Global Shipping Program probably is a scam?

[eccentrics99]

I am from Thailand & I recently made a purchase of an item from ebay using the Global Shipping Program. It is a Bose speaker.

I was in doubt in the first place and sent an email to ebay support to double confirmed about the claim that I do not need to pay any custom charges as I've paid them upfront with the Global Shipping Program. I was assured that I need not to pay anything extra upon delivery.

The package reached Fedex Thailand facility on 2 October and amazingly Fedex Thailand seems mixed up the package with other package that my company used to order using Fedex service. I was told that I need to get a forwarder to clear the packageon my own which after that I got one of my colleague to speak with the customer service and got it sort out. YES! They miss-understood the package and thought it was some aircraft spare part. OH My... these Fedex dudes work like robot and don't even read the item description on the shipping slip! 

And the next nightmare came, the package was hold 'in cage' by customs of Thailand, which I believe this was caused by Fedex as they 'thought' it was aircraft spare part. Anyhow, 7 days later, as of today, after numerous calls to Fedex Thailand, which seems like having different personnel picking the calls and no one really following up on this case; today I received a slip of custom charges at THB7829.15 (about USD250). Not forgetting to mention that in Fedex tracking system, the package was noted as released from customs on 3 October and signed, received by consignee on 4 OCT!!! is this a way on how Fedex Thailand keep up their KPIs?

So the question now is, I have black and white email proof from ebay customer services assuring me that I DO NOT need to pay anything else upon delivery of my item, and yet I still get charged for this ridiculous custom charges which in the first place I will not bought the item from ebay if it wasn't the assurance given.

I have wrote to ebay again and hopefully they will revert me soonest with the so called 'solution' to this case. Till then, for those buyers outside of US who is in doubt about Global Shipping Program, especially those in Thailand, please take note, IT IS NOT WORKING AS IT IS CLAIMED by ebay. and to Fedex Thailand, you sucks.

[retrorokits]

I also try to avoid buying from anyone using the Global shipping rubbish, sellers should realize they are losing business!!!

[the_stone_roses]

Thailand does not participate in the Global Shipping Programme I know this without even having to bother checking. Thai customs will just laugh even if they bother to read or understand it everything and anything that comes into Thailand is subject to import charge. I bought a load of clothes from Pretty Green and was charged the same in import charges as what the clothes cost me! gutted!! The saying here is "up to you" in other words pay or we keep it!!

[monmouth64]

They charged VAT to buyer from something from UK. As any one knows buyers outside are exempt but import charges far exceed customs guidelines. Why isn't this in news I'm US? It will be. Watch out and opt out

[kramer51b]

What an absolute rip of this GSP is. I'm in Australia and sellers with this option make items so cost prohibitive that I just move on. I have bought items without it and they arrive quite okay. It's just a blatant scam. I don't hesitate to ask to buy 'under the table' now because Ebay isn't playing fair so why not? Buy local or Gumtree. Interestingly, there is an opt out for sellers so I'm wondering if there is a financial benefit for the seller?

[hsbuy]

Hi here, been selling 12 years on Ebay and guarantee there is no financial benifit for the seller.  I have found out if I don't offer global, then my items aren't shown to the international community.  I will change the listing if asked

[kramer51b]

Thanks for clarifying that hs. Most I have asked get all agro and claim they will lose their Ebay accounts. Total scam. I'm now looking at Etsy more because the shipping is reasonable. Sorry Ebay sellers....

[vinylzone-records]

Quote by hsbuy: "... I have found out if I don't offer global, then my items aren't shown to the international community..." Not true!! I buy from many US sellers who don't GSP and their listings appear without a problem when I search for items that are located worldwide! Don't let the Ebay scammers fool you!

[gameon456]

I have read about some who bought something out of US to the Netherlands 

When you buy from the US with the GSP you have to pay custom duty they calculate up front.

However when customs picks you parcel at arrival you have to pay customs duty again over the total amount .

So customs fees over item value and custom fees..!

As i'm located in the Netherlands i called customs in the Netherland about this GSP / customs fees .

The employee had no idee what this was and even after enquiry with it's colleague they could not come with an answer.

They specifically say that 

Custom fees are calculated at arrival

...period...

So what's with the GSP custom fees.

Only conclusion i can come up with is that if custom's doesn't get it 

Someone must be making some extra money ......

[man-from-the-moon]

It is not probably a scam, it is a scam. I wonder why no one seems to have read the terms and conditions right in place, next to the calculated price. Just read what is written there: "No additional import charges on delivery". And now open the agreement with Pitney Bowes and you will see that it does not cover import tax, VAT and other taxes and duties imposed by the country of destination.

So, do you feel the difference?

Import charges legally are not taxes.

So, you pay these "import charges" to Pitney Bowes so that Pitney Bowes... well, basically just got your money.

And then you pay all the regular taxes in your country.

It's impossible even to sue ebay for that because legally it's perfect. You are never promised that you will be free from customs duties and import taxes. You are promised that you will be free from "import charges". 

And the fact that there are no "import charges" doesn't negate the fact that you are free from them, right?

[bsemark]

Tell me about it,I just purchased an item that is going through the Global Shipping Program and with all their addons the cost increased by $100.00. This is the last time I'll ever by anything that is shipped this way. The last time I heard anything it was in KY. 4 days ago nothing after that,so I just hope I eventually get it.

[louisguy1318]

Good luck with that my friend. I ordered 2 laptopsfrom USA. I paid what the seller asked and this included shipping. After receiving the items, I was billed an extra 200$ (almost) for each laptop.

Many sellers go with Global Shipping because they are paranoid about being ripped off by "strangers".

Ebay and Paypal protect the seller and buyer so there is no need for extra protection. The Global shipping service is total bullshmit.

[bootshouseforanimals]

Personally  I think the entire Global Tracking SITE is a scam Being used by these Fake Chinese Sellers.  Everytime  one of them gives me a link to it to track a product it shows that it's either been delivered or came into the country some kind of way and I never get the package.   i think some software devloper over in China built the site to use it for this very purpose.    Lately,  I started ordering from China again via ebay and not ONE THING out of close to a dozen things I ordered from Hong Kong / China has been delivered yet.. NOT ONE and two or three of the packages showed "out for delivery" on the Global tracking site but you can't track them on USPS and they NEVER came to my house.  They're working a scam with it somehow,  I don't know HOW, but they are.