eBay

operac2 · ‎02-08-2023

I'm in Canada and have bought many items through Ebay- several coming from the US- with no issues. For this last order, the item tracking says "Delivered, PO Box. Your item has been delivered and is available at a PO Box at 2:19 am on February 4, 2023 in ERLANGER, KY 41025." I have not seen this before and it's now February 8th. I contacted the seller asking them to look into it since I haven't received it and it seems to be stuck in Kentucky. They replied "Hi, I tracked the item and it shows it is in PO Box. Do you have any slip from USPS? You might need to pick it up. Any questions, please let me know. Thanks!" WHAT???? I'm supposed to go and pick it up in the US?? What do I do if the seller refuses to help? This item was over $200 C!! Any help is appreciated.

reallynicestamps · ‎02-08-2023

DON'T PANIC!

That's a badly worded message but it's also normal.

Your seller is using a Seller Protection program called the Global Shipping Program (GSP).

You paid any import fees along with shipping before the seller was even told to ship.

Erlanger KY is where the Cinncinnati OH airport is located and the GSP has its plant there

What date were you given for delivery?

Has that date passed?

If not, relax.

It goes from Erlanger to the border, passes quickly because the customs brokerage is completed and paid, and then is transferred to a Canadian shipping company.

Watching tracking is a Terrible Idea.

Just mark that last estimated date for delivery on your calendar.

You should have received a notice about the transfer with a new tracking number, starting with UPAxxx xxx xxx.

You can use that here: https://parceltracking.pb.com/app/#/dashboard/

to track.

But don't. This is what keeps Metamucil in business.

marnotom! · ‎02-08-2023

@reallynicestamps wrote:

Your seller is using a Seller Protection program called the Global Shipping Program (GSP).
You paid any import fees along with shipping before the seller was even told to ship.
Erlanger KY is where the Cinncinnati OH airport is located and the GSP has its plant there

My understanding is that one of the forwarding hubs for the new eBay International Shipping scheme is also located in Erlanger, although I don't know if it's the same location. If that's the case, though, import fees have not yet been paid on the item.

But I agree with your post; unless the last estimated date for delivery has passed, it's way too early to be following tracking information and wondering what's happening with the item. If the date has passed, then it's time to make use of eBay's Money Back Guarantee and pursue a refund.

pjcdn2005 · ‎02-08-2023

There is nothing that your seller can do as your package is not in their hands. As mentioned by reallynicestamps it appears that it was shipped through the global shipping program which has a center in Erlanger. The package goes through processing and customs there and then is forwarded by freight to Canada.

The process can be slow but often it is just a case of the tracking not being updated by the carrier. That can be a real downfall with the GSP as once it reaches Erlanger, tracking can be quite sporadic and may not update until just before you receive it. If you don't receive it by the estimated delivery date, you can open an item not received claim on the following day although if tracking has been updated, you might want to wait a few extra days.

operac2 · ‎02-08-2023

Thanks! Import charges were paid- I see that on my "order details." I will wait- patiently! If the date goes by, the 12th, I'll file a claim. This is a sort of crazy system though! And again, I've never seen this before and I order quite a few items from Ebay, in the US!

operac2 · ‎02-08-2023

Haha, thank you 🙂 By the way, the seller has no clue. He wrote me back saying that they don't ship outside of the US. Clearly they do as I paid import charges!

msau4301 · ‎02-08-2023

I had a very similar thing happen this past week and I have bought many times through Global Shipping.

This was the first time it sat for so long after "Arriving at Global Shipping".

Mine showed on Feb. 1 Arrival at Global Shipping, Delivered P.O. Box. Then it stayed there until Feb. 7th when it was "Shipped from Global Shipping". Now today is showing Feb. 8th "Custom Cleared" so I think they just seem to have a longer lag this week. Normally it leaves Kentucky within one or two days but looks like it's been taking longer.

operac2 · ‎02-08-2023

Thank you! That's very reassuring.

marnotom! · ‎02-08-2023

@operac2 wrote:

Thanks! Import charges were paid- I see that on my "order details." I will wait- patiently! If the date goes by, the 12th, I'll file a claim. This is a sort of crazy system though! And again, I've never seen this before and I order quite a few items from Ebay, in the US!

A lot of the Global Shipping Program's quirks made more sense to me once I realized that it was basically a glorified forwarding service. My wife orders quite a bit from the States from sources other than eBay and direct-mailed shipments from these e-tailers is pretty much non-existent. You'll likely find that when you do receive your package that the label with your address on it has been slapped on top of the label with the Kentucky address on it and there's no customs form on it because all the customs documentation was done electronically. It's the same with the stuff my wife gets.

For what it's worth, the Global Shipping Program is being phased out and replaced by another consolidation/forwarding program (the one I mentioned in my other post) that--so far--doesn't collect taxes and customs clearance fees at the time of payment.

reallynicestamps · ‎02-09-2023

One complaint about the GSP from US sellers is that early in the introduction of the program many were signed up for the programme by eBay, without being told they were.

Cue screams of horror and fear.*

Nearly a decade later, some sellers are discovering they have been selling internationally without realizing it.

More screamin, denial and confusion.

When we say the US economy is the largest in the world, it is so much bigger that many US companies have no need to do any exporting at all, and just never even notice there is a world outside their borders.

Anyway, your purchase will likely be in your hands either by Friday the10th or Monday the 13th.

*The GSP was introduced because sales were stale and US sellers were too xenophobic and paranoid to sell outside the lower 48 States.

coreyanne_grey · ‎03-26-2023

Did you receive your parcel? I am now in an identical position, verbatim.

coreyanne_grey · ‎03-27-2023

Did you receive your parcel? I am on day 3 of "Delivered" / Delivered to a PO box in Erlanger, KY. Any help/knowledge would be greatly appreciated!

msau4301 · ‎03-27-2023

Hello,

Yes I received mine (in my case this was back in February) I wouldn't worry about day 3 of "Delivered" since that is to eBay's Kentucky distribution center.

In my particular case the dates were:

Feb. 1 - Delivered to P.O. Box in Erlanger, KY (which is part of eBay)

Feb 7 - Shipped from Global Shipping

Feb 8 - Custom Cleared

Feb 10 - I received it to my door

So in my case I had it 9 days after "Delivered" to P.O Box, but it did arrive.

What is the "expected delivery date" showing with the order? That is the one that matters the most. If you don't have your package by then you can open an item not received case.

I know it's hard to not keep peeking at the tracking but try not to!

It would be better if they said "accepted" instead of "delivered" so as to not have peope worry.