All You Need to Know About the Global Shipping Programme

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What is the Global Shipping Programme?

The Global Shipping Programme (GSP) is eBay's international, discounted shipping system. When it launched, it was a dream for all eBay sellers, who have had to fight against inevitably high-priced, awkwardly executed international parcel delivery.

How Does the Global Shipping Programme Work?

You list your item and enable GSP. If it sells in a country other than your own, you send your item to eBay's fulfilment centre – just like you would send any other item – and they handle things from there. The postage costs exactly the same as a domestically shipped parcel, because you only have to send it to Derbyshire. eBay cover the rest of it.

List. Sell. Ship. It's exactly the same as normal. Simple stuff.

What are the Benefits of the Benefits of the Global Shipping Programme?

The main benefit is that it gives eBay sellers a reason to list their items on international markets. Previously, although it was easy to do so, the dread of selling to someone abroad never waned. It was just such a hassle. Now, many don't even think before they enable GSP, because the process has been simplified massively.

If you didn't use GSP, you would have to go through the complicated process of working out which zone the recipient is in, working out which tracking option (if at all) is best, and then invoicing the customer for it. After all of that, they may even refuse to buy, because they didn't expect it to cost that much. No one wants that.

Even third party delivery options make smooth out the GSP process. Below shows you myHermes' pop-up when you input the eBay fulfilment centre's postcode in.

What's My Experience with GSP?

I'll be honest: I stopped sending internationally after a year. It just kept going wrong for me. You can't trust customers if things aren't sent shipped. You can't trust couriers, because there's such a lag between dispatch and delivery. You can't trust the process, because it costs so much, has risks and usually doesn't result in a much higher selling price.

The day eBay introduced me to the Global Shipping Programme, I was still annoyed about an Spanish buyer that claimed the stuffed Garfield I sent didn't arrive, and eBay sided with him. If had quite enough of selling abroad, because it's a real drain. However, once I looked into it, and saw that there were no extra costs, I gave it a go.

GSP still doesn't protect you against thieves. Like the Italian that said the “for parts” computer monitor I sold was faulty, and eBay sided with them. However, at least they make sure that whatever you send actually gets to them.

One thing worth noting is that unlike the traditional way, with GSP, as a seller, you're not even made aware how much customers pay for the item, but that shouldn't concern you too much anyway.

Summary

The simple way to send international eBay shipments. There is no better alternative. It's cheap, just like sending to anywhere in the UK. The process is completely seamless.