Comic sellers on ebay: Please avoid ebay's Global Shipping Programme (GSP)!

[RockMyAmadeus]

I knew right from the start GSP was BS. I reach the international market just fine, thank you. It's actually easier to ship internationally yourself than to go through the program.

 

 

That makes no sense. If I ship through the GSP I don't have to make a special trip to the PO. If I don't ship through the GSP I have to go to the PO. How is that easier?

 

Why do you have to make a special trip to the post office?

 

Yeah, I don't get that either - you can print both domestic and international postage labels online and have the packages picked up at your house.

 

The only difference is that, for USPS Priority International, the postage label needs to be placed in one of these customs pouches:

 

https://www.usps.com/shop/customs2976e.htm

 

(which is free and can also be ordered online)

 

I can't remember the last time I actually went to the PO :shrug:

 

 

Hmmm, you're making it sound too easy. I can't come up with any other excuses

 

 

The only issue I have with international shipping and printing a label at my desk is that you cannot send it registered. That's a service that has to be added at the PO.

 

And since most insurance coverage requires a signature over "x" dollars (usually $200 I think with CIS), you'll have to send a package registered to get the insurance coverage, since registered requires a signature.

 

Contrary to what many think, Priority International does not carry a signature and if the package is lost, you're SOL. Global Express does require a signature I think...but is very expensive.

 

This is the main reason I switched to the GSP. I've been shipping int'l since 1999, but the problem I was running into were the enormous costs to ship insured on my own.

 

It's roughly $50-$60 more to make sure a package is insured to, say, the UK, and I won't ship not insured. Int'l buyers were endlessly complaining that that was too high, and wanted it shipped cheaper by an unsecured method, which I wasn't willing to do.

 

If eBay is willing to shoulder the risk, I couldn't not take it.

[mrc]

 

If I can ship a book to the US tracked, signed for & insured for £20, it seems crazy that the US can't ship in the opposite direction for a similar amount?

[rodan57]

Yup.

Being Canadian, when I see any US seller enrolled with the Global Shipping Program, I keep on trucking to the next seller that isn't.

 

Same.

[RockMyAmadeus]

If I can ship a book to the US tracked, signed for & insured for £20, it seems crazy that the US can't ship in the opposite direction for a similar amount?

 

It depends on the weight of the package, and the amount of the insurance.

 

For example...a 2 pound box, insured for $500, will cost $64.11, just for the postage.

 

And, you can only insure such a package for $650.

 

If you want more insurance, up to $2500, it's $77...again, just for the postage.

[AnhDepTrai]

GSP is king, less headache when problems/issues come up:

 

-When there is a serious international buyer for the book, they will contact you to see if anything can be done around the shipping method and that’s how you eliminate those potential problem buyers. Serious buyers contact you first; problem buyers just bid and mess you up later

 

-I never am able to enter the correct pricing for USPS international shipments so I always come out as a loss. Also with EBay & PayPal fee on top of the shipping cost, you are at a loss of $7-$15 on average. In addition, if you charge a buyer higher than the cost of the label that has the printed postage cost, the potential of negative feedback and low 1-2 star rating from them? Just not worth the time/money

 

-An international buyer that rather to skip sellers using GSP program, that's fine; the number of US buyers are outweigh the few international buyers that might cause you a headache and loss of money/items. As a US seller, I don't see any opportunity loss

[Neeidea]

If I can ship a book to the US tracked, signed for & insured for £20, it seems crazy that the US can't ship in the opposite direction for a similar amount?

 

It depends on the weight of the package, and the amount of the insurance.

 

For example...a 2 pound box, insured for $500, will cost $64.11, just for the postage.

 

And, you can only insure such a package for $650.

 

If you want more insurance, up to $2500, it's $77...again, just for the postage.

 

Using Royal Mail, £20 (around $31) will cover an item for £250 (around $385) up to 1kg (2.2 pounds) so the UK=>US shipping certainly looks cheaper. However, if you step the cover up to £500 (around $770) the cost increases to £62 ($95) so the US=>UK shipping then looks cheaper (unless you can split into two £250 packages).

 

In any case, as a buyer, I would rather have the correct insurance cover (especially on the higher value items) and I do appreciated the costs involved can be high sometimes. However, I can understand buyers (who don't buy internationally very often) get irked and put off by high shipping costs but high import charges (GSP) will also have the same or worse effect (as the overall costs are even higher using GSP, certainly on high value items).

 

[VintageComics]

GSP is king, less headache when problems/issues come up:

 

-When there is a serious international buyer for the book, they will contact you to see if anything can be done around the shipping method and that’s how you eliminate those potential problem buyers. Serious buyers contact you first; problem buyers just bid and mess you up later

 

-I never am able to enter the correct pricing for USPS international shipments so I always come out as a loss. Also with EBay & PayPal fee on top of the shipping cost, you are at a loss of $7-$15 on average. In addition, if you charge a buyer higher than the cost of the label that has the printed postage cost, the potential of negative feedback and low 1-2 star rating from them? Just not worth the time/money

 

-An international buyer that rather to skip sellers using GSP program, that's fine; the number of US buyers are outweigh the few international buyers that might cause you a headache and loss of money/items. As a US seller, I don't see any opportunity loss

 

There are plenty of 'serious buyers' who have been screwed by the GSP system because they don't know how terrible it is until it bites them in the rear.

 

Serious buyers.

[Brock]

GSP is king, less headache when problems/issues come up:

 

-When there is a serious international buyer for the book, they will contact you to see if anything can be done around the shipping method and that’s how you eliminate those potential problem buyers. Serious buyers contact you first; problem buyers just bid and mess you up later

 

-I never am able to enter the correct pricing for USPS international shipments so I always come out as a loss. Also with EBay & PayPal fee on top of the shipping cost, you are at a loss of $7-$15 on average. In addition, if you charge a buyer higher than the cost of the label that has the printed postage cost, the potential of negative feedback and low 1-2 star rating from them? Just not worth the time/money

 

-An international buyer that rather to skip sellers using GSP program, that's fine; the number of US buyers are outweigh the few international buyers that might cause you a headache and loss of money/items. As a US seller, I don't see any opportunity loss

 

I'm a serious buyer. And I wouldn't dream of contacting a GSP seller to negotiate shipping... The mere fact that they use GSP already tells me a seller lacks the sophistication or customer service skills to effectively manage international transactions anyway.

 

And there is a definite opportunity loss for the seller... Look at the number of people, just in this thread, who have indicated that they will not buy a GSP book. Unless a seller's items could only possibly be of interest to a buyer domiciled in the United States, listing with GSP will automatically reduce the number of people bidding on an item. Fewer bidders means lower average sale prices realized.

[427Impaler]

FWIW I skip right by GSP auctions. I am not a problem buyer and I do know the cost of an insured and properly packed package. It costs no where near what I would get nailed by the "GSP" gouge.

 

On top of everything else, a GSP package takes wayyyyy longer to arrive than any other auction purchase I have made. No doubt due to having to get "repackaged".

 

Heavens if you cant simply pack your own sale items and print out a Paypal label and drop them at the PO, I have no mercy for you. I recently over-packed and over insured a 600.00 slab and I was able to send that across the continent for under 30.00 tracked, via Canada Post and USPS.

 

Your buyers get overcharged by the GSP. There is more chance of your sold items being damaged due to longer routes, and re-packing. If you don't care about people not bidding on your items because of your shipping choice, even after all the feedback here, then you don't care about customers.

 

The only caveat I have to this rant is to people who legitimately cannot get to a PO, everyone else...............

[Fan Boy]

FWIW I skip right by GSP auctions. I am not a problem buyer and I do know the cost of an insured and properly packed package. It costs no where near what I would get nailed by the "GSP" gouge.

 

On top of everything else, a GSP package takes wayyyyy longer to arrive than any other auction purchase I have made. No doubt due to having to get "repackaged".

 

Heavens if you cant simply pack your own sale items and print out a Paypal label and drop them at the PO, I have no mercy for you. I recently over-packed and over insured a 600.00 slab and I was able to send that across the continent for under 30.00 tracked, via Canada Post and USPS.

 

Your buyers get overcharged by the GSP. There is more chance of your sold items being damaged due to longer routes, and re-packing. If you don't care about people not bidding on your items because of your shipping choice, even after all the feedback here, then you don't care about customers.

 

The only caveat I have to this rant is to people who legitimately cannot get to a PO, everyone else...............

 

I can't have said any better than what you said!

 

That said, I expect to get a parcel to my home address from U.S. Which was going thru GSP, so that should be interesting fo me to see how it come out. I shall take photos of the actual parcel with shipping label. It's supposed to be due by Nov 2nd as said on eBay.

[youmechooz]

GSP is king, less headache when problems/issues come up:

 

-When there is a serious international buyer for the book, they will contact you to see if anything can be done around the shipping method and that’s how you eliminate those potential problem buyers. Serious buyers contact you first; problem buyers just bid and mess you up later

 

-I never am able to enter the correct pricing for USPS international shipments so I always come out as a loss. Also with EBay & PayPal fee on top of the shipping cost, you are at a loss of $7-$15 on average. In addition, if you charge a buyer higher than the cost of the label that has the printed postage cost, the potential of negative feedback and low 1-2 star rating from them? Just not worth the time/money

 

-An international buyer that rather to skip sellers using GSP program, that's fine; the number of US buyers are outweigh the few international buyers that might cause you a headache and loss of money/items. As a US seller, I don't see any opportunity loss

 

I'm a serious buyer. And I wouldn't dream of contacting a GSP seller to negotiate shipping... The mere fact that they use GSP already tells me a seller lacks the sophistication or customer service skills to effectively manage international transactions anyway.

 

And there is a definite opportunity loss for the seller... Look at the number of people, just in this thread, who have indicated that they will not buy a GSP book. Unless a seller's items could only possibly be of interest to a buyer domiciled in the United States, listing with GSP will automatically reduce the number of people bidding on an item. Fewer bidders means lower average sale prices realized.

The gsp is just easier. We just have to get it to Kentucky. Everything else falls on ebay. I switched because of ebay. I would definately sell to an overseas buyer on the boards, but if they are doing the transaction on ebay, its going to Kentucky. There are also no lost sales. The international buyers on the boards make up less than 1% of sales to anyone in the US selling on ebay. If you factor in US board members, its still less than 1%.

[Neeidea]

GSP is king, less headache when problems/issues come up:

 

-When there is a serious international buyer for the book, they will contact you to see if anything can be done around the shipping method and that’s how you eliminate those potential problem buyers. Serious buyers contact you first; problem buyers just bid and mess you up later

 

-I never am able to enter the correct pricing for USPS international shipments so I always come out as a loss. Also with EBay & PayPal fee on top of the shipping cost, you are at a loss of $7-$15 on average. In addition, if you charge a buyer higher than the cost of the label that has the printed postage cost, the potential of negative feedback and low 1-2 star rating from them? Just not worth the time/money

 

-An international buyer that rather to skip sellers using GSP program, that's fine; the number of US buyers are outweigh the few international buyers that might cause you a headache and loss of money/items. As a US seller, I don't see any opportunity loss

 

I'm a serious buyer. And I wouldn't dream of contacting a GSP seller to negotiate shipping... The mere fact that they use GSP already tells me a seller lacks the sophistication or customer service skills to effectively manage international transactions anyway.

 

And there is a definite opportunity loss for the seller... Look at the number of people, just in this thread, who have indicated that they will not buy a GSP book. Unless a seller's items could only possibly be of interest to a buyer domiciled in the United States, listing with GSP will automatically reduce the number of people bidding on an item. Fewer bidders means lower average sale prices realized.

The gsp is just easier. We just have to get it to Kentucky. Everything else falls on ebay. I switched because of ebay. I would definately sell to an overseas buyer on the boards, but if they are doing the transaction on ebay, its going to Kentucky. There are also no lost sales. The international buyers on the boards make up less than 1% of sales to anyone in the US selling on ebay. If you factor in US board members, its still less than 1%.

 

Generally speaking, I believe that Diamond UK has around 10% of the overall distribution of the English language versions of US comics [side note: these distribution figures don't appear on comichron.com as it only focusses on sales within North America]. This means that many comics are already over here, so UK buyers would certainly look to UK sellers the majority of the time due to the additional shipping, insurance and import charges buying from Canada and the US. However, items can be cheaper from the US and Canada, despite the additional costs, also there are many exclusive and rare items available only from the US/CA. For me, if your costs are higher, I skip your sale and it's a lost sale although you don't know it (you may be happy as you sell the item later to someone else but it is still a lost sale in the first instance) and I'm willing to bet that other US sellers who don't use GSP will likely have a higher percentage of international sales. If you don't care then that's fine but the buyer perspective is important to those who do actually want to sell internationally on eBay and knowledgeable comic buyers in the UK see zero benefits in GSP, just headaches (additional costs, packages being opened, no right to reply on charges, no import charge refund if package has to be returned etc).

[Chip Cataldo]

The gsp is just easier. We just have to get it to Kentucky.

I'll disagree with you on this, my friend. It's not "easier" because we only have to pack it up and get it in the mail. It's still up to the USPS to deliver the package. I haven't had an international package get lost or damaged and I don't use the GSP at all.

 

Everything else falls on ebay. I switched because of ebay. I would definately sell to an overseas buyer on the boards, but if they are doing the transaction on ebay, its going to Kentucky. There are also no lost sales. The international buyers on the boards make up less than 1% of sales to anyone in the US selling on ebay. If you factor in US board members, its still less than 1%.

If you're selling on eBay, international sales make up a huge audience for your items (which I know you're aware of). You can't just talk about board members that are international...it's eBay members. Using the GSP will alienate at least some portion of your customer base.

[kpaqu1]

After reading other threads like this months ago I decided to experiment and drop GSP for Canada and do my own shipping.

 

It has netted me zero, zed, 0, nada, zippo additional sales compared to GSP numbers. I've actually had less.

 

So, to all who shout, "YOU'RE LOSING SALES! YOU'RE LOSING SALES!" Well, not so much.

[Chip Cataldo]

After reading other threads like this months ago I decided to experiment and drop GSP for Canada and do my own shipping.

 

It has netted me zero, zed, 0, nada, zippo additional sales compared to GSP numbers. I've actually had less.

 

So, to all who shout, "YOU'RE LOSING SALES! YOU'RE LOSING SALES!" Well, not so much.

How much volume do you sell per month? Let's see what the sample size is here.

[roulette44]

I knew right from the start GSP was BS. I reach the international market just fine, thank you. It's actually easier to ship internationally yourself than to go through the program.

 

 

That makes no sense. If I ship through the GSP I don't have to make a special trip to the PO. If I don't ship through the GSP I have to go to the PO. How is that easier?

 

Why do you have to make a special trip to the post office?

 

Yeah, I don't get that either - you can print both domestic and international postage labels online and have the packages picked up at your house.

 

The only difference is that, for USPS Priority International, the postage label needs to be placed in one of these customs pouches:

 

https://www.usps.com/shop/customs2976e.htm

 

(which is free and can also be ordered online)

 

I can't remember the last time I actually went to the PO :shrug:

 

 

Hmmm, you're making it sound too easy. I can't come up with any other excuses

 

 

The only issue I have with international shipping and printing a label at my desk is that you cannot send it registered. That's a service that has to be added at the PO.

 

And since most insurance coverage requires a signature over "x" dollars (usually $200 I think with CIS), you'll have to send a package registered to get the insurance coverage, since registered requires a signature.

 

Contrary to what many think, Priority International does not carry a signature and if the package is lost, you're SOL. Global Express does require a signature I think...but is very expensive.

 

Priority does require a signature. Only 1st class doesn't.

 

Sorry man, how I wish this were true -- but it isn't.

 

Shipping internationally - you need to ship express priority, global express, or registered to be able to even ask for a signature to be required.

 

Typical 1 slab box to the UK might cost $55-60 via express priority, and only $40 via regular priority. My insurance covers everything if signature is required so I could save $20/box. But I can't because you can't get a signature required on priority mail internationally, only priority express mail.

 

Joey

[kpaqu1]

After reading other threads like this months ago I decided to experiment and drop GSP for Canada and do my own shipping.

 

It has netted me zero, zed, 0, nada, zippo additional sales compared to GSP numbers. I've actually had less.

 

So, to all who shout, "YOU'RE LOSING SALES! YOU'RE LOSING SALES!" Well, not so much.

How much volume do you sell per month? Let's see what the sample size is here.

 

Small seller. I went from 3-4 sales to Canada a month to 0-1. Wasn't/Isn't worth the additional even minimal effort/risk. You can have all my international sales Peachy. I doubt you'd even notice them at this point.

 

My favorite Canadian eBay message came just after I turned off GSP to start shipping myself and was told my shipping was too high and they will never buy from me. The shipping was set to 9oz 1st Class International... I was off to a rousing start!

 

I wouldn't offer international sales at all if not for GSP so it's not like I'm losing sales from people who skip over GSP sellers either.

[roulette44]

Oh, and I'm not so concerned about whether GSP is easier or not, I just don't want to see buyers get charged egregious extra fees that shouldn't be there

 

I don't do a huge amount of volume, just bigger average books (maybe 7-10/month go international), but when the duties are 20%+, it hurts the buyer and ultimately (I think) me, even if indirectly.

 

For what it's worth, I was defaulted into GSP for a month or so before I even realized I was in it (I thought that Kentucky address was some hub that buyers were using of their own accord,

Granted I didn't pay it much attention that month).

 

I dropped it after getting maybe 4-5 messages through eBay from buyers explaining all of this. So I dropped it and ship myself. Never had any problems (knock wood) and clients seem happy!

 

[BeachBum]

Over 20% of my eBay sales are international. A large portion of those sales go to the UK.

 

"Comic Book - Printed Matter" on the customs form. I don't use GSP. Straight from me to my international customer - my packages don't need an extra stop in Kentucky.

[youmechooz]

The gsp is just easier. We just have to get it to Kentucky.

I'll disagree with you on this, my friend. It's not "easier" because we only have to pack it up and get it in the mail. It's still up to the USPS to deliver the package. I haven't had an international package get lost or damaged and I don't use the GSP at all.

 

Everything else falls on ebay. I switched because of ebay. I would definately sell to an overseas buyer on the boards, but if they are doing the transaction on ebay, its going to Kentucky. There are also no lost sales. The international buyers on the boards make up less than 1% of sales to anyone in the US selling on ebay. If you factor in US board members, its still less than 1%.

If you're selling on eBay, international sales make up a huge audience for your items (which I know you're aware of). You can't just talk about board members that are international...it's eBay members. Using the GSP will alienate at least some portion of your customer base.

it takes a lot of worry off my mind i guess and not so much easier. It does make it easier to print labels for me. I have a label printer and hate using a regular printer for shipping labels. Cant print international on a 4x6 label. And again, package just has to make it to Kentucky, the rest falls on ebay. Even when i was doing higher volume and first class shipping outside the us, int sales were scarce compared to domestic so any loss of international sales didnt matter.