Locked
Discussion interactions are currently paused.
eBay International Shipping (EIS) - Seller Reference & FAQ
EBAY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING (EIS) - Seller Reference & FAQ
(Information current as of Feb 2023)
EIS reference pages: Seller Center | Help Page | Seller Terms of Service | Buyer Terms of Service
Important to note upfront:
eBay International Shipping (EIS) is not the same as eBay International Standard Delivery (EISD). The process and policies are very different. Check here for info on EISD: Seller Center | Help Page | Terms of Service
EIS is (slowly) replacing the Global Shipping Program (GSP) and it's being rolled out to sellers in phases. For info on GSP click here: Seller Center | Help Page | Buyer Terms & Conditions
Comparing EIS, EISD and GSP: Feature Comparison Table
To find out whether you're enrolled in GSP or EIS, check your shipping preferences page: (link)
To request enrollment in EIS, click the "I'm Interested" link on this page: (link)
Once you're switched from GSP to EIS you cannot switch back to GSP.
SETTING UP YOUR LISTING
- Current dollar limit as of Feb 2023: cost cannot exceed $500 USD
eBay may increase this limit but has not confirmed yet. When EIS was first launched to a limited number of sellers in Fall 2022 the limit was $150 USD.
- UNANSWERED QUESTION: Does the $500 cap include shipping & handling and VAT/GST? For GSP the answer was yes, S&H was always included, but for EIS that info isn't published (that I could find).
- UNANSWERED QUESTION: What about auctions that start below $500 but the final selling price is above $500 - what policy will take effect and how should sellers manage those sales?
- VERY IMPORTANT: Sellers need to enter dimensions and weight in the listing form to ensure buyers are shown accurate shipping rates. Some sellers are used to leaving those fields blank because they offer flat rate domestic (or 'free') shipping and could run into issues when eBay is not able to accurately determine the international shipping rate for those listings. We (sellers on this board) ran some tests and found situations where search view would show $40+ shipping, but going into the listing would show $80+ shipping. Entering both weight and dimensions on the listing form fixed this so both the listing and search shipping rates lined up.
- NOV '22 SELLER CHECK-IN question: Quoting an earlier answer from eBay, "elS will automatically be on all listings, but you can remove select listings if you would like." What about when a seller is using business policies? Are our business policies changed or would elS not be enabled on our listings until we added it to our business policies?
Answer from Stephanie Ratcliffe, eBay: We will not change your business policies. They will take precedence.
- VERY IMPORTANT: Since that seller check-in, the previous info of being able to remove select listings has changed. When you enable EIS at the global (ie: account) level, it applies to ALL listings. eBay is not (yet) offering the ability to disable EIS at the listing level: it's all in or all out. Sellers are working around this by putting shipping exclusions on individual listings to ensure those items will not be eligible for international shipping.
- In addition, when a seller is opted in to EIS, sellers have reported eBay overriding a lot of their shipping preferences. If you have items that cannot ship overseas for any reason and have international shipping disabled, eBay may override your current shipping settings and enable EIS when you're first opted in. Sellers will unfortunately need to edit those affected listings and re-establish international exclusions since you cannot disable EIS as a shipping option at the listing level.
- Why is eBay not automatically blocking those items? Most of eBay's blocks are based on category or product type, country of origin and destination country. (Note: the help pages stress the importance of filling out COO.) So items that sellers cannot ship overseas due to brand restrictions, or specifics like type of material - eBay will not block those. It's up to the seller to know, for example, that listings for Levis, toner cartridges, certain types of wood that can be used to make anything from guitars to jewelry boxes, and much more need to exclude international locations. This is too nuanced for eBay to manage so sellers have to handle this at the listing level by setting up those international blocks.
- Can you offer your own shipping (ex: USPS First Class Package International or EISD) to some countries while offering EIS to the rest of the world? Yes. See below for tutorial link on how to apply changes to your international shipping settings. When your account is opted into the program, your listings will default to eBay International Shipping so check your shipping settings carefully before you publish each listing.
- eBay provided tutorials (video and PDF) for setting up your listings based on using My eBay, Seller Hub or Business Policies available here: EIS Seller Center
RATES & COMBINED SHIPPING
- Can you combine multiple orders into one single package to the EIS hub in the US? No. Each order will have a unique reference ID for customs purposes, so each unique reference ID has to ship in a separate package.
- How can you tell if multiple items are part of a single order or separate orders? When multiple items are part of a single order, and therefore need to ship in a single box, sellers will see that a single order number will be assigned for all items and a single eBay reference number will be on the shipping address for all items. When multiple items are purchased as separate orders by the same buyer, sellers will see multiple order numbers and different eBay reference numbers on the shipping address for each item. This is generally determined by whether a buyer adds multiple items to the shopping cart and submits one payment or if they pay for items separately.
- NOV '22 SELLER CHECK-IN question: Will EIS handle combined shipping for multiple items purchased so we can send 1 invoice?
Answer from Jeff Frick, eBay: eIS does not currently allow for combined shipping due to the customs manifest and D&T collection requirements.
- NOV '22 SELLER CHECK-IN question: EIS sounds a lot more comprehensive...is it a lot more expensive for the consumer compared with GSP?
Answer from Jeff Frick, eBay: No, elS rate structure is better than GSP and while a DDU program currently, will convert to DDP (like GSP) and allow the Buyer to pre-pay the D&T.
- Based on the above 2 responses from the Seller Check-In, one could make a reasonable assumption that after EIS converts from a 'Duties Delivered Unpaid' program to a 'Duties Delivered Paid' program, combined shipping will be a possibility with EIS. eBay has not yet provided a timeframe for this transition other than 'coming soon', nor have they confirmed if combined shipping will definitely be available in the future.
- From EIS FAQ: The customs clearance service is an important part of international shipping and are meant to facilitate the import of goods to your buyer’s country. On a Duties Delivered Paid (DDP) shipment, the buyer pays import charges at checkout. In contrast, the buyer pays any applicable import charges prior to delivery on a Duties Delivered Unpaid (DDU) shipment. DDU shipments may also result in the buyer being assessed additional delivery fees by the carrier.
The buyer is responsible for settling all charges or fees in order for customs to release the shipment and have it delivered to them. Once the DDP option is available, EIS will enable buyers to choose how they prefer to have their shipment cleared through customs - paid at the time of purchase or paid after shipment.
PACKING, SHIPPING & INSURANCE
- When a seller's packaging is not suitable for international shipping, eBay will (per the EIS FAQ) : evaluate all packages that are received at our hub. Anything that does not comply for international shipping will be assessed and where possible repackaged for international travel, at no additional expense to you.
- NOV '22 SELLER CHECK-IN question: How will eBay be repackaging items?
Answer from Jeff Frick, eBay: eBay only "repacks" items when the box arrives to the Hub and looks damaged and we need to inspect it to ensure it can be shipped forward. We attempt to keep all items intact; including any notes or wrapping done by Sellers and only transfer to an eBay package for shipment.
- From EIS FAQ: Will you open and inspect my package? We may open and inspect your item to ensure compliance with US export regulations and the import regulations of the destination country. If we open your package for inspection, we take care to ensure your item is not damaged in the process. Once we’ve verified your package is able to ship, we will repack your item and send it to your buyer the same way it was originally packed.
- If you purchase domestic insurance or signature confirmation for your item, it applies only until it reaches the US shipping hub. Sellers are responsible for getting the package safely to the shipping hub, but if the item is lost or damaged during international shipping, eBay will cover any refunds due.
- UNANSWERED QUESTION: If an item has to ship in multiple boxes due to size, weight or lot quantity, the fine print in the TOS is contradictory on what to do. On the one hand it says, "You will ship all EIS Items contained in a single order to the US Shipping Hub in one package" and on the other hand it says "If a single order requires multiple packages, each package requires a separate, unique label"
- As of Feb 2023, size and weight limits (check the EIS links at the top of this post for current limits in case any changes have been made) :
Packages cannot exceed 44 lbs. for every country except Canada (Canada’s max is 66 lbs.) - billable weight (not actual). Packages cannot exceed 84 inches in Length + Girth
- From the fine print in the TOS, but not stated on the general EIS help pages:
- Packages must meet or exceed 7.25 inches in width and 10.25 inches in length
- You are required to include an order packing slip in the package
- You will not combine multiple orders (either belonging to the same Buyer or different Buyers) in a single package
- Lithium battery devices must be secured in rigid packaging to prevent movement and accidental activation. Rigid packaging includes boxes, hard shell plastic, and the original manufacturer packaging. Poly mailers, shrink wrap, and other types of non-rigid packaging are prohibited.
- From the TOS fine print regarding liability for lost/damaged packages, the summary is:
- Seller is responsible until item reaches the US hub
- Seller is responsible if an item is being returned to the seller from the US hub (I found this surprising, and it also leads to the question of which party will pay for that return shipping and if it's the seller, can they file an insurance claim in the event of loss or damage?)
- "Subject to any statutory rights your Buyer may have, the risk of loss or damage to an EIS Item shall transfer to your Buyer when the EIS Item leaves the US Shipping Hub for export."
- My interpretation of this last point is that it's similar to the GSP where eBay covers loss/damage as long as the buyer has MBG coverage, and MBG coverage may vary on international sites so in some cases buyers may not be covered (which also means they may resort to payment disputes to try and recover funds).
- Will EIS take care of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements for shipping to France and LUCID requirements for shipping to Germany? Yes. Sellers will not have to worry about these packaging acts when shipping through EIS.
TRACKING
- EIS shipments will generate a tracking number that begins with EEUS - this is an umbrella number. Under that umbrella number will be (1) the domestic tracking number a seller generates when shipping packages to the EIS hub in the US and (2) the international tracking number created at the EIS hub before the package leaves the country.
- eBay will provide tracking updates throughout the journey, but if you or your buyer need more detailed tracking or more specifically, the carrier and local tracking number for the buyer's country, you can track the EEUS number on this site: https://parcelsapp.com
PROHIBITED ITEMS
- NOV '22 SELLER CHECK-IN question: Just to clarify, I can list the item though EIS even if it is not allowed in certain countries? So the pocket knife for example was not allowed to be listed with GSP as an option, full stop, With EIS, it can be listed, it just theoretically would not be displayed to buyers in say the UK?
Answer from Stefanie Ratcliffe, eBay: Correct.
- EIS restricted items and categories: (link)
- Good general page to reference for international sales: International Trading Policy
- Fine print from the TOS: Not all listings on eBay.com are eligible for the Program. eBay may alter or amend the eligibility requirements for EIS Items without notice. You agree not to sell any ineligible items through the Program. More information about ineligible items may be found here. You agree that eBay shall have the right to decide if the EIS Item is eligible for the Program. You agree that in respect of any items found to be ineligible, eBay may (at its discretion) dispose of or liquidate EIS Items in any manner that they prefer, including without limitation, (a) returning the item to you at your costs, (b) handing over the item to the authorities, (c) liquidating the item or (d) destroying the item without notice.
RETURNS & CLAIMS
- For standard returns, per the EIS FAQ: Once your item is received at the domestic shipping hub, your sale is considered complete. If the buyer opens a return, eBay will issue a refund at no cost to you.
- NOV '22 SELLER CHECK-IN question: eBay International Shipping says sellers don't have to worry about returns or refunds, but within the terms of service there's text that says eBay may return items to the seller and refund buyers from the seller's account. It's a complete contradiction and sellers don't know what info to trust with this service. So what info should sellers rely on when the TOS contradicts the advertised info about not having to handle post-sale issues?
Answer from Meghan Rao, eBay: eBay will take responsibility for the item once it reaches the hub with valid tracking information. However; if an item arrives at the hub and an exception arises regarding prohibited items (firearms, illegal substances, incorrect item) then eBay may return the item to the Seller and refund from the Sellers account.
- For fine print please read section 8 of the EIS Seller Terms of Service.
- From EIS FAQ: Shipments may not meet eBay International Shipping requirements for a number of reasons, including but not limited to: overweight, oversize, hazardous, dangerous, or restricted goods. If it is determined that your shipment does not meet the program requirements, the item may be returned to you.
- From TOS fine print: If the item is undeliverable and cannot be shipped back to you for whatever reason, eBay reserves the right to liquidate or destroy the item. In those instances, the payment will not be reversed.
FEES
- How are fees calculated? Per the EIS FAQ: Your final value fee is based on the final price of the item, shipping charges to the US Shipping Hub, and any other amounts you may charge the buyer. Sales tax, international shipping cost, and import charges are not included.
- eBay will waive the 1.65% (rate current as of Feb 2023) international selling fee for items shipped through EIS.
- Links to eBay selling fees | eBay store selling fees
MISCELLANEOUS
- Eligibility (as of Feb 2023) : Items must be physically located in the US and listed on eBay.com. Sellers rated Below Standard are not eligible for EIS.
- Time Away: If you schedule Time Away, your estimated delivery date will be updated to reflect the extended handling time. This is a big improvement over GSP where Time Away is not factored in to the handling on GSP sales.
- US Hub: Currently there is one US hub for EIS which is located in Glendale Heights, IL. Supposedly eBay may add additional hubs in the future, but this is not confirmed. Positive about the IL hub is the central location, unlike GSP's East Coast hub in KY which resulted in higher shipping rates for West Coast sellers.
- Under export restrictions eBay notes the following as restricted: Jewelry > High value (over $2500). That seems (to me) to be a moot point because at this stage the current limit for all items is $500. It appears the $2500 limit on jewelry would only come into play as a separate restriction if eBay increases the overall item limit above $2500.
Disclaimer: this post is intended as a consolidated reference for informational purposes as EIS info is scattered throughout multiple locations. Please refer to eBay's policy pages linked at the top of this post for official EIS terms and conditions which are subject to change.
74 comments
kh-phdan
·2 years agoHello Everyone,
Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue discussing this topic.
Thanks for understanding!
test-and-measurement
·2 years agoI have an item over 2000USD and it shows EIS price, but have amny less expensive items that do not?
I spoke with eBay today and was told these problem were related to a eBay over a certain period of time, so we ended all my listing and relisted. I realized I could check using a VPN and discovered nothing changed.
I wish eBay would spend a little of their massive profits and resolve this, it seem everyone has had issues.
Best Wishes All -T
stainlessenginecovers
·3 years ago@wastingtime101
I checked 3 different Valve Cover Covers I have, listed for various years from 1987 to 1996 and 2 of the 3 are not showing; yet the 1 that is showing has 'PARTS' in the name. All 3 are in 2 categories (Motors/Engines/Other Parts) as are ALL my listings and these particular items are in a 2nd Category, but again, all 3 are in the same 2 categories yet only 1 of 3 shows.
stainlessenginecovers
·3 years ago@devon@ebay
@wastingtime101
I have found out that about 50% of my listings are not being shown as EIS; available to see/purchase by no other country than USA.
All my items are New. All my items are in Motors (Engines-subcategory-Engine & Parts)
These 2 items, for example- are Identical except one has 'caps' and one doesn't (8pc Kit vs. 6 Pc Kit).
I've looked at both in detail and see no different, but the 8 pc Kit can 'ship' to many countries.
The 6 Pc Kit only in US.
Items number 304767658674 vs 304192981502. Can ANYONE see anything different??
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoI highly doubt this will solve it @stainlessenginecovers but the listing not showing EIS has the word "parts" in the title and since EIS has put a bunch of restrictions on motors parts I think it's worth taking that wild stab in the dark to see if taking "parts" out of the title makes a difference.
If not then I'd tag in @elizabeth@ebay to see what she can find out. She's going out to the EIS team this week on another EIS question from the tech board - one of the many sellers that posted about the old $500 cap in effect even though the limit was increased to $2500.
stainlessenginecovers
·3 years ago@wastingtime101
Yes; I doubt that too as I also have about 200 of 500 not showing; including only 2 of 12 different C7 Corvette Combo Kits (23 pc, 21 pc, 11 pc, 9 pc) and they are almost identical (except the Model of the Vehicles) and most all of those don't say 'parts' either.
Weight, dimension, category, box type, size, weight are ALL the same yet again, 10 of 12 are NOT showing and when you 'click' the 'shipping tab' on those, it shows ONLY US shipments.
@elizabeth@ebay
Elizabeth, are you able to figure out why so many of my Brand New items, all listed in Ebay Motors are not showing in int'l websites for EIS shipping?
elizabeth@ebay
Hi @stainlessenginecovers. Let me get this over to the proper team to see what we can find out. I'll touch base with you when I hear back.
globalmarinediesel
·3 years ago@elizabeth@ebay Was there a resolution for @stainlessenginecovers? I am having a similar issue. Some items are being left out of EIS even though the categories are the same and everything seems to meet TOS. Is this a keyword issue or some other parameter? It seems almost all of my new listings are being left out, but the shipping policy has not changed. I have done a good amount of business with EIS and it was good for me and my customers. Any help would be appreciated.
stainlessenginecovers
·3 years ago@globalmarinediesel
I was told, probably on another thread; that because EIS' handles ALL returns and handles AND pays for ALL 'refunds'... they- EIS - will NOT stick their neck out TOO far...meaning that MANY items, even though under the $2500 max (or whatever it is now) does NOT make any difference, and that certain items will simply NOT be shown so they can LIMIT their exposure.
globalmarinediesel
·3 years agoI had an international return request. Buyer attempted to cancel the order after I shipped it already. Once he got the item he started a return. Ebay refunded him on their dime. Since then I have had a slow down in international sales. Maybe my algorithm was dinged by this return and that is why some items are not showing internationally. Was their any indication that they throttled people based on return history? It would make sense, but in my case this was buyers remorse.
steve_stuff
·3 years agoWhy the ebay freight forwarding service will never work for us.
"From EIS FAQ: Will you open and inspect my package? We may open and inspect your item ... "
And "we will repack your item ... the same way it was originally packed."
We don't pack 'normally' - photos are of a pair of gold filled glasses in case sent and delivered to France last month.
Note the cardboard 'frame' at the top right of photo - where the white part is stapled to the brown piece - both pieces are stapled to the box. This part is then inserted into 'outer' box.
The boss has packed like this for decades. Would pay to see the look this gets when opened.
These t-shirts just need to be put into produce bags and they are ready to go, one to Germany.
So we'll keep doing what we're doing, thank you. As of now everything has gotten to where it was going, no returns, no lost shipments, no complaints.
forthehorns
·3 years agoIf I add USPS First Class International and USPS Prioroty Mail International as shipping options, in addition to EIS, are all three options available for buyers to choose from?
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoNo @forthehorns.
Countries where you choose to offer USPS will not have the choice of EIS. They will only see the direct shipping options you're offering.
Countries where direct shipping is not offered will see EIS as the only option.
thereandback864
·3 years agoPreviously GSP was available to all users who listed on eBay.com, regardless of their country of registration. Now, it seems as though being a US resident is required. Is there any insight into this requirement and is there any indication that the program will be expanded to all listings on eBay.com as opposed to restricting it by country of registration ?
marnotom!
·3 years agoI don't believe the GSP was intended to be available to sellers outside of the US (or UK) but I can only find the US residency requirement stated in online articles on sites other than eBay. eBay's current info page on the GSP states that items must be physically located in the US to be eligible for the GSP.
A Canadian seller posting on the .ca discussion boards said that they had a chat with an eBay CSR on Twitter who confirmed that eIS currently isn't available to non-US sellers but there are plans to make versions of the program available in other countries. I suspect that a Canadian eIS would be nothing like the US one, though.
atlasesattic
·3 years agoI can't find EIS anywhere I have clicked all these links and find nothing it isn't even an option on my items at all, it still has EISD at the top which I have chosen from previously on shipping choices.
marnotom!
·3 years agoI believe eIS is still being phased in, so you may need to wait a little longer before you can adopt it. Make sure you meet the eligibility requirements while you wait:
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-international-shipping-program
atlasesattic
·3 years agoI watched the video and it says go to bulk edit, then international shipping and click change to no international shipping, which I did, now it shows I don't ship internationally, so I go back to bulk edit, and not click change to EIS and there it is so I choose calculated shipping but when I do the EIS choice disappears, when i click flat rate it comes back, but now it wants a total for flat rate...omg I give up...lol
marnotom!
·3 years agoI'm confused. Why do you need to select "calculated shipping" once you've indicated that you want to use eIS? The eIS shipping charge just piggybacks onto your domestic shipping charge, be it calculated or flat-rate. You have no say in the eIS's portion of the shipping charge.
atlasesattic
·3 years agoThanks I figured it out
marnotom!
·3 years agoAre you sure, @atlasesattic? I’m in Canada and most of your listings say that you’ll ship to me but I need to contact you for shipping information.
burnmyshadow
·3 years agoWho are we supposed to contact about items that appear to be lost at the hub? So far this program is a disaster compared to the GSP. I shipped an item that's $1500 and it's had no tracking updates since it was "Received by US Carrier" almost a month ago. I am not impressed by Asendia compared to Pitney Bowes.
marnotom!
·3 years agoYour buyer should be filing an INR claim through the MBG, noting that the item was handled through eIS.
For what it's worth, Pitney Bowes has some involvement in eIS, by the looks of things. It never really handled items forwarded through the GSP, though. It just "orchestrated" everything.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221102005635/en/Pitney-Bowes-and-eBay-Announce-Key-Cross-Border-Partnerships-in-the-US-and-UK
burnmyshadow
·3 years agoAnd they will get refunded by Ebay, not me? I better not be on the hook for Ebay's incompetence on this "new" program. I read a post on reddit where a seller said they had to go back and forth with Ebay to get their money back even though the item was clearly lost after indicating it had been received at the international hub.
agemelee
·3 years agoCorrect ebay is responsible
marnotom!
·3 years agoAs @agemelee says, the refund should come out of eBay's pocket provided the buyer goes through the MBG process. The funds from the sale will go on hold, but should be released once the case is closed. It sounds as though the seller in the Reddit thread may have initiated the refund themselves if they tried "to get their money back" through eBay.
burnmyshadow
·3 years agoWill this cause a ding to my seller rating as a TRS?
marnotom!
·3 years agoOnce the item is in eIS’s hands, it’s the program’s responsibility to get the item to the buyer in the condition stated in the listing, so, no.
blackstagcards
·3 years agoMaybe this has already been answered 1000x times, so if it has apologies as I recently was converted from GSP to EIS. If I sell an item over $2500 (current EIS limit) and my only international shipping option is set to EIS (what the buyer can see on my listing), what happens? Am I the seller on the hook to ship it directly via USPS, FedEx, or UPS directly to the buyer on my own dime? Or will my order still be processed through the EIS, where I'm only sending the package to Illinois?
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoBuyers will be restricted from purchasing any listing over $2500 @blackstagcards unless they are located in a country where you offer direct shipping through the listing. So if you offer direct shipping to the US exclusively, then an international buyer will need a US shipping address to buy an item over $2.5K.
quicksilverdiecast
·3 years agoAbout 30% of my sales go international thru GPS and other than ebay overcharging buyers when buying multiple items everything seems to work fine without issues, HOWEVER after trying to figure out all the "Fine" print I just start shaking my head and say uhnt ah this just looks like a nightmare waiting for the sun to go down, and sounds like as usual ebay contradictions abound. I prefer to stay with GPS, why because for the most part it works, for both buyers and sellers, but when things start to change trouble comes with it, and that can be calculated in $$$ lost by the seller. But if sellers get forced into this and problems begin, I will no longer sell internationally, rather than run the risk of having a stacked deck. Which may eventually lead back to the beginning where USA sellers will not ship internationally. Too many variables that will continually change due to ones country for whatever reason is just not worth the cost and headaches at least for me.
agemelee
·3 years agoI wonder about that minimum packing size. Ie I sell pants in flat rate envelopes since its generally cheaper and easy packing materials from USPS.
I hope they allow this
gurlcat
·3 years agoI finally got my first EIS sale today, and funnily enough I had to "sell" the program along with the item, a program I have literally never used, LOL. But as far as I can tell, the pertinent issue brought up by my buyer is the same for EIS as it was for GSP, so I used my experiences with that to answer her question. Now, @wastingtime101 I don't KNOW if country restrictions are automated the way I told her I'm "pretty sure" they are, regarding organic materials. I just know that coral isn't a platform-wide prohibited item, like (say) ivory, and so I do believe I was correct to inform her that the worst that could happen would be her getting a full refund instead of the item. If it turns out I'm wrong about that and I actually get into some kind of trouble, I'll have to rethink this whole thing because jewelry can contain all kinds of materials including ones I might not have the slightest awareness of import restrictions to 'whichever' countries.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoHey @gurlcat - whether or not you're permitted to sell any kind of coral on eBay is in question. If the type of coral is on the CITES list then you definitely can't. All "stony corals" are protected by CITES and it appears red corals are on the list.
This is just one reference, but there are a few out there if you want to do some searching.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/about-doc/role/international/cites-corals.pdf
What will happen at this point is one of two things.
In many situations the item will be liquidated, buyer receives full refund from eBay and seller keeps the sale.
But in a situation where the item is restricted and shouldn't even be listed on the site? I'm guessing the hub will ship the item back to you, you'll have to process an order cancellation "problem with address" and refund the buyer in full, and you'll lose whatever you paid for shipping to the hub. I suppose there's also a possibility they will confiscate it? It's really hard to say since this is not just restricted by that country, but it's prohibited from being listed on eBay.
Disclaimer: This is how it appears to me from some quick searching. I am not a jewelry expert and couldn't say for sure if your species of coral is protected or not.
gurlcat
·3 years agoWell here's how goofy and tricky it gets with jewelry: I called it 'red coral' because it's coral and it's red, but I'm ....oh about 99% sure it's common (white) coral that was dyed red, NOT the Mediterranean red coral species that is endangered. There are TONS of jewelry listings with red coral but I know that doesn't mean they're all "okay" just because they show up in search results. There are also plenty of items made of "carved bone" that are clearly ivory and the closeup photos even show the grooves that are characteristic of ivory, for buyers "in the know" and interested. Same goes for things made of queen conch shell, bear claws, eagle talons, whale 'anything', etc. I believe some countries even prohibit precious metal/gemstone importation without special licensure of some sort. And the thing is, a lot of my sales aren't even individual jewelry pieces like this one, but mixed lots where I might not even SUSPECT any particular material. So like I said, if this first sale goes sideways, I'll have to do some hard thinking.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoI don't think your lots will be inspected at that level. It's when (a) you know there's a material like coral and (b) when you're selling individual pieces where it will matter the most.
If it's white coral dyed red then that info needs to be in the listing. I confess I did not look at your listing and read the specifics, so maybe you did disclose that. Based on the title alone it appears to violate policy and I wouldn't be surprised if the hub looks at the title and thinks the same thing. Would have been better to put the word red at the end of the title instead of saying "red coral" because now your item might get flagged.
It shouldn't be too difficult to manage. Anything with natural materials needs to be evaluated if it's permitted and not just because of EIS, but because of eBay policies in general. Red coral can't be sold domestically or internationally. But white coral dyed red is a different material. I think it's something you need to be conscious of with your category.
If ever you're uncertain, you have this forum where you can ask if whatever shell, coral, bone, fossilized wood, etc is permitted. Lots of helpful people here that can help if you can't figure it out.
I don't think this is a good "test case" for EIS because this is not about an international restriction - it's about the general endangered/protected species policy that also applies to domestic sales. So what happens here is not necessarily what will happen with an item that's permitted domestically but restricted by a specific country.
Make sense?
gurlcat
·3 years agoYes, perfect sense. So here's what happened: the buyer's question brought to mind all the red coral (titled as such) jewelry I have seen listed and even sold, and I even did a quick Sold listings search with the exact words 'red coral' and sorted by jewelry/watches only .....and there were literally several pages of Solds just within the past 24 hours. Of course I couldn't see if they were sold domestically or internationally, but I just knew that ebay's bot detection of ivory is so intense that people have had their accounts restricted due to listings of ivory-COLORED things ("Ivory blouse", "Ivory vase" etc.), so I figured they must not be so stringent about red coral, even if it is a prohibited item (and like I said I was pretty sure mine is just the El Fake-o dyed white coral kind). But what you're saying is, while sales with 'red coral' right in the title might not get any attention when it's just domestic shipping, the fact that eyes and hands will be on this package and with stuff like import restrictions at the forefront of their 'forward-or-don't' process, this likely will be rejected, but I won't have that same problem with most jewelry.
If I understand that right, then I think you're probably correct. I won't clutter this important thread with any more posts about this sale, other than an update about what happens with it. I put it out for pickup just a minute ago, fingers crossed!
gurlcat
·3 years agoJust a quick update. My goofy red coral necklace made it to the buyer in the U.K. It took forever (with most of the time just between me and the ebay hub, same with the other EIS item I've sold, SO MANY legs to this particular journey), but apparently the coral content was not an issue. I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a problem, glad my instincts were right this time.
stainlessenginecovers
·3 years agoThe easy way to 'opt in' and 'opt out' if you have 'some listings' you don't mind sending internationally, and other listings you don't want to ship internationally;
Bulk Edit- and exclude all 218 countries for all items you DON'T want to ship internationally.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoInfo from today's seller check-in:
FYI @devon@ebay - I got answers to my questions plus more. I think all that's remaining unanswered is @pjcdn2005's question about package size minimum and whether or not packing slips are required.
If I missed any other pending questions, they probably got lost in all the info on this thread so go ahead and post them again for Devon's reference.
Many people with account-specific issues were advised to email the EIS team directly. No idea if I'm allowed post that email address here, but to request enrollment in EIS, click the "I'm Interested" link on this page - that's the email address they were giving out for people with account issues. FYI @sapphire_studio for your category questions and @simply-the-best-for-you if you ever run into that VAT issue again.
sapphire_studio
·3 years agoThank you so much for putting this together!!!!
You are amazing!!
I will send the EIS team an email regarding the many beauty product categories that are blocked (I don't think this is account specific I think this is happening to everyone who sells beauty products)
If you got a parallel import Vero when they automatically switched you to EIS (happened to me in both stores I have) when they automatically put international shipping on items you didn't have international shipping on before, I wonder if they will waive those Vero derogatory remarks based on their plan on how to handle parallel import policies in the future.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoDon't know but I would e-mail and ask. Give them the specific listing #s.
sapphire_studio
·3 years agoI did email them right after it happened and they never responded back to me. ‌😞‌ I showed them a screenshot of the Vero and told them the item number and everything.
But I could try again.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoAs of February 28, 2023 there is conflicting information in the eBay pages. Would appreciate confirmation from eBay (and correction of whichever page is wrong).
On the TOS:
On the help page:
gurlcat
·3 years agoCan I just ask if anyone following this thread has even HAD buyers via the EIS? I believe I've been onboarded for 3-4 weeks and have not had a single overseas sale, other than via freight forwarders to Oregon (meaning Asian buyers). I'm really starting to wonder if my listings are even showing up to Europe, Australia, etc. OR if they're showing insanely high shipping costs for potential buyers or something. Against my instincts I went ahead and made sure all my item package length and width are "big enough" because we haven't had an answer on whether that's really necessary or not. But it sure would suck if doing that is causing an inflated shipping cost without my knowledge. I mean I'm talking about something like a 3-ounce bracelet including packing materials, so the shipping cost SHOULDN'T be high, but if overseas carriers also count volume, well then ......... poop.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoLots of reports from sellers shipping with EIS @gurlcat. I did a random spot check of a few of your listings and they are displaying EIS. You can check shipping cost by switching over your country on the shipping tab (just switch back to US when you're done). A bracelet to Canada was in the $17 range which is pretty accurate.
gurlcat
·3 years agoThank you. Are you in Canada?
stephenmorgan
·3 years agoIt is weird that if you select No International Shipping then your listing will offer eBay International Shipping.
So does this mean that there will no longer be a choice if you wish to sell Internationally or not? I do not mind, I just wish all shipping offered the same protections for Buyer and Seller.
I emailed eBay shipping and asked
Shipping Policy says No International Shipping but on the listings it quotes eBay International Shipping. Is this correct that it is suppose work this way, No International Shipping equals eBay International Shipping?
They replied
No International Shipping equals eBay International Shipping - Yes
sapphire_studio
·3 years agoYeah that's exactly how you activate an item for the new program is you turn off international shipping on it.
I had one item that I knew the brand didn't like shipping internationally and so I was always VERY careful to never select international shipping on it (a different store I run had gotten a Vero for parallel import).
The day before my items showed up as eBay international shipping they gave me a Vero for that item for parallel import even though I know for 100% fact I did not have international shipping on it. That was yesterday and today my items are showing up with the international shipping program so I think it's related.
I can't imagine the veros that are pouring in for people because of this issue.
stephenmorgan
·3 years agoI have been having a heck of a time getting my International Shipping straighten out. I am just learning how to use the Shipping Policies, I thought there was a way to turn this off. I had hundreds of shipping policies I just deleted. I deleted hundreds of them last year but it seems every new listing creates a new Shipping Policy. It will be easier to enter shipping once I get the various Policies edited to something meaningful.
I have a Bid on two items from one person and I am sure they will win. One is set up for eBay Standard International Delivery and one for eBay International Shipping. I will likely have to relist them into one listing to get the shipping correct.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoThat screenshot looks like biz policies @stephenmorgan.
So what you have to do is scroll down to the shipping exclusions section of that policy and add exclusions for all international locations.
The "no international shipping" setting applies only to non-EIS shipping methods such as USPS, EISD, UPS, etc.
If it's not a shipping policy, just the listing page - same advice applies. You have to exclude all international locations but within the listing form instead of within the biz policy.
stephenmorgan
·3 years agoThanks for the advice. So if a person does not wish to sell Internationally they have to exclude the locations. It is ok with me, I like selling international. It is just with these constant changes it is a challenge sometimes. I am still trying to un-exclude Germany. I have un-excluded several times. I used the Bulk Editor and I done the listings individually but Germany keeps coming back excluded on a few listings. It seems it is the Shipping Policies I have to edit.
Now that I have be playing with the Business Policies I see that they can be useful. They must to have become viewable in my listings when I tried to convert the listings to the eBay International Shipping. I think once I get the Policies in a meaningful order they will be very useful.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoAdding a significant note shared by @monica-sells on another thread.
"it takes up to 48 Hours for changes (opt-in for example, or removing an existing option and waiting for EIS to take over) to propagate through all your listings...."
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoFirst of all, @wastingtime101 thank you for doing this! This is super helpful to have all in one place.
Secondly, I just want to link this convo I just started about who/how to get help when things go wrong. I currently have a buyer who is saying she was double charged VAT tax & it appears that she may have been. I am not qualified to make that determination, nor can I assist her with the refund she wants of double charges of VAT/Customs Fees. I did contact a Concierge CSR & the answer is for her to reach out to Customer Service, as I knew it would be. I politely explained & gave her that answer last night & woke up to 9 screen shots indicating that Customer Service appears closed & despite trying numerous ways, she cannot get through.
My concern, besides getting my buyer some help, is that this is likely to be very common since by definition, these buyers are overseas, may not be able to speak English & are in time zones, completely opposite of ours. I'm not sure what to do/where to go when either buyer or seller has detailed, intricate questions/problems with EIS? Even if she COULD reach a CSR, what are the chances they will know what EIS even is, much less be able to answer these intricate questions?
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/EIS-Buyer-is-double-charged-VAT-tax-amp-cannot-reach-eBay-CSR-s/m-p/33564392#M439795
sapphire_studio
·3 years agoYeah my main three still unanswered questions are the size of the package (can we send 6"x4" packages like seems to be fine with EISD), is it packing slip really needed, and will we get credited back the price wr paid for shipping (like EISD does) if they need to send us back our package (because it is ineligible to ship overseas but they still allowed it to be sold via EIS).
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·3 years ago@wastingtime101 Thanks for pulling all that together---that was a lot of work!
siamjane8
·3 years ago@devin@ebay
1. We also need to know if all "used parts" in eBay motors are on the banned list.
2. If not we need an actual category by category breakdown
3. If used parts are ineligible now , what is a hard date that they will be made eligible- if gsp can do it why can't eis?
4. We need real and accurate answers before we are switched.
pjcdn2005
·3 years agowastingtime101
OP3 years agoPasting Devon's response from a different thread on the Selling board.
sapphire_studio
·3 years agoGreat work @wastingtime101 ! Thank you for doing this!
With EISD if they decided to ship you back a package that they decided was ineligible for international shipping they would say that you would not be charged for the initial shipping label. I have to wonder if that's going to be the same with EID.
 
 
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoFYI @simply-the-best-for-you @pjcdn2005 @gurlcat
Can't remember who else wanted to be tagged on this, sorry if I forgot anyone.
Add your own questions/comments as you see fit. There's a lot to digest in this. I hope this will be a helpful guide for sellers. If I got anything wrong please call it out.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoThe info on EIS is scattered throughout so many places, many of us felt it was important to have a centralized reference which is why I spent a ridiculous amount of time putting this all together. This process has resulted in a few questions about eBay International Shipping.
@devon@ebay @kyle@ebay @elizabeth@ebay
Could you guys liaise with the shipping team and help us get answers to the below questions?
1. Does the $500 cap on EIS shipments include shipping & handling - if yes, just domestic shipping or also international shipping? Is VAT/GST factored in to the $500 cap?
2. After a bunch of testing, we (sellers on this forum) have discovered that eBay is displaying EIS on items priced over $500: both fixed price and auction format with $500+ minimum bid.
Why EIS is appearing on listings priced above $500 and is the seller expected to ship (out of their pocket) directly to the buyer on those items, bypassing EIS, if they don't proactively utilize international shipping exclusions on those listings?
The way I see it: if eBay can turn off EIS when an item is restricted, there should be no issue with eBay turning off EIS when a fixed price listing exceeds $500 (auctions are another matter unless the starting bid is over $500 in which case EIS should not appear there, either). Why make this harder for sellers?
As it's currently programmed this is a fail on eBay's part.
3. What happens when auction format listings start below $500 but exceed $500 when bidding concludes? How is a seller supposed to handle the situation when the buyer is located overseas and the listing was set up with EIS?
4. If an item has to ship in multiple boxes due to size, weight or lot quantity, the fine print in the TOS is contradictory on what to do.
On the one hand it says, "You will ship all EIS Items contained in a single order to the US Shipping Hub in one package."
On the other hand it says "If a single order requires multiple packages, each package requires a separate, unique label"
So which is correct? Can we ship a single order in multiple boxes?
5. For items the EIS US hub returns to sellers, the TOS indicates the seller is responsible for loss or damage that occurs during transit. Does this mean sellers will be billed for return shipping and will these be insured shipments so sellers can file claims if necessary?
P.S. Because this is so involved, it would really help us follow responses if you could number them 1-5 the way the questions were presented. 🙂
pjcdn2005
·3 years ago@devon@ebay @kyle@ebay @elizabeth@ebay
From the fine print in the TOS, but not stated on the general EIS help pages:
- Packages must meet or exceed 7.25 inches in width and 10.25 inches in length
The same statement is in the Ebay International Standard Delivery pages yet many sellers have said that
they have shipped smaller packages than that through the EISD without any problems. Is this something that just copied from the other program without any thought put into it? Could you please check to see if those measurements will be strictly enforced? It seems silly that packages that are 4" or 6" can't be shipped this way.
Also the EIS mentions that a packing slip should be included in the package. Since this is something that a lot of sellers don't include you might want to put that information front and center when a seller is printing a label for EIS.
pjcdn2005
·3 years ago@devon@ebay @kyle@ebay @elizabeth@ebay
Sorry I realize this thread is for sellers and how they use the EIS but I would like to make a couple of comments from a buyer's point of view...
The lack of any combined shipping is very disturbing and for buyers that is giving them a very poor first impression. It is also affecting sales as many of us will only order international items if we order multiple items to combine the shipping cost. Until this is available, sellers and ebay's profits may be affected.
I assume that this will change in the future just as it did with the GSP. Although it was great that the gsp combined the international cost of shipping when the cart was used, please consider also finding a way to combine the domestic portion of shipping whenever the seller has specified combined shipping rules. Or for a way for the seller to combine the domestic shipping at the time of purchase. Just a suggestion that I think would make the EIS appealing to more buyers.
gurlcat
·3 years agoI wish he would answer these. At first I was most concerned about the $500 limit thing; now that's resolved enough for me (I rarely have anything worth over $1k and if an auction item can go up to $2.5k that's great). But now I'm MUCH more concerned about this goofy 'minimum' size thing, as most my items ship in either a small vinyl envelope or the small flat rate box. And I have those dimensions stated in all my listings, and weight as well. My listings APPEAR to be EIS, but that's only looking from my own domestic account; I can't see if they show in searches to international buyers or how much they're being quoted on shipping cost, beyond the hub. All I know is, I haven't made a single international sale since being switched from GSP to EIS. I'm not even sure when that occurred but it was at least a week ago, and for me it's starting to get a bit 'weird' statistically.
I have no intention of doing packing slips unless not including them would result in getting the items sent back to me from the hub. My printer is not near my computer so it would be annoying to have to travel to and from it repeatedly on days where I have multiple packages to ship, to load alternating copier paper and sticker label sheets.
pjcdn2005
·3 years agoYou could print your packing slips through sellers hub. That way you could do them all at once before you do anything else. It does take a few extra minutes though.
devon@ebay
Hey @wastingtime101! We reached out to the Shipping Team with your questions and this is what they wanted to share:
"No, the cap is based on item price. Also side note we just increased the ASP cap for NEW listings to 1K last week. We will re-evaluate all existing listing in the future once we confirm there are no issues."
"Auctions can go up to $2,500 if the buyer bids above this they will bid themselves out of being able to use the program. (this is how GSP works today)"
"See #2"
"In the T&C it says all items need to be a single box. If it does not fit in a 1 box without being oversized, the best solution is to cancel the order and relist it per box. (From the T&C’s it says; i. You will ship all EIS Items contained in a single order to the US Shipping Hub in one package. II. You will not combine multiple orders (either belonging to the same Buyer or different Buyers) in a single package.) This is due to taxes and duties collected we are unable to split those, so the first box to clear the hub will have all the taxes and duties associated with it, each additional box would require additional payment upon delivery."
"Sellers are responsible for items damaged in transit on the way to the domestic hub. Because sellers have control of label and carrier choice (on and off platform labels) insurance is only included if selected at the time of purchase. Photos of the damaged parcel will be provided in the event"
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoThanks for this @devon@ebay!
OK, this makes sense and explains why all of our testing on new listings showed EIS as an option for listings over $500. I take back what I said about a programming failure. 🙂
-----
Can you clarify this point? Does this mean the system will block the international buyer from placing a bid over $2.5K? Does it also mean that auction items are eligible up to $2.5K even though new fixed price listings are capped at $1K?
-----
Noted that purchases of multiple items in a single order will have to be cancelled and repurchased separately if they can't be safely shipped together in one box that meets the size requirements.
But the TOS also says: viii. If a single order requires multiple packages, each package requires a separate, unique label;
Is that an error? Does that text need to be removed from the Seller Terms of Service?
-----
The question is not about packages sellers ship to the hub. The question is about packages the hub returns to sellers. However, I just re-read the text and see that I misinterpreted it initially.
"5. Risk of Loss. The passing of risk of loss or damage to an EIS Item shall remain with you until the EIS Item is accepted at the US Shipping Hub or has been returned to you from the US Shipping Hub."
My fault. I initially read it as the risk of loss or damage would remain with the seller until the package was returned to the seller. I now realize it means once accepted at the Hub, EIS takes responsibility until the package is returned to the seller. So this question can be ignored. Sorry for the confusion. I was bound to make at least one error combing over so much fine print.
wastingtime101
OP3 years agoHey @devon@ebay. Don't want to be a pest and I know you guys have more on your plate with losing a couple teammates, but could you re-send questions from my post #11 and @pjcdn2005 post #8 to the EIS team? It's been a couple weeks. Thanks!
One more thing:
The userid @intlshipping@ebay used to come around and help with GSP questions. Looks like that ID hasn't posted in 2 years. Is it possible for the shipping team to revive that ID and help with EIS questions? ðŸ˜
devon@ebay
Hey @wastingtime101! I can get this back over to them and let you know once I hear back!
luxe_beauty_4_less
·3 years agoI was notified yesterday that I was being moved from GSP to EIS international shipping. Now today I have no international shipping option. No GSP or EIS. I have chatted with support now twice and they have no clue when it will be fixed. Who can we engage to work on this?
@devon@ebay @kyle@ebay @elizabeth@ebay
devon@ebay
Hey @luxe_beauty_4_less! We apologize about the issue you are experiencing with the transition to EIS. I can look to see if there are any other reports from other sellers running into this same thing. I do recommend to have customer support open a ticket for your account so our Tech Team can look into it.
luxe_beauty_4_less
·3 years agoI did what you're suggesting about having seller support open a ticket last Friday morning at 0530 am pacific time. I then called back 4 hours later to confirm the ticket was in. Then I chatted with the facebook folks at eBay a couple of hours later. I was told each time that a ticket was open and other sellers were also reporting this. Not sure if they were just telling me what I wanted to hear or not. But, you should be able to confirm that a ticket was open if you look at the history of my contacts with seller support. I do know that @sapphire_studio is also a beauty seller and is having the exact same issue in the same categories that I am. That has been noted in this discussion thread.