Global shipping fees not added at checkout

[creative_thunder]

I purchased an auction item with buy it now and assumed the global shipping import fees would be calculated and added at checkout but after I paid I see that they have not been added.  I contacted the seller but she doesn't know what to suggest.   How do I get them added to the sale so I can pay them before the item is shipped?

[marnotom! · Accepted solution]

Are you sure the item is being forwarded through the Global Shipping Program?

If it is, what is the item’s selling price and what are the import charges and shipping cost?

Being able to see the listing in question would be helpful, but I can understand if you’re not comfortable giving us the listing number.

[creative_thunder]

the import fees did not show at the time I clicked buy it now.   It showed as zero because it was an auction with buy it now so rather than bidding I bought it but the total was well above the threshold and it is being sold with the global shipping program.  I thought it would just be calculated at checkout since the total was unknown until the auction ended either with buy it now or a bid(s) but after I paid it showed no sign of it in the total amount.  I didn't notice until after I paid.  The seller has no idea about what to do.  All she knows is what it will cost her to ship to  the US hub.

[creative_thunder]

item cost was 150 US import costs showed as 0.00 because final cost was yet to be determined I assume and was advertised as being shipped through global shipping program.

[marnotom!]

Normally, import charges for auction listings should still be displayed based on the opening bid amount. If that amount was below the C$20 tax/duty-free threshold for casual imports sent by mail or courier, any import charges that aren’t tax or duty are shifted over to the shipping charge.

I’m thinking that all the import charges (estimated tax, duty, processing fees paid initially by Pitney Bowes) got added to your shipping charge. Check your invoice and your PayPal account. Is the amount for shipping on the invoice higher than what you remember it being on the listing page? What does your PayPal account state for a charge to Pitney Bowes/Global Shipping?

And of course your seller has to pay to ship the item to the Global Shipping Center in Kentucky, but you paid her that amount as part of your total shipping charge.

[pjcdn2005]

There are times when there are no import charges added on so I would just assume that none are due or that they were included in with the international shipping cost.   I wouldn't worry about it as there is nothing that you can do at this point.

[creative_thunder]

I guess that is the best advice,  although I didn't notice any extra charge in paypal to pitney bowes other than what was stated for shipping,  it seems there is nothing else I can do about it.

I will check my paypal again for any additional charges, but beyond that?

[marnotom!]

Pitney Bowes only levies one PayPal charge for the shipping and import charges, which is why I was asking about the total charge and whether it seemed different than the charge on the listing page.

Something you could try doing is working out the amount you'd be paying in GST or HST on the item and subtracting it from the Pitney Bowes charge. (Make sure you're using the same currency!) If the amount left still seems kinda sorta in a way reasonable for the GSP's custom processing and shipping charges, then the GSP bot estimated the amount for taxes and duty and just added that estimate to the shipping charge. It sometimes does that for "Buy it Now" listings without auctions, too.

[creative_thunder]

Oh, I see what you mean.  They could have added it all in one lump.  I will do that.  thank you.