GPS - Frustration with this stupid system

[howie696]

I buy leather working tools and knifes usually vintage or interesting, they are permitted by our customs

BUT NOT BY GPS

They stopped a transaction and are refunding the money, when I complained this is what I got back

Hello ,

Thank you for contacting us regarding the Leather Al Stohlman Small Round Knife (251331896781) you recently purchased. I understand our shipping hub contacted you to let you know that they would be refunding you because they are not able to forward that item on. I recognize that this is a frustrating situation. While this item may be authorized to be imported into your country, it is not eligible to be shipped through the Global Shipping Program. We have very specific agreements in place with customs in each of the countries we ship to, and while they may not object to having these items imported in general, they have asked them not to go through our expedited customs clearance process. For this reason we have had to cancel delivery of this item and issue you a refund.

I understand that you have yet to receive the refund that was promised so I have submitted a request to get the full refund of $54.57USD issued to your account. You will see this refund in no more than 5-7 days.

Thank you for being a great member of eBay since 1999 and for your understanding in this less than ideal situation. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Regards,

Erin S.
eBay Global Shipping Team

So they make their own rules and are ridiculously expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@crikey*mate wrote:

However I still stand by the statement that as the owners of the company, they can decide what they will and won't carry (within the bounds of the law).  

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crikey, I agree with you, but the bit of the opening post that I found interesting is:

We have very specific agreements in place with customs in each of the countries we ship to, and while they may not object to having these items imported in general, they have asked them not to go through our expedited customs clearance process

If some countries have an arrangement with Pitney Bowes that would expedite the items through customs then I would like to think there would be some conditions placed on the items shipped through them.  However, I suspect that this is just 'spin' to explain why they won't ship that item.

I believe it is the responsibility of the sellers that use GSP to familiarise themselves with banned items.  After all, there is a list!  If an item is on the list they should list the item without the GSP if possible.

From the GSP Buyer Terms and Conditions

http://pages.ebay.com.au/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html  2. b. Item Eligibility iv. Prohibited Item Types  -  click on link to see list - has Weapons (including firearms, knives, etc.)  http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/buy/shipping-globally.html#prohibited

and . . . .

From the GSP Seller Terms and Conditions

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html#prohibited  2. c. iv. Item Eligibility iv. Prohibited Item Types  -  click on link to see list - has Weapons (including firearms, knives, etc.)  http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html#prohibited

So both the Seller and Buyer T&Cs cover Pitney Bowes in this circumstance.  I guess they don't distinguish between vintage leatherworking knives and knives that would be obvious weapons.  The scanning through Customs may flag some issues for Pitney Bowes and their 'arrangements', which they are obviously not willing to risk.

[*crikey*mate*]

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@foxette-in-sox wrote:

There are so many complaints re Pitney Bowes that I'm surprised they don't have their own dedicated board.

Howie,that is good that the seller will send to you directly.

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i think they do on the US site - or at leat over there, they have an entire department dedicated to it.

Maybe we need an Aus Post section here - oh wait, we do (well they regularly tell us furfies  post wrong and/or conflicting and  misleading helpful information and circumvent answer questions on the boards etc.)

[*crikey*mate*]

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@k1ooo-slr-sales wrote:

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@crikey*mate wrote:

However I still stand by the statement that as the owners of the company, they can decide what they will and won't carry (within the bounds of the law).  

---

crikey, I agree with you, but the bit of the opening post that I found interesting is:

We have very specific agreements in place with customs in each of the countries we ship to, and while they may not object to having these items imported in general, they have asked them not to go through our expedited customs clearance process

If some countries have an arrangement with Pitney Bowes that would expedite the items through customs then I would like to think there would be some conditions placed on the items shipped through them.  However, I suspect that this is just 'spin' to explain why they won't ship that item.

I believe it is the responsibility of the sellers that use GSP to familiarise themselves with banned items.  After all, there is a list!  If an item is on the list they should list the item without the GSP if possible.

From the GSP Buyer Terms and Conditions

http://pages.ebay.com.au/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html  2. b. Item Eligibility iv. Prohibited Item Types  -  click on link to see list - has Weapons (including firearms, knives, etc.)  http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/buy/shipping-globally.html#prohibited

and . . . .

From the GSP Seller Terms and Conditions

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html#prohibited  2. c. iv. Item Eligibility iv. Prohibited Item Types  -  click on link to see list - has Weapons (including firearms, knives, etc.)  http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html#prohibited

So both the Seller and Buyer T&Cs cover Pitney Bowes in this circumstance.  I guess they don't distinguish between vintage leatherworking knives and knives that would be obvious weapons.  The scanning through Customs may flag some issues for Pitney Bowes and their 'arrangements', which they are obviously not willing to risk.

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well of course I agree with you too LOLOL

[retailtherapist_8]

So I completely got the wrong idea of this thread from the heading....I was about to strongly agree as I find my GPS useless & regularly engage in very "blue" arguements with it.

[*crikey*mate*]

Yeah, but have you named yours? Mine is called Betty.. When she sends me in the wrong direction I do that Ohhh Betteey thing in the Frank Spencer whiny voice. LOL

[retailtherapist_8]

hahhaha crikey...if I typed the name off mine I would be botted off ebay for life!!!

[retailtherapist_8]

ummmmmmm that would be BOOTED hahaha sheeeeeeeeesh

[*crikey*mate*]

To make matters worse Reta, mine is actually an Aussie bloke called Dave! So it's really quite mean of me to call him Betty, but *shrugs* (It came with a choice of about 100 dif voices in dif nationalities and accents - Dave was the only one that a) I could understand and b) didn't do my head in when he kept nagging me to take the third exit at the roundabout.

(I do have a quiet checkle to myself when I recall his name LOL)

[guitardactyls]

GSP - Pitney Bowes IS RIPPING BUYERS OFF ....

http://community.ebay.com/t5/International-Trading/Does-eBay-SUCK-Bigtime-or-WHAT-International-Guit...

[amber-eyed-girl]

"I got the point. But Pitney Bowes is using a Global Shipping Program (GSP), not a Global Positioning System(GPS)."

In a way, that is one of the frustrating things about the GSP. The items traverse the U.S., from point A, to point B, to point A1/2, then eventually to Kentucky. After two weeks, three weeks...

OP, when you see an item that says Global Shipping Program, it's good to ask before buying if the seller is willing to ship directly to you. Most sellers are in the GSP without knowing it.

a seller can opt out, and some do, if you explain why (long shipping time, and very expensive, and the risk they refuse to ship)