eBay

pdks.ca · ‎07-26-2013

I just had my first experience with ebay's deceitful new Global Shipping Program. The only fee I could see in the listing was a $15 shipping fee, which was reasonable for the item. When an invoice was sent, the previously invisible - and mandatory - GSP kicked in and the fee spiked to $58.

This is obviously outrageous. I've reported eBay and this program to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC). Perhaps if enough people complained, eBay would have to come clean with both buyers and U.S. sellers, who seem completely unaware that their ratings are being screwed by eBay's sneaky cash-grab.

pierrelebel · ‎08-29-2013

I was answering your question " who the heck are they to determine how our Canadian laws will be put into the practice and how our governent will collect taxes????""

What part of my answer do you not understand?

Whether you are GST/HST registered or not does not really matter. However, since you are registered, you should know exactly how it works and what the liabilities of a GST/HST registered merchants are.

i*m-still-here · ‎08-29-2013

Keep my statements in context................ Please!

I understand that you believe in your own statements, as you should. That's good. I also know that some posters agree with you and some disagree with you and that is true for my statements as well.

I've explained my position several times and youve stated yours numerious times as well. I'm not here to be attacked by you Pierre. Nor am I trying to alter your views.

You have your opinion, you've stated it over and over, and I'm not going to waste my time trying to change it.

I'm simply presenting an alternate view. It's your right to disagree, but snotty statements like "What part of my answer do you not understand?" are nasty and have no place here.

pierrelebel · ‎08-29-2013

Why did you ask "... who the heck are they to determine how our Canadian laws will be put into the practice and how our governent will collect taxes????""

Do you or do you not understand how they are legally obligated to remit taxes to the Canadian government?

i*m-still-here · ‎08-29-2013

You really want it to go on, don't you? The real question is why do you insist on puling that one statement out of my post and presenting it out of context?

OF COURSE I understand what every idiot understands.

pierrelebel · ‎08-29-2013

I*am-still-here wrote "OF COURSE I understand what every idiot understands. "

I do not think readers of these threads are idiots. It would never cross my mind to insult them that way.

Reality is simple and as been stated several times: GSP is not a program favourable to most Canadian buyers for most transactions and I fully agree with the decision made by several Canadian buyers not to purchase from American buyers offering the program.

Few Canadians disagree with that assessment.

chimera148 · ‎08-29-2013

@dtmmoore wrote:
However I was not required to pay a further $70 that this program requires I pay under its terms .

Yes, any company I buy from provides an itemized receipt of taxes paid. Other brokers I've used have provided the proper paperwork needed for tax purposes.

Sometimes these taxes and other expenses are deductible for income tax purposes.

My accountant and Revenue Canada need an invoice showing the proper taxes, any duty, shipping and brokerage fees , not a guesstimate.

To try doing an income tax return or audit without proper invoices is stupid.

Pitney Bowes should be providing a proper itemized invoice.

I agree with the many Canadian buyers, stay far away from the GSP, it can be too much trouble.

nuvistors · ‎08-29-2013

The ebay Global Shipping Program is not really deceit6ful but it is a very well thoutout plan by Ebay and Pitney Bowes along with the Canadian government to maximise the profits by ebay/PB and to maximise the GST/PST collect by the Canadian government.

Just another way to shaft the taxpayer.

chimera148 · ‎08-29-2013

It looks like PayPal does well on the increased GSP charges with the currency conversion, too . When the Canadian dollar was around US98.50, PayPal calculated it at less than US95.00 on my buying transaction.

Sorry. I can't agree that it hasn't been or isn't deceitful for both buyers and sellers, intentionally or not.

It's reportedly driving some away from mailorder or towards other selling venues.

pierrelebel · ‎08-29-2013

"Pitney Bowes should be providing a proper itemized invoice. "

That is absolutely correct.

It has been requested from the satff at eBay.ca several months ago in the Weekly Hour session.

So far.... absolute silence.

marnotom! · ‎08-29-2013

@pierrelebel wrote:
"Pitney Bowes should be providing a proper itemized invoice. "

That is absolutely correct.

It has been requested from the satff at eBay.ca several months ago in the Weekly Hour session.

So far.... absolute silence.

Maybe my memory is faulty, but I seem to recall the last FedEx ground shipment I received from the U.S. a few years back resulted in a letter being sent to me after delivery requesting payment. I don't recall any sort of breakdown of the charges in that letter.

Am I remembering this incorrectly, or has FedEx changed its invoicing system in the past five years or so?

pierrelebel · ‎08-29-2013

I have received a few import shipments over the years through Fed-Ex. Typically, the driver drops the parcel and the itemized invoice for duty, taxes and brokerage fees comes in the mail two to four weeks later.

If you only received a letter (collection letter ?), I suspect it may have been sent a few weeks after the detailed invoice.

With UPS, I always prepaid the taxes and brokerage fees, avoiding COD charges. A detailed invoice has always been supplied by UPS.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-29-2013

I can't recall what info is on a Fedex statement but the UPS ones are fairly detailed as to what fees they are charging for if you are paying at the door.

I often receive packages from the U.S. with DHL. The info is delivered in different ways depending on the service used but ultimately, there is a break down of duties paid, taxes paid and import fees.

marnotom! · ‎08-29-2013

@pierrelebel wrote:
I have received a few import shipments over the years through Fed-Ex. Typically, the driver drops the parcel and the itemized invoice for duty, taxes and brokerage fees comes in the mail two to four weeks later.

If you only received a letter (collection letter ?), I suspect it may have been sent a few weeks after the detailed invoice.

Maybe some of the issue is that the package was only transported by FedEx up to a hub on the east side of Vancouver Island. After that, Canada Post and a contracted boat transported it to me on the west side of the island.

Ah, well. It's all in the past now anyway.

juldil · ‎08-31-2013

I refuse to purchase anything that a seller is selling if they are going through the gsp, there is no tax or duty if an item is under 20 dollars, yet a purse I was going to purchase stated the import charges would be 9 dollars! even if there was tax at 13% that is $2.60 who gets the rest of the money? its going to hurt a lot of sellers, I have been on ebay over 10 years and never seen such gauging

marnotom! · ‎09-01-2013

@juldil wrote:
I refuse to purchase anything that a seller is selling if they are going through the gsp, there is no tax or duty if an item is under 20 dollars, yet a purse I was going to purchase stated the import charges would be 9 dollars! even if there was tax at 13% that is $2.60 who gets the rest of the money? its going to hurt a lot of sellers, I have been on ebay over 10 years and never seen such gauging

Was the price 20 Canadian dollars or 20 U.S. dollars? Don't forget to factor in the exchange rate. A US$19.99 item is going to convert to over C$20 and thus be over the official tax-free limit.

Also consider that if that item were sent through the postal system and taxed, not only would you have to pay about $2.60 in taxes, but you'd also have to pay a C$9.95 handling/admininstrative charge to Canada Post, which is more than what the GSP is asking, according to your story.

As for where "the rest of the money" is going, the terms and conditions page for buyers using the GSP gives you some idea.

http://pages.ebay.ca/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html

sketchratner · ‎09-02-2013

Do any of you guys bother to check the Import calculator online.. You all do know that depending on the province you live in. Import fees are different. Some provinces you pay very litte where as others you have to pay a hell of a lot.. So if you have a friend in Alberta where the rate is low, you're better off having something sent there if you live in PEI where you'll be paying through the roof.

pierrelebel · ‎09-02-2013

"Do any of you guys bother to check the Import calculator online.."

I guess not as most of us are very experienced and familiar with tax rates within Canada.

The tax rates charged by Canada Customs are the same as charged by all GST/HST registered merchants across this land.

We all know that when shipping a taxable item to AB, only 5% GST needs to be remitted and when shipping a taxable item to NS 15% HST applies.

To suggest one should have an item shipped to a province with lower tax rate is..... ill advised.

mistyhomes · ‎09-05-2013

What about responding to sellers that use GSP through the "ask seller a question" link: if you are interested in the item but refuse to purchase/bid because of the GSP tell them so (in a polite way). Perhaps if enough U.S. sellers start receiving messages as such from international buyers they would open communication and have other options that we are not aware of.

Just a thought.