Global Shipping Program - A cautionary tale.

[Philip]

Originally Posted by Will M

I too have learned that lesson, never buy if the seller uses GSP. Between Ebay fees and fees on the shipping costs it takes a 20% bite out of the sellers profits.
Ebay dreams up blanket restrictions that have nothing to do with law. Just another way to cash in. I was warned recently by Ebay just because I was asking the seller something and they construed it as buying and avoiding Ebay.
They can charge you fees against an item even if you did not sell it.
This is sheer overreaching GREED and I rarely buy or sell on Ebay because I refuse to feed the beast.

Will, I agree with you 110% as re dealing on eBay, and my aversion applies to antiques in general. It used to be easy and often lucrative, but because of the policies being discussed, and the crapshoot inherent in shoddy descriptions and poor photos, this is a venue I avoid now.

My overseas auction buying is limited to the major salerooms in the UK and on the Continent, and through rapport built up with their staff, my requests for info and better photos are in hand before I cast a bid. And of course the shipping protocol and any legal issues (CITES, firearms, national embargoes) are spelled out upfront). There are some types of items I would not buy unless previewed in person, but otherwise have done well operating under these parameters. On a quality item that you are reasonably sure about, and sure about actually receiving, it's worth paying the auctioneer's "juice" on the hammer price.