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**HapSlash** · Oct 24, '13, 10:26 AM

Sounds like somebody ripped you off for the shipping either intentionally, or because they were just being lazy. Generally prices run about $11-$16 for first class mail items under a pound, and just over twice that for priority insured... with larger items costing more. Sounds like you might have been charged for a medium sized flat rate box, but it usually takes no where near that long.

Was there a shipping quote in the auction before you bid on it? I know it's not always visible, but often you can click on it to see what you will be charged for shipping in the end. I know it's often been a factor on whether or not I actually bid on something.

**Gorn Captain** · Oct 24, '13, 10:50 AM

Welcome to my world, my friend. International shipping is getting crazier every day.

Some Ebay sellers ask $36 to ship a Mego to Belgium, while members here do it for $8.
"Shop smart, shop Mego Marketplace"...

**ubermanx** · Oct 24, '13, 11:57 AM

Cut and pasted from eBay ...

"The Global Shipping Program simplifies selling US items to international buyers. Simply ship items to a US shipping center. They'll manage the shipping and customs process and send the item to the international buyer. Find out more about using the Global Shipping Program, including: eligibility, opting in, calculating shipping costs, resolving problems, returning an item, opting out."

"The Global Shipping Program also makes it easier for buyers in other countries to purchase items from US sellers. Buyers can see the shipping and import charges before purchasing, and can also track their item globally. Find out more about buying an item through the Global Shipping Program."

Problem is that the fees involved are HUGE. I was willing to splurge this time as the item in question is something I really wanted and could not find anywhere else. Usually I go to www.ebay.ca which only lists items that sellers have specifically selected as being available to us Canadians and these folks seem to be familiar and comfortable selling cross border. This new program is loading up www.ebay.ca with a whack of very costly to ship items.

I'll get my big boy pants on shortly and get over the sting but for now I'm still feeling whiny

Marty

**Mikey** · Oct 24, '13, 2:28 PM

As an American, this is why I stopped shipping outside the USA ... It's just too expensive and it makes me feel like the badguy.

Note - of course this don't apply to all my Museum buds outside the US

**Splitty** · Oct 24, '13, 7:17 PM

Here's where the main problem now lays with ebay International shipping.

To be covered, ebay and Paypal REQUIRE tracking on all international shipments now, which First Class International doesn't have. So that means all International shipments, no matter how small and light, must go Priority International, which is butt-crazy ridiculously expensive. I'm not sure if you can still send First Class int'l, but alot of sellers won't because Paypal doesn't wait for shipments and yanks the money out of your account at the drop of a hat. It's too risky because of Paypal now.

Also, ebay has just automatically signed up all sellers (without telling them) with the ebay International distribution center shipping (ebay takes care of int'l shipping for the seller by having them ship it to an ebay distribution site), and that all is with Priority Int'l period. Many sellers ARE NOT EVEN AWARE that they've been signed up for this. They have to go into their preferences to unclick allow int'l distribution. So they may not even know they have a high int'l shipping price on their auction! They may not even know they're selling internationaly!

There is an alternative to people who still like to be covered by a store/Paypal. They can list the item on eCrater for free (hook their Paypal account to it, heck they can even import auctions from ebay!), and put whatever they damn like for shipping, First Class international included, and just toggle it for that one sale.
On my eCrater store, even though I've disabled international, I've had Canada customers email me, and I temporarily change it to let it go through just for that sale, and shipped it First Class In'tl.

However, I'm sure alot of ebay sellers would not be willing to do this when asked. They'd be immediately suspicious.

**ctc** · Oct 25, '13, 3:51 AM

Hmmmm....

If something comes up as huge shipping fees, ask the seller to confirm them. The automated shipping calculator sometimes skews really, REALLY high. Like, REALLY high.... I had an auction from the US list postage as $23. The same item from Hong Kong cost $6.50.

I've had more than a few sellers lower the cost to a more accurate number. 'Course, I'm not ordering anything valuable or expensive, so standard international from the States works awesomely well.

Don C.

**Starroid Raiders Dagon** · Oct 25, '13, 4:16 AM

I cant figure out the Hong Kong ones to Canada being so cheap and the US ones being so high. I always ask if the seller will ship to Canada and ask for rate to my address. I bought Hank Venture and Dr Orpheus for $25 buy it now and the seller charged me 15 bucks shipping. I was pretty darned happy with that. The bidding could have started at $15, but I wasn't taking a chance as to buy Hank alone was going to cost me $34 with shipping. Worst is dealing with an actual company as the border hammers you on the import duty. But, I'm in the same boat as ctc in that I don't buy really expensive items.
A really painful reminder of the better deals the US gets are from ToyRuS as I bought something from their US site and I get deals and coupons all the time, but the Canadian site gives me squat and they don't honor the US coupons (understandable, but is a bit of a sting).

**ctc** · Oct 25, '13, 5:19 AM

>I cant figure out the Hong Kong ones to Canada being so cheap and the US ones being so high.

It usually isn't that high.... but the autocalculators figure it as such. That's why it doesn't hurt to ask. If you can, skimping on packaging helps too. The fees jump way up as you move from package size to package size. I get a lot of game books off of ebay, and let the sellers know throwing them in an envelope is fine 'cos they're just gonna get written in and used once I get them. (But I luck out there, since I'm not worried about condition.)

>Worst is dealing with an actual company as the border hammers you on the import duty.

If you ever order from the US to Canada NEVER use courriers like UPS or Purolator. They charge IMMENSE brokerage fees, on top of the duty. Good ol' USPS works fine, and you don't have to pay the extra. You can arrange to do your own brokerage; but be prepared to fill out paperwork all day. (And I mean ALL day.)

It's some weird Canada/US thing. I've had stuff courrier'd from Japan (mostly Purolator) and I don't get charged anywhere's near as much for the import.

Don C.

**Zemo** · Oct 25, '13, 5:35 PM

As a rule of thumb, it's at least double to send shipments to Canada.

**Gorn Captain** · Oct 26, '13, 3:58 AM

The new international shipping system (which is now starting to be enforced) is driving me crazy.
The seller ships to an address in the US. Who then ships it on to you. You have to pay both of them in two payments.
You also have to pay Customs charges in advance.
And then I have serious doubts that local Customs here will say, "no problem, we don't charge anything here, we work for free".

To be honest, when I see all this from a seller, I just walk away no matter what the item is.

**convoy357** · Oct 26, '13, 11:15 AM

As a seller, the Global Shipping program is causing me problems as well. I used to have all my auctions open to international bidders, but because of the problems I had with shipping to Brazil I had to block sales to that country. When I did that, eBays stupid system blocked all international bidders. It was around that time that I was automatically enrolled with the global shipping deal without my knowledge or consent. When an international bidder wins one of my auctions, I cannot send an invoice. I get a message saying that the invoice will be sent by eBay global shipping. I have no idea how much the buyer is being charged for shipping and I have no control over it. I cannot even combine the shipping charges on multiple auctions and if I were to send a refund I have no idea if the buyer gets it or if eBay gets it. Once the auction is paid, I ship the item to Erlanger Ky to the global shipping center. My results so far is that some jack-*** from Canada won several of my auctions and then tried to circumvent the shipping in various ways. When he couldn't, he paid it, then threw a fit over the high shipping charges and left me a bunch of negative feedbacks. I am in the process of trying to get eBay to do something about the feedback from this idiot and I am now disabling the global shipping option on my listings.

**Mikey** · Oct 26, '13, 1:29 PM

global is a pain when you dont know the person you're shipping to

**piecemaker** · Oct 26, '13, 1:50 PM

I have'nt sold anything on Ebay in awhile,but i did check my preferences,to see if anything had changed.

I wasn't automatically opted in to the Global Shipping program.

I did have to redo the countries i ship to.

It used to be as simple as clicking "Ships to United States Only" and ALL other countries were excluded.

I had to click on 9 seperate countries/regions to redo that.

My preference was already set to block Buyers from countries i dont ship to,BUT if you dont have any countries selected(which apparently i didn't anymore) then you are shipping to ALL countries and maybe not knowing and that is maybe when they decide to "opt" you into the Global Shipping program.

I also noticed i was opted into their "Offer Carrier specific Discounted Shipping" which forces you to choose between 3 carriers with Fedx being the default i think.I'm sure i can opt out of that somehow,but i need to look into that some more.

You definately have to look at all the FINE print before selling or you will end up doing something you dont want to.

It seems they are constantly changing things to make Ebay easier?,some work and some just cause more problems for everyone,Except EBAY.

**ubermanx** · Oct 26, '13, 7:59 PM

Originally posted by convoy357

some jack-*** from Canada won several of my auctions ... this idiot

Here is eBay's quote with regards to using the Global Shipping Program.

"This amount includes seller specified US shipping charges as well as applicable international shipping, handling, and other fees. This amount is subject to change until you make payment. For additional information, see the Global Shipping ..."

So according to eBay YOU the seller SPECIFIED shipping charges by being a part of the program. Granted they may have been underhanded in signing you up without big flashing warning lights but none the less you entered into the contract by using eBay's tools. So I don't think us Canadians are "jack@$$es" for bidding on items that you posted. Nor are we idiots for asking you if there are some alternative shipping methods.

Now I'm not the one that bid on your items but if I did I too would consider posting negative feedback on huge shipping charges cause ultimately YOU chose to sell with these parameters. Granted, I CHOSE to buy given these parameters as well. It's not like eBay is hiding the shipping and import charges from me and springing it as a surprise. But that is what feedback is for. If I didn't have a 100% satisfying meal at a restaurant is it really my fault for going there with the expectation of being satisfied?

Again, I was desperate enough to want this item and pay the huge fees so that's on me. But you folks are using the program so you have to take your part of the responsibility as well. And eBay needs a share of the blame for the crap way they rolled this out and the stupid fees that are far beyond what USPS would charge.

The ultimate solution for me is as I mentioned, more Mego Museum Mall and PMs on the Marketplace Forum and less US eBay shopping. Better shipping for me and no eBays fees for you. Sounds like win win.

Cheers,

Marty

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Done with eBay USA Rant - sorry in advance

Done with eBay USA Rant - sorry in advance

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