Why is the ebay sponsored Global Shipping Program so expensive? Looking elsewhere now

[padraicpaul91]

As  a regular buyer of American products, I am being forced to look elsewhere for them. The ebay shipping program, which unboubtedly is easy for sellers, is prohibitively expensive for lower priced products. A small item is regularly charged at $50. This is more than double what I would charge for the same service, and Australia is The Most Expensive Postal Service in the World.

US sellers, if you want our business, wise up and post the item yourselves.

[padi*0409]

---

@4channel wrote:

---

I hear you and understand your frustration. Good on you for speaking your mind!  Regardless of who may read this, your feelings are representative of a wide discontent. There is some good news amongst all of this believe it or not.   See below the helpful info by US eBayer,  elmih22 !

---

Sorry to burst your bubble 4C but I received an item from the UK that came by the GSP, the postage was on par with Royal Mail and it was delivered to me in regional WA in 2 weeks from purchase date.

So the GSP isn't all bad despite what some think.

Welcome back from your holiday....................

[padi*0409]

Just to add, that happened this week and it was under 2 weeks delivery time from when the parcel was posted.

[4channel]

If it was as you said then you were fortunate.  Good news for you then.

And no holiday for me.  As the saying goes, "No rest for the good 'n true folk"

[padi*0409]

---

@4channel wrote:

And no holiday for me.  As the saying goes, "No rest for the good 'n true folk"

---

It most certainly was as I said 4C.

I thought you must have been on holiday with no internet access since you haven't posted for over a month, which was very unlike you.

Edit.   Perhaps Pitney Bowes have lifted their game, in the UK at least. I have another GSP item coming from the USA so I'll update you on that when it arrives.

[katistrophik]

I just wish members would refrain from posting links to the US site and back in time to 2013

[padi*0409]

4channel, here's the update on my US purchase, as promised, that came through the GSP :-

1. Postage was slightly over half what USPS would have been, I'll assume the seller did input the weight and dimensions (2.83 Kg).

2. The item was not repackaged.

3. Item arrived well within the 60 day cut-off for feedback. It was posted by the seller on 30th June, received by Pitney Bowes at Erlanger on 2nd July, cleared US customs on 15th July, arrived Australia (Victoria) 16th July and arrived in regional WA on 25th July.

So, to sum up, with those 2 GSP purchases of mine, the price of GSP postage is either very similar or vastly cheaper than the home country's pricing. Delivery was very quick in the first instance and in the second instance was on par with USPS shipping times, and neither parcel had been repackaged.

Time to rethink the constant bashing of the GSP as a postage option maybe ?????

Edit to add. The item was an axe head and wasn't stopped by Pitney Bowes as I feared it might be.

[imastawka]

Wow Padi, that was a cheap Chopper 1, even with GSP postage.

Your life will not be the same.  Makes me wish I still had that pot belly stove going.

[padi*0409]

It certainly was Stawks, that's my 3rd now I've got one for myself, one that I gave to a good friend and this one when I rehaft it I'll on-sell. I'll need to get it sandblasted before I can do the arty bits, no way of getting a steel brush in the awkward areas......sigh.

Here's how the first one came up.

                                  

                                 

[imastawka]

Crazy Russian Hacker loves his

Spoiler

[padi*0409]

I don't think that one he's using is a Chopper 1, it looks like a copy to me Stawks.

Have a look at this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTpLdR4Hfhg