Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[moehawk]

Joao, maybe it had to stop in Brazil to learn Portuguese?

 

[Frunobulax]

Moe, you owe me a new monitor.

 

[moehawk]

Did you spit coffee on it in response to my wit, or hurl it across the room for the same reason?

 

[Frunobulax]

OK, now you owe me a new keyboard...

 

[Bob Roberts]

Wanna hear about how I had to wait seven months for a new hat from Texas?

No, you don't.

I believe we've already heard...

 

[Justdog]

Think we could start a poll about who loves the EBay Global Shipping Program, or if it has already started post a link to it being discussed.

 

[Justdog]

Yes I thought of asking members to start a poll but everyone is way ahead of me expressing their love of the EBay Global Shipping program. I read a few forum posts on EBay and one particular post was great.
A buyer in the States bought an item and was charged import fees!! He bought it in the States and had it shipped to his State. I also talked to a customs supervisor in Canada and they don't know anything about this program except that it is the same type of brokerage fees applied like UPS. I have bought almost everything from the great services of USPS and Canada post. Never had an item lost . GSP repackages items and since they get paid up front and you sign a waiver if you use their services, your pretty much in for a fight if something happens..

 

[Alexander Sommerset]

I hate it because it doesn't give me any options to give to buyer for different shipping rates. It is the way it is and that is it. I can't offer cheaper, or faster shipping. I don't like it at all. In fact, I've stopped selling overseas because of it.

 

[Justdog]

Apparently you can opt out of it, new sellers are automatically signed up. I believe they will make it mandatory. Sellers will be blamed eBay will wash their hands of the buyers because I as a buyer have to sign a waiver when I use it or I cannot buy the item. Chances are if you do opt out , all your buyer and seller protection will disappear. I buy toy cars. I bought 5 in the last month, all USPS First class. All arrived faster than 2 items using GSP all went through customs and were of declared value. No tax and import duties were charged. If I bought the same item through GSP I would have paid 25 dollars on a 15 dollar toy which is exempt from duty in Canada. A lot of sellers I corresponded with clearly state that it is a rip off. My country receives no remuneration from this program.

 

[Justdog]

Good thing we have this place!

 

[ofcoursemyhorse]

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Joao, maybe it had to stop in Brazil to learn Portuguese?

Why? Can't I teach Portuguese? Heck, I'm in the most Portuguese place on earth.

Think we could start a poll about who loves the EBay Global Shipping Program, or if it has already started post a link to it being discussed.

It's already been discussed. But I do love EGSP. Works great from the US to Europe. The fastest I ever got a hat from the US was with EGSP. 10 days! Not 10 working days, 10 days! Less than 2 weeks!
USPS/CTT usually takes 2 weeks but if Portuguese customs is flooded or stumbles on the box, than it's more than a month.
Since I pay import taxes on the front with EGSP, only pay for the item. With USPS/CTT, customs screw me then pay taxes for the item AND shipping cost, plus documents (usually it goes for 25-30% the total cost).
EGSP = cheaper, faster. Some of you hate it and want to allow the buyer to have cheaper shipping rates but in the end it's not that cheap (at least for me).
So yes, EGSP FTW.

 

[Resistolero]

meh just got snipped on this Resistol beaver 100
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cowboy-Hat-Resistol-Grey-Beaver-100-abot-size-7-1-4-/191755152608?nma=true&si=BXMt7WMtNNf9KEKJPK0o5Uqk1Ng%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Joao,

I got that 100. Sorry, man! I plan to post high-quality photos in the Resistol thread. If I end up not wearing it enough (a real possibility considering how many hats I have), I'll get in touch with you.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Joao,

I got that 100. Sorry, man! I plan to post high-quality photos in the Resistol thread. If I end up not wearing it enough (a real possibility considering how many hats I have), I'll get in touch with you.

That is really nice to know since I'm not having the best news this month.
I would have bided more if I was in the US, so yes if you think that you do not wear it much, I'd love to have it.
The seller told me it have a 3.5" brim so I can live with it.

 

[Resistolero]

That is really nice to know since I'm not having the best news this month.
I would have bided more if I was in the US, so yes if you think that you do not wear it much, I'd love to have it.
The seller told me it have a 3.5" brim so I can live with it.

Yes, I really like large brims as well. That's one reason I'm thinking about getting an Akubra Sombrero!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Yes, I really like large brims as well. That's one reason I'm thinking about getting an Akubra Sombrero!

If you leave the pencil roll brim, it does not look that big. If you flatten it out, it will be big.
Even not being the top felt Akubra makes, I think it still is a really nice hat.

 

[Panadora]

It's already been discussed. But I do love EGSP. Works great from the US to Europe. The fastest I ever got a hat from the US was with EGSP. 10 days! Not 10 working days, 10 days! Less than 2 weeks!
USPS/CTT usually takes 2 weeks but if Portuguese customs is flooded or stumbles on the box, than it's more than a month.
Since I pay import taxes on the front with EGSP, only pay for the item. With USPS/CTT, customs screw me then pay taxes for the item AND shipping cost, plus documents (usually it goes for 25-30% the total cost).
EGSP = cheaper, faster. Some of you hate it and want to allow the buyer to have cheaper shipping rates but in the end it's not that cheap (at least for me).
So yes, EGSP FTW.

Same here!

 

[Justdog]

Same here!

That's interesting. I bought a recent antique car toy from Denmark. Postage was nine dollars Canadian. Same item with sellers using GSP in the US from Pennsylvania for a 19 dollar car is 24 dollars. It completely devalues the worth of the collected item. I received a second one from Ohio. 6 dollars first class no duty no tax. Under 20 is not subject to those fees but EBay GSP charges them anyway. England has Royal mail 9 dollars which is really great. They have just begun to implement GSP there. I have bought several Stetsons, vintage and received them First class USPS no duty no tax.
The same hat now with GSP would cost 60 to 70 dollars compared to 15 to 16. USPS is 1000 x better to Canada from the US. If it works for you that is great though.
I see the near future where it will be impossible to collect on EBay. Pretty much 50 percent of the listings have it now. Luckily I still have source collectors that charge about 7 dollars postage. Amazon is definitely cheaper even with a similar GSP type check out. I bought a Pendleton and it was 50 percent cheaper for a new one than a used one using EBay GSP. About 50 percent cheaper and not repackaged in Kentucky by Pit Bowes. The sellers ship to PB then it comes to me. So definitely not faster here. Good sellers know how to package. I know how to package. PB does not care about packaging.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

That is a good thing with PB.
I have payed $25 for a box that would cost $50 and no extra charge!
I do know EGSP between US and Canada does not "work", but for Europe it's great! Import taxes only start at $20 or $25.
Pitney Bowes does not repackage the items, they just put their stickers on it.

 

[Justdog]

Yes I guess your right it is good for you. I look at the percentages and from my end I see about a 200 percent increase in the little cars and about 50 percent on a hats. It is a fact that my government does not know about this program because I asked. They likened it to the excessive brokerage fees of UPS. I know that a lot of my past vintage hat purchases were mailed first class USPS, including a Stetson 100, and on that I did not get any brokerage, import or duty fees. That was with the real value declared. Some of the eBay forums tell a different story. But if you don't want to pay it don't. I know I am being totally squeezed out of buying any hats or hobby cars on eBay, it just makes retaining the value impossible. Not really a complaint or grip but a logical result. I have toy seller\collectors who mail 5 cars for 7 dollars. On EBay they cannot combine like that . I am also lucky because I can go to trade shows and pay cash. It will be an adventure and challenge to adapt. Maybe go picking while on vacation. I still got a set of 600 dollar golf clubs from an old school seller, brand new, for 50 USPS priority. Quite a few of my old sellers don't like it because they also know the value of the collection, it gets killed with upfront GSP.
Just saying it like it is from here.