What does 'Your excluded shipping locations will soon be managed by eBay' mean?

[tkmops]

What does 'Your excluded shipping locations will soon be managed by eBay' mean?

I just got a email 'Your excluded shipping locations will soon be managed by eBay' that states:
'We're writing to let you know that starting May 16, your eBay International Shipping settings will be updated to automatically manage excluded shipping locations for your listings. This change will help you reach even more buyers on a global scale, as your items will be available to locations based on their export eligibility. Our International Shipping Policy has also been updated to reflect this change'

I currently do not ship to 219 countries, as eBay and the post office do NOT track packages beyond the US border to those countries, and do NOT offer any kind of 'protections'. I use 'international shipping', just not to those 219 countries.

What does this new policy mean?

1) that eBay now offers tracking/protections to all countries world-wide?

2) that eBay will now allow all buyers world-wide to buy my items(even if I have those 219 countries excluded), but will not track/offer protections?

3) something else?

Thanks

[kensgiftshop]

It doesn't matter if there's no tracking to other countries.

If you use Ebay International, you just have to get it to the hub.

Once there, Ebay takes care of anything that happens after that.

[popch3]

It does matter if there's no tracking to some countries...when I first started selling in the mid to late '90's, I sold a item to someone in Malaysia...they said they never got it, and eBay said that they don't track beyond US borders to that country  

[lakefor94]

@tkmops 

If you are in EIS, it don't matter where eBay ships it once it reaches the EIS hub.  When it is accepted at the hub and eBay ships it to wherever,  you get to keep the sale no matter what.

So basically, you would perhaps get more EIS sales with no risk to yourself. 

[steady2304]

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@popch3 wrote:

It does matter if there's no tracking to some countries...when I first started selling in the mid to late '90's, I sold a item to someone in Malaysia...they said they never got it, and eBay said that they don't track beyond US borders to that country  

@popch3 

No, it doesn't if you use eBay International shipping. All you are required to do is ship to the eBay consolidation hub in IL. Once it is delivered there you are done. eBay handles the International shipping and takes care of any problems such as Item Not Received, Significantly Not as Described or damage during the international shipping to the buyer. Once delivered to the hub the funds are yours and eBay covers any claims.

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[kensgiftshop]

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@popch3 wrote:

It does matter if there's no tracking to some countries...when I first started selling in the mid to late '90's, I sold a item to someone in Malaysia...they said they never got it, and eBay said that they don't track beyond US borders to that country  

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If Ebay International is used, you don't have to worry about International shipping.

You just have to get it to the US hub, then Ebay takes over.

[valueaddedresource]

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@tkmops wrote:

What does 'Your excluded shipping locations will soon be managed by eBay' mean?

I just got a email 'Your excluded shipping locations will soon be managed by eBay' that states:
'We're writing to let you know that starting May 16, your eBay International Shipping settings will be updated to automatically manage excluded shipping locations for your listings. This change will help you reach even more buyers on a global scale, as your items will be available to locations based on their export eligibility. Our International Shipping Policy has also been updated to reflect this change'

I currently do not ship to 219 countries, as eBay and the post office do NOT track packages beyond the US border to those countries, and do NOT offer any kind of 'protections'. I use 'international shipping', just not to those 219 countries.

What does this new policy mean?

1) that eBay now offers tracking/protections to all countries world-wide?

2) that eBay will now allow all buyers world-wide to buy my items(even if I have those 219 countries excluded), but will not track/offer protections?

3) something else?

Thanks

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@tkmops  Interesting, that part of the email sounds like eBay is possibly planning on overriding seller country exclusion lists. 🤔

But it also references that the terms have been updated as well and it does look like they were updated on March 12, 2024.

https://pages.ebay.com/internationalshippingprogram/seller/terms/ 

However, that update added language that says sellers are still in control of their exclusions list and there will be a toggle so they can control if the list is applied to EIS or not (presumably so they can keep exclusions for direct international shipping options, but opt not to exclude through EIS if they offer both).

Not sure if that email means they are updating it again so that eBay can automatically manage your exclusions for EIS or if the seller will still have this toggle for control.

@wastingtime101  I know you did a lot of work on understanding and documenting some of the nuances of EIS, any thoughts on this? 

[tkmops]

So, this is new eBay policy...that they 'cover'(item lost in the mail, item not received, item damaged, etc....) shipping anywhere in the world now? That's not how it's been for as long as I've been selling, since the mid '90's. I've been burned twice, many years ago, before not shipping to those 219 countries..item not arrived/damaged, and eBay would not cover it...losing the items and the $200 refunded purchase price. 

[tkmops]

So, has this policy been in place for many years? And, what's new with 'Your excluded shipping locations will soon be managed by eBay'?

In other words, if this policy has been in place for many years, why is eBay sending out this notification now? 

[tkmops]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Still somewhat confused...if I still want to ship world-wide(but not to those 219 countries, should I:

1) opt out, and keep my 219 country exclusions

2) not opt out, and trust that eBay will 'cover' all my shipments world-wide(including those 219 countries) 

[valueaddedresource]

@tkmops  just to avoid confusion, from the text of the email you provided, it looks like this would only apply to items shipping through the eBay International Shipping program (where you ship it to one of eBay's domestic hubs and eBay handles the international side of things).

It would not apply when a seller offers their own international shipping options directly.

As far as what it means in relation to the screenshot and policy I posted above, I'm not sure yet and don't want to possibly provide info that may not be correct - but I'll let you know if I find anything else out about it!

[tkmops]

Does anyone know if 'opting out' will remove your listings from the global shipping program entirely, or keep you in the global shipping program, but not implement the new changes?

I want to keep my global shipping program, but only if eBay will still provide 'cover' and 'protections'.  

[shipscript]

@tkmops 

Which items are you shipping globally? I don't see any on this account. They all have international shipping turned off, at least for the FR, AU, UK, and CA countries that I tested. And your blocked list includes every continent and region (in addition to the ones eBay blocks).

I really love this new eBay International Shipping (EIS) program, as it is far better than eBay's old Global Shipping Program was. Anything going through the EIS hub becomes eBay's responsibility once it safely reaches the hub. You pay to ship to the Illinois hub and will cover any losses on the way to the hub. EIS charges the buyer directly for the international leg (you won't see that charge), and handles any issues thereafter.

Countries are automatically blocked by EIS when items are not allowed into those countries.  If a sale goes through, and EIS discovers they can not ship it, they refund the buyer out of their own pocket and sell the item locally. If a buyer wants to return an item, for whatever reason, EIS refunds the item, collects it, and disposes of it locally. Your obligation ends at the hub, so you keep your sale and payout.

The countries to which EIS will not ship are based on embargoes, product restrictions, and value limits. So the un-shippable countries may vary by product category, and those countries will be missing from the EIS country list on your listings. Additionally, if you choose to block specific countries, EIS has, in the past, honored your choice to block those countries. I think what is changing is that EIS will no longer honor your blocked list when shipping through the hub, but you can maintain that blocked list for your non-EIS exports.

I have no excluded countries, so probably won't receive this letter. But I do see the new toggle on this page:

https://www.ebay.com/ship/prf/excludeRegions

"Allow eBay International Shipping to ship eligible listings to your currently excluded locations and we’ll take care of customs, international returns, and refunds. Excluded locations still apply when you ship on your own."

eBay allows a seller to offer both EIS and their own export methods in the same listing, so this looks like a good move to me. Sellers can choose their own gambles, and EIS can do the same.

[popch3]

Thanks for that link. It says 'Allow eBay International Shipping to ship eligible listings to your currently excluded locations and we’ll take care of customs, international returns, and refunds. Excluded locations still apply when you ship on your own.' On/Off switch.

Ah ha! If only eBay would have put the above into that original email. 

So, I'll turn that on, and if anyone who lives in one of my 219 countries buys an item, they will be forced, in the check-out page, to use the 'global shipping program', where I am covered, and have those 'protections'?

I just want to make sure, as I have had buyers in those 219 counties, buy an item, but bypass the global shipping options, and somehow, place their order using 'direct shipping'(no eBay protections'.) Then I have to cancel the order(some buyers get 'pissy' about it), refund their funds, and relist the item. I don't want to go through all that again.   

[stainlessenginecovers]

How do you use International Shipping if you have EVERY country blocked/excluded?? (219??)