Listings with Mixed Country of Origins | Selling | eBay Canada EN

Listings with Mixed Country of Origins | Selling | eBay Canada EN

Buying & Selling

Listings with Mixed Country of Origins

Summary: In an online forum, lotzofuniquegoodies initiates a discussion seeking workarounds for creating eBay listings with mixed countries of origin, emphasizing the challenges that come from eBay changes and customs requirements. itolduandso suggests using a threshold to determine country of origin, citing a 10% value rule. sapphyres-designer-jewellery describes their method of managing this for stamp lots, focusing on the majority country of origin, while ricarmic shares experience listing stamps with multiple origins, questioning the logistics if more than six countries are involved. hansatrade humorously recalls a cost-effective approach for multiple stamps and emphasizes detailed customs documentation. Additional advice includes using carriers like Shippo for flexible customs lines, and querying customs for mixed country packs. It’s highlighted that substantial transformations dictate the origin for complex items. Participants generally agree on the necessity of line-by-line customs detail, echoing frustrations with eBay’s listing constraints and the challenges for collectibles like stamps and coins.

Has anyone come up with a creative or easy workaround in situations for creating a listing with different countries of origins?

Unfortunately with mixed lots this happens often. It would be a very good guess there are current listings that fall in this situation. In bygone years it was relatively easy to create a listing with mixed manufacturers of like items. Now....not so much. (Lots have become (due to eBay tinkering/down-grading) a conjumbled mixed up mess of non like items in random not applicable categories.)

For customs purposes each country would HAVE to be a line item. It had to be done this way in the past...just wasn't such a nightmare. Only plausible solution O can think of (going forward) is....DON'T!!!!

As a side, quite confident I am not the only seller on eBay selling mixed lots. Stamp people???

lotzofuniquegoodies

2600 View listings

Posted 1 year ago · Edited 1 year ago·Last reply 1 year ago

15 comments

hansatrade

·1 year ago

I get often multi-country orders. Each of them is shown on the CP label (with the country of provenience). Additionally, I put special labels with HST and HTS US code on the package.

I found an auction for 500 iternational stams for 5 USD. It makes 1 cent for each. Apply the appropriate tariff to each of the stamps separately, then let the US Customs open the package, count the items, and verify, if the tariff was applied correctly to each stamp. 😂

lotzofuniquegoodies

OP1 year ago

@hansatrade wrote:
I get often multi-country orders. Each of them is shown on the CP label (with the country of provenience). Additionally, I put special labels with HST and HTS US code on the package.

I found an auction for 500 iternational stams for 5 USD. It makes 1 cent for each. Apply the appropriate tariff to each of the stamps separately, then let the US Customs open the package, count the items, and verify, if the tariff was applied correctly to each stamp. 😂

In practice or what is actually supposed to happen is items of different Coo are supposed to be individually separated. That's where the weight is added to the customs details. If it was mixed very sure customs officials wouldn't sort but they could reject. We did this when we sent car parts to USA a number of years ago.

My concern is listing creation. If there is room, there is only 1 place holder for Coo. The back up would be to break down by country in the listing details. Unfortunately Sr. Orange Hair has no grasp of ALL the kinds of goods that get shipped across a border like used, mixed and items where the mfg is long out of business.

If an order has mixed Coo the tariffs "should" be applied correctly based on the Coo not 1 item is China and the other 10 are made in the USA (as an example) so that makes the shipment all China. It isn't.

In more specific detaill:

Country of Origin Labeling:
Many countries require goods to be marked with their country of origin to facilitate customs procedures. This helps determine applicable duties, taxes, and trade agreements.
Compliance:
Failure to properly label goods with their country of origin can lead to delays, penalties, or even the rejection of the shipment.
Packaging:
While the packaging itself may not always need to be marked with the country of origin, the contents within the packaging do. If the contents are individually marked, the container may be exempt from origin marking, provided the contents are clearly visible.
Determining Origin:
For complex products with components from multiple countries, the country of origin is generally where the product underwent its last substantial transformation.
Specific Regulations:
It's crucial to consult the specific regulations of the importing country, as requirements can vary. For example, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has specific rules regarding country of origin marking for e-commerce shipments. Similarly, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has guidelines for food product labels.

intimewithmusic

·1 year ago

You may be over complicating matters Lotz.

When you say "My concern is listing creation. If there is room, there is only 1 place holder for Coo."

Lotz I'm to understand youmean the placeholder in Item Specifics. Please correct me if I'm wrong. This is the Buyer info that they use to decide what the tarrif may be. You can add as many "Country of Manufacture" placeholders as is necessary. I use templates. Maybe for those who don't it's different but you can add as many custom "placeholders' as you like using "Custom Specifics" at the bottom.

I hope that sellers don't use the term COO with buyers. Most think that means the POO. Point of Origin. eBay itself chose the word "manufacture" because it differentiates between the word customs uses which is 'Origin".

As far as multiple components in a single widget from different countries of manufacture you have addressed this situation when you stated.

"

Determining Origin:

For complex products with components from multiple countries, the country of origin is generally where the product underwent its last substantial transformation."

A t-shirt made up of Canadian materials but assembled (completed) in Nicaragua is deemed to be made in Nicaragua. When Fender guitars were bought by CBS the parts were made in Japan and assembled in Japan so the guitars were deemed to be Made In Japan. Later when Fender made parts in the USA and sent them to Mexico for assembly, for customs purposes the guitars were made in Mexico.

I believe this is a standard eBay sellers could go by for now however the large multi million dollar retailers would determine things using more complicated procedures. If your sales volume is over a million/year you probably use a tax consultant so you should think about using a customs consultant.

With respect to stamp and coin collections. These have been in cross border play for a century. The way they are assessed should be predetermined. Nothing new. Contact your courier or Canada Customs for any changes to the status quo.

lotzofuniquegoodies

OP1 year ago

As an FYI for anyone interested.

During the process of creating a listing I was looking more closely at a piece of older tech, circa 1990ies without packaging. Item is marked on base (embossed) Made in USA with foreign and domestic parts. It meets UL and CSA approval (Certified.) Includes software CD created in China. Wall adapter made in China. Manufacturer is US Robotics.

A perfect example of how markets intermingle.

intimewithmusic

·1 year ago

If it's a volume control you could describe that on the CN22 as a "melting pot" ;>}

intimewithmusic

·1 year ago

In my 44 years of shipping the ONLY solution has been to provide a separate line on your customs doc showing the COO, the tariff, the weight and the selling price individually. That's how it's always been. If you have a lot of 3 items and the eBay price was $20 bucks exactly you must estimate the actual individual prices on your commercial invoice. They MUST add up to

20 bucks exactly.

sapphyres-designer-jewellery

·1 year ago

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
Has anyone come up with a creative or easy workaround in situations for creating a listing with different countries of origins?

Unfortunately with mixed lots this happens often. It would be a very good guess there are current listings that fall in this situation. In bygone years it was relatively easy to create a listing with mixed manufacturers of like items. Now....not so much. (Lots have become (due to eBay tinkering/down-grading) a conjumbled mixed up mess of non like items in random not applicable categories.)

For customs purposes each country would HAVE to be a line item. It had to be done this way in the past...just wasn't such a nightmare. Only plausible solution O can think of (going forward) is....DON'T!!!!

As a side, quite confident I am not the only seller on eBay selling mixed lots. Stamp people???

Thankfully my stamp lots are all the same country. Should I have multiples (like British Colonies or French Colonies) I would declare whatever the majority is, some countries will significantly outnumber others, and I don't worry about the odd stamp in there but where the bulk of it is from. (That might not be the correct approach but it makes the most sense to me).

C.

ricarmic

·1 year ago

I sell (so far) lots of packages of stamps to the US that are MANY countries: Worldwide, Latin America, British Commonwealth, Western Europe, Asia, Airplanes, Cars, Trains, Ships, Birds, Horses etc etc....

What I've been doing is calling those Canada CA as there could be 100 different countries in them. They're probably ok in the 10%ish range.

What I'm going to have to change likely is I always just had one line: Postage Stamps HS 9704.00 as the title with a list of the major countries if someone had ordered country specific packs. When I reopen I'll put one line in for each of the different countries, not sure what I'll do if there's more than 6 countries they've ordered, that happens fairly regularly. Keep in mind I'm a stamps on the box kinda guy so these are all over the counter forms. (on the form in the handwritten part I put 9704.00.0000)

intimewithmusic

·1 year ago

If eBay labels is limited you can use Shippo or any another carrier that allows for unlimited widget/tariff lines. Frankly @ricarmic I think listing them seperately is ridiculous. I would contact Canada Customs to see if there is a single cooin/stamp collectibles category for multiple countries.

You might lobby eBay to change their labels but we both know their silence is deafening. I think you are better off to find a carrier offering better customs experience than eBay. You may need to increase your average sale amount to make that work for you.

This may not last long.

ae_purveyors

·1 year ago

I have sold an item that had products made in Canada, USA and China. It was a Mens gift set with shampoo, body wash and deodorant all packaged in a generic mens toiletry bag. The shampoo and body wash were made in the USA. The deodorant in Canada. The toiletry bag was made in China. I just added lines to the eBay label for CoO. I weighed each item individually and divided the sold price by 4. I think that’s as accurate as I could do. Though I have thought about how to do this going forward.

intimewithmusic

·1 year ago

That makes sense.

I think going forward, if the value warrants it, say above $100, I would do that too. It's a lot of work for a $30 item if a seller might net $25 after fees or less if it's a heavier Expedited type shipment. If the total value is low using business policies, I'd choose a shipping policy that excludes the USA .

I don't run into that often with memorabilia.. Most things go out one at a time or "same type items" in combined orders. When it is a lot the items are generally similar from the same COO. Now that we know what we are dealing we need to change the way we assemble lots to make it simpler.

ricarmic

·1 year ago

@intimewithmusic You may have misunderstood, I'll only put specific countries for specific country lots. For example a recent order was for Israel, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Brazil stamp lots. Each would have it's own line item, in the future I plan to list each country and its totals. If they'd purchased 2 Brazil items, I'd combine them on the customs form Brazil line of course.

It's only the multi country packs like Worldwide or Latin America etc that I'd list as CA. (Theoretically it might qualify as manufactured here because I've gathered stamps from all over the world to make these packs).

Time will tell....

intimewithmusic

·1 year ago

That explains it. I still have containers full of global mixed cancelled stamps and my old albums. Just can't get around to listing them. When I do I'll spread them out on the table for photos then list them domestic only free shipping. Theyve been kicking around for 60 years so no rush.

It's bad enough for memorabilia. These times must be extra tough for coin and stamp sellers.

Thanks!

sapphyres-designer-jewellery

·1 year ago

@intimewithmusic wrote:
That explains it. I still have containers full of global mixed cancelled stamps and my old albums. Just can't get around to listing them. When I do I'll spread them out on the table for photos then list them domestic only free shipping. Theyve been kicking around for 60 years so no rush.

It's bad enough for memorabilia. These times must be extra tough for coin and stamp sellers.

Thanks!

I don't think it's as tough on the sellers as it is on the buyers. Imagine buying a buyer and seeking out these things for your collection and knowing you have ridiculous tariffs to pay on everything you import. It was the one thing I did not like when I was a coin collector was the duty and taxes that had to be paid on importing stuff (and if Canada Customs didn't like the valuation they made something up making me sometimes pay more in duty than the item cost).

C.

itolduandso

·1 year ago

I read somewhere that 10% is the value that they take as measure. If the item is made in US but 10% of the value of the product is made in China, then the whole thing is made in China, which is the highest tariff right now. If there are multiples, then I would say that's how it is determined. If non of the parts has more than 10%, that becomes probably a case where you need to list them individually anyhow.
Isn't what you are doing today?