Global Shipping Program probably is a scam?

[eccentrics99]

I am from Thailand & I recently made a purchase of an item from ebay using the Global Shipping Program. It is a Bose speaker.

I was in doubt in the first place and sent an email to ebay support to double confirmed about the claim that I do not need to pay any custom charges as I've paid them upfront with the Global Shipping Program. I was assured that I need not to pay anything extra upon delivery.

The package reached Fedex Thailand facility on 2 October and amazingly Fedex Thailand seems mixed up the package with other package that my company used to order using Fedex service. I was told that I need to get a forwarder to clear the packageon my own which after that I got one of my colleague to speak with the customer service and got it sort out. YES! They miss-understood the package and thought it was some aircraft spare part. OH My... these Fedex dudes work like robot and don't even read the item description on the shipping slip! 

And the next nightmare came, the package was hold 'in cage' by customs of Thailand, which I believe this was caused by Fedex as they 'thought' it was aircraft spare part. Anyhow, 7 days later, as of today, after numerous calls to Fedex Thailand, which seems like having different personnel picking the calls and no one really following up on this case; today I received a slip of custom charges at THB7829.15 (about USD250). Not forgetting to mention that in Fedex tracking system, the package was noted as released from customs on 3 October and signed, received by consignee on 4 OCT!!! is this a way on how Fedex Thailand keep up their KPIs?

So the question now is, I have black and white email proof from ebay customer services assuring me that I DO NOT need to pay anything else upon delivery of my item, and yet I still get charged for this ridiculous custom charges which in the first place I will not bought the item from ebay if it wasn't the assurance given.

I have wrote to ebay again and hopefully they will revert me soonest with the so called 'solution' to this case. Till then, for those buyers outside of US who is in doubt about Global Shipping Program, especially those in Thailand, please take note, IT IS NOT WORKING AS IT IS CLAIMED by ebay. and to Fedex Thailand, you sucks.

[e_coin_nomical]

I would love to hear what an actual ebay rep would say without hearing a trained speel that only runs you around in circles to cover up their greedy ways.

[e_coin_nomical]

I am surprised they have not figured out a way to stop freedom of speech. Maybe they will work on a way to make that profitable too.

[soldoutrare]

MOST ebay ideas aren't meant to make me, the seller, any money...just another way for them to get my money.  That I've learned since 1998.  I can't remember one new product that made me money other than what I was originally doing.

[abba96]

Hi. Thank's for the warning! I am so dissapointed with Ebay right now. Charging 29-39 US$ for shipping 1 blu-ray disc/DVD to Europe. Where did they leave their brains? Poor sellers!

[ilovemel2007]

I really didn;t know how much it would cost until i had on interested buyer in a pair of shoes that is from another country ask me if i can change/remove the global shipping off of that item, shipping directly from me was $20 and the ebay shipping charge was $30, i knew the amount because i asked her, so it was 10 bucks more

[vinylzone-records]

As a buyer based in Europe, I will boycott any seller who is using the stupid "Global Shipping Program"! The actual cutsoms fees are in fact lower than this scam! 

I beg all sellers not to use the GSP! Otherwise you will lose your international customers! This is one of the worst "features" that were ever introduced by Ebay! They should at least allow the customer to opt out when they pay for an item!

I was surprised when I had to pay for a purchase when I saw a 57 USD additional charges for GSP! It would have costed me only 32 USD if I had paid my country's actual customs fees! What a rip-off!

[pumpapa]

I just bought something oversea and paid for the Global Shipping Program. I never received an itemized invoice (or any for that matter). How can I run a business like this?

[porcellis_1632]

The Global Shipping Program IS FRAUDULENT.

Forced to pay hiden fees and "services" undesired ... it is another way for EBAY to take advantage and make money.

Just as their fraudulent PayPal exchange rates...while they pocket the difference.

Look at this nonsnseform their Global Shipping Proram  agrement:

Payment and Program Fees.

1. Payment Method. Your Seller requires payment for GSP Items using PayPal, and you therefore agree to pay for GSP Items and applicable Program Fees using PayPal, as described below. Your use of the PayPal services is subject to the PayPal User Agreement and Privacy Policy between you and the PayPal entity that provides the PayPal services to you, including all applicable PayPal fees described in the PayPal User Agreement.

1. Description of Program Fees. The following shipping and import charges (collectively, the “Program Fees”) apply to your purchases of GSP Items:
   1. “International priority shipping” (or “Shipping”): this Program Fee consists of charges associated with the parcel processing and shipping services described above and is comprised of the following variable amounts: your Seller's shipping charges to ship your order to the U.S. Shipping Center; third party international shipping charges to ship your order from the U.S. Shipping Center to your designated delivery address or a collection center near you that is designated by the shipping carrier; fuel surcharges; charges for selling, general, and administrative expenses, hardware, software development and licenses, operations, and hosting by Pitney Bowes; charges from third party parcel processing service providers and for the management of the parcel processing service providers and related software systems; charges relating to the management of insurance for lost or damaged items; charges for operational expenses associated with short-term loss recovery and the management of variances between the quoted Shipping amount and actual costs; and any referral fees paid by Pitney Bowes to eBay for referring you to the Program.
   2. “Import charges”: this Program Fee consists of charges associated with the customs service described above and is comprised of the following variable amounts: sales, goods and services, and value added taxes, duties, tariffs, excise taxes, and other amounts assessed or levied by any government authority in connection with the importation of goods into the applicable country of importation (but excluding income taxes) ("Commodity taxes"); third party brokerage fees (including advancement and disbursement charges and customs brokers handling and filing fees); penalties (but excluding any customs duties, taxes, surcharges, fines, penalties, or other charges which may be imposed on you by customs or tax officials after a GSP Item has successfully cleared customs and been delivered to, or made available for pickup at, the delivery address that you specify); classification charges associated with the assignment of a Harmonized System ("HS") classification code; charges for export compliance screening and verification and the assignment of an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN); and operational expenses associated with short-term loss recovery and the management of variances between the quoted Import charges and actual costs. Note: at eBay's discretion, applicable classification and export compliance charges, third party brokerage fees, and operational expenses may instead be included within the Shipping amount that is quoted to you.

[porcellis_1632]

The Global Shipping Program IS FRAUDULENT.

Forced to pay hiden fees and "services" undesired ... it is another way for EBAY to take advantage and make money.
Just as their fraudulent PayPal exchange rates...while they pocket the difference.

Look at this nonsense taken directly from their Global Shipping Program terms and :agreement":

Payment and Program Fees.
Payment Method. Your Seller requires payment for GSP Items using PayPal, and you therefore agree to pay for GSP Items and applicable Program Fees using PayPal, as described below. Your use of the PayPal services is subject to the PayPal User Agreement and Privacy Policy between you and the PayPal entity that provides the PayPal services to you, including all applicable PayPal fees described in the PayPal User Agreement.

Description of Program Fees. The following shipping and import charges (collectively, the “Program Fees”) apply to your purchases of GSP Items:
“International priority shipping” (or “Shipping”): this Program Fee consists of charges associated with the parcel processing and shipping services described above and is comprised of the following variable amounts: your Seller's shipping charges to ship your order to the U.S. Shipping Center; third party international shipping charges to ship your order from the U.S. Shipping Center to your designated delivery address or a collection center near you that is designated by the shipping carrier; fuel surcharges; charges for selling, general, and administrative expenses, hardware, software development and licenses, operations, and hosting by Pitney Bowes; charges from third party parcel processing service providers and for the management of the parcel processing service providers and related software systems; charges relating to the management of insurance for lost or damaged items; charges for operational expenses associated with short-term loss recovery and the management of variances between the quoted Shipping amount and actual costs; and any referral fees paid by Pitney Bowes to eBay for referring you to the Program.
“Import charges”: this Program Fee consists of charges associated with the customs service described above and is comprised of the following variable amounts: sales, goods and services, and value added taxes, duties, tariffs, excise taxes, and other amounts assessed or levied by any government authority in connection with the importation of goods into the applicable country of importation (but excluding income taxes) ("Commodity taxes"); third party brokerage fees (including advancement and disbursement charges and customs brokers handling and filing fees); penalties (but excluding any customs duties, taxes, surcharges, fines, penalties, or other charges which may be imposed on you by customs or tax officials after a GSP Item has successfully cleared customs and been delivered to, or made available for pickup at, the delivery address that you specify); classification charges associated with the assignment of a Harmonized System ("HS") classification code; charges for export compliance screening and verification and the assignment of an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN); and operational expenses associated with short-term loss recovery and the management of variances between the quoted Import charges and actual costs. Note: at eBay's discretion, applicable classification and export compliance charges, third party brokerage fees, and operational expenses may instead be included within the Shipping amount that is quoted to you.

[porcellis_1632]

PLEASE NOTE THEIR "PROGRAM FEES" **YOU** are paying to Pitney Bowes.

"fuel surcharges; charges for selling, general, and administrative expenses, hardware, software development and licenses, operations, and hosting by Pitney Bowes; charges from third party parcel processing service providers and for the management of the parcel processing service providers and related software systems; charges relating to the management of insurance for lost or damaged items; charges for operational expenses associated with short-term loss recovery and the management of variances between the quoted Shipping amount and actual costs; and any referral fees paid by Pitney Bowes to eBay for referring you to the Program."

[porcellis_1632]

That is the USA .. business runs completely unregulated as opposed to EU countries where the govt actually becomes involved and blocks unfair business practices.

This **bleep** would never happen in Germany as example.

Within the US, their game, their rules..they can do whatever they want. And people are, sadly, due to human nature and the the culture, eating it up. They tolerate it, and tolerate it, and tolerate it...as these big businesses cannot be fought.

By using ebay,et al, you are basically signing away, or waiving, all of your rights.
This should be illegal.

[porcellis_1632]

Agreed wholeheartedly.

I too do exactly the same as a buyer..and in the end pay he seller outside of ebay directly via paypal and invoice.

[hawkscout]

Just another problem with the GSP. If a buyer sends something back or just forgets to pick it up and it is sent back to the states, the shipping program will not send it back to they seller. They keep it or try to resend it back to the bayer. I have been dealing with this issue for about two months. I have talked to so many different Ebay customer service reps. I always get a different story. At the end of it all, if a seller has a return policy and the buyer returns it to the GSP, the seller will be out of the item, and they have to give the buyer their money back. I would have never signed up for the program if I new all of this.

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@porcellis_1632 wrote:
Agreed wholeheartedly.

I too do exactly the same as a buyer..and in the end pay he seller outside of ebay directly via paypal and invoice.

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OPT OUT OF THE GSP !

[matuschekandcompany]

Yes, I agree. There are also way cheaper ways to send to the international buyer with tracking included.

I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but I was sent an email which stated that eBay will automatically be making my listings that are able to be sold internationally use the GSP option. It's possible to opt out as long as it's done before October 3rd. Here is the letter that I was sent, just in case anyone would like to see:

"We've noticed you have a number of listings that are a great fit for the Global Shipping Program but are not currently enabled for international sales. This means you're missing out on millions of potential buyers.

In October we will automatically enable all of your GSP-eligible listings. This will help make it easier for buyers in up to 64 countries to purchase your items.

International sale, US shipping

With the Global Shipping Program, you simply ship to a US shipping center where international shipping and customs clearance are handled for you.

No action is needed to take advantage of this global selling opportunity; simply leave your settings as they are now. Eligible items are identified automatically, free of charge. However if you would like your GSP-eligible items to be excluded from the Program simply click here by October 3, 2014.

And as always, thanks for selling on eBay!"

[hatcherl]

As a Canadian buyer of over 500 items (most from US sellers), I refuse to buy or bid on any seller's items that use the GSP. This applies to all of my family and friends who used to regularly buy on eBay. Nor will I add a seller to my "Saved Sellers" list if they use the GSP from eBay. Why on earth would we want to pay EXTRA charges on items that previously were sent without this fee? Plus, the sellers don't even SEE the buyer's address, from what I have heard. So the sellers send all of their items to eBay's "shipping centers". You can bet eBay is making good coin on that service as well. So just to let you kinow, sellers, there are a LOT of potential sales here in Canada, but a lot less now that eBay has inflicted this "Global Priority" stuff on you. If I were an US seller, I would demand my selling site be removed from this "service". Just letting you know what is up from a Canadian's point of view.