Just tried new international shipping program - here's what to expect.

[richard1rst]

I'm sending a 6 pound package to a buyer in Germany. Ordinarily I would use USPS Priority Mail (cost $63.75) The new program was $57.00. Pirateship was the same $63.75.

So first - yes saved some money.

BUT

It shows a ship to address of:

EBAY INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY LAX

with an address in Redondo Beach CA.

and it is marked "Priority Mail 2-day". It shows a typical USPS tracking number but then below that a secondary bar code beginning ESUS. It is that ESUS number which shows up on my sold items page, not the USPS number. So if you do not make a note of that USPS number you will have no way of verifying that it actually made it to Redondo Beach.

I clicked the tracking number and it shows an estimated delivery date of Sunday March 15.

I know from past experience that shipments to Germany have only taken about 7-10 days by USPS so I am concerned about that 3/15 date. What is my buyer going to think when he sees that?

There is a reference number at the bottom of the label but I do not see any connection between that number and my order so it must be an internal thing to help them sort the package,.

Neither by buyer's name nor address nor country shows anywhere on the label.

It does show my address as the "ship from" although on these it also shows my eBay username.

If we ship to a freight forwarder then the delivery is considered complete once the forwarder gets it. i.e. no Not Received claim later on from the ultimate buyer.

Will the same apply here? If it gets lost between CA and Germany am I covered?

UNFORTUNATELY the label has the same orientation problems that FedEx labels have. I had to do a "screen print" and transfer it to a jpeg program to be able to rotate the label to get it to print correctly.

Hope this helps.

[pjcdn2005]

You did touch on this but wanted to post from a buyer's point of view.  I think that one of the biggest flaws is that the seller can decide to use this program AFTER the buyer has already made the purchase.   The seller could have listed that they are using first class international with an arrival time of 2 weeks to Canada but if the seller decides to use this program, the actual delivery time could be longer.    I wonder if the buyer then sees a new eta or do they still see the eta from the listing?

I'm also concerned as to what carrier will be used after the depot.  The information mentions postal services but it also mentions DHL and other services.  If a courier such as DHL is used, the buyer could be paying higher import fees than if the item was sent via the post office as advertised in the listing.   When a buyer is responsible for import fees, I think that it is very important that the delivery information be accurate.

eBay does 'recommend' that the seller specify in their listing that they are using this service but it isn't required and I really do think that could cause problems for both buyers and sellers.

[richard1rst]

I agree with all of your points completely which is why I have decided to never use it.

The extended delivery time was the primary flaw but you also raise a point about DHL being used. Hadn't considered that.

I don't know how DHL handles it but I had a case with a large international package which I sent by FedEx (never again).

Unlike the post office who will not deliver the package until the buyer pays the import fees FedEx delivers the package and then bills the buyer for the taxes after the fact. See the problem? The buyer has the package so they simply ignore the bill.

Here is the problem: If the buyer does not pay the taxes then FedEx back charges the seller (me). So I suddenly got hit with an extra charge for the BUYER's tax. If DHL follows that practice then that is an absolute reason to never use the new program.

[pjcdn2005]

As far as I know, Fedex is the only courier in Canada that will deliver before being paid the import charges.  

[bigdeals.etc]

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@martin2001 wrote:

stamps.com has a similar program I used it a lot for the 'flat' packages before I discovered pirate.com (I mail only lighter packages up to 4 lbs). You send the package to a distribution center in New Jersey (in Rutherford) with a domestic label. That label is uplodaded to ebay. When they receive it in NJ, they printout the int'l label and paste it on the parcel, over the domestic label. This tracking number does not get uploaded to ebay.

So first, when the package reached NJ center, it showed as delivered. I got lot of messages from users saying they have not received anything and it showed delivered. The international tracking number was nowehere to be found in the stamps.com software. It was only printed in the bottom corner of the domestic label, so I always took a photo and reposnded to the buyer explaining to them how it works and gave them the new tracking number.

The packages definitely took longer to deliver but not as long as your estimated time. It took usually 2-3 days to get to that NJ center but then one does not have control over when they actually print out the label and mail it.

Another concern is, that the international addresses as often complicated, like to China, or UK with many lines and sometimes they do not print well so one does not have control over what is actually printed, a line may be omitted (I had one case like that to CHina and the parcel was returned because their printed did not print all lines). Also, for example, I always protect the address with transparent tape so it survives the journey. They don't do such a thing and the label may easily get damaged.

Overall, none of the packages were lost, the delivery was a little bit longer + I did not like the int'l tracking not being uploaded automatically.

At one point I tried a different approach. After the domestic tracking showed on ebay as accepted, I then replaced the domestic number with the international number.

If there is little difference between ebay and USPS priority, I would absolutely use USPS.
I don't mail heavy packages so the pirate simple export rate (up to 4 lbs) gives one lot of savings.

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I can confirm everything you are saying here to be accurate, but my center is in the west coast (Torrance, CA). I just found out about this ebay international standard shipping. While reading the first OP, I also couldn't help but to think about this Stamps.com program. I've used the stamps one many many times. Yes it does lack in the ETA and tracking, but the savings are pretty good. Many shipments have gone without a hitch. Some have buyers asking me for a shipping update during the longer transit. Some claim they never received it... that's when I just trust the buyer and pay them out of my pocket or replace the item. The losses do not outweigh the savings.

I have a package that is eligible for this ebay standard international shipping to Singapore. So I'll be the guinea pig here and try it out. All of my international shipping services advertise "standard international" anyway, so there's no problem with a shipping SNAD. It's a rather light 4oz package so I'll tag it as an 8oz package for safe measure (same price) I'll report back on the progress if I remember to do so. Feel free to ask me here if you don't hear from me. I can't imagine it to be much different from the stamps.com service.

[bigdeals.etc]

So I just printed out the postage. Btw, since I already had international standard as the shipping service, the buyer sees an ETA of 2/20 - 3/15. So I should be good since the ebay international shipping has an ETA of 2/19 - 3/4. There's the usual USPS domestic tracking as well as the ESUS international tracking. Ebay only uploads the ESUS to the transaction.

Is it weird that part of me hopes something goes wrong with this package so I can put ebay's seller protection to the test?

" ...includes late delivery protections for standards, service metrics, and feedback.  "

"Each purchase of the eBay international standard delivery service includes a shipping protection plan to help in case of lost or damaged items. eBay will also protect you by removing negative and neutral feedback and defects when things happen that are outside your control (like late deliveries due to weather or carrier delays.) "

[bigdeals.etc]

So it's me again with an update.

I've since used this service 2 more times, one to UK, one to Switzerland. I noticed that this program wasn't available for a buyer I have in Canada... I'm not sure if it's just not available for that country or what. So I had to make that label the old school way.

The first label I made 3 days ago is currently at the consolidation center still. The odd thing is that the tracking number ESUS____ isn't searchable in the USPS website. That similar method that I mentioned I've been using before with Stamps.com had tracking UM____, at least that tracking number was searchable in USPS website (despite it lacking many updates out of the US). The ESUS____ tracking only gives status within ebay's website linked to the transaction. I hope this doesn't create issues in regards to Paypal INRs.

Also please note the ETA shown on that screenshot I just attached. It says March 15. I realize there is an 11-day discrepancy compared to when I purchased the postage (screenshot shown in message #19). I wonder when this package will actually arrive to the buyer. That's all the updates for now.

[mtgraves7984]

@bigdeals.etc 

I think you've made the correct choice.

"Is it weird that part of me hopes something goes wrong with this package so I can put ebay's seller protection to the test?"

Is it weird that I'd expect no less from you? LOL … I await your update!

[martin2001]

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@bigdeals.etcwrote:

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I have a package that is eligible for this ebay standard international shipping to Singapore. So I'll be the guinea pig here and try it out. All

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I just mailed a package to Singapore, on the 10th. 1st class package, < 8 oz via pirateship, for $10.95

I am attaching a pic from the tracking software. It will be interesting to see when they are delivered (yours and mine). Perhaps you could also post your tracking info so we can compare. I will try to update the scans as they become available. y label starts with LZ ....

PS I noted that you already posted a scan, after I typed my post

[usgamecollector]

am I correct in reading that the max protection for items shipped using this program is $100?

and we have to file claims with a third party insurance PIP insurance within 90 days? So if for some reason the delivery date is after 90 days we won't be covered?

So if a claim is opened we will most likely have to lose the case or manually refund and then go through an insurance claim separately?

[usgamecollector]

so basically if an item not received case is open, we have to submit a claim through a third party and then refund the buyer. Since the claim can take 7 business days or longer to be processed (it doesn't give a timeline) it's very possible the item could be delivered after we refund through the case and our claim gets denied.

I used to use PIP insurance years ago, they were a pain to deal with, always delayed. every time I got a claim they would double the insurance rate. I guess ebay is taking the hit on the insurance, but I expect rates shipping to go up.

[usgamecollector]

also PIP never covered the shipping cost with the insurance. So I doubt we are covered for that amount.

[bigdeals.etc]

Sure thing buddy! Race to Singapore. Loser has to eat his own sock. I’ll post updates as it comes.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@usgamecollector wrote:

am I correct in reading that the max protection for items shipped using this program is $100?

and we have to file claims with a third party insurance PIP insurance within 90 days? So if for some reason the delivery date is after 90 days we won't be covered?

So if a claim is opened we will most likely have to lose the case or manually refund and then go through an insurance claim separately?

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I didn’t look into the details of the insurance claims for this. But if that info is correct, then yes... that would have to be the process. I’ve done similar claims like that using UPIC (I think that is auctivas 3rd party). Oftentimes for international INRs, I would basically refund the buyer and HOPE they still cooperate when I file a claim (because they didn’t allow filing an international claim before 45 days). Sadly some buyers just take their refund and run, never to be heard of again and no cooperation to file the affidavit so I can open my claim and get my money back.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@usgamecollector wrote:
so basically if an item not received case is open, we have to submit a claim through a third party and then refund the buyer. Since the claim can take 7 business days or longer to be processed (it doesn't give a timeline) it's very possible the item could be delivered after we refund through the case and our claim gets denied.

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I actually didn’t consider that. But yes you’d be correct. Unfortunately ebay doesn’t care if we have insurance nor the terms of it. And the insurance doesn’t care vice versa. It’s a recipe for failure. Might as well not buy insurance and raise your international shipping prices to cover for these losses.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@usgamecollector wrote:
also PIP never covered the shipping cost with the insurance. So I doubt we are covered for that amount.

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I remember UPIC covered the shipping cost, but it requires that pesky affidavit for the buyer to fill out. And most likely they are already long gone with their refund by the time it’s eligible to open a claim.

That’s why I switched to Stamps.com insurance for awhile. They promised I wouldn’t need such an affidavit nor any further communication from the buyer. So that was good, but like PIP, they didn’t cover the expensive shipping costs I had to pay. 

So I just stopped buying insurance altogether and raised my international shipping prices. Enter ebay international standard shipping ($100 insured).