Should all US ebay sellers opt out of forced global shipping?

I can't figure it out. Ebay will automatically add GSP to all eligible listings unless you opt out by 10/03/2014.

I can't figure out the level of risk involved with this program and the risk seems to be getting higher for the seller as time goes on.

The blanket statement they give is I'm not responsible for lost or damaged packages. But what about not as described claims? As far as I can tell this would be a total loss of item, sale price and original shipping cost.

 

That's going to be the case whether you use the GSP or not. You can get something (though not necessarily the same thing you sent out) back, but only if you're willing to pay the return shipping cost. If you use the GSP and spend $4 to get it to their reshipping station, it's still gonna cost you $25 or more if you want to get it back from Whereverland.

I've loved selling stuff all over the world, but with this eBay is going to drive me to domestic only.

 

I'm happy eat shipping both ways domestically if I make a mistake. I just don't believe GSP will eat any shipping costs on a global NAD claim. I think they will charge me the global shipping and duty fees both ways if I want the item back, much more than $25. They also state they can liquidate the item (throw it away) and on a NAD claim I'm sure they will take all of their costs from my accounts.

 

I've done about three GSP sales and it was fine. Great buyers that left good feedback. In fact I've done over 20k in sales on ebay and only had one return. That was a clear abuse of the Buyer protection policy as the item broke 30 days after the sale and the policy clearly states it is not a warrentee.

My concern is the new seller pays return shipping policy and the paypal six month claim window. It seems to me that this will open sellers up to serious abuse from fraud, especially on GSP sales.

It just seems wrong to force sellers to participate in GSP unless they opt out. More ebay madness (desperation?).

 

I swear, I will never buy from any Ebay seller using GSP. It's a complete rip off for non-USers. An $8 CD with $16+ shipping? Yeah right, good luck with that.

 

Agreed - as an overseas buyer I actively avoid sellers using GSP.

 

I shipped a record to Japan first class cheapest way and GSP would have actually been a bit cheaper but it wasn't an ebay sale. Ebay is aggressively pushing GSP on sellers but I see no real advantage for sellers (or buyers).

 

I am totally against the GSP and all my ads on ebay state no international shipping, but it doesn't seem to stop international buyers from bidding/buying. I have sold a handful of items in the last month or so overseas, and I did notice one positive note on all the sales. I have used the online international shipping and customs forms and everything has gotten to its destination with no problems. Every one of the customs dispatch numbers has tracked the delivery right to the buyer. Australia, Italy, Brazil, and Canada, all with timely delivery and tracking to the door. If I write out my own labels and hand print the supplied customs forms,(the little ones at the post office), delivery becomes a crapshoot.
I will definitely opt out of the GSP, but I'm starting to have more faith in the USPS international tracking and may just bite the bullet and start going worldwide again.

 

So you use priority mail international? Still expensive. I can't buy postage online for first class international so that method is a real pain in the ass.

 

No reason to use Priority. First class international is $18-20 to ship a record anywhere in the world and tracking is included if you purchase at USPS.com

 

That tracking number means nothing in the eyes of Paypal. They want registered mail for seller protection. And, if the item is $250 or more, it must be signature required or else your seller protection goes out the window.

 

How do you know that tracking number means nothing to them? Have you experienced it in a dispute? It tracks the package until it is delivered to the buyer's door. It makes no sense for PayPal not to accept it. On items over $250 I'd be really dumb not to require some kind of signature.

 

You're preaching to the choir! I know. I was on the phone with them trying to get some clarity regarding their seller protection requirements. That is what they told me.
Basically, a standard tracking number only shows that it made it to their dispatch region, not their doorstep. Registered mail is what's required, and a signature also if it's over $250. Straight from paypal's mouth. Straight after I lost a $200 record on a paypal dispute.

 

Thanks. I got locked out of my online account because I forgot my password and user name. Can't open a new account because they say I already have one . I see no way to use usps.com anymore.

Paypal shipping won't let me ship first class, only priority. I even opened a new account at usps.com at my mothers address and it wouldn't let me ship first class to japan. If it was ebay I could have shipped the record for $24 with GSP but it cost $26 to do it at the PO with no tracking. Hardly worth all the hassle for international shipping for me.

 

You are right about PayPal not allowing First Class and that is ridiculous. That's why I use USPS.com.

 

Oh wow. Well that really stinks. Thanks for letting me know. At least a buyer who doesn't know might be hesitant to lie and file a fraudulent dispute if you can show him that it was delivered thru the tracking.

 

It pays to keep up with Paypal's stated requirements. They raised the $250 floor for Signature Confirmation to $750 some time ago. I have had a Not Received claim found in my favor with nothing more exotic than standard Delivery confirmation. The relevant section of the actual written User Agreement is here (Section 9.3 and 9.4 in particular).

https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/ua/useragreement-full#9

 

Was that standard delivery notification the same regular international tracking that you can get at the USPS website?

 

I don't think it's the buyers that don't know that are the problem. There is a risk involved with all transactions and the seller assumes this risk because the way ebay and paypal operate.

There is always a cost of doing business. If you're doing 10k a year and get scammed for 200 that is a reasonable cost IMO. The new policies increase the risk of sellers to fraud.

Thanks. I didn't know they raised it to 750. I sold a record a couple of months back to a domestic buyer and they still checked signature confirmation at over 250.

I still think they take the policies with a grain of salt in decisions. If the buyer has a large history of the same type of claim you may win but otherwise you're screwed.

 

It was domestic. But I just checked the number on a package I sent to England earlier this month, and it does show on the USPS site as "Delivered". The stated requirement from PP is

>>The recipient's address, showing at least the city/state or postal code (or international equivalent).

Domestic Delivery Confirmation does show the city online, UK delivery through USPS just says "United Kingdom". They can call you out on that any time they want, and I think they are big "letter of the law types". People have tried to sue eBay/PP over things like the new return policy and their policy of holding funds arbitrarily, and the courts have always shot them down because you agreed to all that when you accepted the User Agreement. I myself have always considered PP/eBay "protection" a myth, especially internationally. If i sell anything of value overseas I insure it. But with the new Not As Described rulings I'm considering just stopping International altogether, unless someone contacts me individually and agrees to a non-Paypal payment.

 

Great comment, thank you. I do have a question for international transactions though. Why would you not just require the buyer to sign for the parcel instead of insurance, which I am sure it is more expensive. If the buyer signs for it and you can show PP, I don't see how you could lose that dispute. Maybe I am missing something?

 

Insurance is cheap, about $1.50 per $100 value. The PP "Gotcha" is that they have to be able to view the signature ONLINE. That's fine for domestic Signature Confirmation, but useless overseas. They won't deliver a Registered Mail package here or overseas without a signature, but you can't see that signature online. (Maybe you can for Express Mail, not sure). The reason to use Registered Mail is not that Paypal will accept it, but because it is the most secure mail service available. It's what you use to send packages of diamonds and bearer bonds and $50,000 stacks of $100 bills. It's going to get there, or USPS will admit they booted it at which point real insurance will pay, even if PP "protection" won't.

 

Fair enough. So do you use both Registered mail and insurance for valuable packages? You have made very valid points, and I may need to make some changes for additional security. I guess Express Mail with insurance is an option as well, but it is more expensive.

 

Well there goes my eBay buying down the drain. No way I can afford to buy records on eBay from us sellers if I'm being charged those extra fees.

I just hope most sellers opt out but I've noticed that many sellers are using it likely by accident. I see listing with it but then they say yo email them for an international postage quote.

 

I play it by ear. Part of the equation is how much I have into the item, if I paid $20 and sold it for $150 I might cheap out and only buy $100 in insurance, since I really only stand to lose $20 and costs. Very expensive things I've only sent overseas by Express Mail. I've sent thousands of packages in the US and abroad in the last 20 years and can count the number of packages lost in the mail on one hand and still have fingers left to make a peace sign, but that doesn't mean I get complacent about it.