Let's talk about eBay's "eBay International Standard Delivery" service. Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by giantleech, Jan 29, 2021.

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  1. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    I have a burning, deep and very sincere hatred for eBay's Global Shipping Program. Twice last year I had items I bought from the UK confiscated in the UK, not forwarded to me, not returned to the seller and the reason for the confiscation is so amazing, so bonehead friggin' stupid you cannot believe it, you might not believe it happened, but it did and my gawd in friggin' hell it is a Kafkan nightmare of inutterable stupidity and bureaucratic mindlessness.

    Now, I got my payment and shipping fee returned. So there's that. But I wish I could un-learn, un-experience the knowledge that such bleeding buffoonery even exists and that eBay's shipping program randomly victimizes users with it.

    So here it is.

    Twice last year I won auctions for LPs in the UK and I really wanted those records. They are hard to find in NM and I won them for exceptionally good prices. Was really looking forward to getting them.

    FYI -- The first one was the 1965 UK Columbia press of The Most Of The Animals -- the best sounding vinyl SQ of that band's early tracks. Won it for like less than US$20. Hard to find in any condition and NM? Forget about it.

    So a few days after the seller posts it -- with eBay's Global Shipping Program -- I get email from eBay saying the record was confiscated, the transaction was nullified and we're happy to inform you your money has been refunded. I exploded. I was furious beyond belief and got into an email go 'round with eBay on why in friggin' hell has this vintage LP been confiscated. I mean, they didn't even return it to the seller so at least he or she might try to auction it off again. The upshot is eBay saw that the record was on the Columbia label and the UK and Japan have some kind of restrictive trade agreement with regard to Columbia. Now I am sure that would not apply to a vinyl record manufactured 56 years ago, but far be it for the living bots at eBay to figure that out when they can just confiscate it like they've been trained -- all according to the rules as far as they know -- and be done with it. They even had the f'ing nerve to write I should be happy they're looking out for customers safety or some such Orwellian pablum.

    About then months later I'd pretty much purged that miserable episode from memory and bid on another UK lp I wanted that was the same deal: rare, hard to find in NM shape, and I got it for cheap. Yay! Not so fast. I just pressed the buttons not noticing that damned to hell Global Shipping Program again and that, despite it being a 55 year old record, it was on the UK Columbia label.

    And, you guessed it: confiscated.

    I've read online that people have spotted items the Global Shipping Program confiscated up for sale elsewhere.

    Like an unslaked, parched throat high desert thirst my hatred for this thoughtless excretory robot policy is aroused each and every time I see anything regarding eBay shipping even mentioned. Fk'ers.

    One day I'll be able to articulate my feelings in a way that lets everyone know how I really feel. Somehow I don't think I've been able to convey it in a way that expresses it well here. I think I need a good thesaurus and some time so that I can give you the flavor, the sense of the stupidity, the hopelessness in the face of the idiot Leviathan, and the repressed, oppressed hatred one can experience when coming face-to-face with such a thing.

    I'm sure it all smacks of a first-world problem and it is. I didn't even lose any money. But that's not the point. It is the encounter with such utter thoughtlessness, such block-headed dullness, such mallet-to-the-forehead behavior that still amazes and astounds all this time later. It's still hard for me to process, to accept that it really happened. I wouldn't wish my experience on anyone.
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2021
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  2. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    That's a pretty rotten deal; that which occurred in the story that you have laid out above.

    Again, my main concern is about my customers getting hosed for significant (or any, really) additional coin from me utilizing either of eBay's in-house international shipping methodologies to get their order delivered to them.

    Perhaps I'll just have to give it some time, wait for these initial batches of international orders to finally arrive to their destination, and then inquire with my customers and see what they can tell me about their experience and see if they were socked with any additional fees (that they have noticed.)
     
    EdogawaRampo likes this.
  3. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Costs more, takes longer and random confiscations part of the deal. Win-win for everyone.

    As for me -- the post office or Fed Ex if people want it fast.
     
  4. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    I'm not certain as to whether one service (USPS) is faster or slower than the other (eBay's in-house shipping aggregating partnerships. At least not yet. My one anecdotal experience that offers a reasonable comparison is a customer I have in Mexico who ordered, at the same time, in two separate orders, a large box set, which had to ship via eBay's Global Shipping Program (because I had no set international price for shipping that one item; only a domestic shipping price) and also a 30 item order, which I sent via USPS (which I was able to do because each item had an international shipping price noted.) The 30 item order was shipped via USPS "Priority Express." Both orders, shipped via two different services, arrived in basically the same amount of time (with perhaps the eBay "GSP" package arriving with a little bit of a quicker delivery time.)

    As to what the real costs wind up being for the buyer, I will have to investigate by inquiring with my customers who are going to be receiving packages via the eBay "International Standard Delivery" service that I have opted for here in recent weeks.

    I know that you are well steamed from having two items snaffled away from reaching your hands, but that sounds like you have been victimized by some dumb policy that is specific to the UK and may very well have no such analog with eBay's handling of items here in the good ole' US of A. With the (what I assume to be a) deluge of parcels that eBay receives at their California and Kentucky aggregating facilities, I can't imagine that they spend much of any time at all rifling through and/or repackaging any but the most obvious grossly inept packed parcels that come their way.

    Of course, perhaps I could be wrong about the above count. That is why I would like to hear from as many eBay users who have utilized these services.

    Fed Ex, I imagine, would be a service I would reserve for perhaps any major league high dollar sale of a particularly expensive single item.
     
  5. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    I sold a poster for $9 and $4 postage, The address to send it to was Erlanger Kentucky. What the heck is that a secret eBay address?
     
  6. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Never use FedEx. If you're going to ship internationally use the US postal service. The reason is this: if there are import duties, FedEx will try to collect them from the buyer, but if they are unsuccessful, then the seller is on the hook for those duties plus an extra fee. this can be a very unpleasant and unexpected gift.

    If you sell using the US postal service, once it leaves your hands you can never be charged more money. The US postal service or their partner is responsible for collecting the duties, and if they are unsuccessful that's their problem.

    The eBay global shipping program is the same as the US postal service in this respect. That is, once it leaves your hands you aren't responsible if the duties aren't collected on the other end.
     
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  7. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Good advice. I've never had to pay -- or almost never -- import duties when a parcel came regular post, even signed for and insured. Certainly not a record. Japan Post only becomes interested if it's a high value parcel. A single LP, or a few LPs in a mailer doesn't interest them most of the time.
     
  8. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    So a three album, $100.00+ order that I sent to Turkey on December 1st, via regular USPS service, has dead-ended at San Francisco International Dispatch on December 6 (I only just now discovered this fact, researching this order after my customer in Turkey informed me that he hasn't received his order yet.) I'll go through the effort now to have my postmaster put in an "inquiry" to the effect that it will more than likely accomplish absolutely nothing.

    Now I have really had it revealed to me, after all of these recent **** **'* by the USPS, as to why I would want to go with eBay's shipping aggregating services. Unless and until I find that this new service utilization blows up in my face in some form or fashion, this recent episode clinches the deal for me in going the new eBay mailing route.
     
  9. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    I don't ship international anymore. How many Frenchies and "what's my tracking number?" do you want? Imagine $40 billing on a $12 LP just to save a reversal. Those days are over.
     
  10. cooper16

    cooper16 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    I've been using eBay International Standard Delivery for about 6 months now. I started using it because it's significantly cheaper than USPS First Class International. A CD shipped overseas used to cost a flat $13, but they've recently incorporated zone rates, and increased some of them significantly. For example, I sold a CD to Australia today and the rate was $15. Here's a link to their new rate card: eBay international standard

    The only real issue I've dealt with was a cracked standard jewel case on a $14 CD. I pack my items very well, but I don't know if eBay was at fault for a flimsy repack, or if the item just got damaged in transit. Honestly the crack wasn't even that big, the buyer was just one of those hard to please folks you run across every once in awhile. Buyer wouldn't accept a partial refund so I filed an insurance claim for a damaged item and received payment within a week or so.

    My advice would be to give it try, but make sure you charge enough to cover the new rate increases if you charge a flat shipping fee. I will be revising all my items today.
     
    chazz101s likes this.
  11. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    I get a lot of international sales, so, personally, I would not want to have to give that up at all (despite the rare but occasional "delivery issue," that will, hopefully, no longer be an issue if things go swimmingly with this new eBay shipping program.)
     
  12. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    I've got my shipping rates set pretty solid at the front end to cover my costs of shipping and the materials that I use. These rates fall into covering whatever eBay charges me for their posted shipping rates, so that's not an issue for me.

    The ONLY thing, at this point, that really has me wary (and waiting for people to receive their items, so I can investigate and get feedback straight my customers) is the idea that eBay will REPACKAGE a perfectly good, solid and secure parcel (and I pack items up very well) that arrives at their Redondo Beach facility into some flimsy, inappropriate container that will only bring the possibility of damage to the item (that wouldn't have occurred had they left my original packed parcel as is) during continued transit to the international destination.

    If they take my parcel and then place it as is into another container then that would be fine with me. Any other sort of molestation of my properly packed parcel, which would likely lead to some sort of guaranteed damage to my items before arrival to the customer would be the deal breaker for me.

    I really wish that I knew more about what happens to these parcels when they are processed through eBay's Redondo Beach facility (Erlanger, KY, too.)
     
  13. Funky54

    Funky54 Coat Hangers do not sound good

    Now they want bank information... you fellas do what you like but fool me once...

    In 2007 a buddy of mine wanted to buy a Harley on ebay. He didn’t have the money but would get a nice year end bonus and could make payments. I offered to buy it and then he could pay me off. (With me so far?) My ebay account was tied to purchases made through a credit card. This was a card with a 50K limit locked for life at 7% so it was just not a problem for me. Ebay needed a credit check or something to send and put the title in my buddies name. On their credit form they asked for my social and banking info. I submitted. I DID NOT AUTHORIZE NOR DID THE FORM ANYWHERE SAY MY BANKING INFO WOULD BE USED GOR ANYTHING INCLUDING THE TRANSACTION) again my eBay account purchases were locked to my credit card.

    I went out of state on a short trip. While gone they took $22k from my checking account. Left less than $100 in there. All my normal monthly expenses, Mortgage, Electric, water HO fees... everything bounced. The bank looked at it as fraud so they locked all my credit cards down. Meanwhile I’m stranded in another state where I don’t know anyone and no money. All cards locked. I was literally hit with thousands of dollars of late fees, and process fees. It took weeks to clear up and then months for them to return my $22k cash. I also had to have a lawyer write nasty letters to them before they would send me a check. AFTER ADMITTING IT WAS ALL THEIR FAULT, THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO SWITCH TO BANKING FOR THE PURCHASE) they kept saying their POLICY was to give my $22k in credit for on line purchases.

    ebay Sucks.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2021
  14. Funky54

    Funky54 Coat Hangers do not sound good

    So this morning I check my EBay sold balance... after losing money on all that PA gear the little bit of money left they won’t release to me until I give them my banking information. I told them no. That “they” mid transaction changed “their” policy and can’t expect me to change to get the money they owe me.

    Again I get “It’s our new policy.... “ I’ve gone up the chain supervisor after supervisor. Now they say in 24 hours the next supervisor will call me. They have told me it is not possible for them to give me my funds through PayPal. They will accept nothing except for my banking and social.

    I’m so angry my blood is boiling. I HATE them with the burning heat of a thousand sun’s.
     
  15. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    I can certainly understand the feeling of those who hold this opinion about them, no doubt.
     
  16. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    "Europe 1" and "Europe 2" (on eBay's International Standard Delivery rate chart.) What does this mean?

    When choosing countries on any page that you would sell an item on eBay with, they offer separate choices of "Europe + UK," "United Kingdom," "Germany" and "France," but there is no separate choices for any such thing called "Europe 1" and "Europe 2." How am I supposed to decipher this nonsense?

    Trying to reset international rates is vexing because the eBay shipping price between "Europe 1" and "Europe 2," with incremental rates up to the 4 pound weight, is vastly different between the two.

    Any other eBay sellers have this figured out and ready to explain?
     
  17. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    @cooper16 gave a link to their rate card above. Drill down (I think it's near the bottom of the page) and it tells you country by country what the rates are.
     
  18. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    I have been examining and utilizing the rate chart on that page but there is absolutely no description or explanation as to what constitutes specific European countries in what that rate chart designates as "Europe 1" and "Europe 2." It is a complete mystery to me. How is this supposed to make any sense at all?

    There is a $6.00 price difference in sending a package weighing between 3.1 to 4 pounds between to "Europe 1" and "Europe 2." Again, what countries are in "Europe 1" and what countries are in "Europe 2"? It sure would be helpful to know. Also, there is no choice for "Europe 1" and "Europe 2" when using the drop down/check box options on eBay's selling pages (just "Europe + UK, "United Kingdom," Germany" and "France." How does that make any sense? Why is the UK/United Kingdom listed twice? Why no "Europe 1" and "Europe 2" to choose from?

    I will be fine with being called "stupid" and "a dummy" if anyone can point out "the answers" to my questions, which, apparently, are beyond my ken to solve on my own (looking at the entire page that that eBay rate chart is on.)
     
  19. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    I'm the dummy and you are right - I thought all countries were defined on their Excel sheet, but they are not. I haven't tried actually listing an item using this so don't know what the flow is when you are listing. I guess I'd head for defining "Europe" as everything in categories 2,4,10 and 11 and charging enough to cover them all.
     
  20. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

     
  21. giantleech

    giantleech Lord of all fevers and plagues Thread Starter

    No, I'm the dummy (if everything goes right... fingers crossed) because, last night, in my consternation over these vexingly complicated (and unexplained!) and incongruous shipping charts/policies of Fleecebay and knowing that there had to be something about the low shipping prices people claimed to exist via "Pirate Ship" (there lower prices which were initially beyond my sight), I searched another forum and was made aware of "the key;" that being Pirate Ship's "Simple Export Rate." By cracky! I think I will now have a simple (and vastly more comprehensible) solution to my recent ongoing international shipping crisis!
     
    cooper16 likes this.
  22. LordThanos1969

    LordThanos1969 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ, USA
    I have had no issues selling internationally using the GSP program. In fact, it has been a game changer, eliminating the need for customs forms and buyers wanting discounted amounts on the forms.
     
  23. cooper16

    cooper16 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Thanks for the tip. I've been looking in to this and I'm impressed. I've used Pirate Ship a few times and have found the integration with eBay seamless. You can link your eBay account to PS through the eBay API and print your selected labels on PS. PS will automatically plug in the tracking number on your eBay account for any labels you print on PS. Pretty slick.

    To qualify for Simple Export Rate just click on the chat button on the lower right of any page on Pirate Ship and ask them to activate SER on your account. Takes only a minute or so. Rates are significantly cheaper than eBay International Standard Delivery. Check out more here: Simple Export Rate | Pirate Ship
     
  24. Ponce

    Ponce New Member

    Location:
    Omaha, Nebraska
    Have shipped out multiple times and had no problems

    Works great
     
  25. Ponce

    Ponce New Member

    Location:
    Omaha, Nebraska
    Insurance is included up to $100 and the cost is substantially better then all the rest. GSP's cost can inhibit sales. International standard has been great so far. Reducing the cost to the rest of the world is a good thing, glad Ebay did it.
     
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