05-02-2025 8:14 AM
We've been selling for many years and have used the Global Shipping Programme since it started for International Sales. Whilst the shipping costs are sometimes higher the protection we receive as a seller is worth it for us and we still make plenty of sales from all over the world.
However, we've noticed the GSP cost of shipping an item from the UK to the US has suddenly become very expensive compared to a few weeks ago. What was £15-£25 for the customer is now over £100. This applies to all the listings we've checked so far from different categories and all are small parcels. This will certainly deter US customers from purchasing anything from the UK. The Royal Mail cost is about £20 for the same service but not something we want to offer to customers at the moment.
Shipping to other country GSP costs are as they should be and are within the price range normally charged.
Does anyone know why the US costs have increased to such an excessive level?
Do other sellers have the same issue with the US costs being over £100 for every item?
06-02-2025 7:37 AM
Have checked my listings and the shipping costs seem to have come down. However, they don't seem to be as low as they were before this issue. What was £108 shipping is now £43 - but it is still more than double Royal Mail. It used to be just slightly higher and on some a little lower. So don't think it's fully sorted but looks like Ebay have picked up the issue.
06-02-2025 8:05 AM
Someone posted similar from the US, down but not to previous levels.
Ebay US customer service also didn't have a clue why.
08-02-2025 7:40 AM
I see today the GSP costs to the US have come down further, to the normal levels, or very close to. Nothing from Ebay however, with no explanation what occurred..... how do we now it isn't going to happen again...
08-02-2025 12:55 PM
There was a post from a US based member saying Trump has been messing with the tariff free limits, on, off, and on again.
This will be causing issues for ebay and others.
08-02-2025 8:03 PM
I need to jump on this band wagon…
im trying to ship an item for £21 to France free uk postage
comes through as £17.50 with no breakdown of where that £3.50 went / what charges
then they take their “fees” I’m left with £14 and still have to ship to the post office £3 so I’m left with only £11!!!!!
all that effort and such little return not to mention the guy in France has also had to pay around £20 plus the item itself
i sookento someone today and they said it’s correct but surely it’s cheaper me just charging a Royal Mail of flat £16 to Europe and then we both have fewer/smaller charges?
I’ve just removed the GSP from my account as people have started buying from abroad but I’ll be making no money
09-02-2025 9:31 AM
Trump revoked the $800 demimis
duty free customs import duty
a couple of days ago,
then reversed the order when US customs and the mail service ground to a halt with millions of packages needing to be processed,
but the intention is there for it be re introduced once they get it sorted
09-02-2025 9:55 AM
yep,the shipping to,and from,the usa has gone barmy due to the uncertainty of what the muskpuppet is going to do next...:(
trying to import my harley parts is almost impossible atm.
now that muskpuppet is demanding uk stops taxing usa companies its going to get worse now herr starmer is stuck in grovel mode.
time to start looking at eu n china again 😞 ,though i see we're getting rid of taxes on chna EV's today.
11-02-2025 12:31 PM
Been doing g that myself as well for the past month or so after that fiasco with a business in the USA looking to see if I shipped to the USA via GSP.
11-02-2025 10:18 PM
I read earlier on the blog that cannot be named that this is a known issue and as is traditional is being worked on by the relevant team.
I didn't read it all (I don't sell to the US or use GSP) but it seems that $100 was added to the buyers postage at checkout. One comment mentioned that the extra $100 had disappeared again but prices were still about double the more normal $20 - $30.
12-02-2025 8:57 AM
The high shipping costs was not a simple £100 added, they were different amounts but all were over £100 that I check on my listings that should have been much less. Have checked listings again today and the GSP costs have come down again so an item last week was £108, then £43, then £34 and now £26 to ship to the US for the customer. Some of the differences could be down to exchange rates but the hike to over £100 obviously wasn't and there's still no answers or updates from eBay stating what's going on with these prices.........
12-02-2025 9:21 AM
I really can't say any more. Sorry, I don't ship internationally and when I did I never used GSP. I only replied in case there might be someone on this thread that reads the blog and might be able to untangle what was said.🙂