Global Shipping Program is expensive, slow, and a disincentive to bidding

[aramatic]

The Global Shipping Program is one of the worst things to happen to eBay, at least from my perspective as a Canadian buyer of US items. First off, there is the built-in slow progress, whereby an item to be sent, say, from Seattle, Washington to Vancouver, BC (across the border) travels from Seattle to Erlanger, KY, is repacked there, sent to Mississauga, ON (3000 miles from BC), is repacked there, and finally sent to its destination. A make-work program if ever there was one, and along the way Pitney-Bowes pockets so-called "import charges" that are never collected for items of moderate value crossing the border. And as if this weren't bad enough, we're never even told what the import charges are until checkout! An item selling for $15 plus $11 for shipping then gets something like $6 slapped on only after the commitment to purchase. This is really stupid. The whole program is a disincentive to bid on smaller items.

[7606dennis]

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@deb-lon wrote:

It's pretty hard to avoid the GSP when it's attached to 90% of the items available....

I have no problem paying whats owed at customs. The problem comes in when PB refuses to combine shipping on separate items purchased from the same seller. When you have to pay for shipping AND their brokerage fee on each item, instead of the single package they receive, it brings shipping/import fees to astronomical levels.

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Alas!  If sellers don't wish to sell internationally and only agree to do it using the GSP scheme, there is little option left to buyers.  Frankly, I don't see any other option other than trying to convince those sellers to abandoned the GSP program and ship internationally.  I seriously doubt that that could be accomplished. 

One of the reasons that sellers abandoned international sales was problems with international buyers complaining about having to pay customs fees and wanting sellers to mark things as gifts or use lower values on the customs' forms.  So some sellers simply decided not to sell internationally.  The GSP scheme was adopted to entice those sellers to offer their goods to international buyers by eliminating much of the hassle for the sellers.  Of course, eBay & P-B aren't going to do it for free. 

I suppose that there is a chance some sellers would opt to sell internationally without the GSP, but there is a strong chance that many would simply opt to not do so.  So there is a chance that although it would be less costly for buyers, there would be less products available for them to purchase.

[touchwoodtoad]

I agree with your opening statement. As a UK buyer with many other friends who also collect on Facebook groups etc, I can confirm that Ebay GSP has all but killed off the transatlantic collectors' market. The service is also painfully slow. Many I know now simply trade via Facebook groups.

[yhlml]

I sent a package to Canada on 06/07 and it was delivered on 06/13. I never had a problem with the gsp.

[postingid2017]

Would it be better is sellers used Express Mail for International pkgs?  

[soh.maryl]

The GSP doesn't support combined shipping.

If you have seen information to the contrary, feel free to post it here. 

[postingid2017]

The 2nd typed paragraph was why I no longer wanted to sell internationally  -  I even had a buyer claim that the item sent was damaged (which it was not) and accused me of the damage and refused to cooperate w/the insurance claim - I just got sick of her, refunded and moved on.  She was from The Land Down Under.    At this time in my life, I do not have the time nor patience to deal with 'Doug and Wendy Whinner' (from a MadTV), as I barely have time for myself.  On the 'E' site, I state that, sorry, no International shipping.  

[jeffchristy]

Well said, I agree. It’s a huge deterrent from shopping on eBay period. Not even remotely competitive in any way with Amazon. I recently paid $21 shipping for a set of 2 keys!! The other problem with the expensive shipping is sellers are forced to ask less money than they should for items. 

[jules-of-radstock]

Looking at an item in the States right now priced at $749.95. GSP is $227.45. If I was to pay duty instead when it arrived into the UK, it would be $149+$10 handling. How can GSP justify the extra $80, when the seller is charging £77.04 for shipping anyway.

[kh-vince]

Hello Everyone,

Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies.  Please feel free to start a new thread HERE if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thanks for understanding!