eBay Shipping Question

[jazzcomp]

Yep that would be GSP.

Is that standard? Because the postage calculator is cheaper, I was hoping to pay the extra and just ask the seller to ship it overseas instead of going thru GSP. I'll switch my address to US (for cheaper shipping & add the difference) but ask to ship it to Australia.

[griffin]

GSP is such an annoying, confusing concept, just to help ebay earn more in fees from the extra international sales.

In jazzcomp's situation, some of the $42 went to the international shipper ($25), and the rest went to the seller ($17) to cover them posting it to the international shipper and paying for a box or supplies if necessary.
As such, it makes shipping more expensive, because you have to pay for it to be posted twice... and you can't combine items from the one person to offset that extra shipping amount. (and can't use PO Box address either)


And to really be a kick in the pants - I paid for multiple items at checkout which included one for the GSP, so ALL items had to be addressed with my home address (as the Fedex/UPS need a signature to deliver it). But after sitting around America for 7 days at three different sorting centres, UPS handed it off to another shipping company that gave it to Australia Post anyway. I could have had the GSP item addressed to my POBox address for convenience after all (if I wasn't home to sign for it, I would have had to chase it up from who-knows-where), and now I have to put up with all the other items coming to my house that don't need a signature, so the postal worker in the van is just throwing them to the door without knocking or anything. The GSP forced me to sacrifice the security of several parcels to my home, only to use Australia Post anyway which could have used the security of my POBox.
Like today, one arrived and I only just heard him bang his Van door, to come out to find a big box at my door as he was back in his van to drive off (is it too much to knock or ring the door bell?). I have a bus-stop outside my place on a fairly busy road - a parcel at the front door is gonna go walking in short time.

[Skullcruncher]

Is that standard? Because the postage calculator is cheaper, I was hoping to pay the extra and just ask the seller to ship it overseas instead of going thru GSP. I'll switch my address to US (for cheaper shipping & add the difference) but ask to ship it to Australia.

Sellers have the option to opt in, then it just gets added to the postage calculator.

Unfortunately posting overseas seems beyond many US Based sellers.

[jazzcomp]

Totally confused now on my purchase page it shows :

Calculate postage -US $5.50 adjustment

Don't know if this applicable to US or Aussie address

[dirge]

When buying from the US now, I simply disregard ANY listings that have GSP as the shipping option. Between the stupidly expensive cost & refusal to use PO Box (I'm paying for the security, and it's not being handed to a courier here as griffin said), the inability to combine costs & exclusion from any eBay specials, it's just too much trouble.

[Skullcruncher]

Speaking of ebay I just paid 'import charges' on a $10 item from the UK. This is ontop of shipping.

[TAAUBlaster]

Speaking of ebay I just paid 'import charges' on a $10 item from the UK. This is ontop of shipping.

Did they open the box for an inspection or something? I haven't ordered anything from the UK for years, but that seems really strange to have to pay import charges on it

[EDIT] Did the item contain any alcohol or tabacco?

[Skullcruncher]

Did they open the box for an inspection or something? I haven't ordered anything from the UK for years, but that seems really strange to have to pay import charges on it

[EDIT] Did the item contain any alcohol or tabacco?

No it was a stationary set, I went through the process of paying by paypal then I then realized the conversion was off and there was a 'import charges' amount. I paid anyway as I wanted the set but it was still odd.