Sold fragile item, but its an International buyer

[jchajecki]

I don't usually accept international buyers but unfortunately an international buyer has won an item I am selling. The item is fragile and a considerable risk to send internationally. The listing shows the GSP address in Lincoln as the ship to address.

I contacted eBay but unfortunately the gentleman I spoke to, although trying to be helpful, could not tell me plainly how GSP works? He could also not tell me why an International bid was accepted despit me specifically choosing not to accept international bidders?

Am I supposed to send to the GSP address and pay for domestic postage only, or do I need to pay the full international postage? Can I cancel the order and sell to the next highest bidder using second chance? I am worried and don't really want to ship this Internationally.

[jchajecki]

I think I have found some helpful info here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/global-shipping-programme/default/global-shipping-programme?id=4646#sect...

"The buyer pays this postage fee to cover the cost of international tracked postage from the UK shipping centre. All you have to do is post the item to the shipping centre, and all you have to pay is the cost of that postage – just like you would if you were posting to a UK buyer."

So at least I know now that I pay for postage to the GSP centre only. However, it does seem that there are additional listing fees. I am still concerned about the risk of sending the item internationally. It seems that cancelling the item also carries a risk as it *may* affect my seller rating apparently, although eBay does not specify the terms and conditions so it seems I am caught between a risky international shipping or affecting my seller rating. Great.

[mybigsale]

I use the USA eBay version of the GSP.  Looks like the UK version works very similar. You only need to get your package safely to your shipping center. The GSP is (financially) responsible to make sure it arrives safely at the destination. You only pay for shipping to the GSP center. Buyer pays other fees.

Here is a quote from the GPS link jchajecki sent:

• You aren't responsible for item loss or damage that occurs after the item reaches the UK Shipping Centre. Once an item has been forwarded by the UK Shipping Centre, you won't be responsible for refunding the buyer if an eBay Money Back Guarantee or PayPal Buyer Protection case is filed against you for one of the following reasons:
• A buyer claims an item isn't received or a package is damaged in transit

[jchajecki]

Thanks for the reply.  Why does eBay allow International bidder to place bids on items if the seller has specified their home country only? What is the point of having that as a listing option then?

I have to admit that I am panicking about this now and am edging towards cancelling the order, but on the other hand, this will be disappointing to the buyer who has been willing to pay overseas shipping so I get the impression that either way this can only end badly.

[downunder-61]

If you have domestic only and an international buyer has slipped through you can cancel and refund using Problem with Buyers Address.

A lot of people will tell you this is not the right way to do things, but as eBay have no way of stopping this from happening, when in the past with Paypal it was preventable, they do not tend to clamp down on your using this reason.

If you really feel shipping offshore is unsafe, I would cancel and explain to the buyer.

[jchajecki]

Thanks. I have sent a note to the buyer explaining the risk and asking them whether they intended to ship Internationally. I imagine they have as they have already paid the International shipping cost, but at least I can confirm that they are happy with accepting the risk. I guess if they accept then I will post it to the GSP address.

I see that the cost of the postage labels that eBay are offering are wrong as usual. The actual cost according to the ParcelForce website for a 14kg parcel is twice as much as eBay have quoted. I have run into this in the past and the parcel was not accepted at the post office so I ended up having to cancel the label and purchase direct from the courier instead. Quite why eBay seem to get this consistently get this wrong I am not sure. At least it is not offering a label for up to 2kg as it often does this time!

[jchajecki]

Well, the reply from the buyer wasn't particularly helpful. Basically along the lines that new items are shipped Internationally every day so they don't see the problem. I do take their point to an extent, but this is not a new item and it is not in specifically designed packaging. I have done the best I can with the packaging and can only hope it gets there OK but I cannot help but be worrying from now until this is over - one way or another.

[soh.maryl]

Give this some thought:  If a seller is shipping only to the GSP location, it is, in eBay's eyes, a local location.  Is your GSP not located in your country?

[soh.maryl]

But the OP is shipping to the GSP, which is not an "offshore" location.

The seller's responsibility ends when the item arrives at the GSP.  

[soh.maryl]

Am I missing something here?  Although the buyer is presumably in an offshore location, his address is more or less local if it's the UK GSP.  Don't understand exactly the concern here, especially from a seller with an 18 year history.  If I am missing some factor here, feel free to return and explain what the concern would be.  

[jchajecki]

The only factor I suppose is that I have not had to ship overseas before and the further it has to go and the more hands it has to go through, the greater the risk of damage. You are correct that the GSP I am sending to is in the UK so I guess it could be looked upon as shipping within this country. However, although eBay say they take responsibility from that point, I take their guarantees with a pinch of salt. Nevertheless, I have decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and give it a try. I am bracing myself for the possibility that I may end up having to write this sale off and its not an insignificant amount, but we will see what happens. It will go down to the collection point first thing in the morning.

[janet9988]

So in order for the international buyer to buy from you using the GSP.....You would have to already be signed up for it and it would show a s a shipping option.

You would KNOW if you signed up or not.  Does it show on the listing?????

None of your listings show up for me (shipping to USA) so your as far as I can tell you are NOT signed up to the GSP program.

[jchajecki]

janet9988, its nothing I have ever signed up for. Looking at the listing, I have selected to not ship to countries that eBay does not recommend and these are listed, but there is also a long list of countries that I apparently do ship to. This not something that I have selected so I am assuming this is something that eBay has imposed and then updated the terms and conditions without specifically saying so, but nothing that I am aware of signing up to.

When I list, I always specifically un-select the option to use GSP which implies that I ship locally only. Of course, there is always the possibility it got missed in error for this listing although I cannot tell as it does not show me in the order details. The fact that is has a long list of ship-to countries might be taken to mean that it did get missed I suppose, but I don't know for sure. 

davidsch_29, in answer to your question is seems eBay dictates terms and I appear to have limited control over this. Since I am listing on their service I am obliged to accept their terms. I have been given to understand that regardless of what I put in the listing, I will be bound by those terms. However, I will be making it clear in future listings where I will not ship Internationally.

[santamonicajeweler]

If you could ship GSP, that means you've been signed up for it. When you created the Sales Venue, you might have gone through similar item being sold on eBay and clicked on 'Sell Similar'. eBay U K  site has special copyright extensions to it, so no one other than community members in UK( with some restrictions)  have an option of 'Sell Similar' items from that site

Once you sell a similar item and use the option, your shipping mode changes to that listing. Simply because the Sales Venue is not yours. So you're using someone else's setup 

Anyway, you're done. Congratulations on the sale. Pack the item very well. Make it ready for the long trip. You pay the postage to GSP center only. Buy an insured label to cover yourself for damages accord in shipping to GSP center. Once package is landed there, you're done. Buyer has paid for shipping there off. Package is insured for loss and damage thereafter 

If there are no Customs' issues, package will continue its way to the Buyer. If there is an issue; like hazardous materials or else, package will be returned to you. Again, package is insured for loss or damage on its way back to you

Hope I covered all your questions,

[soh.maryl]

It can be EXACTLY looked upon as shipping within the UK.  Is the delivery address not within the UK?   Read more elsewhere about the GSP.  You, the seller, are only responsible for its arrival at the GSP location.