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USPS Labels to Sorting Facility - Global Advantage Program Instructions to remove are not correct

  • Nov 6, 2021 2:10 AM UTC
  • 4 replies
  • 0 views

I read the following webpage about the Global Advantage Program found in a previous thread.

 

https://help.shipstation.com/hc/en-us/articles/360026158071-Global-Advantage-Program?queryID=90db71870a28149b7f855e1698437982#smartsaver-0-1

 

I scrolled down to read about removing this from my account.  I am not finding the information to be correct.  It states:

 

    • Do not choose Documents for content type if the content does not conform to the USPS criteria for documents. If the contents of the package do not meet the USPS criteria for documents, the USPS Automatic Package Verification (APV) will post-charge your account the difference between the Large Envelope/Flat rate and the Package rate (which can be $7 or more).

      If you do not wish to participate in the Global Advantage Program...

      Accounts created on August 6th, 2019 or later: Contact Stamps.com support to request they disable the Global Advantage Program on your account.

      Accounts created prior to August 6th, 2019: Select Package or Thick Envelope from the package type drop-down menu when shipping via USPS First Class Mail International, or set the customs declaration Package Contents to Documents.

       

      My account was created prior to August 6, 2019 and the way I normally ship is selecting a "package" but it is merchandise so I can't choose "documents."  Regardless, this does not work by only selecting "package."

       

      I don't know why my account all of a sudden has changed and it's put me out of business during a big promotion this weekend.  😠

 

 

      4 replies

      info301
      • info301
      • Employee
      • Nov 6, 2021 3:07 PM UTC

      Same - this was a bad decision to opt us all into this with no notification from Stamps or ShipStation.

        Moderator-Davis

        Hey there @mjfc, 

         

        Thanks for taking the time to post in the community and bringing this to our attention.

         

        We’ve checked into what you are experiencing with the Global Advantage Program (GAP) labels and it does look like there has been a change for some Stamps accounts opened prior to the date listed in the help article (Aug, 6th, 2019). 

         

        Stamps fully enabled a batch of these accounts for GAP services last week, but no communication was made about this change, which meant those who didn’t want to use this service were not given the chance to opt out of it. While this change did not affect your rates or service levels, the result was that USPS First Class International and USPS Priority International shipments were automatically issued GAP labels when you weren’t expecting them.

         

        We sincerely apologize for the impact this has had on your workflows. While there are many benefits to using the Global Advantage Program, you can absolutely opt your Stamps account out if you prefer not to use this shipping method. 

         

        To opt out, please contact our support team and let them know you wish to disable GAP on your Stamps account entirely. We should be able to complete the request within a few hours and will alert you when you can start creating standard international labels once again.

         

        We are also in the process of updating the details in our GAP help article, as the opt-out details it contains are now out of date. 

         

        If you would like to continue using GAP labels, there are no further actions you need to take. Your international shipments will continue to be shipped to your customers at the same rates and with the same expected delivery time. Some additional benefits include no disruptions to shipments sent to Australia or New Zealand at this time, included shipment protection (up to $100 for First Class and $200 for Priority), and door-to-door tracking on Priority/Priority Express shipments.

        From Moderator Davis, May the force be with you!
        • irrel22
        • Nov 11, 2021 6:12 PM UTC

        Glad to know I'm not the only one with this issue! I used to use GAP to mail flat envelopes for cheaper and it would only activate if I selected flat envelopes but then the price of it double so I stopped using it. This change was very sudden and unwelcome.

          I have had a Stamps.com account for years - well before 2019 - and this GAP thing was JUST NOW forced on me. I mail First Class parcels mostly to Canada but also a few other countries.  I DO NOT WANT someone I do not know supposedly printing out both the label with customer's address and the customs form and then applying them to (hopefully) MY package.  NOR do I want to anger my customers with the additional delay (DAYS?) this stupid service is going to inflict on my packages. When I started my trial ShipStation account I was PROMISED this horrid program would be DISABLED and so far, it is NOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I also got a promise from Stamps.com that it would be disabled -  again, NOT !!!! 

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