Global Shipping Programme UK - observations

[chezzy]

Hi folks

My own experiences with using GSP for items from the US:
- shipping quite expensive (my items are normally small and under 10oz)
- long shipping/transit time/long wait when it got to my capital city
- flimsy cardboard boxes used for repacking item, box usually arrive with dents/crushed

I generally try to avoid using the Global Shipping Program - and I buy a lot less from the US now

Recently I purchased an item from the UK, the seller uses the Global Shipping Programme. Whilst I was not thrilled about this I thought I would try it as I did the sums and surprisingly it was going to be only 59 pence dearer to send the item via GSP than it would have if they did the shipping themselves with Royal Mail (GBP 13.49 for GSP versus GBP 12.90 for Royal Mail International Tracked).

The tracking situation was interesting: I received 4 progress emails from ebay, one from myHermes and I even found out via googling that I could track my package at wnDIRECT. It seems once the package landed in Australia it became an eParcel with Australia Post (and then trackable on their site). I didn't take too much notice of times and dates as it  was mostly in BST (British Summer Time).

Much to my surprise the package only took about a week to get to me!
The box arrived dented (flimsy box - repacked/resealed by pitney bowes/GSP) but I can not complain about the delivery time.

Would be interested to know if others have had a better experience from GSP UK than GSP USA. Thanks.

[davidc4430]

i agree it would be interesting how others have got on with UK version, ive not used it as the USA GSP has put me off the whole lot.

dont like flimsy boxes.

its a whole package, cost + time + service/packing that counts the same as if the seller was fully responsible.

[chezzy]

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@davidc4430 wrote:

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dont like flimsy boxes.

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Same. I actually like to recycle/reuse packaging if it is clean and not too banged up. This box however will be going into the bin.

I might contact the seller (out of curiousity) to ask how they originally packaged the item. Fortunately my item wasn't (too) fragile. If the flimsy boxes are commonly used by GSP I will have to keep that in mind as items tend to swim/bang around in the GSP boxes.

[lyndal1838]

I have used the GSP from the UK a couple of times only. 

The delivery times were excellent...no complaints there but that is where it ended.

Both my items were paper/cardboard and were repackaged into cardboard backed envelopes with great big round stickers trumpetting that they had been repacked by the GSP.   They should have been ashamed to advertise the fact because the quality of the envelopes was absolute garbage and one was badly torn.  AP had to repackage that one in one of their clear plastic bags that they use for damaged mail.   This cost me AU$22.00....pricey but considering the number of sheets of paper in the package it was not too unreasonable.

The second item was similarly packaged but as there was less in it the envelope did not fall apart.  BUT for the same AU$22.00 I received one bookmark....heavy cardboard that had been laminated.

I consideredthat to be absolute piracy but as I was buying on behalf of someone else I just had to swallow it and pay up.

[chezzy]

Actually it really concerns me. And now that I have used both the American 'version' of GSP and the UK one it would seem overall the packaging products are really not good enough. I feel sorry for the sellers who go to the trouble of packing something nicely, they may not be aware that items could be tossed into GSP's own flimsy packaging when it arrives at the 'centre'. My seller seemed a bit concerned - I hope they look into it. And I need to remember to 'warn' future sellers about the packaging situation.

[*tippy*toes*]

Ultimately it will be the sellers getting their butts kicked if something arrives broken. I would be extremely pished off if one of my items was repacked after I'd already done it adequately. I post fragile items and know how to pack them. I've never had a breakage. How would I know that PB are going to repack to my standard? I suspect the only way I would know is when buyers start complaining that their items arrive broken. Too late then!

[davidc4430]

this whole repacking idea is just stupid, why add a point in the items travel between seller and buyer where damage may happen. no one ever packs a parcel for sending better than the good seller who doesnt want negative feedback.

its really an unessasery complication thats just waiting to go wrong.

the only one winning out of it is ebay/pitneyballsup.

as long as its an opt out service i wont be using it if its stuck on aussie sellers.

[lyndal1838]

Actually Tippy, it is not going to be the sellers who get their butts kicked. 

They are protected from almost everything once they post the items to the GSP hub....either the USA or the UK.  And the seller cannot even track the item once it is in the hands of the shipper.

This is why the sellers like it,....no negs for shipping times, no negs for items lost in the mail....even when PB refuses to send the item.  The items are trackable and insured by PB so the buyer is fighting with an incompetent shipping company, not the seller.

About the only neg ebay will not remove is a neg for not as described...unless it is an item broken in transit.

[davidc4430]

this is my worry,

i wrap/pack my sold item in a way i'm quite sure will get to my buyer in good condition. sure there allways a horror story of parcels getting crushed.

then my parcel get sent to a center somewhere where some neanderthal nobhead unwraps it and repacks it in a flimsy box to send on to my buyer.

the item being now in the flimsy box and not my good strong box gets damaged causing my once well wraped item to be damaged.

when my buyer gets the damaged item he/she is not a happy camper.

will ebay/pitneybungole pay for replacement including postage or will i have to refund or resend plus pay postage again?

and recieve a red dot.?

[justforposting]

I have recently purchased an item from the UK which went through the GSP and I've had a much better experience with that than the US version.

I can accept the fact that the US GSP seems to be a bit slower as I'm never really going to purchase an urgent item on ebay, but I can't accept the exorbitant shipping prices on the types of items I buy (though prices are apparently better for heavier items, go figure....)

My recent UK GSP transaction was a pair of boots  - purchased and paid on Friday 8 April, delivered Monday April 18.  Not too bad given there are only 5 business days in that timeframe (well 6 if you include the 8th, I purchased in the PM here and it was still early enough for the seller to send same day).

In terms of cost, shipping was about $38 AUD which I though was reasonable for a pair of boots to travel halfway across the world. They were in their original shoebox within a plain white plastic satchel.  Original shoebox was very thick and sturdy, so I don't know if they would have re-packaged inside another box had it been the flimsier type of shoebox.

All in all I am happy and would use the UK GSP again.