on 05-05-2022 07:23 PM
Hi everyone. Well, it's happened again. First my antique umbrella and now a pair of fencing swords that I purchased from a seller from the U.K. I just received, a couple of weeks ago, a sword from Brazil with no problem. It was delivered in two weeks. Not bad considering it took three weeks for two vintage postcards to get to me in B.C. from Nova Scotia. The only difference was that the sword wasn't shipped through Global Shipping. I have purchased four other swords in the pass few years. All from American sellers with no problem. Now this. What could the problem be with fencing swords, old rusty fencing swords! I researched eBay and Global Shipping policies and could not find anything stating that swords were not allowed. Like many other buyers I am probably going to steer clear of sellers using Global Shipping. Maybe eBay all together since Canadians are going to start being charged sales tax!!
The list of prohibited items for the UK Global Shipping Programme includes "weapons" which is sort of, kind of, defined as "including firearms, knives, etc." Seeing as there have been several accidental deaths involving fencing swords, the UK GSP likely doesn't want to take a chance shipping something that, in theory, could be weaponised.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/global-shipping-programme/default/global-shipping-programme?id=4646
Global Shipping (spit spit spit) is a Seller Protection program which has never had any use for buyers.
I've made three purchases with it, and while none had any delays, one was opened and repacked (in a much much larger box, but with a notice that it had been done), one in my opinion had a higher shipping cost than necessary, and one was entirely my mistake for not paying attention to the total price.
Just to be clear, does Canada allow the importation of weapons/swords from Britain?
Less to the point, were the "rusty" swords a health hazard and would it help if you had proof of a recent tetanus vaccination?
I avoid it too. It is not designed for Canadian buyers.
After my last experience w GSP I will avoid it at all costs. It has been 2 weeks since my item cleared Canada Customs in Toronto and no sign of it here in Winnipeg. No tracking either because Pitney Bowes who admins the GSP selects the cheapest couriers they can get to do the last km deliveries yet they charge a premium for the shipping with a service level that does not match.