eBay international shipping - UPDATE on the UPDATE
jmlanzaf
Posts: 30,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
BRAND NEW UPDATE: This is getting funny.
So, the package was in Israel from December 5th onward. The customer had opened a case right before Christmas.
On January 3rd, eBay closed the case and refunded the customer ($273).
So, on January 4th, I filed the insurance claim.
On January 5th, eBay paid the $100 insurance claim.
So, of course...on January 6th, the item reappeared in Israel.
The buyer didn't respond to my emails, so I contacted eBay yesterday (January 10th) and they reopened the case. [Which I didn't even know they could do.]
On January 11th, the item was delivered in Israel.
Also on January 11th, eBay gave me the $273 back. So now I'm up $100. LMFAO
So, I immediately called eBay and asked if there was a way for me to refund the $100 insurance. Their shipping logistics department will get back to me via email within 48 hours.
Oddly, they can't call eBay international shipping on the phone nor can eBay shipping call me. They only respond by email.
UPDATE; Today, the customer escalated on eBay. The package is in Israel, but there are no scans since December 5th. eBay put the escalation on HOLD UNTIL JANUARY 3rd because "...you provided tracking information and the item is still in transit to its destination."
ORIGINAL POST:
I mentioned this on a previous thread, but decided to start a separate thread for those that are interested. Until I had this little problem this week, I didn't fully understand how it worked.
I have a package that has been "out there" for 31 days. It was going from Upstate NY to Israel. I used eBay international shipping because it is cheaper and includes $100 in insurance which is hard to replicate without using a really expensive service (Priority o Express).
The customer inquired and then today filed an "item not received" case which forced me to look harder at the tracking.
What I learned is that there are THREE different tracking numbers and, apparently THREE different shipping entities involved. All 3 of those "entities" appear to be related to each other. "DHL" and "USPS" are, of course, independent entities while "Easy Ship" appears to be a joint entity run by both DHL and USPS.
So, for your information, this is how my package went.
I dropped it at the Post Office on November 17th. It identifies the "shipper" however as "Easy Ship"
It received a number of scans and then arrived at eBay in Kentucky on November 19th where it switch to "DHL".
It then received a whole lot of scans between November 19th and November 24th where the scans alternated between "DHL" and "Easy Ship". On the 24th, it arrived in Chicago and the scans then alternate between all three shippers.
Between the 24th and December 2nd, it wound its way through Chicago to Newark, alternating between all three shippers.
Since it left the country all scans between December 2nd and December 5th were USPS only. At that point, tracking is silent, although it might be in the hands of Israeli Post at that point.
If I track it on the USPS site, it has one tracking number (and doesn't recognize the eBay tracking number) and it only shows the USPS designated scans.
If I track it on the DHL site, it has another tracking number and doesn't recognize the eBay tracking number. It only shows the DHL designated scans.
If I track it on the Easy Ship site, it has yet a 3rd tracking number which is (FINALLY) the eBay tracking number. It only shows the Easy Ship designated scans.
The only way I could see all of the tracking was to use "parcelsapp.com". If you actually click on the tracking number on eBay, it gives you no information other than generation of the label number.
Really odd, me thinks. I haven't had any issues with it until now and, well, Covid. But what a bizarre system.
Comments
I'm really curious what happens if you have to make a claim on the insurance. It does look like it could be a pain in the derriere! I guess you notice when you print the label there's the USPS tracking number as well as international tracking number.(a bar code for each)
Early on in this pandemic the shipping went crazy via ebay international, they lost or misplaced three of my packages I shipped- I had proof they all made it to the Kentucky shipping center- where I thought my end of the shipping hassle would end- NOT! I had buyers in France, Canada an Japan all not happy about not receiving their items! - And all blaming me, it was a nightmare trying to contact anyone at ebay. After 2 months all claims were settled and I have not listed anything again using ebay's international option, or any international otherwise. Its taking days/weeks to get stuff just moving across this country now- I had a priority mail package I shipped out of NY state last week that took three days just to get it out of the state of NY! (so much for delivery in 2-3 days).
i had a package make it from mass to NY in just under 40 days . lower your expectations is the lesson here I think you have another 100 days to go
The good news is that once it landed in Kentucky you're off the hook as far as delivery. Now if you had to collect on an insurance claim that might be a different animal.
Sometimes I think that animals are smarter than humans, animals would never allow the dumbest one to lead the pack
This is not true. If the buyer claims that he never received the package and you can't prove that it was indeed delivered to the buyer's address, your PayPal account will be debited and the buyer issued a refund. You are insured up to 100.00 but anything over that amount is your responsibility to insure.
Sorry to hear about this.
Is your shipping method different than “eBay global shipping”?
It's way different! Global shipping goes at Priority speed with full insurance while the ebay standard int delivery goes slower than 1st class with a max of $100 ins.
I got 2 words for ya; why bother?
The potential for loss and hassle involved wouldn't be worth it to me.
MY COINS FOR SALE AT https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/other/bajjerfans-coins-sale/3876
I rarely have anything get lost.
Nope, Once the carrier shows that they've received the package and you printed the label from Ebay it's out of your hands. They can't hold you responsible for something out of your control. (Speaking from experience). If the package arrives and they claim it's not as described, then you're at their mercy.
Sometimes I think that animals are smarter than humans, animals would never allow the dumbest one to lead the pack
Yes. This. eBay global shipping costs more like $50 vs. $13 for this package via eBay standard international.
I think you are both correct.
My understanding is that if the item fails to arrive, the buyer will be refunded and I will receive the insurance. If the insurance is complete, then it's a wash. But if the insurance is below the value, you remain on the hook for the difference.
If the customer claims non-receipt, then your seller gurantee kicks in and covers things, as long as the tracking shows receipt. The seller guarantee doesn't kick in when you ship but when it's delivered.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/eBay-Send-International-Standard?id=5011
what is it with you with refunds and guarantees and protection ?
You waste a ton of money on all your illusionary security blankies that you should be putting in your pocket.
I've shipped 6 items to a buyer in China with stamps for postage and no tracking one after another with 100% success ( no I will not knock on wood either)
4 weeks to get in his hand . He trusts me I trust him , if something doesn't arrive I will just refund him. In the meantime I've saved $100's in silly postage over charges. Fees that don't involve transport of the item? ridiculous
I don't track domestic either for the most part . Once in a while I use fed ex or UPS or a priority flat rate and those get tracked
I've sent my first item to India 3 weeks ago the same way no word yet.
I've mailed about 30 coins to Russia without tracking and only lost two and those I attribute to address issues . I didn't understand how they construct an address and got the order of 2 of the lines reversed
No customs BS on any of it either all letter mail. Customs is where everything goes missing
If you sell on eBay, you have to deal with refunds and guarantees and protection even if you don't offer them. Because eBay and PayPal do. And when I say "eBay and PayPal do", I mean "you do", because eBay and PayPal say so. Maybe that's why people talk about them?
Just a thought...
You're a clown talking out of your bulbous red nose.
You can't ship 3 PCGS slabs any cheaper than this. It has to go package rate. The tracking and insurance are just part of the total package.
I ship HUNDREDS of 1st class letters with single raw coins and stamps worldwide using 1st class letter rate. No tracking. No insurance. Over a quarter inch thick, it has to go package rate and this is the cheapest package rate that exists. [We can argue about discount postage some other day.]
Next time do your MFing homework before you start issuing proclamations.
I refund everyone that needs a refund , I just don't waste my money on non shipping expenditures . In the old days we called it "self-insurance"
Don't talk to the trolls. It just encourages them to talk back.
I don't do slabs , collect them or sell them
slabs are for creampuffs
Do your homework before pronouncing nonsense.
I ship hundreds of items domestically and internationally using 1st class postage with no tracking or insurance. When I ship 1st class packages, I don't buy insurance.
In this particular case, which you decided to spew nonsense about with zero understanding, the package contained 3 PCGS slabs. You cannot ship those letter rate due to thickness. Package rate is the cheapest you can ship it and eBay standard international is the cheapest package rate. The tracking and the insurance just came with the postage rate.
[We can argue about discount postage some other time.]
Then slabs are for you.
Got it. What's your position on wasting time on message boards talking about non shipping expenditures?
LOL.
And people think I like to hear myself talk.
Easy there- I didn't give you any crap on the ethics thread, did I?
I was referring to Bronco, not you.
Ok- that works.
I'm on the fence about it generally.
I don't understand how such an experienced seller as mr Jmlanzaf would at this late date would use the wretched ebay global shipping dumpster fire. Especially in light of the fact that he has shipped 100's of items without it?
Overseas sales are a very simple go or no go proposition for me . Either it goes first class stamped or there is no sale.
Its disappointing how outrageous shipping costs are now . In the early days I shipped hundreds of heavy Ford parts to Australia via surface mail (slow boat) . When the USPS got rid of that it ended that portion of my parts business.
Those were big packages like 50 pounds or more each cylinder heads and intake manifolds. UPS and Fed EX are not usable overseas because of their idiotic brokerage fees. So it just ended , it was very lucrative for me and it ended.
You just decline the sale and move on.
There have been literally hundreds of threads about the gory details of the Ebay Global shipping program what about it could possibly make a seller think it was ok to use?
I thought responsibility was just getting to eBay global. If after they get it and it becomes lost, you are still responsible, what is the advantage of using them?
Because I have now shipped more than 100 packages that way with several worth a few thousand and never had a problem! I would not be selling expensive coins like that internationally if it were not for the Global shipping program. Of course if you want to self Insure a $2500 coin and ship it 1st class with no insurance .....go for it! Unless you have private insurance(I'm thinking maybe could be competitive) You can not get the type of insurance the Global Shipping offers for double the cost through any other shipping method!
@bronco2078 said:
eBay global shipping is different than eBay standard international.
There have also been hundreds of threads complaining about USPS, FedEx and UPS.
Well, if only there were a simple answer. LOL.
Remember, there are two different eBay international shipping programs: eBay global shipping and eBay standard international shipping.
There are differences between the two in terms of what they offer.
For eBay global shipping, they insure everything against damage or loss during shipping. This is the equivalent of Priority service and has higher insurance built into it. It also costs $40 to $50 to ship a 4 ounce package this way.
For eBay standard international, they do not build in complete insurance. It is more like 1st class package only you get $100 in insurance ad have the option of having buying additional insurance. You can't do this with USPS. So, you can make this service fully insured, but it is more ala carte than eBay global but also much cheaper. A 4 ounce package with the $100 insurance is $13 (less to Canada). Additional insurance (maybe up to $1000???) can be bought for the usual buck-and-change per hundred.
Supposedly, they rule "automatically" in your favor if there is a problem. But, I've never had a problem so I don't know if that is true. Filing an international claim through USPS is not so automatic.
Generally, it has always been a very good product and I've had no trouble with it as well as saving money using it.
well we can probably all agree not to use Fed ex or UPS overseas. But thats usually because they quote a certain price to the seller then try to get more money out of the buyer at the far end .
It still makes no sense to carefully package a valuable item ship it to the ebay monkeys to unpack and either steal lose or switch items by mistake and repackage them.
Remailing has been a thing forever , why are they opening the box when they do it has never been explained to my satisfaction.
When I lost the ability to mail my auto parts to Australia cheaply I tried using a re shipper who gathered large or heavy items until they had a full shipping container then sent the container down under. It worked fine it was just too slow ultimately , how long it took depended on whether you were the first box in an empty container or the last box in a full one. Those guys never lost a package though , and they never opened any of them shuffled the contents and reboxed them haphazardly just cuz they felt like it.
Ebay could do the same with pallet sized shipping boxes loaded into a plane , just route the stuff to a facility with a space marked for every country and fill crates . With boxes we seal up and label .
Right? just tell sellers to use certain size boxes (flat rate) and away we go all around the world
That's because you aren't listening:
I'm also not complaining about the service here and will continue to use it. I just thought people who do use it or are thinking about using it might want to know what's behind the curtain. It was not obvious to me, until I had to dive into this little problem, what was actually going on after I dropped the package at the post office.
I don't know that they do open the box in this case. They are slapping a new label on it, but they could slap it on over the old label since all the information they need is already in the system and it has a barcode on the package they can just scan.
Early on in this thread there was a mention of a PayPal refund.
Even if everything above is correct and you are covered under eBay guarantee, what's to stop PayPal (now that they are a separate company) from refunding the buyer and clawing the funds from the seller? And eBay saying not our circus and refusing to get involved???
ANA 49 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus" because ANA can't count)
This is true as well as unduly paranoid. LOL.
It is always true of all payments and all shipments. The payment processor is the one that has control of the money. PayPal has no control if you file a chargeback through your credit card company and they will defer to the credit card company which effectively sidelines PayPal and eBay.
HOWEVER, PayPal and eBay have their guarantees. It doesn't really matter if PayPal sends money to the buyer as long as eBay refunds the money to me.
The same is true of postal insurance and guaranteed Express delivery. The payment processor (either eBay, PayPal, or the credit card) will refund the buyer and leave the seller to collect their insurance from the other guarantors.
[Not to go too far off my own topic, but the same thing can happen with a request for return for refund. The credit card company or PayPal can refund the buyer without requiring or waiting for a return.]
Actually, I've seen some of my Global Shipping customers charged in the low $20 range. 2 things to consider when figuring the price of Global shipping is the value of the package and they also collect the import taxes.
Pretty sue ebay doesn't repackage the shipment, they just place yours inside another package.
Actually the only country that I know of that is a buck or more cheaper than USPS is Australia. The difference in cost to Europe is 5 cents! The cost savings is it is insured and you can't even get any insurance on 1st Class international with the USPS.
ya but do they actually pay claims? I've never had much luck with USPS and insurance which is why I always self insure .
If you have an item go astray to someone in a non english speaking country what happens? How much is demanded of the buyer to get insurance to pay the claim?
USPS has always paid my claims but sometimes you have to jump through a few hoops. Ebay is the insurer on their international and haven't had to make a claim yet(knock on wood!)
I would bet eBay will be quicker. After all, they are brokering the deal so you don't have to prove as much to them as to USPS.
UPDATE; Today, the customer escalated on eBay. The package is in Israel, but there are no scans since December 5th. eBay put the escalation on HOLD UNTIL JANUARY 3rd because "...you provided tracking information and the item is still in transit to its destination."