Is the eBay Global Shipping Program worth it?

ithelps · #1 03-02-2019

Have you guys used it to ship things international or is it better for me to ship it international? Which one is cheaper? Would you recommend the program?

agent006140 · #2 03-02-2019

depends on what the item is.
if it is small and the destination country offers tracking viewable online,then it is cheaper for you to ship.
GSP is expensive for the buyer as he has to pay domestic shipping to ERLANGER,Kentucky,then the folks there will repack and fill out customs form and ship overseas.
Buyer will have to pay you for domestic shipping,then pay GSP customs,handling and the overseas shipping.

PPbb · #3 03-03-2019

Many buyers including myself will not buy from sellers with the GSP program. If I like something I message the seller and let them know I am interested in the item but I don't want to be shipped using global shipping program. Many of them will accept. But in case they refused I just look for different seller. GSP is unfairly expensive, for example for an item worth $700-$1000 like iphones you can expect to pay additional $400-$800. I am not exaggerating! And if your item got lost, it will takes ages to figure out where your shipment is because there are so many parties involved in the process. Shipping directly is the best.

Play · #4 03-03-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by ithelps

Have you guys used it to ship things international or is it better for me to ship it international? Which one is cheaper? Would you recommend the program?

With stealth accounts, this can pose an issue, albeit rare. So if an item cannot be delivered, it will get returned to the stealth address. So you'll end up having to refund the item and giving up on getting the item in your hands.

So i'd only use the service with cheaper items, where you can risk taking a loss here and there.

I've used the service for a while, it didn't cause a drastic increase in sales. But worth giving it a go.

bhuzz · #5 03-06-2019

i always use the global shipping program if i can. i sell under 2 kg so it costs £2.95 second class for me to send via gsp. im not spending 15£ odd to send to america. which can be alot if your sending 20 parcels a day. also if an item is damaged (or not) in any way at all. gsp will refund the buyer from there own pocket. the buyer gets a refund keeps the item and you keep your money. also you dont have to upload a tracking number saving time. also ebay and paypal charge you an amount based on how much you recieve inc postage costs. so if you only have 2.95 postage going into your paypal they will only charge on that . but if you have 15£ going into your paypal they will charge there percentage on that. making your fees and cost higher. also there is no possibility of bad feedback. buyers cannot leave bad feedback if i remember reading correctly. its so much easier .its a no brainer in my opinion

treysupreme · #6 03-06-2019

I used to like it. I'd sell 2-3 items per month that went through GSP and there were a couple times buyer's claimed box was just rocks or damaged etc and it wasn't my responsibility since eBay verified the contents.

Except then I sold an item that they determined they couldn't ship internationally due to the battery. This was a factory sealed cell phone (android that had removable battery). Rather than send it back to me, they "destroyed" it and I was out the $700. I don't use GSP any more.

Sunspot144 · #7 03-06-2019

Get a few more sales here and there from people having difficulty sourcing what they're after. Ain't so bad.

agent006140 · #8 03-06-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by treysupreme

I used to like it. I'd sell 2-3 items per month that went through GSP and there were a couple times buyer's claimed box was just rocks or damaged etc and it wasn't my responsibility since eBay verified the contents.

Except then I sold an item that they determined they couldn't ship
----------------internationally due to the battery. This was a factory sealed cell phone (android that had removable battery). Rather than send it back to me, they "destroyed" it and I was out the $700. I don't use GSP any more.

I doubt they will destroy a cell phone or anything ,what they do is unload to a local dealer who will relist it on EBay,IN ALL the cases I have read,seller keeps the sales proceeds,if she wants the item back,she can buy it back or bid on the item on Ebay.

agent006140 · #9 03-06-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhuzz

i always use the global shipping program if i can. i sell under 2 kg so it costs £2.95 second class for me to send via gsp. im not spending 15£ odd to send to america. which can be alot if your sending 20 parcels a day. also if an item is damaged (or not) in any way at all. gsp will refund the buyer from there own pocket. the buyer gets a refund keeps the item and you keep your money. also you dont have to upload a tracking number saving time. also ebay and paypal charge you an amount based on how much you recieve inc postage costs. so if you only have 2.95 postage going into your paypal they will only charge on that . but if you have 15£ going into your paypal they will charge there percentage on that. making your fees and cost higher. also there is no possibility of bad feedback. buyers cannot leave bad feedback if i remember reading correctly. its so much easier .its a no brainer in my opinion

for intl shipping,fvf is not based on intl postage,but domestic postage ,Ebay has long considered it would be unfair for seller to pay more FVF for shipping overseas.

agent006140 · #10 03-06-2019

GSP has one advantage over USPS,the max size of the shipment is slightly larger than what USPS allows as it ships via private freighter ,sellers who sell guitar or anything which exceeds max USPS size limit choose t o use GSP for that reason

treysupreme · #11 03-06-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by agent006140

I doubt they will destroy a cell phone or anything ,what they do is unload to a local dealer who will relist it on EBay,IN ALL the cases I have read,seller keeps the sales proceeds,if she wants the item back,she can buy it back or bid on the item on Ebay.

Well now you're reading about a case where the seller didn't keep proceeds. It said right within the tracking link "contents destroyed due to hazmat risk."

I called and spoke to 4-5 different reps and the highest level they'd let me get to and they wouldn't budge.

agent006140 · #12 03-06-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by treysupreme

Well now you're reading about a case where the seller didn't keep proceeds. It said right within the tracking link "contents destroyed due to hazmat risk."

I called and spoke to 4-5 different reps and the highest level they'd let me get to and they wouldn't budge.

it could be the phone or battery caught fire and becomes worthless

treysupreme · #13 03-07-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by agent006140

it could be the phone or battery caught fire and becomes worthless

No, they told me because the battery was not sealed in the phone they had to destroy it. They sent me pics of it when it arrived to show me the hazard. If I had removed the battery from its plastic wrapping and put it in the phone, it would have been fine.

Believe me, it was $700. I tried my hardest to get that money

ebaystealth1974 · #14 03-07-2019

I would have somehow scammed them out of my amount lost.

Buhlee dat!

treysupreme · #15 03-07-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebaystealth1974

I would have somehow scammed them out of my amount lost.

Buhlee dat!

hahaha the amount I've gotten from eBay/PayPal over the years makes $700 seem like couch change lol

meloncoly · #16 03-07-2019

It's definitely a preferred option when shipping to countries that "have problems" delivering your parcels. It's surprising how many things don't turn up abroad.

agent006140 · #17 03-09-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by treysupreme

No, they told me because the battery was not sealed in the phone they had to destroy it. They sent me pics of it when it arrived to show me the hazard. If I had removed the battery from its plastic wrapping and put it in the phone, it would have been fine.

Believe me, it was $700. I tried my hardest to get that money

well,then they would rather destroy it than returning it ,as it was not well sealed.
you learn something everyday

agent006140 · #18 03-09-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by meloncoly

It's definitely a preferred option when shipping to countries that "have problems" delivering your parcels. It's surprising how many things don't turn up abroad.

I have very few problems with overseas shipping and I use USPS first class mail,but I block some regions/countries-all Middle East countries except Israel,Latin America,Africa,Eastern Europe .
Lately Australian goverment has asked sales venue to collect customs duty for any amount under $xxx and i lost all my Australian buyers,strong US dollars does not help either.