Wanted - Personal experiences using eBay's Global Shipping Program

[Atheling]

Another money grabbing scheme by Evilbay IMHO.

Darrell.

[grant]

I opted out of it as the prices they charge to international bidders are so high that you will end up taking flak for it rather than them.

Their charges are obscene; hobby collectibles have no "duty or customs" coming to Canada, and therefore the program is to me a gigantic scam.

eBay just keeps getting worse. Never, ever, ever would I buy from someone using this program

[Mr. Peabody]

I wonder if this is a transatlantic thing and the duty fees are the real killer? Certainly I can say without a shadow of a doubt that my auctions get a lot more interest from European bidders than previously and over half the successful buyers are on the continent these days.

I agree, the fees charged to collect paltry amounts of tax or duty, on top of expensive shipping costs are the killer.

The carrier does its best to ensure sure every item is charged a duty or tax. In my experience this can include incorrect classification of an item or the levying of a tax that our regular postal system is directed not to collect. The fees are flat rate and typically dwarf the tax or duty collected. They can double the cost of a simple hobby purchase.

You should see the way this program inflates the cost of a purchase across the US / Canada border... It's criminal. I have to wonder if you aren't missing out on sales into the US (lets discount Canada due to the cost of exchange) because of the Global Shipping Program?

Do you think it's a reasonable response to punish a seller for charges and delivery times they have no control over, bearing in mind this feedback should be given for how much the postage actually costs vs how much you were charged, and when the item was posted, not how long it took to get to you?

eBay Feedback options have always included a chance to comment on whether or not shipping and handling charges were reasonable. Shipping via the GSP creates a discouraging experience for the buyer. Why reward it?

The seller makes a significant decision regarding the final cost of shipping simply by choosing the GSP.

I get that the Global Shipping Program offers a perceived measure of protection to sellers who have been robbed by unscrupulous thieves buyers. But I think the GSP is a poor fix because it only shifts the crime to a bunch of other thieves.

[Cubs]

eBay Feedback options have always included a chance to comment on whether or not shipping and handling charges were reasonable. Shipping via the GSP creates a discouraging experience for the buyer. Why reward it?

But you're not providing feedback on the GSP, you're providing feedback on the seller, who hasn't had any control over it! The 'reasonable charges' section in the detailed Seller ratings states that - 'sellers can charge for the cost of the actual packaging materials, along with a reasonable dispatch fee to cover their time and direct costs associated with postage'. If the seller is not charging you any extra (eBay is), you have no grounds on which to penalise them, surely.

If the GSP puts enough international buyers off, presumably eBay will revise it or it will just not make them any money. I think the idea behind it is sound enough, but it certainly does seem to have some issues that need fixing

[Mason]

But you're not providing feedback on the GSP, you're providing feedback on the seller, who hasn't had any control over it! The 'reasonable charges' section in the detailed Seller ratings states that - 'sellers can charge for the cost of the actual packaging materials, along with a reasonable dispatch fee to cover their time and direct costs associated with postage'. If the seller is not charging you any extra (eBay is), you have no grounds on which to penalise them, surely.

The buyer does not always look at it that way.
I have always had a 4.8 or above on my P&P charges rating, until I sold two things through the GSP and that dropped for the only time in my selling history after that.
Bearing in mind that I usually give free postage (which guarantees a five-star rating), or charge a very low postage rate on items, this cannot have been a coincidence.
Now that feedback has become out of date it has returned to the higher rating.
Make of that what you will.....

[Cubs]

I have to wonder if you aren't missing out on sales into the US (lets discount Canada due to the cost of exchange) because of the Global Shipping Program?

You may well be right. I don't sell a lot of stuff really, but in truth I can't remember the last time I sold anything across the pond.

The buyer does not always look at it that way.

Make of that what you will.....

Yeah, I guess there's the way things should work and then the way things actually work. Sadly they rarely look too similar.

This has certainly given me a lot to chew over. I suspect the next time I sell things on eBay I'll be spending some time getting some international postage cost quotes and doing it the old way. Because the seller doesn't see the costs on the GSP, I had no idea it was so expensive for North America.

[Mr. Peabody]

This has certainly given me a lot to chew over.

Me too. And while I'd love to see the GSP disappear, it shouldn't be at the cost of someone's solid reputation.

[Conquistador]

High postage costs are why I looked at this but my decision was to just not sell outside the USA since only one person - an upstanding gentleman bought a single Heroclix figure - ever decided to buy when the postage costs were computed.  (Okay, maybe two?)  

Letting Evilbay get involved just seemed "wrong" at the time and apparently this was the  proper decision.  

Granted, I had no logical reason at the time and just trusted my "gut" about using GSP.

Edit:  Mr. Peabody I just wish GSP was reasonable tool so I could offer my miniatures/rules/games to international buyers as I clean out my collection prior to retirement.  Every time I have to throw something away it really bothers me.  There are only so many good organizations (like Recruits convention  in Missouri) I can give stuff to.  Evilbay was not my friend in this at all.

[Sir_Theo]

I've used it as a seller a few times. It's easy enough as it allows you to reach a wider audience and it's simple enough posting to the distribution centre.  I gather it's extremely expensive for the buyer though. As far as I know everything has reached its destination. It does seem to take an age though.

[Dolmot]

Global...what?

So that's why the shipping costs of every two quid toy car I've been browsing recently have jumped from £4 to £15.33?

[Wachaza]

Do you think it's a reasonable response to punish a seller for charges and delivery times they have no control over, bearing in mind this feedback should be given for how much the postage actually costs vs how much you were charged, and when the item was posted, not how long it took to get to you?

The feedback is left on the total p&p. I know very well it's not all down to the seller but the feedback is whether the p&p was reasonable or not. It's not.

Given that people will leave poor feedback if they get stung for customs/VAT/handling which clearly isn't charged by the seller but by the Government agency you can bet that using this service will see a seller's ratings take a real beating as it doesn't separate out the charges. It's all on one transaction.

I've used it as a seller a few times. It's easy enough as it allows you to reach a wider audience and it's simple enough posting to the distribution centre.  I gather it's extremely expensive for the buyer though.

In an ideal world the idea is great. The amount of extra cash ebay and their partners charge for the privilege borders on usury.

As far as I know everything has reached its destination. It does seem to take an age though.

That's another hammering for your seller DSRs on despatch time and the "did it arrive by..." question.

[Poiter50]

I have been wanting to compose a thread like this for some time as I have found the GSP costs to be extortionate. However, I received a parcel yesterday from USA (to Oz) that took only 11 days compared to the normal 14-21 days and weighed 5.7 KG including the packaging. I was pleased to see that it was light pricewise for the postage as there were 27 1/48 scale pre assembled vehicles in the contents.

So despite my dislike of the GSP rip off on smaller pieces, this one was amazingly inexpensive and speedy.

[Maledrakh]

My view on this:

I live in Norway, which is outside of the EU, which means customs taxes and fees for any shipment valued at more than GBP 25 including shipping.

For my part I have bought a great deal from ebay the past couple of years, and because of the aforementioned Norwegian customs limit, I generally will only buy if the total price is below this limit. So I tend to limit myself to stuff costing GBP 20 or less, plus shipping of say up to GBP 5. For it to be worthwhle with all the customs fees and taxes incurred (often starting at the equivalent of GBP 15 plus 25% VAT tax) with more expensive shipments, they would need to be perhaps ten times that value.

Which means that anything using this extremely expensive shipping option will not even be considered. I have come to regard any and all listing with this kind of shipping as annoying clutter.. So instead of gaining the possibility of me as a bidder, this option removes any possibility of me bidding on your listing.

My 2 cents, as it were.

[ARKOUDAKI]

Thanks people for sharing your insights on eBay's GSP.

From what I have read I will hold off for a while using it, as it does seem to be friendly to buyers. However, if I continue to have further bad experiences with dishonest buyers making claims about 'MIA' items then I will probably move this route. It doesn't happen often but it seems to me that the honesty level of some buyers is just not good. Like anyone, I hate getting ripped off and I can't help but feel that eBay has organized this entire situation to create GSP to make more money. eBay use to actually examine the facts on shipping, and if proof of posting was provided and the buyer turned down insurance offers on shipping (inc tracking), then they sided with the seller. Yet, my recent experiences with the craps at EvilBay are that they don't give a toss about the sellers and always side with the buyers, regardless of any evidence you put forth. So all in all not good...and just another reason for me to dislike EvilBay. 

Thanks again one and all for sharing, it has been much appreciated. 

[Cubs]

Ditto for my experiences. I expect about 10% of internationally posted parcels to 'go missing'. Oddly enough, none of these are the tracked ones requiring proof of postage, always the cheaper option. Fancy that.

I also agree as regards the benefit of the doubt resting with the buyer in disputes. I actually had a case go against me where the buyer had received the item, given positive feedback and then decided to claim the money back a couple of weeks later. EBay weren't interested in investigating, because it was probably cheaper and easier for them just to automatically refund the buyer's money and take it back from me.

For small value items I just factor the possible loss into my sums. For larger value items I insist on tracked postage with proof of delivery.