global shipping ripoff - i just had 270 stolden from my visa form shipping provider Pitney Bowes

[jjan7214]

 global shipping ripoff - i just had 270 stolden from my visa form  shipping provider Pitney Bowes

[marnotom!]

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@buddy001juno wrote:

I am no expert on VAT or Import which is why I'm in this mess as if I'd known I would 't have bought from USA but  will not be buying from outside UK again

 UK customes have been helpfull and apparently VAT is payable by the recipient and that is me so my parcel was stopped by customes the VAT and handling charges was added and the parcel was not relesed to be delivered until it was paid buy me no intervention by PB and Global Shipping no way for them to pay the VAT so I'm still worse off by $46.52 and I would like to know who has my money I'd rather have given it way than have it taken by a multi national who could'nt care less!  Try contacting them impossible!

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While I'm no fan of the Global Shipping Program, I don't understand why you're putting all the blame for this situation in its lap.  UK customs shouldn't have charged you VAT and handling because the GSP already did that.  Did you not offer some sort of evidence to customs, say in the form of a receipt or printout, that your item had these charges already paid?

In addition, in Canada we have a process where we can request a review of taxes/duties paid to customs after the fact, for example in instances where customs has reassessed the declared value of an item and based the taxes/duties charged on that reasssessed value.  Is there not something similar in the UK?

Just out of curiosity, what carrier handled the item in the UK?

[i*m-still-here]

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@buddy001juno wrote:

Hi

 UK customes have been helpfull and apparently VAT is payable by the recipient and that is me so my parcel was stopped by customes the VAT and handling charges was added and the parcel was not relesed to be delivered until it was paid buy me.............

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buddy, that\'s interesting.

In Canada when items are shipped via the GSP from the States it seems that they somehow drive or fly the items over the border by the load.

Then, they ship to us from within Canada.

However, the process may not be the same when shipping over-seas via the GSP and it sounds like it may be very different than it is for us.

Some posters believe that the GSP works better for overseas buyers than it does of us.

How are other buyers in the UK liking the program?

Do you take part in the UK discussions on the topic?

Any fans of the GSP in your part of the world?

Just wonderin'.

[marnotom!]

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@i*m-still-here wrote:

Some posters believe that the GSP works better for overseas buyers than it does of us.

How are other buyers in the UK liking the program?

Do you take part in the UK discussions on the topic?

Any fans of the GSP in your part of the world?

Just wonderin'.

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The UK site's Buyer Central board doesn't seem to be seeing nearly the number of posts about the GSP as the Canadian BC board.

A regular poster to the .com site's International Trading Board tried soliciting first-hand experiences with the GSP and didn't get many nibbles:

http://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Buyer-Central/Buying-from-USA-with-the-Global-Shipping-Program/m-p/51...

I suspect that there's a few reasons for this.  The UK and US economies aren't nearly as intertwined as the Canadian and US economies.  The UK doesn't rely on the US for its goods nearly as much as Canada.  The UK is a larger market than Canada and more goods can also be purchased from either within the UK or within the EU with no worries about further taxation.  Shipping from the US to the UK is more expensive than from the US to Canada, even by mail.  In short, there aren't as many compelling reasons for Brits to shop the US as there are for Canadians to do the same.

Or maybe it's the British "stiff upper lip" at work and Brits are keeping calm rather than carrying on about the GSP.  😉

[pjcdn2005]

UK customes have been helpfull and apparently VAT is payable by the recipient

Correct, but as others have said, you already prepaid VAT with GSP so you shouldn't have been charged again. Sorry if I missed this, but did you ask the seller if they sent the item directly to you or to the GSP center in Kentucky? If they sent it directly, that's why UK customs would have no record of VAT being paid.

It really is ridiculous that there is no simple way of 'fixing' problems like this with the GSP.

[marnotom!]

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@pjcdn2005 wrote:
 

It really is ridiculous that there is no simple way of 'fixing' problems like this with the GSP.

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I'm not following you here.  To what "problem" are you referring?  They've been a few tossed into this mix now.  😄

[bluewallyhawk]

my seller tried to send his own invoice with his $8.00 shipping costs, ebay sent me the invoice as usual but when pay now button was hit it went back to the global invoice for $40+ for 5 cards. another seller was told by ebay and global that if buyer sends a request total, the invoice would be changed but it looks like they lied to him too! global total rip-off, 800+ transactions and I may have paid to customs about 10 times, this global **bleep** wants money evey time, looks like they are ending Canada's buying from US sellers real fast, they don't even give an option to use global or not.

[i*m-still-here]

bluewallyhawk ......... They've added a new feature which allows the buyer to request total and it overrides the GSP.

The problem is that even the GSP expert at eBay doesn't know how to direct buyers to the button.

I stumbled upon it via trial and error and a lot of frustration, time, and persistence on my part.

You can't do it the normal/usual where you go pay now and then request total because the GSP blocks you there.

If you go to you list of purchased items there is a scroll down menu for each item.

If you scroll down you'll see a request total option.

[bluewallyhawk]

as I said already, I did all that but request total link also dissapears after 1 hit. rec'd sellers proper invoice from ebay but it goes back to global at checkout

[i*m-still-here]

Mine payment goes through OK.

Looks like it might be a glitch for you because it's a new ebay adjustment.

Another call to the specialists at eBay to reset the button might be necessary if you have an hour to spare.

Yikes.

I didn't know the link disappears after one go at it, but you're right about that.

Mine is gone now too.

[i*m-still-here]

The old way was for the seller to send an invoice via paypal or to re-list for you as BIN without the GSP.

I guess is you really want the item and the seller is willing you could try one of those???

[bluewallyhawk]

did you hit pay now on ebays invoice from seller?

[i*m-still-here]

I didn't put it all the way through because the seller is now billing $27 shipping for a $25 item when we agreed to $12  ......... 

But it takes me to paypal and the GSP is completely gone so I'm  pretty sure it would process without the GSP.

But, no, I haven't actually paid.

[i*m-still-here]

Just realized though.............. the seller has sent me several invoices even though I can no longer request a total.

Maybe try asking your seller to send the invoice without the GSP again.

[afantiques]

I am no expert on VAT or Import which is why I'm in this mess as if I'd known I would 't have bought from USA but  will not be buying from outside UK again

 UK customes have been helpfull and apparently VAT is payable by the recipient and that is me so my parcel was stopped by customes the VAT and handling charges was added and the parcel was not relesed to be delivered until it was paid buy me no intervention by PB and Global Shipping no way for them to pay the VAT so I'm still worse off by $46.52 and I would like to know who has my money I'd rather have given it way than have it taken by a multi national who could'nt care less!  Try contacting them impossible!

The only explanation I can think of for this is that the item was sold through the GSP and paid for as such, but the seller sent the item by USPS direct to you in Britain. Normally GSP items are imported in bulk and no single item is taxed in itself but as part of a consignment.If you still have the packaging this would clear this up. Can you remember whatr was on the package, if you do not still have it. Can you rermember who delivcered it. How heavy was it?

It may have been a lack of understanding by the US seller that led to this problem you report. I suggest you post your complaint on the UK international trading board.

[wlat8989]

You are right this is getting stupid i see lots of people complaining about the same thing and ebay is doing notihng about it, they stole from me too amount of 35.40 for four time in the same day.

[pierrelebel]

"they stole from me too amount of 35.40 for four time in the same day."

What were the four listings numbers?

 Maybe we can help.

[nosguitarwebsite]

The OP is exagerating which doesnt help becuase his original point is valid and  think I can explain why.

Pitney Bowes gives no break down of what you pay them. Any package entering any country needs customs clearance. Governments are only interested in one thing. What is worth and if its taxable. That information needs to be clear. Since Pitney Bowes does not have the paperwork attached saying what taxes have been paid, customs officals will simply tax it again. So the buyer pays again at the door to receive thier "customs cleared" package. Its a matter of time. Customs hasnt the time to seach thru bad paperwork. It needs to be spelled out for then in the standardized fashion which is actually very very simple.

Since Pitney Bowes doesnt break down what you have paid them and attach it to the box, customs has no way of knowing taxes have been paid. THe buyer also has no receipt. This means your money is gone. In many cases taxes can be reversed sch as with business purchases. If I buy a computer for business I can claim the taxes paid against my earning. But I need actuall receipts to spell it out. A lump sum recipt from Pitney Bowes tells the taxman nothing. Had USPS processed it everything would be itemized right on the box in triplicate.

Lastly many items are not even taxable yet Pitney Bowes charges tax. When you order say a $20 book this is not at all taxable in Canada. Yet Pitney charges tax. So where does that money go? Are you telling me Pitney submits fake tax $'s the government that doesnt charge it? I too paint the whole Glbal SHipping Program yet another Ebay fraud to take more fees. Much like Ebay charging fees on shipping. Ebay keeps shooting itself. When will Ebay die. They certainly have bled profusly in the last decade. Traffic way down, sales way down. More nonsense to rip people off seems their mandate.

[pierrelebel]

"When you order say a $20 book this is not at all taxable in Canada."

There is a lot of misconception and misunderstanding about what is taxable and what is not when goods enter Canada.

Reality is that a $20 book is fully taxable when imported into Canada.  For confirmation, please check the government website:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.html

As stated many times, I believe GSP is NOT a program of benefit to Canadian buyers most of the time.  However, let's try to keep all the information factual.

[marnotom!]

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@nosguitar-dot-com wrote:

Pitney Bowes gives no break down of what you pay them. Any package entering any country needs customs clearance. Governments are only interested in one thing. What is worth and if its taxable. That information needs to be clear. Since Pitney Bowes does not have the paperwork attached saying what taxes have been paid, customs officals will simply tax it again. So the buyer pays again at the door to receive thier "customs cleared" package. Its a matter of time. Customs hasnt the time to seach thru bad paperwork. It needs to be spelled out for then in the standardized fashion which is actually very very simple.

Since Pitney Bowes doesnt break down what you have paid them and attach it to the box, customs has no way of knowing taxes have been paid. THe buyer also has no receipt. This means your money is gone. In many cases taxes can be reversed sch as with business purchases. If I buy a computer for business I can claim the taxes paid against my earning. But I need actuall receipts to spell it out. A lump sum recipt from Pitney Bowes tells the taxman nothing. Had USPS processed it everything would be itemized right on the box in triplicate.

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The current hypothesis for how the GSP contractors handle eBay items is that they're part of bulk cargo freight shipments where the customs-related paperwork is on a separate manifest.  The paperwork gets checked for correctness by customs, but the shipment itself is likely left alone unless there appears to be something fishy about it since the item is likely part of a large plastic-wrapped palette full of goods.  This is how large commercial shipments are generally handled.