Global Shipping Program

[hovsay]

Hi all,

Got a shipment coming from the states worth about $1300 USD - Apart from paying over $200USD on import duties and another $40USD on what I thought was 'International Priority shipping' to Australia, looks like it's Fedex Economy and will take about 10 days to reach Sydney (via 'multiple carriers').

The shipment itself took only 2 days to reach the shipping center, then sat in the center for about 5 days and now Fedex Economy another 10 days. The tracking itself is terribly delayed, luckily Fedex tracking is alright. 

Is this normal for GSP? I'm thinking I should have just used a mail forwarder...

Cheers

[lyndal1838]

It is actually quite good for the GSP.....parcels have been know to go on tour around the USA for several weeks before languishing in Erlanger KY for a week or more.  Despite to misnomer of Priority Shipping, the rate paid to FedEx is only Economy and it sometimes takes a couple of weeks once it is handed to FedEx.

Once it arrives in Australia it can be delivered by FedEx themselves or sent as an eParcel with Australia Post....a lot depends on the size of the parcel and where you are located.

Surely you were expecting the Import duties....they are levied on all items valued at over A$1000.

[imastawka]

As far as I know, if it's GSP you shouldn't have to pay import duties.

Pitney Bowes does.  That's why it's expensive

[lyndal1838]

Pitney Bowes pays it on the buyer's behalf Stawks......after getting the money from the buyer.

It is a separate item on the invoice as far as I know, never having actually bought anything of that value through the GSP.

[imastawka]

When you purchase an item through the Global Shipping Program:

• You pay any applicable import charges upfront. There are no additional charges at delivery.

  http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/buy/shipping-globally.html

  Sorry   -  my bad

[hovsay]

The Fedex economy was what surprised me the most, not so much the import duties. For $40USD I thought It would at least be priority of some sort.

After having the tracking not update for 5 days I guess I'm just happy it isn't 'lost'. 

[lyndal1838 · Accepted solution]

The tracking will not update while the parcel is sitting in the shipping centre waiting for PB to do the paperwork and repack the item.

That is the reason the shipping cost is so outrageous.

[amber-eyed-girl]

Yes, the repacking.

which is listed as being one of their costs...and therefore an obligation.

I've had a fair few. Not once, has PB repacked an item.

Even when the box was split and falling apart. They slapped a bit of tape on it.

I should tot them all up and demand a refund for failure to provide the Paid For service.

[lyndal1838]

Neither of my USA purchases were repacked....it is a bit hard to improve upon hard plastic fitted jewellery boxes for earrings put into padded post bags.

But the UK was a different story.....paper items put into cardboard backed envelopes of very, very dubious quality.  One had to be placed in an AP plastic bag when it arrived here as it was so badly torn.

[amber-eyed-girl]

AP are pretty good at taping/wrapping damaged packaging.