Global Shipping Never ever again, under any circumstances.

[yarra.man]

Well what a pearler. I will never ever use it again. Over rated, over priced and incredibly slow. I am a keen modeller and on one occasion I was after some model decals from the US. The seller advised (admittedly he was not en experienced seller) that he would combine post for 2 sets of decals (about the thickness and size of say 6 stamps combined in area) and refund the rest. Well as it turns out GSP combined alright and it cost me over $35 US to Australia AND IT TOOK OVER 2 WEEKS!!!!

I complained about this and of course nothing was refunded by the seller and they pretty well told me to get stuffed, so I took it directly to EBay who told me hard luck. Given they were in an ENVELOPE the regular price being USD 1.85 and they charged me USD 28, it was over 15 times the cost of a similar First Class envelope.

WORK IT OUT YOURSELF.

More recently I bought a digital picture converter, I got the converter for $15 US and post was 55 USD. and it took over 3 weeks US to Australia.

NEVER EVER AGAIN.

[imastawka]

I might as well put it on this thread as well - save some searching for someone else.

[lyndal1838]

Good on ya Stawks....I was hoping you would see this thread.

The more often the information is posted the less excuse there is for sellers not knowing and buyers not passing it on.

[*tippy*toes*]

When I contacted eBay several years ago now regarding the inability to combine postage, during the course of the discussion, the eBay person said it wasn't for letters and it also wasn't for small parcels. It was designed for larger items. Sounded like anything larger than our small parcel under 500g parcels. I'm not sure if sellers can only have it for some items and not others, so it seems they just have it set for all, regardless of whether it's a sticker or a grand piano. Actually, scrap the grand piano, PB won't ship musical instruments. Make it a car instead.

I was lucky in that the seller I'd bought 8 things from offered to cancel when I said how much the postage was. They knew they were opted in, but red lined when I told them the cost and offered to cancel, which I accepted graciously. I've only ever used GSP once since then and that was a large, heavy item which was half the cost of sending it via USPS.

Edited to add: My item arrived in 5 business days and it came from the west coast, via Kentucky. Do large heavy parcels get shipped out faster?

[lyndal1838]

I have no idea if large parcels get priority treatment.....I have only ever bought small pieces of jewellery using the GSP from the USA and they both cost an arm and a leg compared to USPS.

I have bought Filofax inserts from the UK using the GSP and they were a lot more reasonable in their charges....and they even appeared to combine the postage and give a small discount when I bought 3 sets of the inserts.

[heihachi_73]

It always pays to ask a seller if they can change the shipping cost, as most US sellers don't even know that it's costing so much to ship a small item. If it's letter rate and only worth a few bucks a lot of sellers are happy to update the listing if they know you are a genuine buyer and not a time waster.

[4channel]

The problem is heihachi_73 , that even though most decent sellers are happy to change the settings if they know how to, it's a different kettl of fish when you have an item on MAKE AN OFFER ! Once you ask the seller to change the settings to USPS rates, they'll have the heads up that you're really interested in that item. You make an offer and seller will hold out for the higher offers. This has already been proven!

From a collectors perspective, Global Shipping has been the biggest crippler as buyers are now paying $ 26 to $35 average postage for items that via USPS  would cost $10 - $15.  Even worse ....   some items Global Shipping costs are quadrupled.

For record collectors, they are paying double. Interestingly it may be doing the local economy good as one Australian record shop owner was happy when the USPS was doubled a few years back. He'll be dancing around like Elvis and James Brown now knowing that with prices for Global Shipping being double, triple even quadruple that of USPS, people will be forced to come to him. And, he can afford to increase his prices a bit too. See, this can have a ripple effect, and at the end of the day, the buyer / collector suffers because greedy people want to line their pockets.  And believe me they are laughing. Laughing their way to the bank at our expense!

[rapadaan]

At least one good experience. Recently bought a automotive Vacuum pump of a US seller, GSP shipping was $65  thought it was a bit high ( had no ideal of the size at that stage ) but the total cost was far at least $250 cheaper then buying from a  retailer here  It was deliverd to PB and then Fedex to Australia and eventually Aust Post (so i still had to make a 11 klm trip into the post office in town to pick up the parcel ) To my supprise it was a large heavy parcel around 8klg

I recon I got a good shipping deal  as i know it would have cost me around $300 if i were shipping the same item out of Australia

[lyndal1838]

The GSP has always been recognised as being good value for money for larger and heavier items.

It is a system that does have its place in shipping from the USA to Australia but it is definitely not for all items.

I blame ebay for just opting everybody into it without explaining anything.

The worst thing is forcing sellers to use it when they are sending letter rate items in ordinary envelopes.....it is definitely not meant for that.

[letscleanupmycupboards]

I don't like it but weigh up the cost vs return of what I'm buying and will sometimes use it if I have to (I usually buy weird or rare stuff so I get it where I can).

[heihachi_73]

Buying games is the same thing - $30+ postage even if it would have gone at letter rate. Apparently a 90 gram CD costs A$33 to send from the US but £2 from the UK!