Problems with Ebay International Standard Delivery

[jinxremover13]

I started using Ebay International Standard Delivery (not GSP) right after it became an option. It was slightly cheaper than International First Class Package rates and offered insurance up to $100 on shipments.

Over that time I've had maybe a dozen packages get over-charged. Apparently anything within a 1/2 ounce of a billing threshold (ie 7.5 ounces) has the possibility of being marked heavier and being billed and the next highest rate. This usually results in an extra $7-10 shipping charge. What I can't figure out is if the shipping center is repacking these items before weighing or whether their scales are just off. Does anyone have any ideas about this?

The other issue I've had just happened today. An item I shipped two weeks ago just arrived back at my house. It was processed by the shipping center, an international shipping label was attached to the package, and it used my address as the delivery address. There was nothing indicating there was a problem with the buyer's address.  I can't figure out how this is even possible. 

[pricelesstreasurablellc]

It has been a REAL STRUGGLE and HUGE PIA (pain in the a$$) using EBay International Shipping! 

SUPER FRUSTRATING when I have had (17), yes, (17) total new in box Barbie dolls returned as PROHIBITED items to countries that I’ve sent to this entire year the same type of item to and it was successfully delivered. Now it literally is happening on almost every other order that’s made by an international buyer...? WHY? I spoke to ebays team probably (3) total hours about the issue and they could not figure out why it continues to happen and even spoke to the shipping department via chat and they said they were going to escalate it because it was something that they weren’t aware was happening... well from the looks of it, I bet hundred of packages are being returned and if eBay hasn’t taken time to give these reports to the execs well that is AMAZING because they are losing money also with so many “return to seller” purchases occurring for items that ALSO “sometimes” still make it through. 

EXAMPLE:

- Shipped two NIB Barbie Dolls to two different buyers in Australia on same day at the beginning of June. 

- Barbie doll No. #1 was processed in KY and then it moved to the next stage of process to be sent oversees. Okay, 👌🏻 perfect. 

- Barbie doll No. #2 was still showing up in “being processed” in KY for another 5 days... and then received the lovely email that I get now weekly on the reg... which goes a little something like this:

————————
“Hello, 

We are contacting you regarding the following order(s) that were shipped with eBay international standard delivery. Our shipping partners have notified us that the items included cannot be delivered, so the package(s) are being returned to you.

If not listed below, we will add tracking for the return shipment to the eBay transaction once it is available. If you have additional questions, please contact eBay customer service.  

• Order: 24-07292-02037 Item Qty: 1
  • Buyer: k****
  • Shipping Destination: Australia
  • Original Tracking #: ESU***
  • Return Tracking #: ESUS****/USPS:9461*****
  • Return Reason: Restricted/Prohibited Item. These issues can include custom restrictions, country sanctions, brand restrictions or eBayprogram restrictions.

You will not be charged for the eBayinternational standard delivery shipping label or the return label. We ask that that you complete the following:

• Ensure the return address specified on your eBay account is accurate. Check now.
• Upon receipt of each item, please promptly refund your customer. Order and item detail links can be found on your Orders page.

We apologize for the inconvenience. Fortunately, the return(s) will present an opportunity to relist the items again. Thank you for helping your customers. We are glad to have you as a part of eBay and wish you the best in future sales on the site.

Sincerely,
The eBay Shipping Team            

- I cannot be the ONLY SELLER wanting to pull their hair out and having this issue that NEVER was an issue for any past international Barbie doll sales until end of May and I figured it would get resolved by now but it has not and doesn’t seem like eBay even has a handle on this with their consolidation center so, “HEY EBAY, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND READ THIS MESSAGE AND THEN GO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM ASAP SO YOUR SELLERS CAN CONTINUE SELLING INTERNATIONALLY - MAYBE DHL ISN'T THE BEST PARTNER TO HAVE AND YOU NEED A NEW ONE...!

[lcp45]

YES! YES! YES!

Same issue just started for me. Dolls shipped to Australia and Netherlands returned this last week. Never made it out of Kentucky. "Restricted/prohibited", ...say what? Why?

I've never had issues before.

So glad to read on this thread I'm not alone in this nightmare. I cringe to think of my other International sales that are in transit right now. Money in the balance. 

Thank you posters for sharing the results of your efforts on the phone with eBay. 

No more International Standard Delivery for me. 

[jinxremover13]

Here's something I learned. 

The insurance (up to $100) that is supposed to be provided for Ebay International Standard Delivery shipments is automatically denied if you file a claim more than 90 days after the ship date.

[jinxremover13]

Starting to view this service as engaging in scam behavior.

A package that weighed no more than  6 ounces was marked as .503 pounds at the shipment center.

There's absolutely no way it's a coincidence that so many packages are routinely being weighed in at five hunderths of an ounce over the threshold. 

[jinxremover13]

I hate to keep coming back here but I had an entirely new mishap today.

Seller in Mexico says he received the wrong item.

It turns out that the shipping center slapped my international label on some other seller's package. Once the buyer peeled back the DHL label it had an Ebay-printed label to the shipping center from different seller addressed to a different buyer.

Unreal.

[mildredagnes]

A similar thing just happened to me. Two international packages went out on the same day, one to Austria, the other to China. I just received a message from the Austrian buyer who had received the package meant for China. The weird thing is, the customs form attached to the back of the package was correct; it referenced the item that he/she SHOULD have received. I am assuming that the Austrian buyer's item is now in China. I have no idea how to rectify this and have a bad feeling that I will have to stop selling to international buyers.

[jinxremover13]

This info may be too late to help you but you should contact Ebay Customer Service about this problem before refunding any buyers.

You may be able to get Ebay to reimburse you for the mix-up at the shipping center but if you pro-actively refund the buyer they view it as you taking responsibility for the problem.

[formylittleones]

STOP USING EBAY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING!

1) Tracking stops at customs.  Scamming buyers know this and will file a non-receipt of item. They get their item and their money back. Ship with UPS or DHL, guaranteed delivery confirmation which will protect you for buyer claims. 

2) Their crappy insurance will only reimburse you up to $100 total.  So if your item is over $100, well too bad!  If you paid for the international shipping cost, you won't get a dime of that back.   Go with UPS or DHL, you can add more coverage for items worth more than $100.

3) 50% of my packages shipped with Ebay International the past few months have incorrectly marked as prohibited item, returned to me for unknown reason, or buyer pulls the not-received scam.   When I ship with other carriers, internationally, 100% success.  Don't ship with USPS international, other than Canada and few countries.  Their delivery confirmation is unreliable and package will never be marked as delivered = buyer no-receipt scams.

Good luck, you been warned!

[mechanic1342]

Ebay International Standard Delivery offers lower shipping rates to BUYERS. eBay would have you believe that the lower shipping costs will promote/increase your international sales. Here's what really happens.

The Buyer pays for the item and for the stated or calculated shipping rate.
The Seller then ships the item and pays the International shipping rate which has been paid for by the Buyer.
Everything is good, so far, UNLESS you use eBay International Standard Delivery!
eBay then charges the Seller an outrageous shipping fee on top of the shipping label the Seller already bought!

The minimum eBay International Standard Delivery fee to ship to any country is $12.00. The fee goes up from there depending on weight and what country you ship to.

The shipping label is addressed to the eBay shipping center (or whatever they call it).
As long as the package meets shipping requirements, all eBay does is relabel the item and ships it to the Buyer by slow boat.

What do you get for your $12.00? $100 insurance. That's it!

For a $10.00 sale, you get charged a minimum of $12.00. You've now lost your sale amount and an additional $2.00! That's not counting the eBay selling fees you already paid!

The monthly statement spreadsheets I got from eBay last year only stated "eBay Delivery Services Shipping Label Fee" for the shipping.
It wasn't until around September 2021 that eBay finally gave a description of the actual carrier used, such as USPS Priority, Fedex, etc.
That's when I discovered "eBay Delivery Services Shipping Label Fee" was an additional charge!

Too late for my discovery. After I audited all my monthly statements, I discovered that I paid $446.00 for eBay International Standard Delivery shipping fees last year.
And for what? $100 insurance that I never used?

eBay International Standard Delivery is of NO benefit to the Seller -- unless you want to pay an exhorbitant amount for $100 insurance.

[mechanic1342]

EBAY NOW FORCING ME TO USE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD DELIVERY!

I was going to print a label to Australia. The ONLY shipping option was eBay's International Standard Delivery!

Bull!

I contacted eBay. I agent told me that eBay's International Standard Delivery was the only way I could ship.

I argued the matter further but he held firm.

SO-O-O-O, I looked at another international shipment ready to print. ALL USPS services were available!

I printed the label, custom forms and all, without using eBay Internationl Standard Delivery!

NOW, the agent decided there was indeed an eBay issue!

He said eBay's going to look at my issue. I got the case or incident number.

Meanwhile I contacted the Buyer to let him know there will be a delay in shipping.

Thanks a lot eBay! You're really trying to squeeze more money from Sellers! It doesn't "feel" good!

[ramdaddi]

Start looking in to offerup.  I am.

[revenue-collector]

USPS has still suspended shipping to Australia, so that is why eBay International Standard is the only option. Presumably eBay uses a different carrier instead of USPS once shipments reach their domestic distribution center(s).

That's why you see this limitation to Australia (and I believe some other Pacific destination countries), but not other countries when you go to ship.

[sassykzt]

Last year I had so many problems w/ eBay International Std. delivery ( customers getting the wrong items or items not being correctly re wrapped after inspection - a total mess!, and items being sent back for no reason).  Go to Pirateship and ask for their special export rate.  Since  6/2021 I have shipped   1, 884  international packages though Pirateship ( I sell on 3 other platforms), number of problems: 0!  There were 3 slight ( 5 - 7 days ) delays to Australia  when USPS suspended service.  Pirateship has wonderful, prompt customer service.  

[mechanic1342]

Yes, I soon found that USPS suspended all but Global Express to Australia.

Yes, eBay is obviously using another shipper because if I can't ship Priority, neither can eBay. And, the buyer specifically requested Priority Mail!

I cancelled the order because eBay would charge me $27.00 to ship. I would have lost a $10 sale plus an additional $17! For what? $100 insurance? Priority Mail already guarantees $100 insurance.

I ignorantly used eBay's international standard shipping last year. The sale was $100.

A month later, eBay charged me $153.00 shipping!!!

Never again, eBay.

[henry11417]

Sold tennis racquet to buyer in Canada. eBay charges  buyer $18 for international standard; let's me purchase label for $18. However, length limit for this shipping is 27 inches. Racquet is over 27 without box. Listing was 29 inches,  boxed it was 29. 

Weeks from now I will be charged $32.46 more (for correct shipping category). 

I discussed with eBay: they suggested (1) I discuss added shipping codts directly with buyer, (2) I consider alternate shipping methods (all are much more expensive). 

It's  a simple length limit and they mess it up, systematically. 

Truly and deeply  disgusted  with eBay.