriers for the "last mile"; these are chosen based on location and I don't believe these "last mile" carriers ever include the postal service.

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Hey, Ben.  I can vouch from my experience with the GSP that Canada Post can and does handle GSP shipments.  My item was handled by both Canpar and Canada Post (for the last "quarter-mile"), and there have been posts on this board that suggest that Canada Post can and does handle GSP shipments for the entirety of the Canadian leg of their journey.

This situation may have recently changed, though.  I seem to recall the terms and conditions for buyers stating that receiving addresses couldn't be P.O. boxes except for Canada, but I can no longer find this exception for Canada in the T&C.

[duncangirl]

When I search for items in List View, it doesn't show that they are GSP until AFTER I click on the listing. Is there any way to either filter them, or have the fact that they are GSP right there on the search page, instead of after I click a listing for more info? Or am I just being lazy?

Never mind. I just re-read your post. With both eyeballs this time 🙂  Thanks for that info, I never really noticed that before.

[afantiques]

First off your local post office would likely not be able to help. GSP transactions use different carriers for the "last mile"; these are chosen based on location and I don't believe these "last mile" carriers ever include the postal service.

Postal delivery is only in Canada, bennett.

The poster is in Sweden so you are correct in their case.

[mtimimi71]

Hi Bennet,

which email do you have så I send you more informations about my problem?

Regard

[afantiques]

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/414557

Reply from this page (link above), look on the right hand side, 'send a personal message'

[mtimimi71]

I found it,
Thanks

[bennett4612]

Thanks. I saw that you sent me a Private Message -- I'll go read that now. 

Also thanks to afan & marnotom! for the CA postal education. 

---Bennett

[mtimimi71]

Hi bennett!
I hope that you will find all informations that you want in the private message to help me find out where's my package now.
thanks.

[mtimimi71]

Hi bennett!
Here you can see what the Ebay CS answered me after I have appealed the case. I am very disappointed and surprised. I don't know what to do.

[sunshine110victoria]

I ordered new pants, I got used Calvin Klein Jeans.  Not black new trouser.  Seller said Global shipping is responsible and said to open a claim.  What Do I do?  How do I go about this.  This is not my mistake and I want what I paid for.  The seller chose This type of shipping.  I will never buy from someone with Global shipping again.  Too expensive and now the wrong package!