eBay's latest bonehead idea with eBay International Shipping
So this has happened twice in the past few days...
I got a message from eBay telling me that all my international buyers can opt in for "eBay International Shipping" instead of paying my direct shipping rate. "You get protections, blah blah blah."
So TWO of my Canadian buyers opted into this when they bought 12 items and 15 items, one at a time, and I can't send an invoice because it's an eBay International shipping order.
What i did for buyer #1, is cancel all her stamps and relist as a single item. She checked out, paid the $4 in shipping and all was good.
Buyer #2 just got notified by me a few minutes ago about what happened. I checked the listing, 2.65 cents for Canada shipping on each item. So if it's going eBay International shipping it means eBay has touted this to my buyer and convinced him signing up for it is a good idea. (I'm going with that based on the email eBay sent me about this change they made for international orders).
I'm sure he'll be cool with me cancelling and listing as one item, at least if he opts into the International shipping again, it can all go as one item, instead of 15 individual items.
Why, oh why, did eBay think it's a good idea to override my 2.65 discounted Canadian shipping with $15 in shipping and make buyers buy one item at a time and get them shipped one at a time too?
C.
scandinavian-stampguy
·2 years agoSince the ONLY thing I sell is old postage stamps to collectors, which means the majority of my sales are multiple item, I guess "opting out" is the only feasible solution.
Selling $3-5 items that are charged INDIVIDUALLY for shipping essentially would mean "the end" for me as a seller on eBay... after 26 years.
Been down the road of canceling multiples/relisting as one but it's a monumental waste of time.
I do offer my own international shipping on all my listings, but the real PROBLEM here is that eBay's default for shipping is their own, rather than my own solution. So unless the buyer KNOWS to not choose eBay's version, we end up with this circus.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years ago@sin-n-dex
There was a disclaimer if you want to call it that when they announced eIS would be able to FINALLY handle combined shipping and things would be cheaper. To date eIS had made buying almost everything and anything when you purchase more expensive vs less. I used to purchase from US sellers as a matter of routine. Now I avoid it unless it is a last last last last resort. From reports I have heard there are "some" sellers US sellers using eIS and letting the bots handle the measurements causing increased shipping when it should in actuality be lower. Many Canadians would prefer taking their chance with USPS/CanPost using the most economical service which are hidden at the bottom of the list vs the top as how they are displayed on the Canadapost site. It's actually very shocking how poorly the concept of of combined shipping has been handled for years. It's definitely not been made easier in all that time. So I fully understand your frustration.
Just make it possible for sellers to send a revised invoice ship how they like...when they like. Let buyers add to cart and continue shopping until they are done and request that revised invoice. Easy peasy!!
-Lotz
PS. On Canadian side we are hearing reports of revised invoices having incorrect shipping charged due to wrong conversion rates applied. It's been passed down the chain but no idea due to the time of year where it is in the production line to being resolved/investigated. Unsure if this issue is Canada to USA or USA to Canada or both scenarios in play.
retro_entertainment_collectibles
·2 years agoIt's very likely eBay will go eIS across all global platforms as this is the only way to ensure all items are properly valuated for commercial customs toward Duty if any and insurance. It prevents issues of legitimate versus not import/export law of nations and help stem counterfeit merchandise sales/movement. For example international sellers here not using eIS will often be asked, "Can you mark it as gift" to avoid Duty yet its not a gift and in fact breaks law doing so. Its commercial commerce and these have all been ongoing issues for years as is merchandise (something sold) crossing borders doesn't matter where in the world without using the Commercial Customs entry.
eIS helps solves all of this and through its usage betters protects both sellers, buyers and nations whilst opening new territories for sellers and buyers to take advantage of. Now that said its not simply eBay, its not like eBay swung some deal with three quarters of the nations on the planet. Many nations have come together to deal with the problems through essentially unified means. Macys for example now ships all over the world where-as previously they did not. Now those that did had variety of logistics matters, they might have a web in Canada, another in the UK, another in Germany. Process now allows for unification where they dont need separated webs allowing a streamlining of international transacting. So for example you can go to what once was "Macys.uk" or "Macys.eu" and you'll find yourself at Macys.com.
During Covids initial breakthrough period tons of people ordered online and it became rapidly clear with everything from common goods to Personal Protection, "PPE" as it was called a whole lot of "horse hockey" went on. For example folks scrambled to get N95 masks and heaps of them sold were no more protective than multi-layered fine linens. P100 cartridges sold that were not P100 cartridges just two examples yet there are thousands of examples that result in millions atop millions of issues caused.
Nations have the right to say what comes in and what goes out and how that happens, process. Canada is actually a good example as for ages atop ages the nation was not at a "slight" disadvantage to their US neighbors but in fact an ENORMOUS disadvantage in respect to both hard goods production and cross border damage to Canadians lifestyles. Yet, the USA's neighbors to the north not 20/30 years after World War II as the Boomers were born and came of adulthood simply saw Canada as that place up North, like us versus what Canada is, a sovereign nation. A nation of which if it had not been there World War II would likely have been lost and America with it. The Canadian Merchant Marine one could say, "Won World War II" as without them it very likely the war would have been lost.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoI opt-out of EIS. I had a few buyers doing 30 and 40 items.
So I assume my buyers cannot do the opt-in EIS. At least I am hoping for not that to happen.
duncanvr
·2 years agoHappy Christmas its ebay what else can we expect from them but to stuff up shipping policies with another glitch. I wish they could get it right. I to have buyers who seem to have to buy one at a time when they want ten in a row.
robbie31415
·2 years agoThis is more of an issue of how you are operating IMHO.
I would guess you are shipping from a location that isn't set in the listing.
Return addresses need to be same country as item location country.
A lot of dropshippers try and manipulate buyers with return addresses to India when item location was in the US. Who wants to pay international shipping return for a 5 dollar item ?
Ebays platform isn't set up for multiple fulfillment locations.
farmalljr
·2 years agoYes, eBay IS set up for sellers with MULTIPLE locations. I buy all the time from sellers with multiple locations as their ship from address.
Buyers do not care where a sellers return location is. If it's INAD, that's the seller's expense and problem.
But I do agree that Sin's problems ARE because her ship FROM address is in NY. It's not local/within country for Canadian buyers. That's not really an eBay problem, since the account was set up this way. Even in the US with multiple locations, you can't get away with also shipping from Mexico or Canada. You'd need another account made for one of those countries.
robbie31415
·2 years agoNo it isn't.
Each item has a specific item location.
This sellers item location is set in NY, USA.
There is going to be conflict when the seller is sending from a completely different location.
The EIS program is going to make determinations based on the singular location that is set in the listing.
Buyers do care. If it's domestic it's probably not noticeable. But what if you are set in NY, and ship from China ?
farmalljr
·2 years agohttps://www.ebay.com/itm/144210634039?hash=item21939fa537:g:ajMAAOSwTnxhSMbI If the link does not work, here is the item number: 144210634039
It says "MULTIPLE LOCATIONS" . Your assertion is **bleep**. Like I said, I KNOW because I have and still do, BUY from sellers who SELL from MULTIPLE locations.
As for the NY but ships from China, it's an every DAY occurrence here. Hello!?!? Do you even buy on eBay? Probably half the sellers from China, list as in Cali, NY or NJ and ship from China.
For Sin's situation, I am WELL AWARE of the problems SHE is facing. Her account is set up to SHIP FROM the US, and if she wants CANADA to be HER location for Canadian buyers, she needs an account set up with her ship from address to be IN Canada.
Your ASSERTION was general, not specifically about her. At least the way you worded it. You can't say no one can have multiple locations, when in fact, they do. You can't assert a seller lists a US address, but ships from China, because they DO.
Not here to argue, but people need to be clear about what info they pass along as FACT. Because you don't seem to know what the truth is, in respect to how eBay operates. No, Sin CAN'T do those things mentioned. But she CAN start another account specific to Canada to avoid the import shipping garbage. But just because SHE can't, doesn't mean others can't or don't.
robbie31415
·2 years agoInteresting, domestic multiple locations. Good to know.
Does this apply to situation here with multiple locations worldwide.
I thought the OP was talking about dropping off the package with Canadian post.
robbie31415
·2 years agoTaken from eBays policies page.
Item location information must accurately state where the item will be shipped from.
To make sure buyers have a clear understanding of shipping charges and delivery times, sellers must provide accurate information in their listings about where their item will be shipped from.
What is the policy?
I'm not sure where the zip code is for that listing.
pjcdn2005
·2 years agoI didn’t read all of the posts but the problem sin had was likely because eBay started allowing sellers to offer eBay international shipping and direct shipping in the same listing. Before that change started her listings were set with a one direct rate to Canada and EIS to other international locations. I’m just guessing but it sounds as eBay added EIS to Canada to give them an option to her direct rate. Buyers in Canada did not see the EIS before because she had a direct rate. I can’t imagine a buyer choosing a $15 EIS rate instead of her $3-4 rate so eBay might be defaulting the view to EIS.
@sin-n-dex
I haven’t seen the message from eBay that you’re referring but I haven’t heard that they are specifically asking buyers to opt in to EIS, it’s just that they are now giving them the option of using it when a seller also has the option to ship direct to their location. It’s odd though that they didn’t choose your less expensive option to begin with.
robbie31415
·2 years agoI haven't seen that change. From what I've experienced if I added direct shipping to Canada, it disabled EIS to Canada.
I'll have to experiment adding some direct shipping back to my listings.
farmalljr
·2 years agoIt's because they SHIP from multiple locations. Ebay rules only apply to whoever they WANT to apply them to. Understand?
Sin is small potatoes to eBay, and she can't do the same thing other, much larger, sellers can do.
The MBG only applys to most sellers as well. A large enough seller in say cons/bullion does NOT have to abide by those rules. I know, because I have experince it. One of those bigger sellers sent me a bullion coin described as new, but what I got looked like it had been drug behind a truck. Upon return, I got back what they felt like refunding, which was what they would buy the coin off the street price, not the price I paid. Upon appeal to eBay to get my full refund, I was denied and eBay allowed them to keep the difference.
Posted polices don't mean anything, depending on WHO is selling here. And you are correct, at some point Sin COULD get in trouble if she ships to Canada FROM Canada. She by policy that applies to her, needs to either ship international to Canadian buyers, or create another account with a Canadian address to sell to Canadian buyers. If not, she is technically breaking policy. Will eBay eventually punish her? Who knows. BUT they could. Would two stores selling the same things be a nightmare to run and take a tone of effort to avoid punishment for messing up? You bet. But eBay does not care about small potatoes and will not do anything to make her life easier.
robbie31415
·2 years agoPolicies mean everything.
Do policy violations happen ? Yes
Do many sellers get away with policy violations ? Yes
Is eBay policy enforcement lacking? Yes
Just because some have gotten away with it doesn't mean it's acceptable practice. It also doesn't mean the platform is designed for multiple location fulfillment.
This platform is designed for singular item location. EBays item location policies also support that.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoI addressed the impracticality of running two accounts in another post. I would never list the same item in two places or run the risk of an OOS defect (that's something I can't afford, even if I do sell lots of items). And having it in one place or the other excludes a significant portion of buyers from the excluded area.
C.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoI ran this idea by my posse this morning when I was discussing this thread and we discussed what's wrong with me using my Canadian eBay account to list items for shipping in Canada, and using sin-n-dex only for USA (and International orders, as they got from Niagara NY as well). Aside from the fact the Canadian account has much lower feedback...
The problem is, when I run my Canadian token auctions, i have three USA buyers and 10 Canadian buyers that bid on the auctions against each other, and excluding Canada means those ten bidders can't participate in the auction (and I have had to exclude Canada previously when I broke my foot and couldn't get to the post office... but my USA packages were being picked up at my house by Chit Chats). I got loads of complaints about why won't I ship to Canada anymore, and how they bought from me before. It was a unique situation and excluding Canada for three weeks was better than doing time away and closing shop.
If I put the auctions on the Canadian site, it's nice I have ten possible buyers, but there is one guy in the US who bids on everything with no bids, and against some of the Canadian bidders on every single auction, and excluding him means "why bother running an auction". The stuff is too cheap to spend time on fixed priced listings, I run the auctions to move them fast knowing my USA buyer will take everything with no bids.
So that's the basic problem, plus with any store listed items I don't know who's buying until they buy, and my Canadian tokens are equally popular in Canada and in the US, for US buyers I'm a good local source for some of the material I list, with reasonable shipping since I ship it all from New York.
C.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoMy location is Niagara Falls New York no matter what. It's on my return address labels, the invoice eBay provides, etc.
All I'm doing is putting 1.94 in stamps on it, and dropping it in a Canadian mailbox. Buyers pay 2.65 in shipping instead of $14, so none of them are complaining that their package is mailed from within Canada.
I also remit all taxes on sold items to Canadian buyers (when eBay doesn't collect them) when I file my monthly tax return in Canada. I've got proof I'm declaring my income and paying my taxes if anyone interested decides to audit me, so no concerns with that.
C.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoThe return address is in Niagara Falls New York, I ship from Niagara Falls New York.
Nothing manipulated in the listing.
C.
robbie31415
·2 years agoI'm not saying you are trying to be harmful.
Im saying the system isn't designed for what you are doing.
I'd also say that shipping from Canada to Canada would technically be a violation of eBays item location policy regardless if it's beneficial. But I think that item location policy really only needs to matter when it's a harmful situation.
I still believe eIS really isn't designed for your purpose.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoThe system is flawed, we all know that. I don't see a way around it without actually creating more problems then I solve. I can ship to Canada from the US, but the shipping charges will be so high I will either get lots of complaints or lose lots of customers.
I read your policy where they refer to uploaded tracking... Canadian orders usually do not have tracking (because anything I require tracking on won't ship to Canada, period, those are USA only items).
So there's no tracking to upload to show where it's shipped from, the only clue is the Canadian postage stamp I put on the envelope. But like I said, if buyers can save 11.50 in postage, they will not be complaining about this.
C.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoIf you're in Canada and the buyers are in Canada, why do they need International shipping?
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoThat's my point exactly!
My return address is in Niagara NY, but if the buyer is in Canada, then shipping is 2.65 for a coin, and I drop it in the mail with Canada Post. If I change my return address back to Canada, I will be able to print my USPS shipping labels (which are a good price on eBay).
C.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoI just looked at one of your listings and item location is NY, that's why buyers in Canada get the International shipping.
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoIf the buyer happens to be in Canada, I ship from Canada, then they don't have to pay duty and taxes for it to go out and come back to Canada. Aside from that, all shipping happens in Niagara NY. I believe my listing explains that detail in the description.
C.
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 years agohttps://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Combined-shipping-is-now-available-with-eBay-International/ba-p/34148251
sin-n-dex
OP2 years agoThanks! I just opted out of this EIS program... I have international shipping on my items, so there was no need to enroll. I see the benefits of being enrolled, but it has been causing me lots of problems now that buyers are choosing EIS and I can't send an invoice.
As for the combined shipping, the buyer of 15 items responded to "offers" so each one is it's own purchase, no way to combine it. I imagine if they put several items on one order and commited to all at once, that would be possible to combine.
C.
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 years agoEIS and before it Ebay Global Shipping were a gift to me, even before they offered combined shipping.
Shipping internationally was more effort than I felt was justified by the order volume.
I had no desire to learn any country's customs regulations, no desire to figure out what services are tracked, no desire to deal with buyers who only discovered the duties, VAT and customs clearance costs until the delivery was at their door, and no desire to deal with International returns.
You have reasons to justify the effort.
Thanks to Ebay, I get some sales I would not have gotten in the past unless the buyer used a freight forwarder.
I've made a lot of effort to sell small bits of paper, but not as small as a stamp. And given the costs of shipping, my international buyers buy some of the largest and heaviest items I sell which are usually included in my offers only because they are higher in price and profit.
retro_entertainment_collectibles
·2 years agoYep, I'd been and there done that back in the 2000's, oh my gosh the amount of problems were unbelievable. I suspect eBay will make eIS the standard across the entire global platform as it only makes sense albeit sellers who "Dupe" the systems wont agree. All through the last decade postal systems and freighting op's like FedEx etc around the world being duped on valuations of parcels, duty, folks saying they are gifting, cross border transits, import/export restrictions being ignored mainly in open marketplaces, on and on. Zoom the the now making the assumption that the reporting of counterfeit merchandise/organized crime attached is as large as being claimed... Yea, if I were at the helm I'd be everything goes eIS to deal with all of the above as every part the above is weaponry be used to close and/or heavily regulate open marketplaces.
stainlessenginecovers
·2 years agoEIS is supposed to 'now' accept 'multiple orders' from buyers...but I think you have to set something up with your listings? ie. combined shipping for international etc. (I'm sure someone will be along to better explain)