Pitney Bowes

[skapes_69]

Hi all just want some advise about Pitney Bowes.

Purchased an item from a US seller 190994128640 postage was around 105 US on the ad

when it finsihed the seller got back to me and said it was going to be 127 odd and thats fine as I thought 105 was a bit cheap

So I asked him to create a new invoice and he could'nt, something to do with the global shipping program I think he sent me what it said, anyway I said thats fine paid the invoice and paid the difference via paypal, so far all good.

This is the first seller I have come across that has global shipping program and I buy a bit from the US

This morning he emails me and said there must be some mistake as he didn't get all the money, basically 61 was taken by pitney Bowes, I explained this to him and he doesn't seem to know whats going on, what is the procedure at their end with pitneys now?

I suggested he refund and create a new invoice for direct shipping or to a US address I can use but I don't think he knows how.

I would prefer a new invoice via USPS but know all I can see is a mess.

Any advise moving forward?

Thanks.

[stevenm6475]

I'm told if you don't pay with PayPal it will be shipped direct, no pitney bowes

[countessalmirena]

@stevenm6475,

Payment method has no bearing upon shipment method.

Whoever told you that was ill-informed or pulling your leg.

Quite apart from anything else, you cannot purchase an item that will be sent via the GSP unless you pay by PayPal. I quote from the eBay.com.au Global Shipping Program Buyer Terms & Conditions:

"Accepted Payment Method. You must pay for GSP Items and applicable Program Fees using PayPal. Only item listings that offer PayPal as a payment method are eligible for GSP. Your use of the PayPal services is subject to the PayPal User Agreement and Privacy Policy between you and the PayPal entity that provides the PayPal services to you, including all applicable PayPal fees described in the PayPal User Agreement."

If the seller is opted in to the GSP, s/he may possibly end the listing and relist it with an international shipping method that's agreed upon by you and the seller, but many sellers will not. Many US sellers offer only PayPal as a payment method, so you cannot pay by another method anyway. And finally, quite a few US sellers prefer to send only domestically, and may not even be aware that they're opted in to the GSP; in their minds, they're selling domestically only, and when they post off an item purchased by an Australian seller, they will probably not even be aware that it's being sent to PB where it will be prepared for international shipping.

[littlemicah]

My USPS small flate box arrived today by Pitney Bowes. Total freight was $60.88 plus the "import duty"

If the sender used the USPS it would have taken the same time and only cost me $37.70

Ebays GSP totally sucks.

[davewil1964]

Would the sender have used USPS?

Did you ask prior to purchase?

I'm guessing 'no' to the second, and probably 'no' to the first, but we'll never know.

As always, caveat emptor. You obviously didn't think the postage was excessive when you bought, or you wouldn't have bought.

[lyndal1838]

You seem a bit confused....Pitney Bowes does not use USPS.....they are the logistics service which handles the GSP.

Unless you asked th seller if they would use the USPS before buying you will never know what the price difference would be.

[georgehpe]

I can relate to many of the comments here. I am in Auistralia. I recently purchased something from the US on Ebay, using Paypal. The cost was about USD $6 but the item was heavy (about 3kg) and the quoted postage was $18. That was in line with my expectations. I paid the fees and afterwards was billed for extra postage plus import duties of $8 by Pitney Bowes. The original cost of item and postage was about USD $24. The final cost was about USD $41. The item took longer to get here than normal US post and it was not trackable after reaching Pitney Bowes in Kentucky. While the additional charges might not break the bank, they MUST be disclosed to the purchaser BEFORE the Ebay purchase is concluded. I would have to think very carefully before buying anything out of the US again. I want certainty on costs up front. And I would like to know who got the import duties, because I don't think it was the Australian government!

[lyndal1838]

At 3kg your parcel would not have qualified for USPS First Class mail.....the limit is 4lbs.  Once you start using the higher weight USPS services it is often cheaper to use the GSP.  

The original postage you paid was probably the seller's postage within the USA to get the item to Kentucky.

All listings using the GSP (Pitney Bowes) will show the amount being charged by PB for the international shipping, the GST AND their fees for the preparation of the paperwork and collection of the GST.....those charges are lumped together under the heading of Import Fees.   The ATO gets the GST portion of those fees.

As for your complaint about the tracking stopping once the item reached KY......it often stops for a few dy while the item is processed but restarts once the item is handed to FedEx for the internatinal leg of its journey.   It may continue with the same tracking number or it may be a new number.....I have never known tracking to be omitted from the FedEx portion of the journey.