Global Shipping disaster

[catgirl770]

This new program in the UK and the US is a disaster. It routinely charges 200% or 300% of the usual cost and it's very difficult to get round. I've been badly stung twice with purchases from the UK and now I won't buy items that are sent by Global Shipping - and it's not as though the seller gets the money. If it was some random seller not on ebay you'd think it was a scam, it's so outrageous.

[i-love-my-sheep]

I wonder if it was an automatic opt in for the UK sellers? I also wonder if they know, that like the US sellers, they can opt out? I wonder if the UK sellers that only ship to the UK know that their items are being shown internationally because they have been opted in? Still a lot of US sellers don't know they can opt out.

[cq_tech]

If they ever make it to these shores, I'll be extremely interested to see how their shipping rates compare with AP's. Who knows, despite all the horror stories we read about Pitney Bowes, they may still be the shot in the arm that Australia Post needs to bring down their excessive rates. Nothing like a bit of healthy competition to make things interesting.

[lyndal1838]

Pitney Bowes already has a foot in the door in Australia....Google is your friend CQ.

AP is already using PB systems in the new digital mailbox service.

I thing PB is aiming to take over the ebay shipping services worldwide. 

First ebay wanted us all to use paypal only, now it is Pitney Bowes.....I feel another fight coming on.

[sprinklespowerpuff]

Just wonderful. The prospect of Pitney Bowes everywhere you look on here must be everyones' (save for a few) nightmare. Bad enough now. Anyone got a noose - so I can hang myself.

[terminalvelocd]

Awesome.  It means that I can sell my bulky items overseas without buying needing to worry about Australia Post's extortionate shipping costs! 🙂

[zanadoo_56]

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@terminalvelocd wrote:

Awesome.  It means that I can sell my bulky items overseas without buying needing to worry about Australia Post's extortionate shipping costs! 🙂

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Ahhhh.....but that depends on whether the hidden postage/customs/sloppy repackaging/whatever charges (ie those hidden from the seller) turn out to be even higher than Aust Post's costs.....when viewed by buyers in other countries.

If GSP comes here (and I offer a fervent prayer that it won't) at least the US buyers (assuming there are any) will finally feel our pain.

[catgirl770]

Yes, that's my problem exactly. It might cost 6 pounds to ship a dress 'normally' from the UK, but GS charged 20 pounds. Impossible, rip-off, ridiculous. So now I'm only buying from sellers who don't use GS, or in a couple of cases I've asked the seller if they could opt out - which they can only do if there are no bids. So I actually haven't bid on things I wanted because of GS. Both seller and buyer missing out? That's what ebay calls progress!

[i-love-my-sheep]

I haven't bought anything from the UK for awhile, is there something that stands out in the listing that shows they are using Global Shipping, like there is with the US sellers?

[cq_tech]

Yes, there is. Same as with US listings, they make mention of customs duties not being payable, something which doesn't appear if it's being sent by normal Royal Mail. You'll also probably find the postage charges to be much higher than you'd expect.

[i-love-my-sheep]

That probably explains the postage on the 3 piece vintage kitchen utensils I saw a week or so ago. $52 postage! When I saw the postage cost I didn't bother clicking on the listing. I really wanted them too and as far as I know they didn't sell. I would have expected postage to be $15-20.