Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!

Ive had recent problems with items not arriving on time from the US. When i have tracked the item I see that it arrives in Australia with no problem and then all progress stops. The first time I enqiured with ebay, they tell me the item has been transfered to FedEx for delivery but when I inquire with FedEx they tell me the tracking number isnt theirs! What good is this tracking info if you cant tell who has your package! Suddenly the item arrived. Fancy that....

The next case was from the same buyer and I had the same issue. The package made it to Australia and the stops with FedEx! Im currently still waiting for that package which is now 8 days past the latest delievery date which was the 5th May. This time ebay provided me with a new tracking number for FedEx and on their website my item is sitting at a rural depot and has been for the last 10 days. My item was shipped priority mail from the US but on FedEx's site its listed as economy..I asked for a refund so I could buy the item from a different forum as I need it quite urgently. I looked at my cases progress and ebay have put it on HOLD until th 17th! to gather more documentation....So I googled FedEx and ebay and up comes an endorsement from ebay for sellers to sign up to use FedEx through thier ebay sales to recieve discounted rates on postage.

Do the sellers know thier items arent arriving at the correct time? Do they realise why they might get bad feedback? What point is complaining to ebay when they are in bed with FedEx!

Today is Saturday 13th of May. What's the bet my item arrives on Monday now.....

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!


@4channel wrote:

 

Lyndal1818,

 

You said ...

 

"The GSP is not unduly expensive if sellers give the correct weights and measurements and it is definitely very cost effective for larger and heavier items."

 

I'm not s sure aboutv that. I don't often buy heavy items but I have seen stuff like amplifiers, hi-fi components being shipped to Australia cheaper than Global Shipping.

If you don't know what service is being used, how do you know that the amplifiers etc are not being sent via the GSP?  I have already told you that the larger and heavier items are very cost effective when sent with the GSP.

As for your comparison of the shipping costs of the DVDs.....how do you know that the seller using the GSP had correctly entered the weight and measurements....without knowing that, you cannot compare the costs.

 

 

You said ..

"The GSP does not give information to other parties.....I have never been "pelted by marketing companies" when I have used it from either the USA or the UK."

 

Well, FedEx hadf my details, that's another party. With USPS, the only party is the the seller and if registered, then the postal serrvice. Glad to hear you're not being pelted with marketing calls

If you are receiving goods from overseas there will be Customs clearances as well as the information known by the seller and the USPS....as well as the courier company that is used by the USPS for your parcel. 

The USPS Global Express Guaranteed service ships with FedEx exactly the same as the GSP.

The USPS Priority Mail Express International and Priority Mail International as well as the First Class International are shipped internationally with FedEx, UPS, DHL just to name a few couriers. 

Surprisingly, it is sometimes cheaper to ship through USPS than direct through the international couriers but it does not alter the fact that the information about your item is known to more than just the seller and USPS.

 

What sort of marketing calls are you getting?  I can't imagine that FedEx is spamming you....why would they?

 

You said ...

 

 "It must have been a very long time ago that you had items sent by surface mail......the US has not had surface mail for some 10 years now......not many current members would even know what you are talking about."

I've been a member since mid-2002 and have seen a few changes in my time. Yes it was a few years ago when I had stuff sent by surface mail. Gosh, I didn't realise they stopped that service. Some folks I know must be getting larger things sent via a shipping company. I know for a fact it's not Global Shipping / Pitney Bowes or FedEx. I'll have to enquire as to what they use just in case I buy a very heavy Hi-Fi component in the future.

I would be very interested to know what shipping company your friends are using.   There is still surface shipping from Canada but it can be appallingly slow....I doubt that a US seller would go to Canada just to use their surface shipping although Canadian sellers often cross the border to send things through the cheaper USPS services.

 

You said ....

 

"I have to agree with you that USPS does not lose very much mail, no matter which service is used.  I would be more than happy to use it in preference to the GSP but you really should not keep talking about USPS First Class International....it is not a service that every seller can and will use.

 

It has a weight limit of 4lbs and unless the seller pays extra it has no tracking or insurance, both of which are included in the GSP, as well as many of the more expensive USPS services."

 

When you said "it is not a service that every seller can and will use", .Most sellers would prefer to use USPS but they errorneously believe that they have to go along with Global Shipping.

As I said.....First Class International is NOT a service that every seller can or will use.  I am talking here about the FIRST CLASS service that you keep promoting.  It has no seller protection through ebay or paypal unless the seller adds tracking and insurance.

Even if a seller will use USPS they may refuse to use your beloved First Class.

 

 

 

You said ... 

 

"By all means encourage members to ask about using USPS services but do not keep talking about First Class International as a lot of sellers will just refuse point blank to use it, even if they are made aware of the e-Delcon service which can be added for an extra fee."

 

Good point, I believe buyers need to be pro-active and ask sellers to please change the auction settings or paremeters to USPS etc.

 

Sellers that point blank refuse to use USPS First Class International would be doing themselves out of business. While the majority of sellers are good decent folk, there are some nasty arrogant peple out there plus some of the sheeple that believe "if it appears official and happeing then it must be right and I must go along with the consensus without question. Hence the term "sheeple".

The reason that sellers refuse to use USPS First Class has already been explained.  They may well be agreeable to using USPS if you don't specify First Class.  You cannot blame them for wanting seller protection in the form of tracking and insurance.   I have had sellers refuse to use First Class when they are quite happy to use one of the Premium/Priority services.

All I have tried to do is make you aware that First Class is not an option for some sellers who are quite happy to use other USPS services.  You need to allow the seller to decide which of the USPS services to use instead of being specific.

 

The fact that there are scores of people  complaining and hurting over the Global Shipping sceme, calling it a scam, a rip off, extortion etc confirms what I have believed for a long time. It's just plain no good!

Of course the GSP is a ripoff for buyers but by specifying USPS First Class you are giving sellers the idea that you want them to use a service that has not protection for them.  They immediately refuse, when they may well be agreeable to other USPS services.

 

BTW: I have never had an item ever go missing via USPS. With the Global Shipping, my item was never sent.

If your item was never sent you can hardly blame the GSP for not delivering it. can you?


 

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!

All valid points Lyndal, and you should be commended for replying.

 

But, as far as trying to convert 4channel  -

 

 

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!

I am well aware of that stawks.....all I am trying to do is make him see that he is more likely to receive a knock back from a seller if he constantly asks for First Class mail.   It is by far the cheapest but no good if a seller thinks the buyer is likely to try to scam them by asking for a service that affords them no protection.....many still don't know about eDelcon and don't want to go to the bother of making enquiries about it.

 

Personally I am all in favour of asking for USPS....just not specifying which service.

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!

I bought a heavy item from the US a few years ago. I balked because they used GSP and I'd heard all the horror stories. I checked how much it would cost to post via USPS. GSP cost $69. USPS cheapest service for the size, $140. Guess which way I went! It was here in 7 business days.

 

I don't have an issue with the GSP. Mostly because I don't buy from anyone that uses it. However, if I buy something heavy again, I'll be asking the seller to use it if they aren't already.

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!

lyndal1838, you said .....

 

".....all I am trying to do is make him see that he is more likely to receive a knock back from a seller if he constantly asks for First Class mail.   It is by far the cheapest but no good if a seller thinks the buyer is likely to try to scam them by asking for a service that affords them no protection"

 

Please don't distort things. I know the score. Yes, if I constatly ask various sellers once each to do First Class International (Much cleaper than Global Shipping) I will get a knock back. yes I know.  I already know that.

 

Have a search on the internet and see how many people are screaming in disgust over this Global Shipping. Look how many discussions.

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!

You have been repeatedly told that if the seller enters the dimensions and weight into the listing the GSP postage price becomes reasonable and pretty much on par with US postal prices (albeit a slower option many times).

 

Yes, you can even ask them nicely to do just that. 

 

But hey, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.................sigh.

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!


@4channel wrote:

lyndal1838, you said .....

 

".....all I am trying to do is make him see that he is more likely to receive a knock back from a seller if he constantly asks for First Class mail.   It is by far the cheapest but no good if a seller thinks the buyer is likely to try to scam them by asking for a service that affords them no protection"

 

Please don't distort things. I know the score. Yes, if I constatly ask various sellers once each to do First Class International (Much cleaper than Global Shipping) I will get a knock back. yes I know.  I already know that.

 

Have a search on the internet and see how many people are screaming in disgust over this Global Shipping. Look how many discussions.


If you already know that by asking for First Class International the seller is likely to refuse, why do you do it?   It makes no sense to me and I am sure other buyers will not thank you for giving them this information.

 

Yes, there are plenty of threads about the GSP....it is the most unpopular service ever invented by man and implemented by ebay and yes, responders keep giving the information to ask the seller to use USPS...........BUT DO NOT SPECIFY FIRST CLASS INTERNATIONAL.

Asking a seller in the USA to use First Class International is the same as asking an Australian seller to stick a couple of stamps on a parcel and throw it in the red box.   Would you do that?

Just leave out the First Class specification and allow the seller to decide which USPS service they are willing to use.

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!


@padi*0409 wrote:

You have been repeatedly told that if the seller enters the dimensions and weight into the listing the GSP postage price becomes reasonable and pretty much on par with US postal prices (albeit a slower option many times).

 

Yes, you can even ask them nicely to do just that. 

 

But hey, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.................sigh.


I have been talking about dvds, cds, record LPs and 45s. First Class international USPS blows Global Shipping out of the water by being half, a third cheaper. How do you explain that.  Look at the thousands of Ebay sellers who sell those items and then you'll see what I mean!

 

You said: "But hey, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.................sigh"

 

Ha, your story isn't straight amigo!

 

BTW: Scores and scores of people are complaining over this. My complaint is only mild in comparison.

 

You said here...

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: Global Shipping "What is the deal"? Ridiculous amounts!  

in reply to sharonspdc

on โ€Ž01-17-2017 01:39 PM 

 

If it's the Global Shipping Program you're talking about, then no, it's not owned by eBay it's run by Pitney Bowes.

 

The only time it is cost-effective is with large items, or the seller puts in the weight and dimensions of the parcel.

 

Often the seller doesn't know that the GSP is being used as eBay puts in that option by default for the seller.

 

There have been many problems with the GSP like them repacking the parcel into less sound packaging to save weight, refusing to on-send items and using slow postage options - the list goes on......................

 

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/Global-Shipping-quot-What-is-the-deal-quot-Ridiculous-amounts...

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Again, my gripe has been with the smaller items. For those who buy dvds, small electronic parts regularly, they are being fleeced by paying double, triple.

 

Please concentrate on what I am saying.

 

 

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!

We have been paying attention but you do not seem to be listening to the answers.

How do you know the sellers using the GSP are entering the correct data to ensure that they are getting the best possible rates?

Unless you know that for sure you cannot compare the GSP with USPS.

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Why are ebay endorsing FedEx? Rant!

Hello again lyndal1838, just a quick reply to your previous post/reply to me.

 

You said ...

"What sort of marketing calls are you getting?  I can't imagine that FedEx is spamming you....why would they?"


You know very well I was talking about information being sold! Not the extra 3rd or 4th party that has has inserted itself into the line between seller and buyer. Companies often sell info. This is how marketing companies get info.

 

 

Now to reply to your most recent,

You said ... 

"We have been paying attention but you do not seem to be listening to the answers.

How do you know the sellers using the GSP are entering the correct data to ensure that they are getting the best possible rates?

Unless you know that for sure you cannot compare the GSP with USPS."

 

Evidently not all of you have, Nice to see you can speak for the others here.

 

Again lyndal1838, please go and look at the auctions that are for dvds, cds, records and other small parts etc. Thousands and thousands of them. Compare the prices shown for Global Shipping to the prices shown for USPS First Class International.

To make it easy, I'll give you an example here. A dvd from the US to Australia via Global Shipping can be around  US $24.27. Same item via USPS First Class International, US $10. Or via Economy half that.

BTW: US $24.27 = AUD $32.70  and USD $10 =  AUD$13.47

 

Oh, and by the way again. My semi fragile were sent via Pitney Bowes and repacked, had no insulation on the bottom of the box so if it was dropped then they would sustain damage on the ends.

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