Global Shipping Program - Got Questions?Here are the Answers.

[Tulips]

I had another quick question now that my package has arrived safely (yay).

I don't think they ended up repackaging it because there was a slash in the side which damaged the box underneath (original box, part of the purchase not packaging), which makes me think they went to cut in open, saw their error and stopped.

My question is, since they technically damaged part of my purchase who do I contact and how? The seller has done everything correctly and I am very pleased with them (I'll be leaving glowing positive feedback asap), it was the next leg of the journey with Pitney Bowes GSP that damaged my item.
Or should I just leave well enough alone? The damage is fairly superficial afterall and I'm thinking it's not worth following it up if it's just going to be a headache. 

Any advice? Cheers

[slyons]

I had another quick question now that my package has arrived safely (yay).

I don't think they ended up repackaging it because there was a slash in the side which damaged the box underneath (original box, part of the purchase not packaging), which makes me think they went to cut in open, saw their error and stopped.

My question is, since they technically damaged part of my purchase who do I contact and how? The seller has done everything correctly and I am very pleased with them (I'll be leaving glowing positive feedback asap), it was the next leg of the journey with Pitney Bowes GSP that damaged my item.
Or should I just leave well enough alone? The damage is fairly superficial afterall and I'm thinking it's not worth following it up if it's just going to be a headache. 

Any advice? Cheers

That's tough to call. I would definitely say that contacting Ebay would be my first choice. Let them know how terrible the service is, and that they are lucky they didn't damage your actual product or there would be hell to pay!

I had to do that because when they ripped open my pony envelope and taped it back together, (like yours, they didn't repackage it, just used the original ripped envelope) they taped her hair up in it as well, and it wasn't closed completely. They said the error was regrettable, and hoped my next experience wouldn't be as bad. 

I would let the seller know too. Maybe this will persuade them to opt out of the program?

Glad your mail was ok in the end! DOWN WITH GSP! Ha ha...

[Tulips]

Thanks for the advice Slyons. I might send eBay an email and see what their responce is.

[hathorcat]

Everywhere I go I hear moans about this system.

So yesterday I was looking at stuff (complete other community, Jem items) and I found something that in conversion cost was about 3p below the threshold that Uk customs starts charging. And sure enough, there's the GSP charge of $13.06 slapped in there DESPITE the fact the auction price is below the threshold.

That's not paying UK customs anything, so obviously it's paying handling charges for Ebay's chosen people.

I'm really glad that a lot of sellers have been opted into this without having a choice in the matter. I've been buying and selling with the US since 98 and I remember getting frustrated with people not shipping to the UK but honestly, I'd prefer "US Only" auctions to "Shipping abroad with GSP" options.

So essentially it lets a seller ship an item without leaving their home, at the financial expense of the buyer who then has to pay customs duty, handling and commission for ebay, shipping cost - (every auction I was looking at for Jem had top whack shipping cost so no reductions there) and the item price?

I'm fine taking my chance with import duty. Kinda used to it by now. But I really don't want to pay extra so that a seller somewhere doesn't have to go write three or four words on a customs form and physically visit a post office. Maybe I'm just unsympathetic but over here, in general, you have to visit a PO to send anything, UK or otherwise, so it's pretty much the same. I also know most US sellers aren't like that, so that's why the prevalence of this disturbed me. But if it was an automatic opt-in, that explains tons. (I'm specifying US because far as I know only US ebay is imposing this).

Saw one auction where postage was $50 and import duty $102. I'd rather be charged import duty by the proper authorities at UK C&E, not by an auction site's estimation. It's like they choose your courier service then demand you pay for it on top of your postage charges - as opposed to giving you the right to have it posted domestic mail.

Hopefully it will prove so unpopular it will get phased out. I heard of one buyer in Canada who got charged customs fees on receipt as WELL as paying this, too - so it's by no means foolproof. And I've heard countless claims of items coming a week later than they normally would via the ordinary method, too.

Basically, if sellers don't want to ship out of country, then let them ship US only. It's fine that way. No reason why we international buyers should pay more money for a seller to make a wider profit if they're not happy to go to the trouble of posting the item themselves - and IMO after reading this thread I can see even less reason to wrap internationally friendly sellers up in all this silly red tape when it's really not necessary...

/end rant mode >.>.

At the moment customs are factoring in shipping charges - if something is coming priority/express - to the total value of the auction. So if the items price + shipping comes to over the import threshold you could potentially be hit with customs charges. Unfortunately that is probably what ebay are calculating as well It really sucks.

[slyons]

Thanks for the advice Slyons. I might send eBay an email and see what their responce is.

It's a start right? Good luck!

[Tulips]

Thanks for the advice Slyons. I might send eBay an email and see what their responce is.

It's a start right? Good luck!

I've sent an email to eBay and will update with the resolution in case it can help other people having issues.

[Tulips]

Well it's been a week and no response from ebay... their promise of responding within 48 hours, HA!
Guess they don't care and don't want to hear it, I wish I could give them feedback.

[Filthy]

I call it the Global *slight edit for language* Program. I made the mistake of buying something through it few months ago, and it slapped me with custom fees of nearly $20 which I wouldn't of had to have paid if the shipping method would have been 'normal'. It also took twice as long to arrive than normally.
The package had a note in it claiming that it had been opened by the customs or 'security officials', but the package looked untouched and definitely was not opened by the Finnish customs. I've had stuff that actually was opened by them, and the package had all kinds of official stamps and tapes from the customs. This didn't have any of those. The note had ebay's logo and Pitney Bowes logo, it was called 'Notice of parcel check'. Is that common?

Yesterday I was going to buy few buttons, you know those small things for a shirt, but the seller was using GSP and the shipping would have been $35!!! So no buttons for me.

[Artemesia's Garden]

I just worked with a very nice seller in the USA who had applied the Global Shipping Program to her listings and didn't know what was happening at the buyer's end.  So I sent her screen shots because she couldn't believe how much it had come to either... she was keen to sort the problem out and took time to cancel the purchases, re-list them and give me a realistic shipping price so I still got my ponies. I'm lucky she was such a nice lady.  I told her...
"I'm keen to help other users of ebay because it's in both buyer's and sellers interests to find the most competitive solutions. Both Ebay and the postal systems always seem to be adapting and changing to make their money and it does get confusing. Ebay seems to be different every time I log on! It's been a pleasure and I'll look forward to seeing you on the Arena." She says she's going to join MLP Arena 

I must say I've been pleasantly surprised as many times as horrified on Ebay when problems have arisen. Many times other users (buying from me or selling to me) have been happy to understand and sort out problems because it is in everyone's interest to be able to provide the best service in the long run. I wish everyone on Ebay could be like that!

Fingers crossed till I get my ponies and let's hope this isn't a time I do end up paying duty