DHL is charging me taxes?! WTH
Summary: xen999 expressed frustration about unexpected charges from DHL for a parcel shipped from the US, despite having already paid substantial fees to EIS. mrdutch1001, marnotom!, and reallynicestamps clarified that additional brokerage and taxes can apply when importing goods into Canada and that Canadian residents have different duty-free limits compared to Americans. They also explained that import fees may not always be covered upfront by sellers, leading to unexpected charges at delivery. A link to the relevant eBay listing was shared and discussed, revealing that import charges might be applied upon delivery. brettjet38 provided a detailed overview of global VAT and the tax systems, explaining that eBay and other platforms are mandated by governments to collect taxes on international purchases. Various participants shared their own experiences, with some suggesting DHL's charges are exploitative, making the process confusing and expensive.
So I purchased some items from a seller in the US for the whopping sum of 54.15 CAD plus 24.53 USD for shipping through EIS. The parcel goes to the hub, hangs there for more than a week as per usual..., then finally gets moving again through DHL and is on its way to me in QC. Today, I receive an email from DHL charging me 12.70 CAD for fees and taxes... What the hell is this?? I thought EIS charged everything in order to get to you internationally, so why is DHL now asking for me for more?? Why is it the more I use eBay the more I feel robbed? I *NEVER* know how much I'm going to end up spending and it's always more than I think, it's incredibly frustrating.
millana-dee
·2 years agoHey there,
I can totally relate to you. In the last month every order that has gone through DHL shipping, on behalf of eBay, has duty tax plus some type of border crosssing fee.
Ihave been ordering books that are under 50 dollars and iam still getting these charges. All these charges are over and beyond the steel shipping price that I have already paid. No other place on the web does this.
i have tried to ask eBay to explain these charges to me. They have never once gave me a direct answer, and when pushed for a direct answer they have, either closed the chat window, or hung up.
i think eBay needs to become transparent with their international shipping costs, how they assess the cost of shipping in the first place. And how and why they offer two shipping options, one with taxes paid at checkout, and one without. And how do you choose what option you would like. There is nowhere to do this. And finally why are there suddenly all these new border fees on items we have ordered over and over again. Since when do you order a book from the untied states and get get charged duties and border fees. And what are we actually paying with the money that we are initially putting out for shipping.
Because I have seen, many times, identical items on eBay, with a shipping cost difference of thirty dollars. Or of three hankies costing 25.00. And it goes on and on.
There is nothing we can do because they don't have to answer to us
millana-dee
·2 years agoBoy, do I hear you. I'm so sick and tired of all of these hidden fees. Especially when there is no rhyme or reason to them. I can buy 10 books, all weighing the same, all costing the same. Nine of those books will come to me without added costs and one will have all the add on fees. You never know which one, or why it is not treated the same way the others were treated.
We are lead to believe that global shipping covers these costs. And that when we pay the insane amount of money we pay for delivery, it will be the end of our payments. Only to be notified, oh by the way, you can't have your item until you pay this or that for it.
It is a complete guessing game and it's not fair to Canadians. What are we suppose to do, ask eBay, every time we decide to make a purchase, if extra charges will be added on.
And why does this only happen here at eBay. It does not happen at Amazon or Etsy, or any of the other places we shop.
What happens if you can't afford to pay these extra costs because you didn't budget for them.
now the delivery companies are asking for costs before they even hit the border. It is solely their estimate. And if they are wrong, do we get refunded the charge. The answer to that is no.
Why cant sellers just ship directly to us, because we are being treated very unfairly when it comes to this shipping program. There is nothing good about it. Your package travels around the US, while you sit patiently waiting for its arrival. Products from China get here quicker than those mailed from the US. And you never know, until they are at your doorstep, if you will be charged extra for "border fees".
It's just not right and the worse part is, is that there is absolutely nothing we can do about it.
fh991586
·2 years agoGlobal Shipping (GSP) doesn't exist anymore.
Whenever you buy from outside Canada, you can expect to have to pay taxes on the purchase when it goes through customs, plus a handling fee. If you don't have the provision to do so, then international purchases are not for you.
redgunn
·2 years agoMy recent experience with shipping was Ebay using DHL logistics to have the parcel imported into Canada from the Ebay Glendale Heights’ hub, then using Canada Post as the last-mile shipper.
DHL also was attempting to charge me taxes and the $10 fee on a $35 item (while still in the US) but with the option to “defer fees that may be incurred upon delivery”. I took the chance that Canada Customs would wave it through being low value, and was correct – it was delivered without incurring any taxes or fees.
It did take five days longer, as DHL then rerouted it back to USPS, who then moved it into Canada. The tracking from the seller, to me, is such a long mess…
fergua3
·2 years agoThe EIS is a confusing, complicated, expensive, cumbersome, slow and uneven service. I have little doubt it is costing Ebay a lot in lost cross border sales. I barely even look at listings from US sellers any longer, unless on rare occassion they ship directly with USPS.
isotack
·2 years agoThis exactly. DHL is scamming people hoping that they will scare you into paying their hostage fee. **bleep** DHL of the 30 or 40 ebay single purchases of used goods imported from the US with an average of $50 CAD per order ...10 were sent through DHL and guess what, they sent a notification for three of them "may incurr taxes" along with the $10 or more fee. "Pay us or else it may get held up"...I ignored them and the delivery went through no problem. Every other delivery from other carriers has been fine...nobody but **bleep**ing DHL does this.
brettjet38
·2 years ago(Cut, Paste, Repeat as needed)
Then contact your local MP as it was your elected officials who put this in place, It has nothing to do with eBay...
If you already did not know & evidently you do NOT...
This TAX collection system was planned by your elected Canadian Government, not eBay!
It was in the 2021 Canadian Budget, you did read it right, as a voter you should always read what is going through the system in the pork rind, CBC and most mainstream media only tells you the "things" the GOV wants to be publicized...
Also, it applies to all "online marketplaces" Amazon, Etsy, and all others.
Any marketplace "Facilitator" that makes over $30,000.00CDN in sales has no choice other than to charge and collect the tax, this is not an eBay thing, it's a Government thing, put in place by the people you elected and put into office...
If you have an issue you can contact your local MP.
BTW - This is actually a worldwide thing, the UK, USA, Australia, and a whole slew of others already have a similar tax and many more shortly will.
And, yes it applies to USED GOODS sold through a "marketplace facilitator"
And the TAXES you are paying are based on the entire amount of the transaction you conducted on eBay, that's the Goods & Services bit...
This is the same thing I post every time I see this USED TAX nonsense, the issue is not eBay it is YOU for not reading about what your government plans and not reading eBay policy about fees charged...
brettjet38
·2 years agoSales tax is a worldwide THING, almost...
https://www.globalvatcompliance.com/globalvatnews/world-countries-vat-rates-2020/
TAX on TAX on TAX on TAX makes the world go around, the world go around...
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoMy favourite dinosaur is the stegosaurus. What's yours?
xen999
OP2 years agoCeratopsian
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years agoeBayWhackaMolian....I believe they were plant eaters that only came out of hiding during meteor showers?!?
xen999
OP2 years agoCorrect about them being plant eaters not so much the second part, lol. It's a dinosaur familly to which the Triceratops belongs to - too many that I like to name just one... Styracosaurus, Pentaceratops, Nasutoceratops, Diabloceratops, Einiosaurus...
marnotom!
·2 years agoThe old Global Shipping Program had a line for “import charges” which included estimated charges for taxes and sundry customs-related charges. The new eBay International Shipping scheme may give you the option of paying taxes and duty at checkout, it may not. You have to go through the listing carefully to find out how this is being accomplished.
If you’re using the app to do your buying on eBay, this information may not be there to tease out. Do you feel comfortable sharing a link to the listing so we can take a look at it?
xen999
OP2 years agoHere's the link: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/276504993591
mrdutch1001
·2 years agoand if you check the shipping page of that listing for details of shipping to Canada you will see the statement: "Authorities may apply import charges upon delivery"
marnotom!
·2 years agoThanks, @xen999. I checked the listing on the desktop version of eBay as well as the mobile version, and the app and all three have that note about possible import charges that @mrdutch1001 mentioned in their post.
Assuming you only have to pay 5% GST on your purchases, the math used makes sense. 5% GST on $54.15 is $2.70. Add a ten dollar processing charge and you get the $12.70 that DHL came up with. That's only five cents more than what you'd have to pay Canada Post if your item was shipped directly by mail and Canada Border Services assessed and charged you tax on the shipment. So there's that.
I'm still not clear on whether you paid that $2.70 at Checkout as well, though, and you were double-charged as a result. Anyway, kudos to you for arranging a combined shipment with the seller. That was pretty smart.
xen999
OP2 years ago"5% GST on $54.15 is $2.70. Add a ten dollar processing charge and you get the $12.70 that DHL came up with."
Yes, it would appear to be what DHL calculated, still, I've never paid taxes for such a low amount in nearly 20 years of using eBay.
"Anyway, kudos to you for arranging a combined shipment with the seller. That was pretty smart."
It's pretty much the only way to get proper combined shipping these days...
mrdutch1001
·2 years agoBuyers should always be aware of the possibility of additional charges by DHL/UPS/Fedex as there never is any guarantee that what appears to be really is/actually is, dependent upon the nature of the goods and the value of the goods...
https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/customs-requirements/customs-duty-tax...
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/personal-personnel/postal-postale-eng.html
xen999
OP2 years agoStill, aren't we supposed to be allow 800 CAD without taxe from the US?? It's plastic toys...
mrdutch1001
·2 years agoBrokerage fee....DHL, UPS,etc. charge brokerage fees....
Any item mailed to Canada may be subject to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and/or duty. Unless specifically exempted, you must pay the 5% GST on items you import into Canada by mail.
Most goods valued under C$150 can be imported duty-free but are subject to federal and provincial taxes.
marnotom!
·2 years agoI think you’re thinking of the duty-free limit Americans have on casual imports sent by mail or courier, @xen999 . The tax-free limit for Canadians for similar casual imports is either C$20 or C$40 depending on the carrier and exporting country involved.
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoaren't we supposed to be allow 800 CAD without taxe from the US?
No.
US residents have a duty free allowance of $800USD.
We have a $150Cdn duty free and $40Cdn tax free allowance on imports of US made goods.
I believe that foreign made (but US purchased) imports are still at the old $20Cdn for both duty and taxes.
I would love to have than confirmed.
In addition, that $150/$40 is only for the US.
Other nations and treaties have different numbers.
Plastic toys are usually made in Asia. We have no free trade treaties with China, although we do with some other Pacific Rim countries.
I thought EIS charged everything in order to get to you internationally, so why is DHL now asking for me for more?
Not all sellers are bright enough to have import fees charged before shipping.
It was that inclusion that made many think that the GSP was outrageously expensive, since they were charging import fees plus shipping.
The complainers did not realize that import fees could be charged at their doorstep instead.
I agree that leaving the Last Mile delivery to couriers means high "brokerage" charges that could have been paid earlier at a lower cost.
pjcdn2005
·2 years ago"Not all sellers are bright enough to have import fees charged before shipping."
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Sellers do not decide whether import fees are charged. They have no input into that.
johnnesbitt
·2 years agoSadly, the $800 exemption is for goods entering the US (the de minimis rule). For Canada, the formal exemption is $20, though I have found that the 'actual' threshold for CBSA to charge duty/tax is somewhere in the range of $60-80.