A warning about the Ebay US Global Shipping Program

[griffin]

For those using the main Ebay (US) site and buying from Americans, you may have seen or experienced the "Global Shipping Program". If not, you can read up about it here (http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html), which is basically a new system to encourage more American sellers to make items available to non-Americans, by just having them post the items domestically to the nearest UPS or Fedex (which means no extra effort on their part, as UPS/Fedex calculates the international shipping and fills out the declaration forms).

One key element of this has Paypal splitting the payment you make...
- the sale price and domestic shipping goes to the seller,
- the international shipping amount that ebay automatically calculates on the listing goes directly to UPS/Fedex, and they wait for the item to arrive to then send overseas.

The flaws of this new system...
- you can't get combined shipping under the GSP. Since the system is designed to be completely automated (an incentive to get more Americans to sell worldwide and make ebay more money with the fees), the UPS/Fedex quotes are based on the weight and volume parameters the sellers enter in for each separate item. As such, the quotes are automated and CAN NOT be adjusted or combined for a discount. Ebay/paypal is only able to send money for each item separately to UPS/Fedex, who then expect multiple items matching the parameters listed for each of those items being paid for.
- UPS and Fedex will only ship to a home address, so checkout keeps showing errors until you change your shipping address to a street address (and defeats the purpose of having a POBox for the convenience of receiving items while you are at work)


So if you are shopping around ebay and see multiple items you want from the one seller, check to see if they are listed as Global Shipping Program items, and if so, ask first if the seller is able to "opt out" the items you want so that they can then send you an invoice for the combined amount after you commit to them. But be warned, if it then requires the seller to ship directly to you, they may refuse, leaving you with multiple items and excessive shipping across the lot... or no items at all.


I just spent the last three hours trying to buy three items, with several messages between me and the seller, plus much reading of the ebay help section, including ringing up their customer service (yes, in America) and being put on hold for 10 minutes while they themselves had to find out more about the Program.
Since the seller had already boxed up the three items into one box to post, if he wants to send it through the GSP, he has to rebox the three items separately and then post them. And if he wants to keep them in the one box, he will have to send it directly to me. So I just told him to pick the option that is easiest for him, or if they were both too much effort, cancel the order and relist for someone else.


This was meant to make it easier for non-Americans to buy off Americans, but is just going put people off selling to foreigners again, as soon as they come across a multiple purchase, and the GSP doesn't allow the seller and buyer combine the items for postage.

This is now the second GSP purchase that has caused problems for me in the last couple months, so I'm going to have to contact sellers first to see if they can read this topic and opt out, or just start avoiding items listed as GSP now (at least until ebay fixes this critical flaw in the system preventing buyers from saving money from combined shipping).

[dirge]

I've run into both the problems you've mentioned. And the system isn't smart enough to actually _tell_ you that you can't select a PO Box address. Two useless eBay help chats later I eventually found it myself in the help section (but it's not exactly highlighted).

Nowhere did I find anything stating that with GSP the shipping can't be combined; which as you say is rather annoying & feels like a rip off after you've gone to the trouble of shopping with one seller.

It's enough to make me totally avoid the GSP & honestly after some other bad experiences, avoid buying from US sellers at all.

[Ravagecat]

I've come across this GSP when trying to purchase mutiple itmes form the same seller and thought it was stupid to. The seller was quite blunt and rude to me too when I questioned the amount ebay wanted to charge me for the two separate shipping rates :mad:
He rambled on in an email about how it's out of his control and implied it was something ebay had enforced upon him as a power seller...:rolleyes:

I noticed a few months ago (the feature may of been added before this but I don't recall) that ebay actually has an add to cart option now if the seller has multiple items for sale. As someone that has had some experience selling on ebay you have the option (when listing an item) to put in its dimensions, weight and tell the postage calculator to add the weights together if a person buys multiple items so that it automatically calculates the cost of shipping (saving them money). It seems that its smart enough to get the cost directly form the selected carrier based on the numbers you enter. It's really dis-appointing that the GSP doesn't do this too and only calculates individual items making the already expensive exercise of buying from the US even more expensive :mad:
Hurry up and fix this ebay...

[Deonasis]

I am glad i read this and will stay tuned for any improvements in eBay practises.

[UltraMarginal]

Thanks for the heads up fellas, I rarely buy from the US through eBay anymore anyway. having to pay for anything other than first class mail international is generally prohibitive, so I just don't bother.

I find it's sometimes a good source of Takara product especially due to our proximity to asia.

[drifand]

Some American online stores already does this. GGinfinite is one of them and yes they couldn't ship to my parcel locker. waste of time.:mad:

[Autocon]

Would each individual writing a complaint email do anything ?

[griffin]

It's something that probably needs to evolve, but is something Ebay will keep, as it allows for more sales (US sellers can now sell to everyone without doing anything extra), which means more money for ebay (more purchases means more fees paid).

[drifand]

What about writing to FedEx? My eBay is tied to my locker account. So it does affect what I am going to buy.

[neeno]

i purchased 3 items from a store, ebay shipped them separately and put estimate delivery of Feb 1, the invoice said the shipment for 3 but fedex delivered 1 on Feb 10. I tried contacted local fedex but they have no idea, received the 2nd shipment later on Feb, the 3rd one still in the sorting facility until now. Opened a case but still ebay's has not resolve my problem bn in fact they almost don't care about my situation and put the case on hold until March 5.
yeah, so much for the GSP shit

[jazzcomp]

How much is actual shipping cost? When i look at the page, it says $51+.

When I look at purchase history & calculate shipping, it says $26.50?

Which is it? :confused:

[griffin]

It probably means that half is going to the international shipper (Fedex or UPS), and half is going to the seller to post it to Fedex/UPS.
The seller's half is entered in by the seller, and added to the amount calculated by Fedex/UPS, giving you the total cost of $51.

This is how ebay is trying to encourage more Americans to sell worldwide, by just listing their Domestic shipping amount (to post to their American buyers, or to the nearest Fedex/UPS outlet), without being put off by any (perceived) extra work shipping an item beyond their borders.

[jazzcomp]

It's just confusing when you are trying to pay. Cause both choices I mentioned shows the buyer's address (me) as australia. So it confused me since I was going to try to pay thru paypal. If it's local, does the seller use the shipping quote from ebay or their own personal cost?

[primetime]

Everything nowadays has just become needlessly complicated and stupid, as many of you have found out trying to buy from the United States through e-Bay.

I once bought a Fort Max of a US seller - none of this GSP crap, he simply quoted me a price to ship it down here - I think it was USD 100 - so I found out that the transformed FM into city mode - all compact with weapons, accessories etc tucked away - simple, no mess no fuss.

[drifand]

yeah unfortunately is very bad. I am so pissed off with my latest us purchase and I am telling myself trying not to ever again.

[1orion2many]

I think I'll stick to buying things from places like Japan, Hong Kong & Singapore. A lot less hassle before all this was even brought in:rolleyes:

[neeno]

update from my purchase using the GSP program, ebay finally decided in my favor and refund me the price plus shipping. but the shipping actually can't cover another purchase of same item.
and do you know what ebay said? sorry we lost your item en route, we're issuing you a refund. done.
they don't even bother to ask whether i want a replacement, just refunded me and they thought it all settled

[jazzcomp]

Most of these items are one-off being sold. It's safer to assume that it can't be replaced.
Refund would be most logical.

I decided to get my stuff shipped to a US address. Hopefully shipping and cost is cheap enough to be able to send it overseas on the next purchase.

[canofwhoopass_87]

Just bought my first item on ebay US through the Global Shipping Program. It was a single item on its own. Shipping was quite high but the carriers are premium express.

Package arrived hassle free!

[Skullcruncher]

Just recived a recent purchase from ebay and the seller used this program. Problem is fedex or whoever does the repackaging squashed the item into a box that was too small and damaged it. Anyone encounted this?

[neeno]

Most of these items are one-off being sold. It's safer to assume that it can't be replaced.
Refund would be most logical.

I decided to get my stuff shipped to a US address. Hopefully shipping and cost is cheap enough to be able to send it overseas on the next purchase.

I contacted the seller, ebay has returned the item i bought, it is amazing that ebay failed to ship and decided to lie about it.

[kurdt_the_goat]

Just recived a recent purchase from ebay and the seller used this program. Problem is fedex or whoever does the repackaging squashed the item into a box that was too small and damaged it. Anyone encounted this?

The exact same thing in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijmdVlQ36-w) i was just watching earlier. Experience sounds horrific - the guy's channel has a few other rants about it and all the hassle he's had from Ebay. Won't be touching this service at all!

Surely it's illegal to repackage? Based on the video above, i wouldn't be surprised if people start requesting "before shipping to ebay" photos to start proving some of this crap.

[Ambience]

It’s interesting with all this negativity about eBay’s Global Shipping Program and of course the problems some have mentioned with delivery.
Let’s not forget parcel theft occurs here at home also with Australian Post and even courier services. Employees in these jobs don’t require much over an IQ of 86 so like blackbirds or crows they see something shinny any can’t see that they will eventually get caught if they steal it. But enough said there!
What is more important is eBay offers total protection on ‘most’ purchases, so if you can manage your disappointment of losing that chance of owning something desirable now there will always be another opportunity.
For me the GSP has been very rewarding and I don’t find I have any difficulty purchasing multiple items from the same vendor to be boxed in one package through the ‘add to cart’ facility. What’s more important to me is sometimes I don’t wish to combine items from one vendor which I’ll explain below.
GSP has opened the door to the very desirable USA market for me. USA have a paranoid export customs policy in my option which has frustrated and deterred many a vendor from selling overseas even to their neighbour Canada. Now it’s so easy and often much cheaper that dealing with vendors who use other methods of posting overseas.
As for the desirability to combine post well that’s all very well if the item plus postage falls below $AUD999.99, otherwise import duty, GST and sales tax come into play.
Recently I purchased an item set from the USA which cost well over three thousand US dollars. The vendor was kind enough to relist them separate which brought each item below the import duty threshold. Even with the extra freight cost I still saved close to a thousand Australian dollars should I have had to pay duty.
I imagine if your purchasing something for only a few dollars per item I can understand your complaint of individual postal costs.
Anyway cheers and good hunting in your next eBay purchases.