Does GSP repackage your items?

[seraphim8510]

I've heard many stories that GSP (Global Shipping Program) repackages your items when it receives them, then sends it off to the actual destination. I would like to know anyone really knows this is true or not, and how their repackaging procedures are? If not, do they just use same padding/box you sent them?

I know for a fact that when I package my items for GSP, I make sure it has enough padding and protection to ensure it won't get damaged going such long distances. I would hate for GSP to take out all that padding/protection and attempt to use their own.

[aristotles_id]

Some packages are inspected to chack information for the customs manifest. These are generally resealed with the original packaging as undisturbed as possible..Some items come in too poorly packed to send on, these will get better packing.

I can't speak for the US facility, but I have watched the process at the UK GSP depot and spoken to the managers of both the UK and US depots,

Despite widespread internet rumour, there is no policy of removing protective packaging to make items smaller or lighter.

The cost of labour involved would far exceed any small savings, and the extra damage claims would double the money lost on extra labour. 

My only criticism was the use of box cutters by the staff, incautious use can easily result in damage to contents if the sender has not double boxed the item. If the original unbroken wrapping is an important feature of the item, at least half an inch of protection should be used, I suggest corrugated cardboard.

Including the country of origin of the item in the item specifics will render a lot of checking redundant.

It is hard to overstate just how badly some users pack stuff, and at the UK plant, about 1/5th arrived missing the essential GSP routing number from the address, meaning 4 or 5 people had a full time job trying to tie up arriving packages with ebay sales in order to know where to send them.

[reallynicestamps]

The cost of labour involved would far exceed any small savings, and the extra damage claims would double the money lost on extra labour. 

This cannot be emphasized too much.

Anyone who can't understand this has never had to meet a payroll, which includes not only wages, but payroll taxes, insurance, health care premiums, etc.

Generally the cost of an employee is about double her actual wages.

And any eBay seller knows how long it takes to wrap a parcel.

[savanna.dance]

I've read some doozies over the years about GSP. I do look over some off eBay forums at times, which can be a font of misinformation, at times.

One about GSP, that seems to have gotten a foothold and circulates to this day, is that they open all the packages so they can confiscate the choice items to sell in their eBay store.

I've seen it embellished to include watching selling prices and the moment an item over a certain dollar amount sells, it gets a special code that routes to an area for packages, destined to never leave the sort center.

[evry1nositswindy]

I had an international buyer that I was communicating with about the purchased item.  I told them how their unique item was packaged.  I shipped champagne glasses in a box with specialized foam for glassware.  I asked them to message me because I wanted to know if the item had been repackaged.  They reported the item had not been repackaged.  

[etvideo1ataol]

I really do not understand the need for this service.  In 18 years I have shipped thousands of packages all over the world and only once had a problem (A Laserdisc to Norway arrived broken.  I believe the tire tracks across the box had something to do with it).

Especially now that you can easily print the labels with the customs information and number.

I just sent a Blu-ray title to France.  Because it came in a Steelbook case, I wrapped it in bubble wrap, and boxed it to protect it from dents (normally I would use a bubble mailer).  Somebody in Malaysia plans to take an auction item when it ends tomorrow (seems that people outside the US have money).

What does GSP do that is better than what I do and at 75, anybody could do?

[reallynicestamps]

Warm fuzzies mostly.

If you watched the recent Republican Convention, and before that the Brexit vote, you know that there are a lot of Americans and English* who are very very aftraid of foreigners.

While Canadian sellers like myself are quite comfortable shipping internationally (admittedly mostly to the USA--but  you guys are still foreigners to us) some US and UK** sellers get absolutely irrational about the concept.

In spite of eBay's reasonable efforts to make international selling safe.

So Pitney Bowes approached someone at eBay with this program which protects the sellers by ending responsibility for shipping at the GSP plant in Kentucky.

I won't go into why it is a bad thing for buyers.

But here are two good things for buyers.

• More items are available from the previously terrified sellers. This was intentional.  Although they may not be the best people to deal with if there is a problem.
• If an INR is placed for Damaged in Shipping, the seller is protected. This is good for the honest buyer since she doesn't have the expense of return international shipping. This is also good for the dishonest buyer because PB does not want it back. They refund without a return.

* The Scots voted to Remain along with half the Irish.

** The GSP is also available to British sellers.

[aristotles_id]

What does GSP do that is better than what I do and at 75, anybody could do?

It does magic.

Or call it psychology.

It promises you will be safe from bears if you do not step on the cracks.

Anyone competent knows that shipping to most international destinations, the ones that have internet access and credit cards, anyway, is no more hazardous than shipping to Detroit.

The GSP sells a magic spell that comforts the natural xenophobia of very many sellers, the very common fear of the unknown, by saying there is no need for you to face the unknown, we will do it all for your at no charge!

Who'd not love that.

Well, the buyers don't love it, but it is not for the buyers, it is a placebo for nervous sellers that means they can cherish their ignorance like an old friend, it's a wooly comforter for people who'd rather not learn anything new.

There is one good aspect, heavy and bulky items can be shipped much more cheaply than by USPS  or courier.

So it's not all bad.  Plus they deal with damage claims better than ebay, no need to spend money and time returning any item damaged in transit, and as far as I have heard, no quibblles about it. Trouble is the process is not at all clear, and people do get really muddled up because they do not know what to do. 

[sodelight]

It's not the worry about it being opened and repackaged at the GSP. It's the worry at customs where they open , inspect and could care less if the item is properly rewrapped or replaced in package. This is where the damage would come. This is why I won't ship International. This and the fact that shipping costs direct are insane, add GSP surcharges and forget about it! 

I had an Australian buyer interested in an item of mine. Weighs 3 pounds, priority shipping would be $60 and First Class Parcel $39, this is with having to add in ebay's 10% shipping fvf as I can't afford to eat these costs on shipping when it's so high. I'd hate to see how much the buyer would end up paying if going through the GSP! Add to that potential duty/taxes and you've lost the sale. Majority of buyers will not pay the ridiculous International postage rates, the domestic are bad enough thanks to us American's having to subsidize the shipping deal made by Clinton with the Chinese. Let's be sure we take care of the Chinese before our own!! Let's have the US citizens pay for their shipping by raising our costs and cut our income at the same time because the Chinese can sell their trinkets for so much less than US as there are too many ppl who are suckered in by their low prices and don't realize their receiving a substandard product or simply don't care!

[hioctane62]

I have always suspected that shipping a GSP package in a priority mail flat rate box increases the probability that it will be repackaged, although I do ship quite a few that way.

[aristotles_id]

It's not the worry about it being opened and repackaged at the GSP. It's the worry at customs where they open , inspect and could care less if the item is properly rewrapped or replaced in package. This is where the damage would come.

Any insopection at the GSP hub is in effect, the customs inspection. It would be improbable in the extreme for a GSP item to be checked by foreign customs. They rely on the accuracy of the GSP cargo manifest.

Customs opening postal international mail is also exceedingly rare, unless you are shipping some dubious location, Walking a sniffer dog past a pile of packages and maybe the odd X-ray is about the msot youyr expect.

This is why I won't ship International. This and the fact that shipping costs direct are insane, add GSP surcharges and forget about it!

had an Australian buyer interested in an item of mine. Weighs 3 pounds, priority shipping would be $60 and First Class Parcel $39, this is with having to add in ebay's 10% shipping fvf as I can't afford to eat these costs on shipping when it's so high. I'd hate to see how much the buyer would end up paying if going through the GSP! Add to that potential duty/taxes and you've lost the sale.

The GSP charges are instead of shipping direct, not additional. For light stuff of modest value it is quite useless, for heavy stuff it can be a cheap way to ship, especially to Australia where  import charges do not apply under $AUS1000 

Your three pound item might have cost the buyer $30 shipping by GSP. THe 10% on shipping costs applies to your cheapest domestic rate, not your international rate.and not to the GSP rate the buyer oays.

[aristotles_id]

have always suspected that shipping a GSP package in a priority mail flat rate box increases the probability that it will be repackaged, although I do ship quite a few that way.

Do you include country or origin in item specifics. This is the thing most checked for.

[aristotles_id]

have always suspected that shipping a GSP package in a priority mail flat rate box increases the probability that it will be repackaged, although I do ship quite a few that way.

Do you include country or origin in item specifics. This is the thing most checked for.

[etvideo1ataol]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

Warm fuzzies mostly.

If you watched the recent Republican Convention, and before that the Brexit vote, you know that there are a lot of Americans and English* who are very very aftraid of foreigners.

While Canadian sellers like myself are quite comfortable shipping internationally (admittedly mostly to the USA--but  you guys are still foreigners to us) some US and UK** sellers get absolutely irrational about the concept.

In spite of eBay's reasonable efforts to make international selling safe.

So Pitney Bowes approached someone at eBay with this program which protects the sellers by ending responsibility for shipping at the GSP plant in Kentucky.

I won't go into why it is a bad thing for buyers.

But here are two good things for buyers.

• More items are available from the previously terrified sellers. This was intentional.  Although they may not be the best people to deal with if there is a problem.
• If an INR is placed for Damaged in Shipping, the seller is protected. This is good for the honest buyer since she doesn't have the expense of return international shipping. This is also good for the dishonest buyer because PB does not want it back. They refund without a return.

---

Nice attempt to sneak in a little political reference.

However, this country is mostly made up of foreigners or their kids and I have shipped to just about every country, except maybe North Korea and Cuba with no problems .  Actually, I am happy that a lot of seller don't do international sales because that leaves less competition for me.  We don't fear foreigners we fear killers and they are mostly domestic.

You know 350+ Americans, 7+ Billion in the world.  True, shipping costs have eliminated a lot of possible sales and they are mostly from Canada.

I guess I don't list anything worth stealing.

[books...forthememories]

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@etvideo1ataol wrote:

I really do not understand the need for this service.  In 18 years I have shipped thousands of packages all over the world and only once had a problem (A Laserdisc to Norway arrived broken.  I believe the tire tracks across the box had something to do with it).

Especially now that you can easily print the labels with the customs information and number.

I just sent a Blu-ray title to France.  Because it came in a Steelbook case, I wrapped it in bubble wrap, and boxed it to protect it from dents (normally I would use a bubble mailer).  Somebody in Malaysia plans to take an auction item when it ends tomorrow (seems that people outside the US have money).

What does GSP do that is better than what I do and at 75, anybody could do?

---

Nothing...except to charge the buyer customs fees/VATfees/fees for pitneybowes & ebay...making the customer's shipping cost double or triple what it would normally be.

I've always shipped internationally--and all my customers received their items and were blissfully happy with them.  

[timemachine777]

I sold 2 Princess Decanters to someone in South Africa and eBay inspected the package and pulled the decanters as prohibited articles and refunded the buyer out of their pocket. After I got the notice from eBay, I looked into whether or not the decanters were prohibited and they weren't. I started to wonder if one of the workers liked them and kept them.