Ebay Global Shipping?

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

It's a major hassle and risky to ship internationally. Anybody tried this?

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html

[rdavey26]

It's a major hassle and risky to ship internationally. Anybody tried this?

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html

Don't do it. They charge an arm and a leg for shipping to the seller. I sold a movie on ebay to a member from Canada. Ebay Global shipping wanted to charge him $18 bucks to ship a movie to Canada. The seller cancelled his winnign bid because of it. DO NOT USE GLOBAL SHIPPING FROM EBAY.

[jedgerley]

It's a major hassle and risky to ship internationally. Anybody tried this?

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html

As a seller using global shipping it wont let you combine orders either so the buyer pays for each auction item to be shipped separately. And automatic customs charges you cant change. But yes its costs too much for shipping too.

[rdavey26]

There you go Mel. Two people gave negative response about it so don't use it.

[CSM]

One of eBay's worst implementations ever - and that's saying something!

[rdavey26]

One of eBay's worst implementations ever - and that's saying something!

+1

[CSM]

I assume this to be true since eBay takes a cut of the shipping costs (which I still do not understand how it is not illegal) but
can anyone confirm if eBay also takes a cut of the customs fees that are built into the Global Shipping program total cost?

If so, that's even worse than taking a % of the shipping costs!

[movieposterodyssey]

It's a major hassle and risky to ship internationally. Anybody tried this?

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/shipping-globally.html

I don't understand the hassle,or the risk? Thru the USPS ya just fill out a custom form.I keep a stack at home so I have it all ready to go when I get their.If it's a rolled poster use PVC,if it's folded,some kind of hard board....I've never had any issues.Knock on wood.

I agree,don't use global...it's a rip off!


Anthony

[AdamCarterJones]

One of eBay's worst implementations ever - and that's saying something!

+1
I recently experienced this shambles buying an item from eBay US.

The seller was inexperienced with selling internationally and so did the whole global shipping thing.
I didn't realise the problems with the system (I'd never bought from someone who used it) until I won the said auction.
When I went to pay for my purchase eBay wanted me to pay $65 for postage and then $xxx on customs fees - customs fees before I had received my item? I don't think so! Not to mention the high postage cost.

In the end the seller cancelled the auction and sent the item to a friend in the US for $8!
Two days later my friend had the item in his hands.
Nightmare for sellers and buyers alike.

[Pancho]

It is dreadful - and potentially a major hurdle for Australian based collectors like myself. I recently bought some items (3) from one seller in Minnesota. I contacted them prior to bidding to ascertain combined postage costs and was quoted about $30USD which I was happy with so I placed my bids and won all 3.

THEN the Global Shipping problems started...

The seller was very helpful and proactive in trying to find a solution to the crazy postage eBay wanted to charge. Here's the email I received outlining the issue:

I called eBay Support today to ask how I would bill you for the shipping since I can't send you an invoice. It won't let me send an invoice to an international buyer through the Global Shipping Program.After talking with eBay Support, I think we were both confused about the new Global Shipping Program. Here's how they told me it works. You are supposed to pay the amount listed on your invoice which you received from eBay. The amount should include shipping. I do not know what this shipping amount is. eBay determines it as eBay partners with countries and determines a rate of shipping. eBay Support said that this most always makes shipping cheaper for you. After eBay receives payment from you, I am notified and then given the address to ship the item to the eBay Shipping Center somewhere in Kentucky. From this Shipping Center in Kentucky, global packages get delivered on flights. Since they coordinate it - rather than directly through a carrier like USPS or UPS, it becomes cheaper.They said that I am responsible for paying for the shipping from my home (Minnesota) to the Shipping Center (Kentucky). They said you are responsible for paying for the shipping from Kentucky to your home.I said I was worried that this might be more expensive than the quote of $31 dollars. They said this is highly unlikely as this shipping program is supposed to make things cheaper. By chance, how much did your invoice ask you to pay? Again, I guess I don't have control over this price. Also, I didn't realize that I need to pay to send it to the Shipping Center in the U.S.

If your wondering, Global Shipping wanted me to pay $75USD for posting the 3 items.

In the end the seller had to cancel the 3 auctions and relist all three items as one auction for me to go and buy again just so they could set the right postage!

My mind is made up - if the postage listed on the auction involves Global I'm just not going to bid - it's too hard for the seller to give you reasonable postage.

[AdamCarterJones]

Thanks for the info.
This makes me believe even more than ever that eBay are looking at becoming an Amazon-like outfit.

eBay - you are an auction site, not Amazon! FFS! 

[Tob]

I have been avoiding sellers who offer this too. First Class international is cheapish ($20ish to the UK), fast (a tube took 4 days recently) and has basic tracking.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

What is the best shipping service to France that is trackable end to end? (Some "trackable" services end at the US border, which is useless.)

[MoviePosterBid.com]

What is the best shipping service to France that is trackable end to end? (Some "trackable" services end at the US border, which is useless.)

Fed-X

other than that, it is rather spotty depending on what country you're shipping to

Customs forms are now entered completely into the USPS database and the customs # on the green slip is trackable, sometimes all the way, sometimes not

there really isn't a perfect way with lower cost shipping (USPS).

On the Global Shipping thing..
clearly eBay just wants to create another revenue stream. That you have to ship to one of their depots and someone has to send it Internationally shows just the first step in making it more expensive for buyers and ultimately sellers as anything that makes it expensive for buyers makes final results lower for sellers.

[Tob]

For the UK, priority and express with USPS is both end to end tracking. Is it not the same for France?

I think First Class is too - sometimes the tracking ends on the USPS website (until delivery confirmation), but if you put the tracking number into the website of the country it's going to, it appears on that system (e.g. A seller sends me a tube from the US and the tracking on the USPS site ends when it leaves the US, but then appears on the Royal Mail or Parcelforce website).

[MoviePosterBid.com]

it isn't trackable for all nations Tob and sometimes it isn't even all trackable to the same nations, largely because it does depend on the other side not having a lazy worker or inoperable scanner.

[Tob]

Interesting, thanks Rich. For all the shit Royal Mail get, I have had good service from them and my postman is a good bloke too so I'm grateful.

[MoviePosterBid.com]

Interesting, thanks Rich. For all the shit Royal Mail get, I have had good service from them and my postman is a good bloke too so I'm grateful.

overall I have no complaints about USPS shipping. They get the job done at the lowest cost for small business. The post offices where I have or do get service are always very helpful & nice. Of course, I have all my mail done right - packaged properly, labeled and postaged for Domestic shipping so they would have little complaint about me. When I'm in line (at the post office or anywhere else) I'm never complaining about how long it takes to get to a window. Thankfully the post office exists, because if we all had to depend on UPS & Fed-X or any other service, mail order biz from people like us would evaporate due to the high costs.

eBay wants to make more money, in part due to investor necessity to show increased profits year-over-year (Wall Street is not a consumer's friend in this arena), but touting Global Shipping as a price drop is a Pants-On-Fire moment

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Fed-X

Thanks, approximately how much would it cost to send a medium tube with a $630 poster, insured, trackable, etc?  Do I have to pay customs in advance? I need to send an invoice to a French buyer ASAP.

[AdamCarterJones]

So glad I live in the UK - so much easier over here!
Don't know why it so difficult in the US!?

Mel - buy a tube, package the poster, weigh it, measure it, and then go online for prices. You'd have an answer in no time at all.

[MoviePosterBid.com]

Thanks, approximately how much would it cost to send a medium tube with a $630 poster, insured, trackable, etc?  Do I have to pay customs in advance? I need to send an invoice to a French buyer ASAP.

log on to Fed-x and get a rate quote Mel.
although last time I sent a tubed poster to Belgium Fed-x I think it cost about $150 and that was 2012

keep in mind, insured, will mean that have to pay full VAT at the other end

[erik1925]

The shipper/ seller does pay any customs fees when shipping.

That is charged to the buyer, once it arrives and they see the declared value of the item. Customs then notifies the buyer that the parcel has arrived and what fees will be added and charged.

[longdog]

Another negative aspect of the Ebay GSP that buyers should be aware of is the aledged practice of opening and repackaging of purchased items after they have left the seller.

There have been numerous online reports that once the package arrives at the nominated US shipping office it is inspected and then often repacked in materials not necessarily of the same quality of those originally used indicating that cheaper and lighter options are being substituted no doubt to save cost.

Therefore, despite the best intentions of the seller to ensure their item reaches the buyer in the best possible shape it appears their efforts are being potentially derailed by the new system.

Needless to say what this potentially means when it comes to the handling of rolled posters and this (along with the upfront customs scam) has stopped me buying from anyone in the States using it.

Paul.

[MoviePosterBid.com]

The shipper/ seller does pay any customs fees when shipping.

That is charged to the buyer, once it arrives and they see the declared value of the item. Customs then notifies the buyer that the parcel has arrived and what fees will be added and charged.

never has this been my experience

[erik1925]

never has this been my experience

Rich, as the seller, you have paid some kind of up front customs fee, (in addition to the shipping and any insurance coverage) when shipping a tube to the UK, for example?