Returns and GSP

[muscoviteman]

If an item is  returned due to being faulty  does the GSP refund the customs and shipping charged to the buyer?

[femmefan1946]

@happy_pigeon  it makes me wonder... if they're not willing to itemize the fees they may, in fact, refund it all?

PB can't, as I understand it, because they are not shipping individual packages but a container of assorted shipments going to the same destination.

Returning their service fee (about $5USD) would be relatively easy.

Knowing how much they gave Canada for duty and sales tax?

That would be some fancy accounting.

I suspect that is why when the claim is NAD because of damage in transit, they pay out and let the buyer keep the damaged item.

The percentage of lies is low enough that their bookkeeping department is content.

From a practical point of view, the buyer is more likely to be made whole by claiming damage in transit and getting all her money back, rather than being honest and claiming either NAD (seller error) or Buyer Remorse.

I'm not saying it is right.

And pushing the Seller Error onto PB/GSP doesn't help make eBay a better marketplace (by making erratic sellers act like grownups).

[happy_pigeon]

The plot thickens! I've asked our old friend Raphael, who by now is very familiar with the US side of the business, to put me in touch with someone who can give us a definitive answer. 

[muscoviteman]

I am glad I opened this thread as important issues have been brought up.

The seller and I worked out a solution without doing a return so I won’t be able to post on how the system worked.

As for the GSP…it has serious drew backs at time and serious benefits at other times. The drawbacks are well known so there is no need to rehash them.

The benefits are that without it many U.S. sellers would only sell domestically so more is available to us. It can also offer huge shipping savings on inexpensive heavy items. I checked on something I have purchased several times. One for sale right now is $99.79 US, shipping $23.50 and import fees $21.19.

A second seller has the same item, similar price but shipping $150.00 US. It is a big box weighing in excess of 20 kg and it still may incur gst and a Canada Post charge.

I am interested to see a definitive answer too.

Thanks for all the input.

[amcdc79]

I am glad you and the seller were able to work out a solution that works.

While it is true that there are sellers who would not be shipping to Canada without the GSP, there were many who did before the GSP. Even now, there are still some who just don't ship outside of the US.

Going through my saved sellers list, some are no longer registered, a few do not use the GSP, but most now use it to ship to Canada. Saying that every item sent through the GSP would not be available otherwise, does not jive with my personal buying experience before it arrived.

Most sellers with stores used USPS first class or even sent un-tracked to Canada. For those who remember when the buyers, were complaining about the GSP shipping cost when it first came out($20-30USD) for a CD. It has improved somewhat, but is still not good for cheap lightweight items. USPS first class to Canada, which includes tracking is now $9.50USD, it used to be a lot cheaper.

[momcqueen]

Thank you very much for coming back to tell us that you were able to resolve the matter with your seller; it’s always good to learn how matters resolve themselves.

[muscoviteman]

I much appreciate the help to had here.

As for the GSP...I look at the total cost...if it makes sense I purchase it if not I do not.

I have seen items that cost 2.00 and can mail at letter rate with $15.00 or more charges on GSP. But as a positive example item 282828399244 would likely cost $150 US  or more to ship without the GSP but it ships for $27 Canadian.

I'd just like to know how SNAD in GSP works now so I can assess the  risks in future transactions and make my choices as informed as possible.

[happy_pigeon]

I'm back with a definitive answer, courtesy of Raphael and another US colleague!

Whether or not the full amount of the fees involved with international fulfillment would be refunded depends on the return reason. There are three main scenarios:

1. The item is damaged: In this case the item probably wouldn't be returned. The buyer would ideally contact Customer Service, who would take care of refunding the fees.
2. The seller was at fault: i.e. they sent the wrong item, it is missing parts, defective, etc. The buyer in this case would be refunded for the full amount they paid for the international fulfillment of the order, including shipping, handling, and import charges.
3. It is a remorse return: In the case that a buyer decides to return an item because they just don't like it (or similar), they would receive a refund for the cost of the item, but not for any of the fees they paid for international fulfillment.

I hope that helps clarify things a little!

[momcqueen]

That’s very helpful. Thank you for your efforts in providing the answer we sought.

[femmefan1946]

The item is damaged: In this case the item probably wouldn't be returned. The buyer would ideally contact Customer Service, who would take care of refunding the fees.

Part of the question here is where the damage occured.

Or is that covered by the second point?

And when you say the buyer would be refunded, by whom?

The seller who never saw a penny of the import fees?

PB, who did not cause the damage?

EBay which is just a venue?

The refund ends up in the same pocket, but .... welll, justice?

[widgetc]

"PB, who did not cause the damage?"

I would think that if it got to PB in good shape (otherwise is would be a seller problem) they have to take responsibility for any damage during shipping just as any  seller does when an item is damaged in shipping.

[pjcdn2005]

If the item was damaged after it left Kentucky, PB/gsp would pay the buyer the full amount that they originally paid.

If the problem was seller caused then the seller pays back the funds that they originally received and PB pays back the funds that they originally received.

[pjcdn2005]

Thank you!