Anyone Get a Reply from Ebay GSP Department Regarding Breakdown of Import Fees Charged?

[mzsuzycreamcheese]

Today I  contacted ebay customer service yesterday to ask the Canadian made garment shipped to a Canadian address had a GSP

import duty fee of CAD 9.36. I explained that garment would be exempt from duty and I went on the say that I had gone online to the PitneyBowes own website an used their online calculator for the calculation of duties and taxes. The only fee due was CAD 2.00 for provincial sales tax in BC, which is 12%. The rep said she would forward my concern on to the department that handles GSP inquiries (they do not have a direct line). Here is the reply from Tiffany G, obviously she does not understand that I already have a pretty good understanding of import duties and taxes levied on goods coming into Canada. My question was never answered. Long story short. I replied to her email and provided her with a link to the Pitney Bowes own online duty + tax calculator, suggesting she try it out for herself. I will post my reply under her email to me, that reply came back to me as "undeliverable" because her mailbox is full.(you may not wish to read through all of my explanations, however  tis the link for those of you who wish to calculate ebays GSP (Pitney Bowes) fees. It provides the breakdown of duties + taxes.

In my opinion I think this setup is a cash cow, someone is making money.

http://www.dutycalculator.com/country-guides/Import-duty-taxes-when-importing-into-Canada/

Hello Christine,

I'm responding to your recent inquiry to our support team regarding an item which was sold through our Global Shipping. I understand you have a question about the import charges for the body wrap you have purchased, item# 222168337954. I'm happy to assist you with this today.

I see the seller has opted into our Global Shipping Program. Our shipping partner is Pitney Bowes and they are a global company who works with all import regulations to determine shipping/import costs. We are not provided details/breakdowns charges, but can advise you of the included fees below:

·Item cost

·Shipping total

·Import fees (including custom duties, taxes, and third-party brokerage)

You pay all the charges up front. This means no additional payments are necessary upon deliver for using the program (import fees are separate). The Global Shipping Program automatically estimates the international cost of shipping/import fees – your seller doesn't have control over these estimates.

Here is a link to your country's government page about import, taxes and handle fees. Hopefully it helps with understanding why those apply:

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

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Tiffany G.

eBay Customer Service

To

customerhelp@ebay.com

Today at 12:49 PM

Tiffiny G.

I understand the rationale behind eBay's GSP. I know the seller does not determine the import fees, I also know that the GSP states "no additional fees will be paid upon delivery". I also know that PitneyBowes is the company facilitating the calculation of duties and taxes with the GSP. Thank you for the link to the CBSA site but I am already very knowledgeable in regard to Canadian duties and tax regulations.

Here is PitneyBowes own website, and on the site I calculated the duty owed for this garment $0 and taxes, GST + PST for BC $2. What was paid to PitneyBowes was CAD 9.36, which means a profit of CAD7.36. The mailing charges were CAD13..01. If this item had been sent through USP and delivered by Canada Post I would probably have paid  less than $10 for postage.

The item is exempt from  duty under NAFTA, as the country of origin for manufacture is  Canada and it is being imported into Canada (that fact is included in the PitneyBowes online calculator for duty and taxes (Canada).

I suggest you try it out with the ebay item in question. The other point I want to make is I know many ebay sellers in the US have a terrible fear of  processing International shipments,  it is simply too much for them to deal with and the GSP solves that issue for them.

The last final point I want to convey is that many on ebay noticed that the shipping charges went sky high around the beginning of 2013. This is true, I used to pay for an item like a pair of jeans about CAD 8 ( no tracking), now a pair of jeans from LAX is USD 15.50, which is CAD 20.20. The jeans listed (in my watch list) have a starting bid price of USD 8.99. The seller had listed them through the GSP which had added an additional S10 to the shipping fee, which would have been $25 for shipping, without the import and duties added on (which should not be as the jeans are USA made - NAFTA rule). Am I going to buy them? No, the shipping charges of roughly C20 are almost twice the cost of the jeans. CBSA would not impose duty or, for that matter taxes on the item as it is under CA 20. I recently bought and returned a pair of shorts on ebay with a US seller. The shorts were about $13 + shipping $19. I returned the shorts and received the $13 refund but am out almost $20 on the original shipping charge. What ebay may not understand is from the point of view of the consumer when you are paying double or more on shipping charges for an low value item it is simply not worth the expense.

I may still buy on ebay, but only if it is an item that is unique and that I really, really know I want. Such as the CK jeans NWT, vintage. Again through the GSP double the shipping and import fees that should not be, as the garment is made in either USA or Mexico - NAFTA rule.

I have had my say.,To reiterate, ebay for me but only for very select purchases.

Christine

[femmefan1946]

·Import fees (including custom duties, taxes, and third-party brokerage)

I suspect the answer is here "including" -- but not necessarily "only" .

Did your seller note that the garment was made in Canada? Was the parcel opened and examined in Kentucky to ascertain where the garment was made?

The GSP may have made the (incorrect) assumption that the garment, like so much these days, was made overseas and automatically added in duty.

I understand that the cost of shipping internationally by USPS has risen quite a lot in the past couple of years.

https://ircalc.usps.com/default.aspx

It is also possible that your seller did not realize that there is a different and cheaper rate card for Canada than for overseas shipping.

As you probably know, only your fellow members hang around here. We try to offer advice if we have any, especially during downtimes like this as we wait for the Canada Post taradiddle to resolve.

But you will find most of us agree that the GSP is NOT a useful tool for Canadian buyers, however helpful it may be for US sellers.

[mzsuzycreamcheese]

The seller listed the garment as "made in Canada". I have no idea whether the parcel was opened and examined in Kentucky to determine country of origin. I doubt they would have the time to do that or if they did would bother. I asked the seller if she would sell me the item via regular USP service and her reply was "hi there- I only use the GSP for shipping outside the US because it is guaranteed on my end. Thanks". They are just so reluctant to send a package outside the USA. I think what it is they believe there is some sort of complicated process for doing the International paperwork. Actually there is nothing to it and as for being guaranteed to be delivered adding tracking to the package solves that problem. Sending parcels via USP vs. GSP is a lot less costly but for US sellers who can't think outside the box (or package) it is a no brainer for them. They just can't handle the thought of International shipping.

[femmefan1946]

"hi there- I only use the GSP for shipping outside the US because it is guaranteed on my end. Thanks".

She does have a point,though.

The GSP is a Seller Protection Program.

It has almost no benefits for buyers.

Sellers have only to show Proof of Delivery to the GSP plant in Kentucky and their responsibility for delivery and for damage in transit ends right there.

And the Seller cannot get negative or neutral feedback for foreign duty or  taxes charged to the buyer.

The only thing the Seller remains responsible for is Not As Described. If you ordered a blue sweater and received a red one, the seller remains responsible.

Even there, if GSP repacked it*, then GSP takes responsibility.

In fact, in many NAD cases, the buyer is refunded and instructed to dispose of the unwanted item. And the money for this comes from the GSP, not the seller.

Still, it's a program with little to recommend it to the Canadian buyer, especially on items valued under the very informal $100 mark that CBSA workers have been using for years, because the legal limit of $20 (which GSP/Pitney Bowes legally must charge) is ludicrously low.

The bureaucrats are obviously more sensible than the politicians.

*They are reported to do this from time to time , usually badly, which would be expected on an assembly line.

[luv4orphans]

Ebay doesn't care one way or the other. It doesn't affect their bottom line. It it did they would change it. Pitney Bowes is no doubt charging a fee. They certainly are not doing this out of the goodness of their heart. We get nailed at $20.00 US which is about $15.00 canadian. That is wrong and pure robbery. If I cross the border to go shopping I can spend quite a bit more than that before I get nailed.

Another thing I just found this out lately the hard way. Before I bought a bracelet from a seller we agreed she would ship it to me directly and bypass the GSP. I used to be able to send a Request for Total and then the seller could send me a revised invoice. They took that option right out. I am not swallowing this one really good. A bracelet that should have cost me about $100. ended up costing me $131. through that stupid program. Now why would they go and take that option right out. You tell me.

I used to be able to buy birkenstock shoes on here and it was really reasonable and a lot cheaper than buying them here even with shipping. That's before the GSP came in.  Now  between the currency exchange, and 3/4 of the sellers using the GSP, its near impossible to find one for a reasonable price. Its now cheaper for me to get them directly from Germany where they actually make them. Shipping costs are more reasonable and no taxes, duties etc.