Global shipping program what gives?

jimbody1

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Having just started to collect again after many years ( about eight ) and having not been on eBay buying vintage stuff for a while I've just come across the eBay global shipping program. So my query is what's it all about? I understand that it's supposed to make things easier for the seller only having to send it to a depot for re posting and that it's supposed to save me customs and handling charges when it gets here but it would seem that every American seller is using it, is there a reason for it? Are they forced to use it to sell internationally? Personally I'd prefer not only to take my chances on having a customs charge slapped on an item but I'm sure as hell it would be far cheaper to pay the charge here than to eBay. I would imagine it must be costing international sellers a fortune in lost sales.
 

lejackal

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I use it to allow international sales on eBay so that all I have to worry about is the UK bit of the journey. It takes much of the risk out of international shipping on eBay.

That said, now that they've corrected the way the vat is added to stuff from the US I won't buy from someone using it unless the item is dirt cheap to start with!
 

jimbody1

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I must admit it has totally put me off buying anything from international sellers. I always send tracked, signed and fully insured via Royal Mail for international sales in my shop and I've never had an issue. I don't think I'd want to trust a forth party beyond that.
 

Lom

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jimbody1 said:
I must admit it has totally put me off buying anything from international sellers. I always send tracked, signed and fully insured via Royal Mail for international sales in my shop and I've never had an issue. I don't think I'd want to trust a forth party beyond that.

You don't have to trust a forth party; you post the item to eBay's domestic depot in Lichfield and once there, eBay then take responsibility for safe delivery of your item to your buyer. Agree re vintage items and customs charges; eBay slap 20% tax on everything via Pitney Bowes whereas vintage collectables should be charged at 5%, you do need to factor in whether you're prepared to eat that or not because you can't claim it back as you normally would.
 

Frunkstar

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Holy crap - long time, I assume you are one & the same? we used to chat a lot, you had a stormie focus right??, if so hello hello there & good to see you back at it, oddly enough you just came up in conversating the other day with another collecting buddy.

As for the ebay thing, it's not known as the global shitting programe for nothing mate, I opted out as they forced everyone to join years back when it wwas first implimented, even though I opted out they enrolled me but after some googling I found a way to get back out of it.

You just know the packaging department are not going to put the same effort into making the parcel sercure & bomb proof like they need to be for fragile vintage items (yes they do repack them), I refuse point blank to use it, if sellers only offers it I have someone stateside buy it & have it sent to them & then on to myself, I spent many weeks bending HMRC's ear to finally get the correct 5% comodity code out of them (blood from a stone) 1st parcel (& only) one I sent with it had the code marked on all 6 sides in 2" block capitals in red marker, suffice to say they totally ignored the code & charged me the full 20% + the criminal handling charge so I had to jump through hoops to claim my 15% back which was hell, so now everything goes low value (£15) / gift / plastic toy & I just run the gauntlet.
 

theforceuk

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I think in the UK we are spoilt for choice with a lot of items. If you live in Peru and love collecting Star Wars like us the GSP is a great tool. Yes it's very expensive but it's a safe way to buy and sell internationally. It incourages sellers to offer international sales which is a good thing IMO.
 

jimbody1

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Yes Frank it is indeed me, and yes it's been a few years 😂. There seems to be plenty to look at in the uk thankfully at least at the moment anyway. I just keep seeing items that I would like but the global shipping costs don't necessarily put it out of my price range just far beyond what an items worth which I suppose depends on how much you want it, my main issue is mainly that it must be costing sellers business and wondered if anyone knew why just about every American seller uses it. If you say you was just signed up for it regardless is it compulsory for US sellers? I would've thought sellers would try to not have to use something which would put buyers off and cost them income. That is certainly the case and not a presumption due to the fact that I've chosen NOT to buy because of it and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
 

Frunkstar

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Well it is great to see you back at it Jim, I was a fool not to buy the stormies 4 pack off you that time, but £400 was a lot back then eh :lol: managed to eventually build one up though, one of my few collecting regrets that was.

I assume everyone got enrolled into the global shipping thing & most cound not be arse to figure the way out of it which in fairness was not easy, I just refuse to use it, just get some hook up's stateside to buy stuff for you & avoid it is my advice buddy.

Got a focus again?? I actually started one & now I collect little blue boxes :lol:
 

jimbody1

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No particular focus as yet although I feel one coming on 😆. I'm currently just looking to get a run of figures on their debut cards at the moment but as always I'm always on the lookout for stormie moc's lmao! I'll have to look into finding a friend in the states it would seem. I lost touch with everyone when I stopped collecting. The toytoni thing really knocked the wind out of the hobby for me. Still seeing his mocs all over eBay though lol!
What's with the little blue boxes? What the hell are little blue boxes? Did I miss something?
 

theforceuk

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In the UK the GSP is optional for each item you list, not sure if it's the same in the U.S.
 

jimbody1

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theforceuk said:
In the UK the GSP is optional for each item you list, not sure if it's the same in the U.S.

That's a shame, there's a lot of things I've seen I'd liked to have gone for but at the prices I'm looking at the extortionate cost of the gsp is a joke.
 
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