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

[mjfc]

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=90db718...

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.  😠

[info301]

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.

[mjfc]

I would like to opt out.  I spent time a Friday night with ShipStation support via the chat.  They told me I’d have to contact stamps.com to do this.  How do I contact someone here to handle this?

[irrel22]

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.

[Moderator-Davis]

Hello there @irrel22, 

I am sorry to hear that you were also seeing this issue. I assure you, if you wish to be removed from GAP, you can reach out directly to our Support Team and utilizing a new tool, we can make that adjustment directly. 

I hope this helps! 🙂 

[irrel22]

Thanks! I'll do that now, I originally waiting for Stamps.com to get back to me.

[timestreasures]

What was an absolute deal breaker for me was someone in some faraway place actually printing out the label with the customer's address.  I want to print out my own labels, affix my own labels, hand the package to the Post Office clerk.  I do not want the "opportunity" for mistakes by others happening to my packages. (Nor the delay getting to my customer, that will happen waiting for a new label in wherever it is.)  I can make enough mistakes on my own without the possibility of adding someone else's, thank you very much.

[timestreasures]

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 !!!! 

[Moderator-Davis]

Hello there @timestreasures, 

I apologize for the frustration you are feeling, and want to help make that worry a thing of the past.

I understand that you are not wanting to participate in the Global Advantage Program (GAP) at this time. I am happy to assist. 

To be removed from this program, send our support team an email (support@shipstation.com) requesting removal from GAP. There will not be any further steps for you to perform once the support team has confirmed that removal for you 🙂 

I hope this helps.

[brandons]

I've tried to fix this multiple times with no luck.

ShipStation support acted like they had no clue what was going on when I contacted them before and said that I had to contact global post directly to get it removed...

You tell people to contact ShipStation support.

Other admins on the forums are telling people to contact stamps.com to fix it and gives the Stamps support numbers that hangs up on you.

All around no one will fix this. 

[Moderator-Davis]

Hey there @brandons, 

I'm happy to clear up the confusion on how to be removed from GAP. 

I have reconfirmed with support leadership that if you the steps in this screenshot our support team can, and will, remove you from GAP. 

You can also find the steps listed on our Knowledge Base article linked here. 

I hope this helps! 🙂 

[timestreasures]

I was removed from GAP some time ago. I did use the email support as SS directed me to. 

I ran into this program when I had a Stamps.com account -- I want NOTHING to do with some "middle man" actually intercepting and labeling my packages --  but when I tried to mail a package I was confronted with the GAP thing, and there was no way to do anything else in Stamps.com (What I did instead was use USPS Click-N-Ship for that package) So I then asked CS and was told it would take a day or two for them to remove me from the program... welllllll  probably a week or so later .....  that and surprisingly poor phone help, not to mention the cost, so I closed my account. Went to SS and found the same GAP requirement; so I asked CS to remove it.  Unfortunately, it took substantially longer than I was told it would, to be removed from SS's GAP, as well.  BUT that said, that's been the ONLY negative I've experienced on SS !!!!!  and I am so much happier with SS. Wish I had switched sooner ! 

I surely hope it's easier now to get out of GAP - it should be an "opt in/out" choice not some complicated thing where management has to get one's account removed from some default inclusion.