eBay

philatel · ‎02-06-2017

Postal rates have gone up - yes, but eBay is sticking it to buyers. I find their global shipping rates exorbitant. If one uses USPS the price is about one-half to one-third. of the eBay prices. Additionally e-Bay also takes a cut on the postage so they are making off everyone

Is any one finding this to be a concern?

casey768 · ‎02-21-2017

@thovarain wrote:
I live in Canada and buy often from the US. As far as I can see the GSP is another way for the consumer to pay more and get less. What exactly does Pitney Bowes do? They take the shipment from USPS, hold it in Erlanger Ky. for 5 days and then give it to Canada Post. They charged me $5.60 customs for an item that should have been $2.60. They generated 5 different tracking numbers. I don't know how they deal with Can. Post but the most recent track # says it will take 6 days to deliver from a town that's 25 miles from me. It's sad because the seller is obviously a good one and shipped it off right away but I'll be trying to avoid ones who use GSP from now on.

there is no good reason to use GSP for packages going to Canada,we can get tracking and signature confirmation at reasonable cost.

For those of you who is looking for GSP alternative,DHL .

If you sign up with INXPRESS,you get membership discount, up to 40%.

casey768 · ‎02-21-2017

Instead of GSP,just invite DHL to offer Ebay members a discount,DHL is much bigger than UPS or Fed EXP.truly a worldwide shipper.

philatel · ‎02-21-2017

I think the GSP is very poorly thought out. When shipping items to Canada there is a 5% Duty and 7% Provincial (State) Tax levied (In some Proovinces it is less or zero). Why would I pay $16.17 shipping/handling charges on a $2.49 item when the total duty is 30c and standard mail costs ar $1.50. It seems that Pitney Bowes and eBay are creaming in on the other $14.37c.

One apparent big issue is that once you have won the item, there is no way for the seller to change the method of posting.

This program needs to be reviewed. It is very bad for US sellers who wish to send low cost items out of country. I am sure more and more international sellers will look elsewhere for these items.

dvgvintage · ‎02-21-2017

@ casey768 - I will check out INXPRESS from DHL - I thought that DHL had ceased doing business within the USA. I had used them in the past (had an account at the time), and yet international buyers still complained 😞

But I will check them out again - nothing beats a failure but a try 😉

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

dvgvintage

afantiques · ‎02-21-2017

The problem is not the GSP so much as ignorant users who may not even know they are enrolled in the GSP applying it to lightweight, low valuw items.

Before thinking of buying, send the seller a polite message asking them to use USPS postage.

Inappropriate use of the GSP is one of the biggest problems for buyers, it should be limited to heavy, bulky and possibly valuable smaller items where the shipping cost can be relatively cheap.

=============================================================
af," a reduntant, uneducated, diatribe spouting fool."

freeshipusa1 · ‎02-21-2017

@philatel wrote:
I think the GSP is very poorly thought out. When shipping items to Canada there is a 5% Duty and 7% Provincial (State) Tax levied (In some Proovinces it is less or zero). Why would I pay $16.17 shipping/handling charges on a $2.49 item when the total duty is 30c and standard mail costs ar $1.50. It seems that Pitney Bowes and eBay are creaming in on the other $14.37c.
One apparent big issue is that once you have won the item, there is no way for the seller to change the method of posting.
This program needs to be reviewed. It is very bad for US sellers who wish to send low cost items out of country. I am sure more and more international sellers will look elsewhere for these items.

This has to do with your seller,some sellers use GSP wisely,shipping items which exceed USPS weight and size.

Some want to have signature confirmation without paying an arm or a leg.

But GSP is not for everything,everywhere.

philatel · ‎02-21-2017

I would agree that the GSP is appropriate for high priced items, but that is not the way it is pitched. It takes two to tango - eBay and the seller.

As I said the program needs to be reviewed and corrections made. I am not suggesting it disappear.

bobenis · ‎02-27-2017

I bought some headphones 2 weeks ago via the GSP and it CLEARLY states in the auction, via ebay, that the item will be shipped via "International Priority Shipping to Canada".
Well, after watching the tracking from Pitney Bowes to me it appears Pitney shipped the headphones to me via USPS small packet!?
They have sat in customs for a week and still have not been received after hitting Canada on the 21st.
Every time I have used the rip off GSP my item atleast arrives within 2 days of hitting Canada with NO customs delays and especially not being shipped with USPS, which is not a private courier who handles the customs paperwork etc.
I expect I will have an additional customs charge handed to me upon delivery now which is both counterproductive and a contradiction to what the GSP is supposed to do for foreign buyers!

rianvisser · ‎02-27-2017

For buyers like us in South Africa, the GSP is fantastic. We have a different type of problem in our country. Mail coming from the US can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 8 weeks to reach SA. Then it could sit with customs anywhere from 1 week to 3 weeks. Over and above this, mail goes missing at alarming rates here in South Africa. After that, the local post office takes around 2-6 weeks to deliver parcels. So, waiting anywhere from 1-3 months is not unusual. And then, there is a 60% chance your package may be stolen.

The GSP solves that problem, as somehow Fedex get their parcels here fast and then through customs in hours. The only gripe I have is a deteriorating service from the GSP and increasing prices. They have become a lot more expensive, import duties often laughable (sometimes more than the actual product with some sellers) and they now tend to deliver long after their estimated times end.

I wish they could offer the type of service they did a few years ago.

freeshipusa1 · ‎02-27-2017

federal express from USA to SA and postal small packet to Canada.
You are eating filet mignon while the Canadians are eating ground beef !

philatel · ‎02-28-2017

The issue here is how eBay applies the GSP program. Currently it is an all or none phenomenon. It would seem to be appropriate to ship it to South Africa through the GSP when theft of material in the Post Office is a daily occurrence. We do not have that problem in a lot of other countries so it needs to be taillored.

The simplest solution would be list the GSP as a shipping option (Not make it mandatory unless it is being shipped to select countries) so that other cheaper choices could be used. It could also kick in if the sale priceof the item exceeds a certai price e.g. $50.

There is absolutely no logic in paying $16 shipping when the item costs $2.50.

Until there are appropriate changes I will not be bidding on items of low value which use the GSP

mleigh481969 · ‎03-22-2017

Question, has anyone else had issues with the Global Shipping program? Bought an antique tea caddy, UK to US (been shipped in before) not prohibited item but after no updates in forever its at their center and saying its is restricted at Derbyshire GSC. Any way to even contact anyone at EBay? Sorry, frustrated as this is the second time I have has a seller use the Ebay shipping and its the second time there have been issues. Frustrated

pervesh34 · ‎04-11-2017

Yes I do agree ebay shipping charges are exhorbitant.

sassamon207 · ‎04-30-2017

As a long-time Ebay buyer residing outside the US, I find the Global Shipping Program rates very high and unreasonable. Thus, I've made it my personal buyer policy not to give positive feedback to any seller using this program. I only give neutral or negative feedback if there were other serious issues with the transaction.