Global Shipping Program and Shipping to Germany

[revdrhull]

I have a customer in Germany who really wants to buy my item. 

Offer is $750.

Package is large, 19" x 19" x 15" and weighs 63 pounds.

As I don't normally ship internationally and did not care to do all the paperwork, I chose the GSP program.

The problem is I found that GSP only uses  USPS Priority Mail Express International.

Germany regulations specifically call out that any USPS Priority Express packages valued >$500 will be rejected.

I've also tried eBay international standard delivery but it's max weight is 10 pounds.

So frustrating...there has to be a way.

Any help is appreciated!!!

thanks in advance!

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

Once the package reaches the global shipping program, they do not use usps.   In the listing it states "International Priority" but that is not usps Priority, it is just a generic term.    Although they do use the postal system in some countries, for the most part they use other carriers.

On the gsp info page they do list a maximum dollar amount for some countries, Germany is not listed separately so it looks as if the max. is $2500.

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

[santamonicajeweler]

Use FedEx or UPS, see if you could 

I checked, your package will cost you $189 to Germany via UPS. Don't worry about paperworks, go to your near-by UPS Store, they'll help you with it

[itsjustasprain]

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@revdrhull wrote:

I have a customer in Germany who really wants to buy my item. 

Offer is $750.

Package is large, 19" x 19" x 15" and weighs 63 pounds.

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TBH that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen - especially if the buyer claims shipping damage once it gets there. You either refund at that time or pay even more to get it back first.

To answer your question though - it looks like you could subdivide those items in your listings - I assume its the animation cels? - and send a series of smaller lighter packages instead. Those might stand a better chance of making it intact.

[nocoolnamejane]

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@santamonicajeweler wrote:

Use FedEx or UPS, see if you could 

I checked, your package will cost you $189 to Germany via UPS. Don't worry about paperworks, go to your near-by UPS Store, they'll help you with it

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DO NOT ship directly to your German buyer through FedEx or UPS, they will get hit with a substantial brokerage fee and you’ll have a very unhappy buyer. There are also instances where the seller, as shipper, was billed for the unpaid taxes/fees when the buyer refused to pay for them.

Only use USPS or the GSP for international orders.

[pjcdn2005]

I agree that it would be a bad idea to ship to another country via courier  unless the buyer has agreed and is aware of the extra costs and brokerage fees.  Otherwise, those fees will be an unexpected added cost to the buyer.

[santamonicajeweler]

Lets hear the truth;

'In the vast majority of cases the sender will only take responsibility for the Transportation charges and if they do not select a billing option for Duties & Taxes on the FedEx international air waybill.

The default will be Bill Recipient for any Duties & Taxes levied on the importation, in the majority of cases when the shipper has made payment to FedEx this only relates to the Transportation charges.'

ask.fedex.com/help/en-il/account-payments/Shipper-is-paying-all-charges

And here is UPS on the issue: 

Who pays Customs Duties, Fees or Taxes?

Either the seller or the buyer of a shipment must pay customs duties, fees or taxes. Generally, the party responsible for payment is prearranged in the shipper and receiver’s terms of sale. (Check your terms of sale to learn whether you’re responsible.) Terms will typically require the buyer to pay. This is called Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU).

If a shipment is DDU, the buyer pays any applicable customs duties, fees or taxes when the shipment arrives at the border - before the shipment can be delivered. However, if the shipment is designated Delivery Duty Paid (DDP), the seller pays. Typically, merchants will ship DDP and pass the cost along to the consumer up front.

Depending on the quantity or value of what you’re shipping, and where the shipment is going, there may be no costs at all. Use our landed costs estimator to calculate what your expected costs are likely to be.'

www.ups.com/us/en/support/international-tools-resources/understanding-customs.page

Sure, Sellers would pay for all kind of charges like; Tax, Fees or brokerage, if the terms and condition of sale says so. So, read the fine print on your Sales Venue prior to shipping a package to a foreign country. Be sure and double check, as a Seller, you are not obligated yourself to pay for anything other than transportation costs. If you see no mention of the issue, so you're automatically and legally cleared. Be sure, ask someone who knows, like a cashier or shipping manager to steer you clear of marking your shipping slip in the wrong way. If you don't commit to pay anything other than transportation costs, you wouldn't be billed 

[glgenterprise]

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@nocoolnamejane wrote:

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@santamonicajeweler wrote:

Use FedEx or UPS, see if you could 

I checked, your package will cost you $189 to Germany via UPS. Don't worry about paperworks, go to your near-by UPS Store, they'll help you with it

---

DO NOT ship directly to your German buyer through FedEx or UPS, they will get hit with a substantial brokerage fee and you’ll have a very unhappy buyer. There are also instances where the seller, as shipper, was billed for the unpaid taxes/fees when the buyer refused to pay for them.

Only use USPS or the GSP for international orders.

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Cannot emphasis this more. I had a nightmare of a package going to Canada where the buyer wanted the "cheapest" shipping possible. Which was UPS. Until they refused the package based on the duty/fees they were going to have to pay to get the package out of customs. I ended up out the package and the money. I'm absolutely sure the POS buyer took the the PP forced refund and then paid the duty on the package.

GPS knows what they are doing, to a point. I've had international buyers ask why there is not a shipping option for them, and it always turns out that either the item is not able to be imported to the country in question or the package is too large/valuable to go through their program. If GSP is showing as an shipping option to Germany it does not violate the regs to import into Germany.

My only issues with GSP have been when they have incorrectly determined the item cannot be shipped to the country in question once they have the item, and refund the buyer and keep the item. They don't take funds from me, but I'd usually prefer to get the item back.