eBay Replaces Global Shipping Programme With eIS From August 2026
eBay is replacing its Global Shipping Programme with a new service called eBay International Shipping, rolling out to eligible UK sellers in phases from August 2026. The change brings broader international reach, lower costs for buyers, and a significantly improved returns process that protects seller payouts in a way the Global Shipping Programme never did.
For sellers currently using GSP, the transition is automatic. Eligible listings will update to eBay International Shipping without any action required, and sellers will receive an email confirmation when their account is enrolled.
More Countries, Lower Costs
The most immediate headline improvement is reach. The Global Shipping Programme covered 105 countries. eBay International Shipping expands that to 195 countries, giving UK sellers access to a considerably larger pool of international buyers without any additional setup or changes to how they list.
Cost is the other significant improvement for buyers. eBay International Shipping is up to 30 percent cheaper than GSP across the top ten shipping lanes where GSP is currently available, based on rates as of June 2026 for items up to 3kg. Lower costs at checkout reduce the friction that causes international buyers to abandon a purchase, which directly benefits sellers in the form of improved conversion on cross-border listings.
International selling fees are waived on eBay International Shipping orders, and buyers cover the international shipping and import charges at checkout rather than the seller, meaning there are no additional costs for sellers beyond their standard domestic arrangement.
How It Works for Sellers
The practical process for sellers stays largely the same as GSP. Sellers ship to the UK hub as normal, and eBay handles everything that happens after that, including customs documentation, HS code classification, international delivery, and end-to-end tracking. Sellers do not need to handle any customs paperwork themselves.
Sellers retain full control over which listings are enrolled and can exclude specific countries at both account and listing level if needed. The hub address has changed from the GSP hub, but sellers will continue shipping as instructed for each individual order without needing to make broader changes to their setup.
The Returns Change That Sellers Need to Understand
The most meaningful operational change in eBay International Shipping compared to GSP is how returns are handled, and it is worth understanding clearly because it works differently from anything most sellers will be used to.
Under eBay International Shipping, once a seller's parcel is scanned and accepted at the UK hub, the seller's payout is protected from that point forward. If a buyer opens a return for any reason, eBay issues the refund to the buyer at no cost to the seller, and the seller keeps their payout. If a buyer claims an item is lost or damaged in the international leg, the seller is fully protected and keeps their payout.
The important thing to understand is that returned items do not come back to the seller. If a buyer returns a purchase, the item goes to a third-party service provider or is liquidated, and the seller keeps the full payout regardless. Sellers should not expect to receive returned stock back under eBay International Shipping, because that is simply not how the process works. This is a trade-off worth being clear about, but for most sellers the protection of the payout regardless of what happens to the item will be the more commercially significant factor.
Fraudulent returns are also handled by eBay under this model. If a buyer claims a return simply to obtain a refund, eBay manages the claim and the seller keeps their payout regardless of the buyer's stated reason.
What Sellers Need to Do
For the majority of sellers, the answer is nothing. Eligible listings will be automatically enrolled in eBay International Shipping in phases from August 2026, and the domestic shipping process stays exactly the same. Sellers who do not want to sell internationally at all can opt out through their postage preferences in My eBay, and sellers who want to restrict specific countries can manage country exclusions at account or listing level.
Once enrolled in eBay International Shipping, the Global Shipping Programme will no longer be available, even if a seller opts out of eIS. Any GSP transactions already in progress at the time of enrollment will continue to be serviced through GSP until completion with no disruption.
Items are eligible for eBay International Shipping up to a value of £900 excluding duties, and must be physically located in the UK and listed on ebay.co.uk. A range of restricted categories and prohibited items apply, covering hazardous materials, batteries, weapons, tobacco, and various other categories in line with export regulations and eBay policy.