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??

[brian-white]

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@*tippy*toes* wrote:

The seller has no control over what the GSP charges the buyer, so seller non performance doesn't come into it. Most sellers have no idea how expensive it is until someone points it out to them. A lot are also unaware that they can't combine postage for you. A lot of people have been caught buying 5 or 6 things and paying a few hundred bucks for shipping, when it should have only been about $25. I got caught and the seller couldn't understand why he couldn't send a combined invoice. Thankfully for me he offered to cancel as he said what I was being charged was criminal. I accepted, he later opted out of using GSP.

The sellers don't have the option to send an invoice, like sellers here do. More and more sellers are becoming increasingly happy to use it as it gives them protection that other sellers don't get.

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I have noticed that simple small items that should be no more than 1 pount in postage from the UK to here in AU, that goes through Global Shipping is suddenly 15 or 20 pounds (Even worse from the USA).

Its plain and simple, use global shipping, I ignore.  I believe that some sellers are actually noticing a reduction in sales since GSP was introduced.  And damned rightly so.

Some sellers are rightly OUTRAGED, some sellers just dont give a **bleep**, "Thats what I use, deal with it !", SO I do, I move on.

[*tippy*toes*]

You forgot one scenario......the sellers that don't KNOW they have offered GSP as the shipping option. They are opted in automatically and sellers were only finding out about it when they started getting sales from international buyers. These were sellers who only wanted to post domestically. When they were opted in, their listings were suddenly showing as worldwide rather than just US only and some weren't happy about it (and I can't blame them. I don't sell overseas because it's too much drama (and expense) if something goes wrong).

I do believe if the seller puts the correct weight and dimensions in the listing the GSP rate is a bit more reasonable, but most don't seem to bother. EBay can just insert what they like. I had an antique brooch listed which weighed about 30g and in the weight and dimensions area, it was showing up as being posted in a 20 x 30 x 20cm box and weighed 250-500g. If I was using GSP then it would have showed up as some obscene amount of shipping. If I then changed it to the actual weight and dimensions, the rate would have dropped. That's how it used to be anyway, not sure if it's still the same now because they keep changing everything all the time.

I can see why larger sellers would be happier using it. It offers them all sorts of protection. Some smaller sellers are happy to post USPS or the UK equivalent if asked before buying. I don't have an issue using it if it's a large bulky item as it works out way cheaper (sometimes half what regular post would cost).

[tetibird]

I buy quite a bit of good quality costume (& real) jewellery OS but now go through Etsy & Ruby lane to avoid the outrageous Global shipping demands. A lot of sellers do know they are using GS as they note it in their description & request buyers not to ask for alternative arrangements.

[esayaf]

Actually more have no idea. EBay opt them in. Most when you tell them how expensive it is will ship OS themselves

[strawberry-wireless]

Ok guys start emailing sellers that use the gsp and inform them that they are going to lose sales.

Also if you buy from a seller that uses gsp and the item takes a long time to arrive. Ask for a shipping refund.

As well leave the seller negative feedback reason (excessive postage time with overcarged postage cost).

This should start to send the message.

[lyndal1838]

That is all a complete waste of time.

The seller cannot give you a shipping refund as they were not paid for any postage....you pay Pitney Bowes the international shipping and can only get a refund from them....good luck with that.  It is hard enough to get a refund from them if the item does not arrive.

Any negative feedback left for a seller in connection with the GSP will be removed by ebay as soon as it is left.

[strawberry-wireless]

So it is out and out postage extorsion then.

I feel a class action in the breeze.

[imastawka]

[strawberry-wireless]

Also why does the estimated shipping date change after the item has shipped via the gsp.

The shipping delivery date has changed three times.

Is this gsp covering up for it's extortion.

[lyndal1838]

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@strawberry-wireless wrote:

So it is out and out postage extorsion then.

I feel a class action in the breeze.

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How do you work out that it is postage extortion/

And what sort of class action are you going to take against an American company?   You will need very deep pockets and I doubt that you will find anyone else to join you.