Yet more GSP nonsense: shipping price changes

[3islanders]

I swear I'm not going to buy GSP items... but when what I'm looking for is not available in Canada and the only sellers are Americans using GSP... what can one do?  I need an older laptop to run older software.  So I see a shipping charge, and an import charge, that totals $58.  But if you go to the "contact seller" box with a question, suddenly the total is $74.  ...wat....? 

I asked the seller about shipping and they get free shipping in the USA and "eBay handles everything outside the USA".  He says he "doesn't get that money or have control over it" and has no idea about a shipping cost because of "regulations".

He's the only laptop seller for the model I want, that offers a warranty.  It wouldn't do me much good in Canada, but the fact that he has 100% feedback and feels he can offer a warranty suggests his computers are good.  But now reading people's comments about GSP items going into a void right now, I'm even more scared to order it. 

I know it says these shipping costs are calculated at checkout, but what's the point of giving you a cost, on a buy-it-now price, if that's not going to be the actual cost when you check out???

[roadie16]

Have you tried putting it in your shopping cart first? If the price is too high you can remove it.

[marnotom!]

Were you logged into eBay when you first saw the listing?

I'm wondering if the import charges you initially charged were based on shipping to a different location (province) in Canada than yours.  Once it was determined by your login where the item might actually be going, the import charges were then adjusted to reflect your location.

It's difficult to say what else might be going on without seeing the listing in question.

[femmefan1946]

the model I want, that offers a warranty.

Well, not really.

Most manufacturers will not guarantee items that are not purchased from their chosen dealers.  Most of the reason is not knowing the paper trail and that the product has been treated properly the whole time. This applies to everything, computers, makeup, purses, video games...

And most guarantees will not be honoured cross-border.

And the cost of returning the purchase cross-border, waiting for repair, and hoping it is not damaged in shipping in either direction....

Anyway.

If it is not brand new from an authorized dealer, don't believe there really is a warranty. (If it turns out the seller does stand behind her product, bonus! Good things do happen.)

Meanwhile about shipping charges.

The seller only sees and uses the cost of shipping to Erlanger KY and the GSP plant.

The rest of the shipping is "import fees" that cover duty (but there is no duty on computers I'm told) SALES TAXES (varying from 5% in AB to 15%) and a ~$5 service charge from the GSP.

But the change in the shipping is probably that you were seeing the 5% GST that every Canadian will pay -plus duty and service charge- to whatever your province or territory charges.

[3islanders]

Having already stated my understanding of the “warranty” — no real use in Canada but just a seller standing behind his product – yes I was logged in, and although the difference in provincial sales tax might account for some of the shipping cost change, shouldn’t it have showed me that accurately since I was logged in?

[esclyons]

have you tried installing an emulator, they are completely legal, and they slow down newer computers to emulate an older one, depending on what  programs you are trying to run, it would be a very cheap solution for you.. good luck..