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Ebay Global Shipping Program?
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59 posts in this topic

My understanding is that although GSP duty is levied at $0 (when purchasing from the US to the UK), you now get stung AFTER you pay when the duty is added to your bill without you knowing up-front what that amount will be! I couldn't believe it at first (it seemed so underhand). For me, GSP is now only viable on small value purchases and I avoid it if at all possible.

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23 hours ago, mrc said:

My understanding is that although GSP duty is levied at $0 (when purchasing from the US to the UK), you now get stung AFTER you pay when the duty is added to your bill without you knowing up-front what that amount will be! I couldn't believe it at first (it seemed so underhand). For me, GSP is now only viable on small value purchases and I avoid it if at all possible.

Exactly, you're getting dinged customs regardless.

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On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 6:58 PM, Buzzetta said:

I use it with the account that I use to sell jewelry.  To tell the truth, I would not risk selling that type of stuff online without GSP.   I have had customers complain because I refuse to budge with the jewelry but it is not worth the hassle of things going missing.  I have had a few people utilize the GSP on eBay when they buy from me but I am sure that it probably shuts out a lot of international buyers.  However the stuff seems to sell regardless so... 

So I'm not taking an antagonistic approach to sellers, I understand why they use GSP, it's just the additional expense usually makes it less viable when buying certain items. 

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One other point not directed to anyone in particular, I don't get why sellers get offended if a foreign buyer asks to mark something as a gift.  For Canada the US anyway, we're supposed to have a free-trade agreement.  Case in point, yesterday I came back from a vacation in NC.  I purchased about $200 worth of clothes during my trip, because I was out of the country for more than 48 hours it's considered duty-free and not subject to additional taxes.  Really, what difference does it makes whether I'm on vacation or at home buying comics? 

Edited by spreads
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21 hours ago, spreads said:

One other point not directed to anyone in particular, I don't get why sellers get offended if a foreign buyer asks to mark something as a gift.  For Canada the US anyway, we're supposed to have a free-trade agreement.  Case in point, yesterday I came back from a vacation in NC.  I purchased about $200 worth of clothes during my trip, because I was out of the country for more than 48 hours it's considered duty-free and not subject to additional taxes.  Really, what difference does it makes whether I'm on vacation or at home buying comics? 

I won't speak for anyone else, but it offends me when foreign buyers ask me to mark an item as a gift because they are effectively asking me to falsify federal documents and commit mail fraud just so they can save some money.  If a buyer asks for an item to be marked as a gift, the seller is assuming all the risk with no risk/consequences to the buyer.  I print my labels through Ebay, so there's an easy-to-follow "paper trail" that shows unequivocally that the transaction is not a gift. 

You are free to feel any way you want about laws or the way things are, but please don't ask me to break the law simply because you don't agree with them.  These kinds of requests (mark as gift, mark as a lower value) were so common that it really drove me to using the GSP as a seller.  Roughly the same percentage of my buyers are abroad now as they were before adopting the GSP.  But now I have much fewer headaches and fewer potentially uncomfortable conversations to have with buyers.   

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21 hours ago, spreads said:

One other point not directed to anyone in particular, I don't get why sellers get offended if a foreign buyer asks to mark something as a gift.  For Canada the US anyway, we're supposed to have a free-trade agreement.  Case in point, yesterday I came back from a vacation in NC.  I purchased about $200 worth of clothes during my trip, because I was out of the country for more than 48 hours it's considered duty-free and not subject to additional taxes.  Really, what difference does it makes whether I'm on vacation or at home buying comics? 

I'll do whatever the customer asks. I'm not subject to Canadian law so how can I break it? Besides, doesn't the Canadian customer have to pay up if there is an error? I understand I may have my right to commerce cancelled for violations but I doubt they care about >$300 comics. If they issue me a warning letter, I might change my mind.

Watch out for this rebel without a cause! Put me on the probation list! Also I have been known to eat bacon which is illegal in many countries.

 

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1 hour ago, Turtle said:

I won't speak for anyone else, but it offends me when foreign buyers ask me to mark an item as a gift because they are effectively asking me to falsify federal documents and commit mail fraud just so they can save some money.  If a buyer asks for an item to be marked as a gift, the seller is assuming all the risk with no risk/consequences to the buyer.  I print my labels through Ebay, so there's an easy-to-follow "paper trail" that shows unequivocally that the transaction is not a gift. 

You are free to feel any way you want about laws or the way things are, but please don't ask me to break the law simply because you don't agree with them.  These kinds of requests (mark as gift, mark as a lower value) were so common that it really drove me to using the GSP as a seller.  Roughly the same percentage of my buyers are abroad now as they were before adopting the GSP.  But now I have much fewer headaches and fewer potentially uncomfortable conversations to have with buyers.   

:foryou:

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1 hour ago, Turtle said:

I won't speak for anyone else, but it offends me when foreign buyers ask me to mark an item as a gift because they are effectively asking me to falsify federal documents and commit mail fraud just so they can save some money.  If a buyer asks for an item to be marked as a gift, the seller is assuming all the risk with no risk/consequences to the buyer.  I print my labels through Ebay, so there's an easy-to-follow "paper trail" that shows unequivocally that the transaction is not a gift. 

You are free to feel any way you want about laws or the way things are, but please don't ask me to break the law simply because you don't agree with them.  These kinds of requests (mark as gift, mark as a lower value) were so common that it really drove me to using the GSP as a seller.  Roughly the same percentage of my buyers are abroad now as they were before adopting the GSP.  But now I have much fewer headaches and fewer potentially uncomfortable conversations to have with buyers.   

I think you're over-reacting, mail fraud, give me a break?  Look, I ask very politely if someone is willing to do it, if they don't then that's fine I move on.  I understand how answering an email is very difficult and aggravating, I bet you must be great to work with. 

Edited by spreads
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26 minutes ago, spreads said:

I think you're over-reacting, mail fraud, give me a break?  Look, I ask very politely if someone is willing to do it, if they don't then that's fine I move on.  I understand how answering an email is very difficult and aggravating, I bet you must be great to work with. 

But your honor he asked me very politely to falsify the customs form so I did it.   

 

This thread is justifying the existence of the GSP.

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2 hours ago, FN-2199 said:

I'll do whatever the customer asks. I'm not subject to Canadian law so how can I break it? Besides, doesn't the Canadian customer have to pay up if there is an error? I understand I may have my right to commerce cancelled for violations but I doubt they care about >$300 comics. If they issue me a warning letter, I might change my mind.

Watch out for this rebel without a cause! Put me on the probation list! Also I have been known to eat bacon which is illegal in many countries.

 

Hmmm.

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On 9/25/2017 at 8:45 PM, Mijael.Levy said:

The GSP is a good service , i dont have to deal with inexperienced sellers that dont know how to ship international and i pay my taxes in advance 

Except you're paying duties that most likely won't be charged to you - it's a complete scam-alang-adingdong. For all the packages I get from the US maybe 1 in 10 I get dinged for duties. GSP it's 100% plus high shipping. 

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22 minutes ago, Quicksilver Signs said:

Except you're paying duties that most likely won't be charged to you - it's a complete scam-alang-adingdong. For all the packages I get from the US maybe 1 in 10 I get dinged for duties. GSP it's 100% plus high shipping. 

The UK bound duty/tax problem is unique to you guys and doesn't necessarily apply for every destination country.  
Mad Bob from the UK got his money back from them and also got an explanation as to why tax was collected (in error) 

 

Edited by bababooey
clarification
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1 hour ago, Quicksilver Signs said:

Except you're paying duties that most likely won't be charged to you - it's a complete scam-alang-adingdong. For all the packages I get from the US maybe 1 in 10 I get dinged for duties. GSP it's 100% plus high shipping. 

Works perfect for Mexico i pay what i have to pay 

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7 hours ago, FN-2199 said:

I'll do whatever the customer asks. I'm not subject to Canadian law so how can I break it? Besides, doesn't the Canadian customer have to pay up if there is an error? I understand I may have my right to commerce cancelled for violations but I doubt they care about >$300 comics. If they issue me a warning letter, I might change my mind.

Watch out for this rebel without a cause! Put me on the probation list! Also I have been known to eat bacon which is illegal in many countries.

 

Rereading this statement several hours later, I realize this comment does not reflect positively on me. I got carried away answering a hypothetical question. 

To clarify:

I have not knowingly falsified customs forms when shipping merchandise internationally.

I do not use GSP and work with the customer so he/she has a positive experience.

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16 hours ago, spreads said:

I think you're over-reacting, mail fraud, give me a break?  Look, I ask very politely if someone is willing to do it, if they don't then that's fine I move on.  I understand how answering an email is very difficult and aggravating, I bet you must be great to work with. 

Again, not agreeing with/liking a law doesn't negate the fact that it is a law.  Falsifying customs for IS mail fraud and IS illegal.  No overreaction, just stating a fact. 

Customers asking me to willfully break the law so they can save some money doesn't resonate with me.  It tells me that they are comfortable with using shady business practices just as I'm about to commence a business transaction with them.  Who knows what else they're comfortable with doing?  Shilling?  Book swapping?  Returning a box of German newspapers?  The fact that the buyer assumes zero risk in the endeavor just rubs salt in the wound. 

You asked why sellers get offended by this practice.  I'm just letting you know my reason.

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