I just did my first international sale to Israel using the global shipping program.  Let me tell you it is super easy but I am kind of scared because this is my first one.  Hope this turns out ok because I dont know how much it will be to ship it back.  

Provided you shipped what you said you would with a trackable method to Kentucky, there's no reason for concern - it's as safe as sending the item anywhere within the U.S.

I love the GSP, the only way I'll ship international.

Can someone who has used this before tell me how expensive it is to ship something via the GSP versus inside the U.S.?

Can someone who has used this before tell me how expensive it is to ship something via the GSP versus inside the U.S.?

 

It basically costs whatever it would cost for you to ship the item to Kentucky.  After that, the buyer flips the bill.

 

Otherwise for other shipping methods, you have to do all the legwork, figure out shipping cost to whatever country, do the customs forms, use proper shipping method to cover insurance/signature, and then cross your fingers.

You're just shipping to a us location. It's safer and cheapest when shipping to international customers. It's the only choice for me too

As the seller, you only pay for shipping to the global shipping center in Kentucky.  The buyer should pay you for that shipping, unless you offer free shipping within the U.S. 

Thanks, everybody.  Sorry about the off-topic newbie question.  I have wasted some time trying to find the answer to my question with nothing.  It's always better to just ask real people.

I'm glad you asked.  I'm still not shipping Internationally, but I've considered it.  This is helping me lean toward doing it.

Yes, it is easier - but you will also have less international sales.

I'm glad you asked.  I'm still not shipping Internationally, but I've considered it.  This is helping me lean toward doing it.

 

I was actually caught by surprise when EBay turned on GSP automatically.  I knew it was coming, but I didn't know you had to disable it.  Now I love the fact that I just need to get it to Kentucky and it's out of my hands.

 

Yes, it is easier - but you will also have less international sales.

 

I agree, but if your volume of sales is high enough, it's totally worth it.

GSP is the only way I will ship internationally. I've been using it for a little under 5 months and have had no problems at all with it as of yet. From what I've read it is more expensive for a buyer to use, especially when shipping to Canada, vs me doing all the paperwork and such myself. But I'm too lazy to deal with that so I am very happy with the 3-5 extra sales per month that GSP gets me.

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I believe ebay is offering a webinar on the GSP this week. Looks like there are some changes coming.

 

Personally I never use it as it is too expensive but it is better than nothing I suppose.

I have used it several times and had one bad situation I documented last week where the shipping company mixed up my item with another and my buyer got the wrong item. Even then, I was not responsible and eBay issued a full refund to the buyer. The only fear is that the buyer holds you responsible and leaves bad feedback. I just sold 3 Minecraft sets to someone in Spain today so I still use it and hope for the best.

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I have used it several times and had one bad situation I documented last week where the shipping company mixed up my item with another and my buyer got the wrong item. Even then, I was not responsible and eBay issued a full refund to the buyer. The only fear is that the buyer holds you responsible and leaves bad feedback. I just sold 3 Minecraft sets to someone in Spain today so I still use it and hope for the best.

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If the buyer leaves bad feedback for something that's eBay's responsibility (shipping time, breakage, shipping fees, etc.), eBay will remove it.

If the buyer leaves bad feedback for something that's eBay's responsibility (shipping time, breakage, shipping fees, etc.), eBay will remove it.

Good to know. Luckily I haven't been in that situation.

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Yes, it is easier - but you will also have less international sales.

 

This is only true for sellers who would otherwise offer their own international shipping - many, many sellers don't, either because they've been burned enough times or they were too nervous ever to start. For them, every sale is "more sales" than "none".

 

And, reports of less international sales are definitely overblown. Until end of 2013, I did all my own international shipping on eBay. My international sales dropped at about the same time the very large price hike for international hit from USPS in January 2014. When I started with the GSP, I was (and still am) getting nearly as many international sales, with no more hassle than shipping domestically.

 

eBay is a dicey environment at times - my comfort level in offering international shipping through, say, Bricklink is far higher than it is through eBay. I am well able to handle my own international, but GSP means that in eBay's environment I don't have to. Other sellers may feel perfectly fine about selling internationally via eBay, and of course those folks shouldn't go with GSP.

So, now that I'm leaning more toward GSP, I know a few of you are reluctant to ship to certain countries.  Is it a problem to exclude certain countries?  I'm willing to try it out, and be conservative to start.  Any recommendations as to which countries I might want to avoid to start?

This is only true for sellers who would otherwise offer their own international shipping - many, many sellers don't, either because they've been burned enough times or they were too nervous ever to start. For them, every sale is "more sales" than "none".

 

And, reports of less international sales are definitely overblown. Until end of 2013, I did all my own international shipping on eBay. My international sales dropped at about the same time the very large price hike for international hit from USPS in January 2014. When I started with the GSP, I was (and still am) getting nearly as many international sales, with no more hassle than shipping domestically.

 

eBay is a dicey environment at times - my comfort level in offering international shipping through, say, Bricklink is far higher than it is through eBay. I am well able to handle my own international, but GSP means that in eBay's environment I don't have to. Other sellers may feel perfectly fine about selling internationally via eBay, and of course those folks shouldn't go with GSP.

 

Certainly, if someone wouldn't otherwise be selling Internationally, then the GSP is great. But there are many advantages to doing it yourself (assuming that you are familiar enough to do it).

So, now that I'm leaning more toward GSP, I know a few of you are reluctant to ship to certain countries.  Is it a problem to exclude certain countries?  I'm willing to try it out, and be conservative to start.  Any recommendations as to which countries I might want to avoid to start?

 

You don't need to avoid any through GSP - you are protected from any of the common problems with "problem" countries, including slowness through customs, loss to theft anywhere from Kentucky on, etc.

Just be careful not to ship until you have a cleared paypal transaction. Should be standard but once it's gone, good luck getting it back

Something I noticed. There used to be a loophole where a buyer could request an invoice, and if they did this, you could send an invoice with a different shipping option and still do it directly. With GSP you can't SEND an invoice first, but the buyer could. I think they took that away - common scenario was a buyer asking if shipping costs could be lowered than GSP quote. Now they don't have the option to send an invoice at all, it's GSP or nothing if they buy your item. 

 

I use it all the time, haven't had an issue yet. The heartburn over the one item I shipped to Russia alone was enough to get me to require it. 

GSP safest way, No longer able to get scammed by international buyers. If they make stuff up saying item not received they have to deal with ebay as its no longer your problem once your tracking shows delivered to KY.

Something I noticed. There used to be a loophole where a buyer could request an invoice, and if they did this, you could send an invoice with a different shipping option and still do it directly. With GSP you can't SEND an invoice first, but the buyer could. I think they took that away - common scenario was a buyer asking if shipping costs could be lowered than GSP quote. Now they don't have the option to send an invoice at all, it's GSP or nothing if they buy your item. 

 

If you choose to only use the GSP on some items, be aware that they will convert any non GSP listings into the program when you re-list (removing any of the shipping options that you had previously set up).

 

They went out of their way to alter the re-listing process, just to trap you into their program. So who do you think the program benefits?

I had a box get crushed using the GSP. It was the simpsons house. The buyer gave me negative feedback and I have been unable to get it removed. My only neg on 600+ feedback.