WARNING when BUYING or SELLING from USA Ebay Overseas

[twistedsymphony]

eBay recently started a "Global Shipping" service for USA eBay...

Basically the way it works is the US seller ships the item to "PBI" in the USA, then PBI opens the package to "inspect" it and re-packages it before sending overseas. Apparently they do a a really sh*t job of doing so.

This guy here Luke lives in Japan and ordered 2 separate arcade boards from US sellers who used this service, both arrived snapped in half with crushed boxes despite being packed properly by the original seller:

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The worst part is that eBay put the blame squarely on the seller despite the fact that it's not their fault... it's worth watching the video just to see how much crap he went through to end up absolutely no where.

[ingmar1988]

why the hell would they inspect and repackage it?

[vhal_x]

Maybe to make sure that it only includes the stuff agreed on in the original sale? As eBay now charges you import charges up front, so it may be something to do with that xx

[Cosmic_Link]

Yeah, I bought an item from a seller and this scheme was in place. It was then shipped from PBI and then sent over to me. It was supposed to have full tracking to me and it did, but then when it got to the UK it disappeared completely off the radar. They didn't have the foggiest idea who had it and the item was stated as delivered on the tracking. Contacted the seller and then it was sent to the resolution centre. In the end I got a full refund, but they took the refund from the seller. Was a new seller too, so I felt kinda bad that his experience was a crappy one, as was mine. After a bit of messaging too and from eBay, they eventually agreed to refund the seller too as it was the shipping company's problem.

In my experience, I would avoid the EBay GSP like the plague! >.<

[Lemur]

Wow that's total bullshit. :hammer:

[twistedsymphony]

why the hell would they inspect and repackage it?

I have 2 theories:

1. They want to make sure the package is as small and light as possible so they save money by cramming more into their containers.

2. BMI is working as a customs office making sure you're sending what you say you're sending, allowing them to skip the REAL customs office.

or some combination of the two.

Wow that's total bullshit. :hammer:

Agreed...

To be honest this not only hurts the buyers and sellers but it hurts eBay too, eBay should seriously consider holding PBI responsible or cut them lose and drop the service...

[SwiftDeath]

why the hell would they inspect and repackage it?

I'm fairly certain they have to in order to avoid possible litigation and the likes

Imagine their liability if someone tried to sneak something illicit or dangerous through their program and US customs found out?

Pretty sure ebay would get in trouble as they handle the customs process

Whenever There is a crap ebay policy, usual culprit is liability or profits at least in my experience

And yes the GSP is crap

Honestly had a lot of potential with the full tracking thing but DAMN if ebay didn't ebay it up

Now it serves as just another way ebay gets a higher % of the sale off you the seller and the buyer

Might be worth mentioning that from what I've heard if you turn on (accept) GSP, you can NEVER really turn it off

Everytime you ship international you have turn GSP off manually for each and every sale forever more

Gotta love ebay

[Xmo]

Now we know cheap shipping comes with a price...

[nipperkipper]

I'm fairly certain they have to in order to avoid possible litigation and the likes

Imagine their liability if someone tried to sneak something illicit or dangerous through their program and US customs found out?



I dont understand the need to open up packages to avoid illicit or danagerous items going through their programme

I mean if i send something via UPS/DHL etc they also have the same job to make sure dangerous goods are not being shipped out. They do this by having x-ray machines, scanning equipment, sniffer dogs etc. Surely PBI being the multinational corporation they are have this equipment in place already.

Unless they are being super cheap i just dont see why they cant just scan products the same way every other shipping company does

[SwiftDeath]

I dont understand the need to open up packages to avoid illicit or danagerous items going through their programme

I mean if i send something via UPS/DHL etc they also have the same job to make sure dangerous goods are not being shipped out. They do this by having x-ray machines, scanning equipment, sniffer dogs etc. Surely PBI being the multinational corporation they are have this equipment in place already.

Unless they are being super cheap i just dont see why they cant just scan products the same way every other shipping company does

Hmm never thought about it

You may be right although considering how cheap ebay is, perhaps doing it by hand is cheaper than buying a proper x-ray machine?

Do you fill out customs forms as a seller using GSP? Or does ebay do it for you?

Also perhaps it's not as common as thought and PBI did put the packages through x-ray machines, saw the electronics and that sets off alarms?

Not sure what dangerous things look similar too in x-ray machines

Of course also not sure why you would bother repacking them unless ebay is saving on shipping by using less packing material or something :scratch:

Sorry trying to find the most evil outlandish strategy possible as its the most likely one to be true :P

[twistedsymphony]

Luke posted an update... it keeps getting better :hammer:

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[HIPPEEDUDE]

I have seen & heard about this before,not a happy camper about it all. Normally the sellers i deal with send direct through USPS,recently though one item i bought somehow ended up being sent through the global shipping thing. The seller didnt realise until after i had paid & neither did i. It wasnt until we looked at the paypal statements & released shipping was to be done through the ebay shipping. After hearing the bad things & the fact no clear idication was given to me how the item was to be shipped it seems the system is a dodgey shoddy operation. I am now worried the item will arrive damaged even though i know it was packed extremely well or a possibilty of not at all. I dont think sellers should be held accoutable for these things but,what alternative do you have but to lodge a dispute aganst the seller if theres no dispute able to be lodged against the shipping company. The whole thing stinks worse than a fishmongers feet

[Redmagster]

And i naively tout the GsP was merely about finding a way to pay import fees etc up front and didn't realise at all that it gets shipped via a third party in this way...

The story is an appalling one and a real warning


Thank Twisted - I would have had no idea... The only reason I've avoided using it to now is because the shipping costs and import taxes can usually be reduced using other methods.... If you know what I mean... ;)

[CheapAssassin]

And i naively tout the GsP was merely about finding a way to pay import fees etc up front and didn't realise at all that it gets shipped via a third party in this way...

The story is an appalling one and a real warning


Thank Twisted - I would have had no idea... The only reason I've avoided using it to now is because the shipping costs and import taxes can usually be reduced using other methods.... If you know what I mean... ;)

:haha: Hahaha.. sneaky mag.

But I guess im using :quote: other methods :quote: too. :p

[HIPPEEDUDE]

Well,so far my package appears to be very well travelled,not a good sign as it seems to be following the pattern of the parcels in the video. Note the "customs declaration & labelling" bit. There is no customs declaration requirements or papaerwork need for items under $1000 in AU. Labeling,meh i could possibly understand it may be necessary.
So far its been to: (please read from bottom to top,thats how its listed on Ebay)

In Transit with Destination Carrier

Jul-03-13, 17:07 PM, MEMPHIS, TN 38118

Shipped from US Shipping Center to International Destination

Jul-03-13, 00:33 AM, Erlanger

Customs Documentation and Labeling

Jul-02-13, 03:18 AM, Erlanger

Processing at US Shipping Center

Jul-02-13, 03:15 AM, Erlanger

Arrived at US shipping Center

Jul-01-13, 08:18 AM, ERLANGER, KY 41018

In Transit-Arrival at Post Office

Jul-01-13, 06:53 AM, ERLANGER, KY 41018

In Transit-Depart USPS Sort Facility

Jun-30-13, 00:00 AM, CINCINNATI, OH 45235

In Transit-Processed through USPS Sort Facility

Jun-29-13, 15:56 PM, CINCINNATI, OH 45235

In Transit-Dispatched to Sort Facility

Jun-26-13, 19:24 PM, HOLLYWOOD, FL 33021

In Transit-Acceptance

Jun-26-13, 17:23 PM, HOLLYWOOD, FL 33021

This is the list as posted from ebay itself,it doesnt mention the fact it was picked up by fedex from Hebron KY,which is either in Erlanger KY or another destiation again. Normally i will see maybe two or three destinations,sellers location,dispatch international centre then Australia. Thats it.

[MadMan5]

So if I get an item from eBay and shipping is International Priority Shipping is that going through the PBI thing this Luke is on about.

[HIPPEEDUDE]

So if I get an item from eBay and shipping is International Priority Shipping is that going through the PBI thing this Luke is on about.

No. Iternational priority mail is through USPS. Theres also Flat rate interational priority mail as well. Flat rate is when set box or evelope size is used.

[Matt16]

Well,so far my package appears to be very well travelled,not a good sign as it seems to be following the pattern of the parcels in the video. Note the "customs declaration & labelling" bit. There is no customs declaration requirements or papaerwork need for items under $1000 in AU. Labeling,meh i could possibly understand it may be necessary.
So far its been to: (please read from bottom to top,thats how its listed on Ebay)

In Transit with Destination Carrier

Jul-03-13, 17:07 PM, MEMPHIS, TN 38118

Shipped from US Shipping Center to International Destination

Jul-03-13, 00:33 AM, Erlanger

Customs Documentation and Labeling

Jul-02-13, 03:18 AM, Erlanger

Processing at US Shipping Center

Jul-02-13, 03:15 AM, Erlanger

Arrived at US shipping Center

Jul-01-13, 08:18 AM, ERLANGER, KY 41018

In Transit-Arrival at Post Office

Jul-01-13, 06:53 AM, ERLANGER, KY 41018

In Transit-Depart USPS Sort Facility

Jun-30-13, 00:00 AM, CINCINNATI, OH 45235

In Transit-Processed through USPS Sort Facility

Jun-29-13, 15:56 PM, CINCINNATI, OH 45235

In Transit-Dispatched to Sort Facility

Jun-26-13, 19:24 PM, HOLLYWOOD, FL 33021

In Transit-Acceptance

Jun-26-13, 17:23 PM, HOLLYWOOD, FL 33021

This is the list as posted from ebay itself,it doesnt mention the fact it was picked up by fedex from Hebron KY,which is either in Erlanger KY or another destiation again. Normally i will see maybe two or three destinations,sellers location,dispatch international centre then Australia. Thats it.

Bloody hell!! It looks like you parcel is taking a gap year to see the world, hopefully it'll be back before next summer. It's all very worrying though, going to so many places has to increase the risk of damage :( I think I'll give sellers using this service a miss just to be safe.

[HIPPEEDUDE]

Bloody hell!! It looks like you parcel is taking a gap year to see the world, hopefully it'll be back before next summer. It's all very worrying though, going to so many places has to increase the risk of damage :( I think I'll give sellers using this service a miss just to be safe.

Well,it supposed to here Tuesday next week,so i will soon find out the condition,if its been repacked or opened etc. I know this was well packed as it was bought from a collector so if its half arsed packed & damaged when it gets here i will know why,neither will i be happy. What i hate is the fact if its damaged you can only really take it out on the seller. The other problem is you have to pay out of your own pocket to send it back,you dont get compensated for that. So,you either accept what you get or try to get a partial refund from a seller whos likely not responsible for aything that may have happened. At this stage,my advice is if a seller is using ebay global shipping & you really want what they have,see if they will send through normal post. It doesnt hurt to ask

[Lemur]

It seems like the main purpose of repacking and then shipping all over the country is to maximise the chances of damage.

Then you need to buy another item off ebay which means more money for them. :banghead:

[MadMan5]

No. Iternational priority mail is through USPS. Theres also Flat rate interational priority mail as well. Flat rate is when set box or evelope size is used.

Thanks for the info.

[HIPPEEDUDE]

It seems like the main purpose of repacking and then shipping all over the country is to maximise the chances of damage.

Then you need to buy another item off ebay which means more money for them. :banghead:

Only problem with that is ever finding the same item again & in exactly the same condition. In my case this wont be easy,it took me long enough to find one that a seller is willing to send to me & is in the condition i wanted

[HIPPEEDUDE]

Little update. My package so far has spent 3 & a half days of travelling around Memphis TN,before you ask yes it was traveling,it departed two Fed Ex locations & was intransit inbetween as well as afterwards. Checked today only to find my package must need a break from all this travelling,my package has decided to take a holiday & is now in Honolulu HI. How many more locations to go is anyones guess but,i would say at least 3 or 4 including delivery address.:censored:

[HIPPEEDUDE]

Well,in case anyone wants an update or is curious my package arrived today as per its scheduled delivery. Now,i cannot say for certain at this stage if the items been repacked but it did show up in a Fed-Ex box which was the final carrier for the package. I am waiting a reply from the seller to see what type of box he put it in & if it was branded Fed-Ex or not. Not that it really matters but i am curious as this will confirm if the parcel was opened & repacked. In regards to the actual packing of the item,the item itself wasnt wrapped up but,i am sure this is possibly the sellers doing however,there was enough styrofoam & packing peanuts to sink a small boat in the box cushioning everything. I know the seller mentioned he put a hell of alot of packing peanuts in there so if it was repacked they put everything back in,or at least as much as they could put back in. Overall i am happy enough that the item finally arrived & while i am not sure i would use Ebay Global Shipping again i am at least glad that out of the bad stories about this service i have at least one good story.

I now am thinking & i wonder about the video,wether his problems were a random thing,if the actual seller he bought from is possibly at fault or wether perhaps they have listened to the complaints & stepped their game up a bit:think:

[Matt16]

Well,in case anyone wants an update or is curious my package arrived today as per its scheduled delivery. Now,i cannot say for certain at this stage if the items been repacked but it did show up in a Fed-Ex box which was the final carrier for the package. I am waiting a reply from the seller to see what type of box he put it in & if it was branded Fed-Ex or not. Not that it really matters but i am curious as this will confirm if the parcel was opened & repacked. In regards to the actual packing of the item,the item itself wasnt wrapped up but,i am sure this is possibly the sellers doing however,there was enough styrofoam & packing peanuts to sink a small boat in the box cushioning everything. I know the seller mentioned he put a hell of alot of packing peanuts in there so if it was repacked they put everything back in,or at least as much as they could put back in. Overall i am happy enough that the item finally arrived & while i am not sure i would use Ebay Global Shipping again i am at least glad that out of the bad stories about this service i have at least one good story.

I now am thinking & i wonder about the video,wether his problems were a random thing,if the actual seller he bought from is possibly at fault or wether perhaps they have listened to the complaints & stepped their game up a bit:think:

Glad it all arrived in one piece :thumb:

It shows that there's a possibility the service isn't as bad as it sounds although I still don't like the idea of items being re-packed.

[HIPPEEDUDE]

Glad it all arrived in one piece :thumb:

It shows that there's a possibility the service isn't as bad as it sounds although I still don't like the idea of items being re-packed.

I dont like the whole idea of repacking either. This is why i am holding judgement until i get word from the seller on exactly what box they used. I mean for all i know the seller did use a fed-ex box to send the item. Even then,i still am a little dubious & i will still not use ebay global if i can help it. Just because i got one good thing it never gurantees the next will be just as good.

[twistedsymphony]

Glad to hear your package arrived safely..

I wonder if it might have to do with the destination country. If Australia doesn't have as strict import requirements as Japan they might simply skip the repacking process...

it's also possible they've got so many complaints that they've started using tools like x-ray machines instead of opening packages.

[HIPPEEDUDE]

Glad to hear your package arrived safely..

I wonder if it might have to do with the destination country. If Australia doesn't have as strict import requirements as Japan they might simply skip the repacking process...

it's also possible they've got so many complaints that they've started using tools like x-ray machines instead of opening packages.

Thanks:) I am honestly still not 100% until the seller lets me know exactly what box he packed it in wether it was repacked or not. At the moment i still am on the fence in regards to the global shipping but i still wouldnt use them again if i can help it. Maybe they have changed things after the complaints or maybe i just got lucky

[Gazereths]

It seems weird that they have the right to open up a package, are they acting as a customs agent? Do they tell the seller about this in their terms of agreement? It would make me really uncomfortable as a seller to let anyone else pack my items.

His whole rant about it maybe being a racist thing about exporting to Japan seemed like BS though, by that logic you could claim Zavvi were prejudice towards MGS fans back when the HD CE came out LOL....Much more likely it was just some lazy arsed person in the packing department not taking the time to pack it securely, and/or some douchebag at one of the many shipping depots it went through just kicking the crap out of it.

I'll be sure to ask about this shipping method when I next buy something from ebay US though.

[twistedsymphony]

It seems weird that they have the right to open up a package, are they acting as a customs agent? Do they tell the seller about this in their terms of agreement? It would make me really uncomfortable as a seller to let anyone else pack my items.

His whole rant about it maybe being a racist thing about exporting to Japan seemed like BS though, by that logic you could claim Zavvi were prejudice towards MGS fans back when the HD CE came out LOL....Much more likely it was just some lazy arsed person in the packing department not taking the time to pack it securely, and/or some douchebag at one of the many shipping depots it went through just kicking the crap out of it.

I'll be sure to ask about this shipping method when I next buy something from ebay US though.
I believe they are acting as a customs agent which is why they're able to open the items.

I also agree that the racist argument seems BS, while it might be true that a lot of Japanese are Racist against westerners I know that at least in the US even the most racist bastards only really care about Mexicans and Middle Easterners.

In situations like this I go by Hanlon's razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"... or in this case you could replace stupidity with apathy or laziness.

[CanisCanemEdit]

What a nightmare to go through. eBay for one does not give a damn about anyone except to make money. They have removed any means of human contact help service.

I've never used or had any packages through this route, but I'll be on the look out now.

[Murtera]

Has been a while since anyone posted on here, but I thought I would clarify a few things...

The GSP program is here to help buyer and seller alike. This is a great help by including the tracking information both domestically and internationally. You'd be surprised at how many buyers claim they haven't received items when they have, just because the seller didn't include international tracking.

When the item is received by the shipping providers, there is a good chance it will be open and inspected. They are not only looking to make sure it's the item it states, but also if it is broken or damaged. If it is, they would return it to the seller instead of sending it to the buyer and having them deal with the hassle.

If something is broken during the shipping process from our center to the buyer, eBay would be responsible for that if an eBP case were open, not the seller.

eBay is trying to make international selling easier. Many US sellers do not want to ship internationally because they fear a case will be opened because of tracking issues. I've seen that many of you are basing your opinion of this on just a couple people that have had issues. As someone that deals with these every day, there is more positive coming from this then negative.

Finally, here is a quote from the sellers Terms of the program regarding the ebay buyer potection.

"For eBay Buyer Protection cases in which eBay determines that a GSP Item sold by you was damaged or not received by your Buyer, eBay will review the case to determine whether you or Pitney Bowes should be responsible for the damage or non-delivery. In general, you will be responsible under the eBay Buyer Protection policy for the loss of, or damage to, a GSP Item until it is accepted at the U.S. Shipping Center or if the item has been returned to you from the U.S. Shipping Center."

Basically, if it is the shipping centers fault, there is no fault to buyer or seller.

If you guys have any questions about the program, just ask. :D

[ingmar1988]

Tracking and all is fine, but they should not open package. Especially for items that are fragile, a lot of sellers will take way more care packaging it, than some random guy in a shipment center working for minimum wages.

[Madigan]

Thanks for the info Murtera. Ebay is an easy way to sell and buy items from the comfort of your own home and now with 200% more protection thanks to the Global Shipping Program!!! :rave:

[Murtera]

Tracking and all is fine, but they should not open package. Especially for items that are fragile, a lot of sellers will take way more care packaging it, than some random guy in a shipment center working for minimum wages.

Right, I agree to a point. Fragile items however are more of a reason to inspect if you ask me. These items have a higher probability of being broken even in the domestic part of shipping. Verifying the item is still intact and not broken before shipping it out is extremely helpful. It prevents buyers from having to deal with it. It also shows that it was in fact the sellers issue that the item was broken. If they did not inspect items beforehand, they could potentially be out a lot of money if the item was broken in the domestic shipping part.

If the item is opened, it is then repacked professionally by the company. If this wasn't done, eBay would lose a lot of money for it. Even with this though, everything isn't perfect. There are bound to be items damaged during shipping eventually.

[flatout]

THe shipping program is the worst damn thing ever.


I got have gotten 3 packages in the past couple moths alone damaged and all had a "Pitney Bowes" label on them.


I even told the sellers why this happened and why i wanted a refund.


Be careful when adding international shipping option to one listing... when you go to make another after that it will automatically check the GSP option (which is just plain scammy).

Not sure why eBay is pushing this so hard... if they really want it to work and are making that much money from it they should make sure there is proper over site at the re-packing facility.


Right, I agree to a point. Fragile items however are more of a reason to inspect if you ask me. These items have a higher probability of being broken even in the domestic part of shipping. Verifying the item is still intact and not broken before shipping it out is extremely helpful. It prevents buyers from having to deal with it. It also shows that it was in fact the sellers issue that the item was broken. If they did not inspect items beforehand, they could potentially be out a lot of money if the item was broken in the domestic shipping part.

If the item is opened, it is then repacked professionally by the company. If this wasn't done, eBay would lose a lot of money for it. Even with this though, everything isn't perfect. There are bound to be items damaged during shipping eventually.

IMO the issue is not so much that they open to inspect (although that is an evasive side effect) but what they do right after that is disturbing.

They seem to not just tape to back up, most of the time they seem to take out a lot of the cushioning (sometimes replacing it completely with inferior packing) and even going as far as changing the box sometimes. Some of the works seem to just jam the packing in and when someone is shipping a collectable that should not be damaged in any way shoving wads of news paper up against certain things can damage them.



Also from the eBay policy quote you posted it is not even a guarantee against refunds. Your still at the mercy of eBay's interpretation which will of coarse be a huge conflict of interest if they (or their business partner Pitney Bowes) have to pay for both parties.

[twistedsymphony]

...

Basically, if it is the shipping centers fault, there is no fault to buyer or seller.

If you guys have any questions about the program, just ask. :D

If it works that way I'm curious how a situation like what Luke (in the video) experienced is possible. The items were clearly not re-packaged properly by the shipping center. As a result they arrived damaged and when eBay was contacted they blamed the seller and gave him the run around until he gave up fighting.

Talking about the policies is fine and dandy but from what I've read and seen (first hand) they don't actually translate into reality.

If you really want to champion this service then you should contact Luke, I'm sure if you got his situation resolved properly he would do another video on it.

[flatout]

Also I had this happen 3 times in the past 2 months (and I have not ordered many more items then they so it was very frustrating).

I felt really bad for the sellers seeing hows it was not really their fault except for being suckered into the program with big promises.

[SwiftDeath]

Also I had this happen 3 times in the past 2 months (and I have not ordered many more items then they so it was very frustrating).

I felt really bad for the sellers seeing hows it was not really their fault except for being suckered into the program with big promises.

Flatout while I certainly agree that all first-hand evidence of the GSP is very very worrying almost certainly to the point of it being a criminal fraudulent activity

I don't understand how you could receive GSP packages?

Did ebay expand the program outside the US?

Pitney Bowes is the name of the shipping program ebay uses, true

But any and every packing label printed direct from ebay will bear the pitney bowes label so not every pitney bowes package goes through the GSP center

Still GSP had a lot of potential but it seems to be just another way ebay can maintain more control on the money while magically lowering their personal risk

I still find the fact that simply emailing ebay customer support is like trying to herd cats utterly ridiculous and confirms how little they care about any of their customers

[flatout]

Flatout while I certainly agree that all first-hand evidence of the GSP is very very worrying almost certainly to the point of it being a criminal fraudulent activity

I don't understand how you could receive GSP packages?

Did ebay expand the program outside the US?

Pitney Bowes is the name of the shipping program ebay uses, true

But any and every packing label printed direct from ebay will bear the pitney bowes label so not every pitney bowes package goes through the GSP center

Still GSP had a lot of potential but it seems to be just another way ebay can maintain more control on the money while magically lowering their personal risk

I still find the fact that simply emailing ebay customer support is like trying to herd cats utterly ridiculous and confirms how little they care about any of their customers


Must be mistaken on this then, must be back luck I was having and a coincidence the only the boxes with that printed labels were messed up. I thought that the sellers who opt in have it for even domestic packages... but this seems to not be the case.

I just got unlucky then.

[SwiftDeath]

Must be mistaken on this then, must be back luck I was having and a coincidence the only the boxes with that printed labels were messed up. I thought that the sellers who opt in have it for even domestic packages... but this seems to not be the case.

I just got unlucky then.

Yeah that's what I thought it might be

Just wanted to make sure you knew it was the sellers fault as then you can try to fix it

Having ebay as the shipper would worry me greatly

[HIPPEEDUDE]

Even though my package arried ok i am still not a champion of this service. I dont want my package to do a sightseeing tour of the US & Hawaii before it even gets here. I think in the end my package went to 20 different places from start to finish,usually its only about 5 or 6. Thats a big difference in handling. How would you know when it was damaged,at what point it was damaged & who damaged it if its going to so many places before as well as after their so called customs check. I still think this is another way for ebay to make more money off the sales of items more than provide a "helpfull" service

[flatout]

Even though my package arried ok i am still not a champion of this service. I dont want my package to do a sightseeing tour of the US & Hawaii before it even gets here. I think in the end my package went to 20 different places from start to finish,usually its only about 5 or 6. Thats a big difference in handling. How would you know when it was damaged,at what point it was damaged & who damaged it if its going to so many places before as well as after their so called customs check. I still think this is another way for ebay to make more money off the sales of items more than provide a "helpfull" service

And really when you lengthen the trip and double the amount of centers it passes through you are multiplying the chances of damage.

This is why I do not like UPS Ground because it sometimes (maybe always) literally travels the roads the whole way and gets handed of so many times. All those times are chances for it being dropped wrong, having the wrong packages put on top of it, it being lost, ect...

[Matt16]

I'm still avoiding anyone that ships using this service simply due to the amount of negative things I'm reading. Admittedly people who are unhappy are more vocal than those that aren't but like Karl and Flatout said any service that doubles or triples the amount of places your package has to go to, has to increase the chance of damage. This coupled with it being opened and repacked significantly decreases the chance of your parcel getting to you I one piece.


"For eBay Buyer Protection cases in which eBay determines that a GSP Item sold by you was damaged or not received by your Buyer, eBay will review the case to determine whether you or Pitney Bowes should be responsible for the damage or non-delivery. In general, you will be responsible under the eBay Buyer Protection policy for the loss of, or damage to, a GSP Item until it is accepted at the U.S. Shipping Center or if the item has been returned to you from the U.S. Shipping Center."

Basically, if it is the shipping centers fault, there is no fault to buyer or seller.



That's meaningless due to the opening line "Buyer Protection cases in which eBay determines". How often are Ebay going to put there hand up and say "yep, that's our fault"; it simply won't happen and with the lack of care Ebay has for it's sellers (yes, I have experienced this) they will be left footing the bill.

[8BitRager]

I'll go ahead and provide an answer as to why they do this.
Media Mail.
I worked in the post office for a short while a learned quite a bit. Media mail is classified as any form of digital content or digital players(mp3's, etc).

If a package is sent and is classified, by eBay, as Media Mail, whatever service gets the package to be shipped whether it be DHL, FED EX, UPS, or the USPS, Media Mail is ALWAYS opened to check for legitimacy. And unfortunately, in some cases, they need to go even further into these items to check. An example of that extreme would be a collectible game being put in a large collectors box that holds all of the collectible items.

Why do they check?
Media Mail is typically shipped FOR FREE from eBay. This doesn't include oversea's shipping. Many people try to flag their product as Media Mail to reduce the overall price and avoid shipping. This screws over a lot of companies. Believe it or not, the way things are going right now, the USPS(united States Postal Service(The Blue Eagle People)) will not be in existence any longer within the next 30 years because of the switch to digital in our modern day and because of discrepancies like this. I sympathize for the consumer; it sucks that a collectors Edition gets ripped open.

[Pop Alexandra]

I know they were below expectations a while back, but I don't have any complaint from nearly two years.
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Alexandra
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