Questions about the Global Shipping Program

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Do you have questions about the Global Shipping Program? Please post here & I'll do my best to track those answers down for you!

If you have any comments about the program, use this forum instead.

Thanks,

[femmefan1946]

Possibly, but it would be a case of 'de minimus" , the court does not deal with trifles. At best an unhappy importer could try a Small Claims case, or reclaiming duty paid in error from Canadian Border Services Agency.

And then we come back to 17 cents a minute.

Which is the current minimum wage in Ontario. If you spend more time at 17 cents a minute than you would reclaim from PB or CBSA or whoever you went after-- what did you gain? Some egoboo perhaps.

[sunshine110victoria]

I as a buyer avoid those sellers most of the time.  Too expensive.

[femmefan1946]

It was set up to encourage US sellers (a provincial and xenophobic lot) to ship outside the lower 48.

This was done because eBay sales were flatlining and yet there is non-US interest in buying stuff from the USA.

The advantages to the US seller are:

He ships with cheap Confirmed Delivery to a US address.

He is not responsible for the item once it reaches the plant in Kentucky where PitneyBowes takes over.

He is not responsible for slow or late delivery.

The buyer pays all taxes and duty before he has to ship.

He is not responsible for duty or tax charged by the customer's nation. (He never was, but sellers have had FB and DSRs trashed by foreigners who refused to understand this.)

Basically then, GSP turns an International transaction into a Domestic one. This is much more comfortable for the US seller. (See above, provincial and xenophobic.)

There is little or no advantage for Canadian buyers, except that more products are now offered to Canadians by American sellers.

FWIW, I've only purchased one item that was using the GSP and it was not an item that should have used it. Nonetheless, the total cost of my purchase, with tax and service charge, was lower than the cost from any other US or UK dealer who were NOT using GSP to ship.

[marnotom!]

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@mwc1942 wrote:

It is my understanding that GSP items are not mailed from Kentucky to Canada but shipped by other [non-postal] carriers.  

To clarify to "Canadian" bidders/buyers, can you address:

1. That the GSP items are in fact shipped to by non-postal carriers?

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What's to address, exactly?  Items arrive at the buyer's door without USPS-issued customs forms on them (or any other sort of customs form) because the customs documentation for that item is part of a bigger, separate manifest checked through at the customs-clearance point.

[tojobuyer69]

My concern is that if I order 2 identical items, from two different sellers, one uses the global program and 1 uses actual shipping costs..... The global program is always waaaaaay more expensive than actual costs.

[marnotom!]

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@tojobuyer69 wrote:

My concern is that if I order 2 identical items, from two different sellers, one uses the global program and 1 uses actual shipping costs..... The global program is always waaaaaay more expensive than actual costs.

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That would be an example of where the program doesn't work particularly well.

Just as an instance of an item being shipped to Canada from the United States as a parcel (Priority Mail International) would have a higher shipping charge than one being shipped as an oversized letter (First Class International).

But what do you mean by "actual costs"?

[mwc1942]

 "is part of a bigger, separate manifest checked through at the customs-clearance point."

If an item is part of "a bigger, separate manifest checked through at the customs-clearance point [Canadian side] by other [non-postal] carriers would that item not be disqualified from the duty/tax-free exemption of 20$.  The CBSA allows that exemption for Canadians that receive imports by mail.  Is the GSP item shipped by mail or other carriers?  If the answer is other carriers, then by purchasing/buying through the GSP, are we not subject to that duty/tax?

[marnotom!]

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@mwc1942 wrote:

 "is part of a bigger, separate manifest checked through at the customs-clearance point."

If an item is part of "a bigger, separate manifest checked through at the customs-clearance point [Canadian side] by other [non-postal] carriers would that item not be disqualified from the duty/tax-free exemption of 20$.  The CBSA allows that exemption for Canadians that receive imports by mail.  Is the GSP item shipped by mail or other carriers?  If the answer is other carriers, then by purchasing/buying through the GSP, are we not subject to that duty/tax?

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A manifest is simply a list of cargo.  It's not the shipment itself.  There may well be several different importers on the manifest and they'd be identified as such on the manifest.

I haven't been able to find any information on how commercial carriers or their agents handle shipments with declared values of below C$20, but at the very least, I suspect that as Canada Border Services officially grants remission of taxes or duties owing on most mailed shipments with declared values of between zero and twenty bucks, other carriers can, if they wish, get away with doing the same without fear of reprisal.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d8/d8-2-2-eng.html

[marnotom!]

As a resident of British Columbia, an interesting aspect of the GSP is that the import charges don't include an amount to go toward the payment of my province's sales tax, but items that I've had go through the mail and assessed taxes by Canada Border Services do get hit with PST charges.

From what I've been able to find out, as long as there was no attempt made to market my purchase specifically to British Columbians it won't be subject to PST.  I'm guessing that Canada Border Services can't make that call, so that's why shipments mailed to BC have PST charged on them if they're stopped by Canada Border Services.  On the other hand, the GSP can make that call.

[mwc1942]

"A manifest is simply a list of cargo."

Correction noted   

" Is the GSP item shipped by mail or other carriers? " 

The distinction between shipped "by mail" and "other carriers" should be noted.  The CBSA allows for the duty/tax-free exemption if the import item is sent by mail, would that not disqualify an item sent by other carriers?

" other carriers can, if they wish, get away with doing the same without fear of reprisal."

Do other carriers then have the option of charging duty/tax on an GSP item valued at 20$ or less?

[afantiques]

Do other carriers then have the option of charging duty/tax on an GSP item valued at 20$ or less?

They do have the option to  charge a clearance fee even if no tax is paid. They still do the job, even if the result is no payment of import taxes.

[marnotom!]

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@mwc1942 wrote:

The distinction between shipped "by mail" and "other carriers" should be noted.  The CBSA allows for the duty/tax-free exemption if the import item is sent by mail, would that not disqualify an item sent by other carriers?

Do other carriers then have the option of charging duty/tax on an GSP item valued at 20$ or less?

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An omission of the mention of other carriers doesn't mean that they're disqualified.

See this page for more information and interpret it as you see fit:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/gst-tps/gnrl/txbl/mprtsxprts/mprtdgds-eng.html

[mwc1942]

"See this page for more information and interpret it as you see fit:"

Your source contains more in depth detail than the current publication from CBSA [see below] but legislation does take precedence, does it not?

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5092-eng.pdf

[mwc1942]

marnotom!

The CBSA  publication refers to duty- and/or tax-free imports, your source reads in part;

"No tax applies to items specified as non-taxable importations. Examples of non-taxable importations are:"

Could the difference in opinion be in that I'm talking "duty" and you are referring to "tax" 

[marnotom!]

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@mwc1942 wrote:

The CBSA  publication refers to duty- and/or tax-free imports, your source reads in part;

"No tax applies to items specified as non-taxable importations. Examples of non-taxable importations are:"

Could the difference in opinion be in that I'm talking "duty" and you are referring to "tax" 

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You've been referring to duty and tax in your past several posts.

That page I referred to is actually one directed to businesses, businesses aren't exempt from paying duty unless the shipment has a declared value of under C$20.

I'm starting to lose the plot here, to be honest.  What are your concerns again?

[dwarft]

I've been a member of ebay for a very long time and I've purchased from international sellers many times.  Lately, I've noticed this new "service" of "Customs services and international tracking provided" on many listings outside of Canada where I live.  The listing seems to have customs fees included on top of the selling price, something I highly object to.  I've purchased from the US dozens of times and almost never get charged any duty or customs fees.  When I have, it's been far less money than what this "service" tends to charge. 

I feel it should be my option to buy without this "service" and take my chances with customs charges.  Is it possible at all to opt out of this "service" if it is on a listing?  Right now, if I see this on a listing, I skip it and look elsewhere, as I refuse to pay a fee for something that rarely ever happens.  If this persists, I will no longer be buying from any international sellers who use this on their listings.

Thanks!

[femmefan1946]

The only international sellers who (can) use this are in the USA.

While you can ask, many sellers who signed up for it like the additional protections against false or impatient disputes filed by non-US sellers. They may not want to, or be unable to figure out how to, opt out.

It is always the seller's choice how he will ship his products.

Since the Global Shipping Program items are always clearly marked, your best bet is probably to skip them.

[mwc1942]

"You've been referring to duty and tax in your past several posts."

Duty and tax was mentioned a couple of times but only in context of the CBSA regarding imports by mail.  Last post stated rather clearly that for the most part reference is to duty and for what ever reason you keep bring "tax" into the equation.  The GSP is meant for non-commercial usage, so why introduce the subject of a "tax on business", clearly a commercial enterprise and is an example

that just adds to the confusion.

"I'm starting to lose the plot here, to be honest.  What are your concerns again?"

Sorry your not following as I look forward to the replies and opinions on the issues raised.

[marnotom!]

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@mwc1942 wrote:

Sorry your not following as I look forward to the replies and opinions on the issues raised.

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Maybe you'd get a greater diversity of replies and opinions if we had more of a sense of the issues raised.

To me, it seems pretty basic.  If you buy an item considered dutable, you should anticipate paying duty on it.  Even if you're purchasing an item domestically, the duty on the item has already been paid by the merchant as part of the cost of the item.

The issue of duties being applied incorrectly on GSP items is largely due to the wacky set-up of the GSP and has nothing to do with the item's carriage.

What have I missed?

[mwc1942]

"What have I missed?" &

"You've been referring to duty and tax in your past several posts." 

Duty and tax was mentioned a couple of times but only in context of the CBSA regarding imports by mail.  Last post stated rather clearly that for the most part reference is to duty and for what ever reason you keep bring "tax" into the equation.  The GSP is meant for non-commercial usage, so why introduce the subject of a "tax on business", clearly a commercial enterprise and is an example

that just adds to the confusion.