As a buyer, I'm underwhelmed by the Global Shipping Program that more and more international sellers are using.
1. Cost is much higher than standard shipping of items I've purchased historically - mainly from the UK. I now hesitate to even bid on an item that has Global Shipping as the shipping method.
2. Packaging is abysmal. You can tell that the KY facility is using re-purposed packaging materials. While I have no issues with recycling, I'm now paying increased shipping/packaging for inferior packaging materials and honestly, not professionally packaged. Beyond disappointing. I expect the antique items I pay good money for to be treated with respect and packaged properly.
3. It's eliminated any kind of ability to work with the seller to reduce the cost of shipping. Given the across the board increase in shipping costs (due to the plague, fuel prices, etc), the inability to work out a less expensive shipping method that doesn't inconvenience the seller and saves the buyer some money is a real deterrent to bidding on an item.
This is just some feedback from a buyer's perspective that while it's easy for sellers to use the Global Shipping program - and ebay tells you that it will increase your sales - this buyer will think twice about bidding on an auction, even if I really want the item, because the shipping cost is exorbitant via GSP.
