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tjlglass wrote:I opted out of the GSP as it is a total piss take and want to give my customers a fair deal with post so I can post at cost, yes I realize I might get caught the odd time and fully insure high end items. In general 99.9% of people buying stuff are genuine collectors and I rarely have items go missing, if they do then they go straight onto my banned buyer list as I use the old saying "once bitten, twice shy" my list is long but lately it's slowed down as I may have filtered out a few wrong'uns.

This completely sums up my own personal policy on shipping overseas as well as my feelings on the matter

I have also opted out of ebay's automated return process as it's completly unfair to sellers. I do offer returns for reasonable concerns/issues, but buyers must contact me directly and can't do it through ebay. Ebay gives away the baby, the bath water and includes the bath tub to the buyer and leaves the seller with nothing when that automated return system is used.

I had my share of GSP troubles some time ago. Therefore I have made the following decision.

- never buy anything, from the US or EU, which is offered with GSP shipping, no way!

In many cases the ratio between the high GSP charges and the monetary value of the purchase do not justify doing the transaction.
There is no added value within the EU to use GSP, as it takes longer to arrive, the notification of "no custom charges" is a joke. Custom clearing does not apply within the EU at all. Regarding EU transactions, I fear someone is making a substantial buck.

About 95% of my purchases (model cars and books) are from the UK, and generally I pay GBP 4,00 for a postal parcel, about 1/3 of the GSP quotes. I buy a lot from Ehattons, never paying more that 2,50 quid for a parcel, containing 4 model cars, arriving in 3 working days, nobody can beat that.
What goes on in Ebay and their seller's minds to offer a "buy it now", play worn, nothing special model car at GBP 1,99 with GBP 12,28 GSP shipping, thinking it will ever sell?
In have done 700 Ebay and hundreds of Amazon transactions since 2003 and I lost two parcels, worth no more that a tenner in total. Big deal!!!
With the advent of GSP, Ebay has become a more dreadful place.

Joe
I have had quite a few items from the US via GSP and not one has required a signature ! I have got one today and label states the following
'Signature required if site attended'
'If site unattended, leave in secure area out of weather'
'Otherwise card and hold at PO'

now if I wanted to I could just ignore the door bell, wait for the guy to leave the parcel and say I never got it. he will say he left it, I would say it was stolen - so who pays for it -Ebay ??? Not as safe as it sounds and box stands out a mile with its big Ebay sticker on the side.

I try to avoid the GSP like the plague:
- For low-value items, it increases the total cost out of all proportion to the item's value,
- In my experience, a significant proportion of parcels get past HMRC without being earmarked for duties, charges, and taxes. If I use GSP, I always have to pay Customs, instead of only sometimes,
- It slows down delivery, and
- I am being forced to pay for a service I don't want.
As a buyer, I can only see negative aspects to EBay's GSP. Therefore, if I am forced to buy with GSP, what would otherwise have been positive feedback becomes neutral, and what would have been neutral feedback becomes negative, with GSP always being given as the reason.
On the few occasions when I have contacted the seller about whether it would be possible to ship using normal channels, they have expressed surprise at being signed up to GSP. It is clear to me that the default setting for GSP should have been "out", thereby requiring a seller to take a conscious decision to opt in.

I just don't sell overseas any longer because of GSP. I think feebay is ruining it's own platform for us small time sellers to protect and/or enrich themselves. Once again, too many lawyers for their own good. The only overseas buying/selling I really do now is through this forum and gee, I never have a problem shipping or receiving an item. Imagine that...

Jay

I generally don't buy on ebay where an item is shipped through the gsp and as a seller I opted out at the beginning. Very rarely do I have a shipping problem and anything of a certain value is always shipped tracked/insured which is still way cheaper.

In a free open market selling and buying parties need to agree on price, cost and additional conditions.
The weight of risks, involved on either sides should be discussed and ought to be reflected in the final deal.
If that is settled with both parties, then what else do you need? Certainly not the kind of involvement Ebay is pushing.
GSP: Global Shipping Problem.

Here is an example
A US seller has several items for sale the lot I am interested in is a job lot of about 15 lone star's GPS is $55/£37 . So are his plastic single items
Now is that set by eBay or has the seller priced it to scare off overseas buyers

Tinman wrote:Only an idiot uses a jiffy bag for a vintage diecast model.

They are only good for flat or one-piece, solid things. For multi-piece items and/or anything hollow, I wrap it and put it in a box filled with bubble wrap, air pillows, etc.

This business with being rigidly locked into using this or that service for payment or shipping makes me increasingly leery of eBay. I'm already at the point where those few things I sell there do not ship outside the U.S.

Moyboy wrote:Joe
I have had quite a few items from the US via GSP and not one has required a signature ! I have got one today and label states the following
'Signature required if site attended'
'If site unattended, leave in secure area out of weather'
'Otherwise card and hold at PO'

now if I wanted to I could just ignore the door bell, wait for the guy to leave the parcel and say I never got it. he will say he left it, I would say it was stolen - so who pays for it -Ebay ??? Not as safe as it sounds and box stands out a mile with its big Ebay sticker on the side.

I do not know if global shipping requires a signature or not (I am guessing maybe not). I do know that if you ship international (from the USA) via any other method, that's when a signature confirmation receipt must be produced (by the seller and showing the item was signed for by the buyer) in order for ebay to consider the item delivered. If the seller uses the Global shipping Program, the seller does not have to produce any proof and the seller is protected in the case of an "item not received" claim.