The Ebay Global Shipping Debacle

[starsky]

if the seller uses the global shipping program, how does an international buyer know how much they will be charged on shipping since the seller only has to ship it to the ebay shipping center in tenessee?

[FETT1]

...DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE...ITS A huge cash grab for Ebutt ....its a total rip off....plus Ebay nails the seller with shipping fees also.....Ebay bad Bad BAD ..........is anyone listening !!!!!!

[Gorn Captain]

if the seller uses the global shipping program, how does an international buyer know how much they will be charged on shipping since the seller only has to ship it to the ebay shipping center in tenessee?

As far as I can tell (and I never use that system because it's a rip-off), the international buyer (meaning me) gets the end total of shipping, so with Ebay shipping it to me included, and Customs charges on top of that. Shipping is astronomical this way. A simple Mego from a member here costs me $10 in shipping, with the new Ebay system I would need to pay like $35-45. Plus customs, of course. Pretty soon, you'll pay $100 for a simple Mego Spiderman. No thanks!

[piecemaker]

if the seller uses the global shipping program, how does an international buyer know how much they will be charged on shipping since the seller only has to ship it to the ebay shipping center in tenessee?

I don't use it because it only benefits Ebay as others have already said and is a total ripoff for the buyer.
I think it hurts the seller by driving potential buyers away, like Gorn Captain said, he just bypasses any auctions that the seller is using the GSP.

To answer the question on how a buyer sees what he will have to pay.
I would think that would show up automatically depending on what country the buyer is from but if it don't or if a someone from a different country, say the US, wants to see what someone from whatever country would have to pay.

There is a tab right next to the description tab in the auction, they have to click on that and change to their country and click "get rates".
In the example pic shipping to Belgium you can see what the Gorn Captain would have to pay for shipping and "import charges". $48.65

[img]http://piecemaker.smugmug.com/photos/i-vMwbM2x/1/L/i-vMwbM2x-L.jpg[/img]

[Nostalgiabuff]

i don't ship outside of the US and Canada because of headaches like this. just not worth my trouble. I feel bad for our international brethren but I just don't have the time to deal with crap like this. not that I sell on ebay all that often, or even buy on ebay anymore.

[Gorn Captain]

Yep, thanks to Piecemaker for doing the math.
$49!
That basically makes the whole transaction a big "no thanks", right?

Thankfully, I have had more success dealing directly with my friends here at the museum. You make a deal that is beneficial to both parties, no Ebay hassle, I pay all Paypal charges. Just a gentleman's handshake and the deal is done!

[CAZAFANTASMA]

Ok this is the perfect example of the global shipping program, Check this terrible Indiana Jones for exmample (sorry but why is it even called indiana jones, it has jeans on it lol ) This normally would cost around 14 bucks with tracking if you pack it in a mego size box, and around 10 to 8 bucks no tracking. Ebay is charging $16 (aprox 20 in cad) PLUS 10.81 of IMPORT CHARGES , ofcourse those are not even custom fees or brokerage fees, that money goes to ebay. So yeah, i stay away from gsp auctions

[Fitski]

I've come to the shocking conclusion that anyone in the global shipping program is worse than Hitler! Is it that hard for our American friends to print a dam shipping label through PayPal like a normal human being?

[CAZAFANTASMA]

I've come to the shocking conclusion that anyone in the global shipping program is worse than Hitler! Is it that hard for our American friends to print a dam shipping label through PayPal like a normal human being?

hhahahahhahaha this post made my day! hahahaha

[Gorn Captain]

I've come to the shocking conclusion that anyone in the global shipping program is worse than Hitler! Is it that hard for our American friends to print a dam shipping label through PayPal like a normal human being?

I can see Hitler saying "we may have lost the war, but my agents will unleash the nefarious Ebay Global Shipping Plan in the future, bringing down all my enemies!" (strokes a cat, a white cat, of course)....

[palitoy]

It is a colossal BS cash grab and I hate Ebay for it.

The duty calculated is inflated to a ridiculous amount with "brokerage fees" inserted.

DO NOT USE THE GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAM.

[starsky]

thanks for the input guys! much appreciated. i just noticed that ebay takes a portion of your shipping fees as well!!

[TrekStar]

I hate dealing with ebay, buying or selling, they seem to get more and more greedy as time goes on,
taking higher percentages of items sold, plus the higher the selling price the more ebay takes from the pay pal
account, that's why I've had problems in the past with them.

[waffenmeister]

GSP has a fixed percentage fee that seriously affects buyers premium. It costs UK buyers nearly 1/3 on top of the final purchase which includes the postage paid and seriously limits what people will pay for goods when buying international. Makes it hard to put in a fair market value offer when you are already adding an extra 20% Duty with 11% Import fee. If sellers are shipping domestic only eBay expects you to ship free for better ratings!
There are many tax levies calculated as a percentage and some goods such as books are tax free but eBay GSP defaults to the maximum tariff. Of course if you are buying international you will also get ripped off on the exchange rate and cross border fees from PP on top of the purchase price.
I do think it is good for the seller as it gives full insurance cover, you just need to find a buyer prepared to pay for taxes that do not apply to some goods and are deliberately calculated at the wrong rate in cases for more profit to eBay.
It can work well on low cost items but not on anything over $20 value as postage is often more than this at $26 USPS for tracked small parcels. GSP will look at the $46 total and add $15. Now my $20 figure has cost $61. If it was sent directly it would not have been taxed at all by HMRC due to being under a certain value. If higher priced items are declared as vintage collectibles then they would be entitled to be calculated at the lower tax rate of only 5% and not be liable for separate duty and import fees as automatically done by GSP.
Another bad point on GSP is that they automatically open all parcels at their depot to inspect for goods and will remove items not declared on the label. This is fine for Pitney Bowes workers proffering some free goods but some sellers have shipped 2 or 3 items in one parcel to save on fees when the label might only be for 1 of the items bought. This unofficial customs seriously delays delivery time as it gets pumped around US until finally getting to an international airport and going through normal border control.

Pro's: Insurance cover for seller when item is damaged after Pitney Bowes cut open and rumage through MISB items.
Con's: Puts buyers off by delays, increased risk of damage and extra fees that are not applicable in customs to the country of destination.

[FETT1]

Stay away from Feebay...its a scam this GSP...it really sucks these days and with the current lousy Canuck dollar makes it very tough to buy anything these days !!!... So bummed !