Global Shipping Program

[jumunjipeter]

 Buyers beware of sellers in the USA who are on the Global Shipping Program. I recently bought 4 watches from the same seller in the USA, and when I went to pay, there were 4 shipping costs - $17.70, $17.40, $17.80 and $17.89. (Try and work out why they were all different???). When I asked the seller to combine the posting, he replied that he cannot as the Global Shipping Program does not allow him to combine.

 When I messaged eBay about this I received a message back that said in part "The seller doesn't know the import cost since it is the global shipping provider that would determine depending on your location. Thus, the US sellers are not allowed to combine postage." That is a load of crock. THERE IS NO IMPORT COST FOR WATCHES INTO AUSTRALIA. I have imported for the last 2 years.

 Talk about getting ripped-off.

 Pitney Bowes are the Global Shippers, and their site reads "AFTER you've completed checkout, you can review these charges on the Order Details page. The Order Details page shows the total charges and the payment amounts to the seller and the payment amount that went to the global shipping provider".

 The seller posts your item to Pitney Bowes and they forward post it to you.

 I read up on this Global Shipping Program and it says that they are not affiliated with eBay, yet eBay obviously gets a kick-back from them. This is what their site reads under "Description of Fees"::

 1. U.S. Shipping Fee

 2. International Shipping Fee

 3. Fuel Surcharge

 4. Transportation Fee

 5. Parcel Processing Service Fee

 6. Distribution Center Management Fee

 7. Loss Management Fee

 8. Transportation Risk Premium Fee

 9. Referral Fee - a variable fee paid by Pitney Bowes to eBay Inc. for referring you to the program.

 I wonder, if ever, when eBay will stop it's quest for greed at the expense of the buyers and sellers. There are millions of items sold and bought on eBay every day. When is "enough" enough??

[*tippy*toes*]

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@rrminoz wrote:

I have also purchesed a item from the US that the shipping company charges where more than double the cost of the item. They then stopped the item from shipping over import concerns. But then kept 50.00 shipping fees. My cookie jar was uranium glass that is traded on ebay and mailed around the world. don't by anything that uses ebays GSP.

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I wouldn't say that for everything. A few years ago I bought an item from the US and the shipping was $69 via GSP. I checked what it would be with USPS and it was around $140. That particular seller chose to use GSP because for their items, it was far cheaper for international buyers, when they purchased their large, heavy items. 

Small items, avoid GSP like the plague. Heavy items, hope they post with GSP because it's far cheaper.

[baja578]

I have recently bought a rather large and fragile laser from a seller in the US. They advised me they would pack it as I suggested. On the ups website the package said 42 pounds, yet after it left pittney bowes in Kentucky, fedex states that the package is now 19.9 pounds, so it appears that PBI have repackaged it. It is a delecate gas tube laser that wont like rough handling. If it arrives broken, what should I do. 

The seller has held up their end of the bargain so shouldn't get dinged, but nor should I be out of pocket if this (reasonably rare) laser ends up broken. Also this is the second of this type of laser that I have bought, the first being in poor packaging, and obviously broken. It was not shipped by PBI, rather by the seller themselves using USPS, but just failed to package it properly, and they refunded me on the spot once they saw my unboxing video.

[padi*0409]

IF it arrives broken then you open a case through eBay's "Money Back Gaurantee", if you win the case the seller will have to pay for the return postage if they want it back.

[baja578]

Seller and I agree that PBI have repacked it. Seller said if it arrives damaged, just open a case and ebay will refund me as PBI did the damage. The seller has been very communicative with me over the subject. 

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@baja578 wrote:

On the ups website the package said 42 pounds, yet after it left pittney bowes in Kentucky, fedex states that the package is now 19.9 pounds, so it appears that PBI have repackaged it.

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is it possible that fedex is now showing the weight in kilograms as 19.9kg is about 42lbs?

[imastawka]

Good pick-up Slr

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@imastawka wrote:

Good pick-up Slr

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we will have to wait for baja to come back and let us know if it is now showing in kg

[lyndal1838]

I think you are right slr.....I thought it a bit strange that PB could have removed more packing than the weight of the item....more than 22 lbs of packing is a ridiculous amount of weight to add to an item no matter how fragile it is.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

19.9kg is close to 44lb, so it may be that PB actually boosted the packing

[baja578]

No the shipping thing definatly says 19.9 pounds, and the dimensions are in the imperial units, not metric. So no, PBI have definatley remove packing material. Thankfully my seller has been pretty cool throughout the whole saga. Hes happy to work with me if the laser arrives broken. He knows that it'll be on PBI/Ebay's head if a case is raised, even telling me if it arrives broken, take pictures of it, and the packaging, and raise an SNAD. The unit itself weighs 36 pounds, so were both on the thought PBI may have even mistakenly sent me someone elses parcel.