new International Shipping program plans ... what gives?

[puredesignhome]

In the Fall Seller announcement, under rollout dates, I see this:

"September 2022

• eBay International Shipping simplifies international shipping "

The message from eBay (on the last day of September) that killed the discussion of the program said this:

"We're closing this board from further questions and replies. We will continue to work with our internal teams to make sure outstanding questions are addressed next week. "

(a) can we conclude there's a new rollout date, and when is it?

(b) could you add a note to the closed thread (and/or here) about where these answers will appear? The search function for discussions leaves something to be desired.

(c) suggestions for the future: rather than dropping brilliant new ideas on our heads out of the blue, have a test group, or solicit input prior to launch. That clearly didn't happen here, as there were some glaring disconnects just within the announcements, that anyone not proofreading their own work would have caught. It almost feels like you were trying to surprise us with "new unavoidable program dropping in a few days" so we wouldn't have time to grumble about it. Not that eBay would ever do that.

[powell-memorabilia]

eBay intl shipping looks like a huge improvement over any of their current programs - a real no-brainer.  You aren’t forced to use it, and it is clearly a step up from the already solid GSP.  I can’t imagine what would be an objection to this program - the lower cost to buyers or the lower fees to sellers?  AND, I don’t see why they would push out the launch date - I’m looking forward to the enrollment.

[robxznyc]

The objection to GSP and GSP 2.0 is that International buyers will pay higher shipping cost and full import taxes either during checkout or when order arrives at the customs. When seller ships directly, shipping cost is lower and there is some flexibility with import taxes. The main improvement of GSP 2.0 is the removal of seller's international return risk. To some sellers its benefit may outweigh the cost of losing buyers. 

[femmefan1946]

There have been two problems reported on eBayCanada.

Because the ISP does not charge import fees (duty, sales tax, service fee) up front, which the GSP does, it appears cheaper.

Buyers are then shocked when they are charged import fees on delivery (Canada charges duty on imports over $150Cdn and sales taxes on imports over $40Cdn.) ($117USD and $31.29USD respectively).

Shared with the GSP, the last mile carriers are hired based on lowest tender. And some of them are absolutely awful. USPS/Canada Post have a smooth interface, which has been in place, oh, since Benjamin Franklin was Postmaster General for all of British North America. The cheap tenders are all to often from three guys with trucks and no understanding of the delivery business. Tracking is abysmal.

The best system in my opinion, at least for us Canadian buyers,  is USPS First Class International Package which offers Confirmation of Delivery and that smooth interface.

[farmalljr]

Well, I CAN see some objections.

1 Sellers MAY be waiting for payment from said items, until AFTER it is delivered AND the the buyer notifies eBay the item is acceptable. 

2 Returns and how they are handled, is confusing. One says eBay will handle all returns, one place says ebay MAY pass those costs to you AND keep the item. 

The language surrounding this new program is murky at best. There is really nothing cut and dried, transparent, about this new policy. Mods say one thing, TOS say something else. They contradict each other. 

Personally, I am not going to be an early adopter, and likely not an adopter at all. I will likely stop offering international sales. No reason I should have to wait for payment, no reason I want to possibly get stuck with shipping expenses both ways around the world. 

And for those thinking these are the same companies handling the GSP shipping, it isn't. This is a new company. They are going to be opening packages and assuring what sellers are sending is "as described". After seeing all the trouble people are having with authenticators and the programs, I'll pass. Not interested in being a Guinea pig or a lab rat. Not interested in having my merchandise stolen. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

I'm not sure what you're looking at, but I thought they said November-ish at Open.  It's already in test mode. 

Those who are already in GSP will be rolled over first.  I'm looking fwd to it. 

[thesolaredge]

I'm still confused as to the difference between this and eBay standard international ?

Also if they are going to open up mail then count me out, I will just ship with USPS

[nocoolnamejane]

The whole waiting after delivery for payment to be released thing was cleared up by a blue on another thread. They said that wording was a mistake and that payments would be processed like for any other sale.

[lightningmcqueen190]

Can you link to where they said the wording was a mistake? From what I saw eBay staff responses totally contradicted what was said in the press release and the terms of service but they never outright stated that either of those were wrong. Unless the TOS have been updated it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence that we just have to assume a staff response in some thread is the correct stance to go by. The way returns and INR cases will be handled with this program were stately vaguely and almost sound too good to be true.

[puredesignhome]

Citation needed for "we aren't forced to use it" ('it' being the new program).

For a list of potential issues, read the questions posed by sellers in the discussion of the announcement.

[puredesignhome]

I'm looking at this:

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/timeline

September 2022

• eBay International Shipping simplifies international shipping 

[puredesignhome]

The TOS states explicitly that nothing short of a signed-by-god retraction will trump what's literally in the TOS, so no Blue has the power to set policy in a discussion thread.

For my money, the INR policy can't possibly be right, coming from a company that often worries about pennies (insertion fees) or $.30 (returns with eBay payments) on $1000 items. That, and the number of questions raised (and ducked by eBay) about the wording of the announcement tells me this was a "ready, fire, aim" policy announcement, and is not to be trusted on its face until eBay steps up and says something. Unfortunately, I've seen that announcement neither here nor in the original thread, in spite of this a week ago:

"We're closing this board from further questions and replies. We will continue to work with our internal teams to make sure outstanding questions are addressed next week."

Granted, it's only be 7 days, but I'm not holding my breath.

[ittybitnot]

I'm still confused as to the difference between this and eBay standard international ?

@thesolaredge 

eBay International Standard Delivery is an additional program offered by eBay.  It is often confused with the GSP since they often use the same Erlanger, Ky address.   EISD has no seller protection other than an insurance policy for up to $100. 

Though the GSP (Global Shipping Program) is being replaced, you can view the differences here.  The GSP had protections in place for sellers for Item Not Received or Damaged in Shipment so long as the buyer used the eBay claim system.  All protections of this sort are VOID if the buyer does a chargeback.  (That is why I asked the question in the Seller Update thread, since the terminology was the same for protections "if the buyer files an eBay claim".

eBay international standard delivery

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/ebay-international-standar...

or the

Global Shipping Program

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/global-shipping-program?id...

[ittybitnot]

The TOS states explicitly that nothing short of a signed-by-god retraction will trump what's literally in the TOS, so no Blue has the power to set policy in a discussion thread.

@puredesignhome 

Exactly, and for the questions that were NOT avoided and had actual answers that contradicted or added to the printed word you can bet I took some screenshots.  

[puredesignhome]

Bumping this. From eBay, on the Seller Update Announcement board:

09-30-2022 02:21 PM

Hi everyone~

We're closing this board from further questions and replies. We will continue to work with our internal teams to make sure outstanding questions are addressed next week.

Crickets. Maybe I lapsed into a coma, but once again, it looks like eBay has overpromised and underdelivered. If you're going to rush announcements, at least leave yourself the bandwidth to fix the things.