GPS return

[somany]

Just approved a return for a GPS, and eBay wanted me to provide the shipping label. I have only ever had one or two international returns, but I am certain I wasn’t asked to do this in the past. I had to check a box that said I can’t purchase a label from a carrier in the buyer’s country (which I don’t even know what country he is from) and agree to reimburse him for the postage. Has anyone else had a return from a GPS sale and had to do this? I feel very exposed here.

It is a pair of swim trunks that he says is missing the plastic on the drawstring. It’s entirely possible but it’s also entirely possible it isn’t, KWIM? I always make the buyer return the item for the refund, but I prefer not to have to eat up the profit or more in return postage. I guess it doesn’t really matter as I wouldn’t know what the postage would be if GPS took care of it either. What exactly are we getting from GPS again? That’s two things that no longer come with their service.

[somany]

The buyer did provide a picture showing the missing plastic.  I assume it was like that when I sent it but maybe not.  He is telling me from his experience, it's $45 to ship anything from the Philippines with tracking. (He feedback is private, but he has 49 feedback for the last 30 days and 161 since he joined ebay in November 2018.) Talked to customer service, and they said it's because it's not as described that I have to provide the postage. I asked what GPS does for me again, and she said if the package gets lost or damaged they take care of it, but in my mind that's what shipping insurance does. For those of you who don't use GPS, does ShipInsurance cover international sales for first class items? Otherwise I think I am getting out of GPS and using priority mail only for international shipments. I still have to take the hit if I miss something like this, but the buyer isn't paying extra for no added benefit.

I'm just going to refund this guy and forget it. I hate getting all riled up over these things so better to cut and run since I apparently missed the issue.

[chapeaunoir]

For SNAD issues there is no coverage, we pay out of pocket for return of the item. I've never used GPS but I know about it and I do know that it follows the same tenets that eBay follows insofar as INR and damage (insured), but SNAD is not covered.

Shipinsurance does not cover SNAD, it only covers damage/INR.

Yes, it's expensive shipping from the Philippines (part of my family is Filipino) with tracking. :-(

ETA: I've shipped overseas since I started selling and 90% of the time I use just regular small packet/first class international - to most countries there is some tracking. Might be worth doing that for inexpensive items. 

[somany]

Oh, I wasn't thinking Shipinsurance for SNAD--I'm just saying GPS doesn't seem to have any value added over and above regular shipping insurance. The only value added I can think of right now is knowing which countries to ship to and which not to, but I'm not even sure GSP provides that. If they are only covering damaged or lost in transit situations, there's really no value added since regular insurance covers those (except not having to be the one who deals with it, I guess). Might as well ship internationally myself and reduce the shipping cost to the buyer.

[chapeaunoir]

GPS doesn't do anything any seller can't do themselves, save if there is INR, they will handle that, and so for some countries for some sellers it's worth it to have that particular protection.

[val2525]

May 26, 2019 7:51:30 GMT chapeaunoir said:

GPS doesn't do anything any seller can't do themselves, save if there is INR, they will handle that, and so for some countries for some sellers it's worth it to have that particular protection.

Just don't sell to those countries. If Insurepost/Shipsurance won't insure to a country, I don't really want to sell to that country anyway.