e-bays new global parcel plan postage has caused postage costs to treble or more.

[leoniec4748]

I have been buying on e-bay for a long time now.  Items in the US have always been prohibitively expensive because of the postage cost.  I have now noticed that items in the UK have exorbitant postage costs and when I have queried this the sellers tell me that they are using e-bays new global parcel plan and are not even aware of the listed postage cost.  Furthermore, parcels sent using this service cannot be sent to post office boxes, which is what I use.  So, I can no longer make purchases from the UK, but what really troubles me is that the sellers are unaware of how much e-bay is charging.  It is such a total rip off.  e-bay is just getting greedier and greedier and it is not good for business.  I have for example seen 2 exact same items available on e-bay from the UK, one using the global parcel plan and the other not.  The postage for the item using the plan is $60 + whereas the item not using this "service" is $15.  The sellers I have contacted are not aware of how much postage is being charged.

e-bays greed is very bad for business.  The new global parcel plan makes purchasing from overseas impossible.  I just hope members refuse to use it as it does not appear to be compulsory, and bring some fairness back into e-bay.  When you consider that sellers have to pay a commission on postage, it is just outright wicked.

I love collecting vintage inlaid boxes from e-bay but won't be able to anymore because of this new postal scheme.  I wish e-bay was not so greedy.  It will be its undoing.

[leoniec4748]

One of the items I am after has already got one bid, so does that mean the seller can't opt out of the global shipping program?  The think is none of the sellers have any idea how much the postage is.  I now understand why the shipping from the US has been so high too.  It is just totally unfair on every level. 

[padi*0409]

---

@i-love-my-sheep wrote:

The postage cost can be adjusted afterwards by requesting an invoice via the shopping cart. Normally the seller can't send an invoice as the option isn't available to them, but if you request one, they can then send one.

---

That's a get-around I hadn't come across chooks - 5 stars for lateral thinking !!!

Leonie, you could try that way - but I would be emailing the seller first to make sure they would be prepared to go down that track.

"edit" maybe cut and paste chooks post here to them............"

[i-love-my-sheep]

EBay customer service told me that ages ago when I contacted them about combining postage on multiple purchases. EBay even recommends that US sellers don't use it for small items (apparently).

The OP needs to realise too that for large, heavy, or bulky items, items are MUCH cheaper to send via the GSP than USPS. It's only smaller things were it's a rort.

[lyndal1838]

---

@leoniec4748 wrote:
One of the sellers I messaged about the Global Shipping Program said that they can't do anything about the freight cost once it is locked in. One item I am interested in has a Global Shipping Program freight price of in excess of $60, whilst the exact same article has a shipping cost of $8. Both from England but the one with the cheaper shipping price has a much higher starting price than the other. Also with this Global Shipping Program e-bay won't send to post office boxes and that is what I use. It is just a mean rip off.

---

The Global Shipping Program cannot send to a PO box as it uses FedEx couriers to ship to Australia.  FedEx do not deliver to PO boxes although smaller items are off loaded to Australia Post who will deliver to PO boxes.  The problem is that no-one knoes which items weill be handed to AP and which will be delivered by FedEx or another courier if FedEx does not deliver to a particular area.

[leoniec4748]

You are missing the point.  I am talking about the new GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAM where e-bay sets the shipping price which can be up to 10 times the actual cost.  I am NOT talking about situations where the shipping is not mentioned.  It would be really helpful if you actually read the post before you make comments as they are not helpful.  I have been buying on e-bay for years.  The new Global Shipping Program is new.  Sellers are not aware of the costs that are being passed on to buyers.  Have a look at some goods from overseas using the new system and then you will see what I am talking about.

[leoniec4748]

May I suggest you search the Global Shipping Policy withing e-bay where it clearly states post office boxes cannot be used when using this service.

[leoniec4748]

And I am buying small boxes which I collect so I am greatly affected. Postage offered through GSP can be 10 times the actual cost and sellers have no idea and then tell me they can't get out of the system.

[leoniec4748]

So do you think I should bid on things and sort it out later? I might just do that so that the sellers know what is going on.

[padi*0409]

---

@leoniec4748 wrote:
May I suggest you search the Global Shipping Policy withing e-bay where it clearly states post office boxes cannot be used when using this service.

---

May I suggest you read my post, in it I said that if the seller can opt out and then send direct by UPS, then the P.O. box should not be a problem, furthur to that in the next post "sheep" showed a get around by going through the "shopping cart".

Here's my post for you.................

Quote..........."with exception of auctions that already have a bid (apparently) the seller can opt out of the GSP, then they should be able to send to PO boxes"

And here's sheep's post for the get-around..............

 Quote....... "The postage cost can be adjusted afterwards by requesting an invoice via the shopping cart. Normally the seller can't send an invoice as the option isn't available to them, but if you request one, they can then send one."

As far as I can see that gives you 2 options to bypass the GSP and the problem with P.O. boxes............hmmmm....

[padi*0409 · Accepted solution]

---

@leoniec4748 wrote:
And I am buying small boxes which I collect so I am greatly affected. Postage offered through GSP can be 10 times the actual cost and sellers have no idea and then tell me they can't get out of the system.

---

"wild violet" gave you the steps for the seller to take to opt out of the GSP.

Here's that post.........

Quote.......

Yes sellers can easily opt out of Global Shipping:

How to Opt Out of the GSP

(My eBay summary page)

account > site preferences > shipping preferences > Offer the Global Shipping Program > edit > no

[padi*0409 · Accepted solution]

Yes sellers can easily opt out of Global Shipping:

How to Opt Out of the GSP

(My eBay summary page)

account > site preferences > shipping preferences > Offer the Global Shipping Program > edit > no