Global Shipping Program Ripped Off, Who shipped item to Australia

[closet_nerds]

I recently purchased an item from america using the global shipping program, took 2 months to arrive to australia, when i noticed it had been updated to delivered at 2.00am friday on my ebay purchases page. There was no item.  I went to australia post gave them all 3 tracking numbers provided. Auspost cannot use any of them, opened paypal case. decided in sellers favor because says delivered on ebay system.

heres my problem, EBAY, PAYPAL or the seller cannot tell me who delivered the item in australia (auspost, dhl, toll etc)

so i cannot even see if it waiting at a depot for collection or was delivered to wrong adress. Now this prick in america got to keep my 140$ and highly likely that the item will get returned to him because i cant chase it up!!!

Even when i complained again to paypal, they said they cant even use the tracking numbers provided by pitney-bowes ummm so how can you approve in there favor???? if you cant use the tracking number and cant tell me who delivered the item???

What a Scam

You have lost my business ebay!!!!!

[lyndal1838]

Oh happy day!!   So my FEDKEB link has not disappeared completely.   I had my spiel down pat about clicking on the word to access the FedEx tracking until a few weeks ago when one of the boardies mentioned that she had received a parcel with a different number and not the FEDKEB link.

If your parcel is not yet in Australia it is doubtful that you will get it on Tuesday.  I am in Sydney, just near the airport and it still takes FedEx a week to deliver after it clears Customs.

[hus2385]

No, I doubt it will either! That timeframe was a bit optimistic I think lol. Thanks for giving me a rough idea on that lyndal 🙂

But good as you say that at least it seems to be somewhere in transit now.

I am in inner city Sydney too, so it will be interesting to see when it turns up. I'm presuming that FedEx pass any parcels onto Aust Post if the addressee is not present at the time of delivery and hopefully leave a card...and being in a block of 54 units most deliveries aren't even attempted at my address 😛

[lyndal1838]

It depends on the size of the parcel.

FedEx only passes smaller items to Australia Post...they are sent as an e-parcel.

Larger parcels are delivered by FedEx themselves but they cannot leave the item at the PO.....they should attempt 2 deliveries before you will need to collect it from the depot.

It is a pity you are not in an area where they can safe drop....it makes life so much easier.

[hus2385]

Yes it's a very small article...so looks as if I will have to go through the joys of Aust Post's sometimes variably clueless tracking system. I also don't often get notification cards left, as the sub-contractors who service my area haven't got the message over the last couple of years, despite going through several formal complaints' processes.

But I could always be lucky this time! I do mostly get a final notice after its been in the Post Office for a while however lol

So here's hoping...I will update the final outcome, one way or the other 🙂

[afantiques]

The official ebay GSP procedure for GSP queries is to ring customer service and ask for the matter to be referred to a GSP specialist. They should promise you a call back within 24 hours but will not usually transfer you directly. What they call the 'frontline' operators cannot answer GSP related questions, but will often (it appears) try with information related to non GSP processes, which just serves to muddy the waters.

This information is a slightly paraphrased quote from the EU head of GSP. A new information page specifically relating to 'What to do if things go wrong' may be in the works for UK users, but the UK GSP is a tiny tail on the huge US GSP dog and I don't know how much input the UK team have on the US help pages.

The main problem with this system is that neither the caller or the operator will know that they need to ask for a GSP specialist and the caller may not even know they have a GSP problem.

[hus2385]

I did look into ringing ebay, yes. Trouble is, every time I went through the 'form-letter' multiple questions to get to the 'Call us' box (where the number would be revealed!) that box was marked "Calls not available'.

Even tried at 3am to see if it was a timezone issue, but no go. Pity they have to be so secretive with the support phone number really.

[hus2385]

An update, as requested:

The package moved from Memphis onto LA on Sunday, and is marked "In Transit"  on the Fedex site - with a new delivery date of May 12 (could it really take a week to get here from Cali? I guess so!)

Interestingly, another package also shipped through the GSP but from the UK with WnDirect and posted 2 days after the US parcel, is here already and logged this morning by Aust Post as onboard with the driver for delivery today.

Very interesting how the GSP seems to function differently in both countries!

[hus2385]

A last update on this matter, and I have to say I think I've been very lucky compared to how some purchasers have faired with the GSP, particularly the OP of this thread, closet_nerds.

My parcel has now been released from Customs and is being held at Fedex's Alexandria depot, for eventual delivery next Tues 12/5 (although I have arranged to pick it up in person tomorrow)

13 days from postage for the US GSP item, and 10 days for the UK version of the GSP...and neither package traversed all over their respective countries before landing in Sydney either. I'd say I've been pretty damn fortunate all round 🙂

A reminder note that the stop in Memphis in between Erlanger, KY and the LA International departure point may well be a thing now, as mentioned before. So something not to be concerned by if it happens to you too.

Best of luck to everyone, hope this is a much more frequent experience for buyers from now on.

[theosmama13]

I just came across this thread and decided to read it as I have just been searching Au ebay to see if WE do the Global Shipping Program. 

I have been struggling with listing a couple of items (not the ones listed) that I want to be seen on US ebay as they are popular there, and have had some advice regarding how to do it all. Was popping back to thank that person and ask a few more questions, when I saw this thread.

When I searched the items I will be listing (two pairs of Frye Boots) I've been taking into account that while we paid full price (they are new), you can get them from US ebay sellers cheaper. But once shipping is added in it still hits close to the $300 mark, so I was going list mine for around $200.  - cheaper here, and cheaper for US buyers due to exchange rate.

But I came across a couple that worked out cheaper than mine, even with US shipping. And noticed their shipping is a 1/4 of everyone elses as they use the GSP. So wondered if since we were a receiving country, if we also could use it for cheaper O/S shipping, but obviously not. 

And it seems thats a good thing? It seems to be a system full of holes where no one knows what's going on (bit like ebay really 🙂 )

So just curious, but got the gist off US ebay on how it works, but why is shipping so much cheaper when using it? I assume the savings in shpping aren't worth it compared to the hassle if your parcel goes MIA, as happened here?

As I have been watching items that are sent via the GSP and am now wondering if I should just steer clear?

[lyndal1838]

I am not sure where you have been reading that the GSP is cheaper.....it is horrendously expensive especially for smaller items although quite cost effective for heavier items.

The GSP from the USA is a law unto themselves as to what they will ship to Australia and it often bears no resemblance to what Customs will allow.   And nothing is returned to the seller if the GSP will not ship...they just keep it and I believe they flog it off on ebay.

Thankfully it is not available in Australia yet and I hope it never will be.