Anyone use Ebay's Global Shipping program? Ebayer upset...
doog71
Posts: 405 ✭✭
A gentleman from Canada won a few auctions from me (vintage card lots). I charged him $15 for shipping as that is what it cost me with insurance to send them to Kentucky with Ebay Shipping program.
When I tried to send the combined shipping invoice at the end of the auction, Ebay wouldn't allow it saying they send the final auction information to the winner if they are using Ebay Global shipping. So he paid that $76 shipping up front, and he is asking for me to reimburse the difference because I told him I combine shipping.
I received $15 in shipping from him, but he says Ebay actually charged him $76 for shipping, making him pay for each auction shipping and import tax separately.
Am I responsible for charging him the full amount Ebay will end up charging him for shipping and import taxes? Or does Ebay lay that out for him during his purchase?
This is only the second time I used this program on Ebay, so I'm a newbie with it. Did I miss something here? Thank you for any guidance here.
When I tried to send the combined shipping invoice at the end of the auction, Ebay wouldn't allow it saying they send the final auction information to the winner if they are using Ebay Global shipping. So he paid that $76 shipping up front, and he is asking for me to reimburse the difference because I told him I combine shipping.
I received $15 in shipping from him, but he says Ebay actually charged him $76 for shipping, making him pay for each auction shipping and import tax separately.
Am I responsible for charging him the full amount Ebay will end up charging him for shipping and import taxes? Or does Ebay lay that out for him during his purchase?
This is only the second time I used this program on Ebay, so I'm a newbie with it. Did I miss something here? Thank you for any guidance here.
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Comments
i think you charge/collect what is required to get it to the shipping center, then eBay charges what it takes to get it from the center to the buyer
i don't think those charges are your responsibility, i don't know if ebay will combine shipping or not (my guess is not)
Canadian customs is the only party that I will accept paying "import fees" from. I will not buy from a seller that uses this scam eBay program. The last five years have been one piece of bad news after another for trying to buy and sell across the US/Canada border. Thanks to anyone who helps Canadians not pay crazy, needless import fees.
-Nathanael
First Class International.
3oz is 6.91.
As I said, I believe many sellers have a dated perception of the limitations of shipping to Canada. Changes at the beginning of 2013 make it much more affordable with tracking.
Delivery Confirmation via 1st Class Int'l
Edit: I have had the same experience via the Post Office. I don't know why, but the rate if purchased through eBay is MUCH better. First Class Int'l is not offered through PP (as far as I know, but IS offered through the USPS website). Still, eBay = cheapest.
If you had to go to the physical PO, I would ask about this.
the only way to get the international tracking is online - you can't get it at the physical PO for first class, only way there is to send priority (which is even that much MORE expensive)
THUS - you must have your own postal scale and make sure you tick everything out correctly and measure everything correctly (and provide your own packing supplies, which offsets at least a portion of the "savings"), if you don't it right then the item will likely get returned AND you're out whatever shipping you paid online to do it wrong
same is true shipping within the US - if you do it all online you can get DC/tracking for first class which is nice
all that said, i still prefer priority because it's their supplies and usually don't have to wait a week or more for cards to arrive, and the difference of $2 or so on the low end to me seems worth it
i sympathize with the canadian crew (and the UK as well), and i know it costs me bids as it did twice already this week as i had to turn people down
BUT, just like bobbyw i've gotten burned so many times it stopped being worth it. i had multiple packages get "lost", and i never once got a returned item either so i was out the cash AND the item. the last straw for me was when i got popped by Paypal for something i sent WITH tracking through USPS that got perpetually stuck in canadian customs, and had to issue refund for that even! never again - it's UPS or FEDEX or nothing internationally.
AND, then there's the issue of the customs declaration and whether it's a "gift" and/or item value and what happens if it gets damaged in transit...for another day
You have to do it online.
That isn't all that tough, though. Digital scale is about $20 on Amazon and you should have one for mailing in the U.S., anyway. Bubble mailers are $.10 each, which you also should already have. 1 card + bubble mailer = 3oz. That is 80% of my transactions. I have never had an item returned. The eBay shipping label auto-completes all of the customs information for you, which saves a LOT of time compared to the physical PO.
The first problem is that most buyers DO NOT READ the listing. They see $2.95 shipping, which I charge, but dont read that its to US Customers. They dont see the ebay global shipping option where they can check how much it will cost THEM. I had one buyer purchase an item and they never paid, finally after 12 days I filed an unpaid item claim, they responded by saying that I said shipping was $2.95 and the invoice ebay sent them said I charged $14.95. I had to explain that those were ebays numbers and how the thing works. Since then, I have gone back to NOT selling internationally.
Its a catch-22, sell an item, take a chance on losing it, especially with impatient buyers or lose a customer base. Until ebay changes its policies, I will take the latter and stick with US Customers and tracking that doesnt cost an arm and leg
It's tracked with no problems, and the buyer can also check the same tracking # with canadapost. Works great, and I mention that I charge $6.50 to Canada
in my description. I have a 5.0 on my shipping dsr. No need for eBay's global crap.
To resolve it could you not refund the transaction and make a new listing with everything combined? ...or since you have his email just invoice him through Paypal and circumvent the program?
www.questfortherookiecup.com
<< <i>Through eBay.
First Class International.
3oz is 6.91.
As I said, I believe many sellers have a dated perception of the limitations of shipping to Canada. Changes at the beginning of 2013 make it much more affordable with tracking.
Delivery Confirmation via 1st Class Int'l
Edit: I have had the same experience via the Post Office. I don't know why, but the rate if purchased through eBay is MUCH better. First Class Int'l is not offered through PP (as far as I know, but IS offered through the USPS website). Still, eBay = cheapest.
If you had to go to the physical PO, I would ask about this. >>
One cost you forgot to add in the above post was ebay takes a 9% cut out of the total shipping amount. Many buyers are probably not aware of this.
So if you charge $7 to ship a 3 oz. item to Canada, you would be losing money on that deal as a seller because ebay would take 63 cents right off the top,
plus you didn't factor in your padded mailer costs which might add another 15 cents to the total.
I charge $8 to ship to Canada. After all the fee's, postage, and shipping costs are factored in, it's about a break even for the seller.
I've shipped at least 750 packages to Canada over the past 10 years and in all that time I've only had one package go missing.
Most buyers up North are pretty honest in my opinion.
As a seller you're doing yourself a disservice by not shipping to those hosers.
Edited to add, the ebay global shipping program is quite the scam for buyers.
One cost you forgot to add in the above post was ebay takes a 9% cut out of the total shipping amount. Many buyers are probably not aware of this.
So if you charge $7 to ship a 3 oz. item to Canada, you would be losing money on that deal as a seller because ebay would take 63 cents right off the top,
plus you didn't factor in your padded mailer costs which might add another 15 cents to the total
Yes, I'm aware of this. .65 - $1 is not that big of a deal to me.
Still, I think this is much, much less than Bobby and others were paying for Priority from the physical PO. 1 card sent to the Great White North runs about $15 through that. The difference is huge.
IMO, eBay shipping to Canada is a no-brainer with the new changes. Will you occasionally have problems? Probably. But you will have problems shipping anywhere, including in the U.S. The additional market clearly makes it worth it.
The time it takes to get the item delivered in itself causes me to think it's a no win for the seller. If the item is slowed down by customs and the buyer fills out a item not received claim and wins, then if their item arrives, the seller could be screwed.
If international buyers don't want to pay the ebay required method of shipping, they could always send a money order (like the old days) and share the risk.
I am not going to take the risk alone. Buyers have gotten spoiled by ebay, so sorry international bidders, no sales to you.
You said you have had many items get "lost" shipping to Canada. How many exactly? Out of how many sales to Canada? Before I started consigning all my items I had well over 100 ebay sales to Canadian buyers over a multi-year period and never had a single item get "lost".
Robb
<< <i>You said you have had many items get "lost" shipping to Canada. How many exactly? Out of how many sales to Canada? Before I started consigning all my items I had well over 100 ebay sales to Canadian buyers over a multi-year period and never had a single item get "lost". >>
Consider yourself lucky then!
Robb
<< <i>Consider yourself lucky then! >>
Luck's got nothing to do with it. Just ask these guys..............
I wonder if sometimes it is more a matter of principle than business. "No one rips me off!!" *angrily shakes fist* > positive EV business decision. Fine if you value your emotional well-being over your pocketbook, but at least acknowledge that.
Robb
The List
<< <i>I have not had any problems shipping to Canada. It's $6.91 first class with tracking up to 3oz or (1 slab in cardboard and bubble mailer), but through paypal shipping, you get a discount and it's $6.22 exactly.
It's tracked with no problems, and the buyer can also check the same tracking # with canadapost. Works great, and I mention that I charge $6.50 to Canada
in my description. I have a 5.0 on my shipping dsr. No need for eBay's global crap. >>
Can you drop these into the mail or do you have to go to the counter and use a customs form?
That is one of the other awesome things about eBay's shipping system: hardly any forms. No need to manually declare the value, pick which exemption applies, etc. The form is auto-populated. You just apply like a normal shipping label, sign and date. Then magic!
By magic, I mean reliable shipping with hardly any hassle ....