eBay

2756anderson · ‎02-04-2018

Previously, if you ordered an item of $50-$100, especially from a private seller, and it shipped via USPS, you'd get it in a week and pay no taxes. But with the global program: -You wait another 4-5 days for delivery. -You pay taxes on everything, 13%. -You pay an additional fee for the program. What value is that?

southern*sweet*tea · ‎02-04-2018

GSP takes some of the risk out of selling overseas. I don't use it, wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, but I understand why sellers do use it. For heavy items it can actually be cheaper for the buyer using GSP, and it does allow many more items to be offered to buyers that may otherwise not be available where they live.

You do have another option - buy from sellers who don't use it.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

slippinjimmy · ‎02-04-2018

For buyers there is no value!

For sellers there is a warm and fuzzy feeling because they think it offers protection from foreigners who are of course all thieves that will rip them off if they ship direct!

gracieallen01 · ‎02-04-2018

Well, it would be a 'fail' for US buyers, too, if they had to travel out-of-the-country to pick up thier package. Can you imagine the expense involved? We are sure lucky we have the USPS and not PB for our domestic shipping.

Not saying 'NO' doesn't mean 'YES'.

The foolishness of one's actions or words is determined by the number of witnesses.

Perhaps if Brains were described as an APP, many people would use them more often.

Respect, like money, is only of 'worth' when it is earned - with all due respect, it can not be ordained, legislated or coerced. Anonymous

thallidguy · ‎02-04-2018

I'm no fan of the GSP, but consider this: eBay was and is quite correct in that there are a lot of sellers who are pathologically afraid of international selling. This is certainly true of the U.S., but I have been told that it's just as true of sellers in other countries — in particular, I've seen complaints on these boards about sellers in Germany and the U.K. being just as afraid of dealing with foreigners. So the only weakness in your argument is that I would bet that there are a lot more sellers who offer international shipping only because of the guarantees that the GSP offers them. That is to say, it's hard to compare "before" and "after" because "before" many sellers who offer the GSP wouldn't sell international at all, so "after" means having a lot more items available that would not have been "before."

That being said, I have been shipping international my own self for over 20 years and I'm quite comfortable with it. So I have no intention of ever using the GSP, and too many sellers are using it for items that are not at all appropriate. The GSP has been a botch from the very start, and I suspect that it exists only because Pitney-Bowes sold eBay a bill of goods and eBay took it up because it is so desperate to increase international sales.

The important thing to remember is that the GSP is not mandatory. There are still many sellers like me, who don't use it. You just have to keep an eye out to make sure you spot us.

best_vintage_photos · ‎02-05-2018

Well eBay tried to force GSP on me twice, so i had to opt out twice. GSP makes absolutely no sense for sellers of small items.

7606dennis · ‎02-05-2018

GSP allows non-US buyers to purchase from sellers that otherwise do not sell internationally. Admittedly, it is not always economically desirable to some buyers, but compared to not being able to buy from the seller it might be deemed acceptable. The other option is to only buy from sellers not using the GSP program.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."

best_vintage_photos · ‎02-05-2018

wrote:
GSP allows non-US buyers to purchase from sellers that otherwise do not sell internationally. Admittedly, it is not always economically desirable to some buyers, but compared to not being able to buy from the seller it might be deemed acceptable. The other option is to only buy from sellers not using the GSP program.

Correct. GSP may not work well for everyone, but it can for many.

postingid2017 · ‎02-05-2018

When I was an active Seller, I sold internationally and purchase internationally. Now, I won't because of buyers complaining about shipping, asking me to "lower" the value or send as a "gift" and I was scammed by a buyer from Australia. The buyer from down under must have been an eBay trained buyer too - I just refunded her and asked her to "leave me alone, and enjoy your stolen item." So no more for me selling, but if I can find a seller who will ship to USA, then I'm good.

Had it not been for the many years of complaints (mainly shipping cost), I would be happy to sell internationally, now I am not in other venues. However, if I decide to sell here again, GPS would be the way to go for me without comprise.

smileytown18 · ‎02-05-2018

Honestly, as someone who is a part time seller and has previously had problems with international shipping, GSP is a no-brainer. I do it because every so often I DO sell something overseas. It's up to the buyer to decide if its worth it, and many obliviously decide yes.

Personally I wouldn't overspend like that, but that is up to the consumer. A Gucci coat I just sold had lots of interest from international customers. It ended up selling in US, but it could easily have sold through GSP, as I was the only one selling that style in that size.