eBay

mpit7628 · ‎01-30-2016

Hey everyone. I haven't been on here for awhile. Thanks to Canada Post I felt the need to vent my frustrations on what transpired at my front door yesterday. I collect antique composition dolls and I have about 17 of them. (I hope my husband hasn't noticed that!!) Every one of my dolls but one have come from the States. The other from Canada. Some have been shipped here by the dreaded Global Shipping and some by U.S.P.S. Not once was I dinged at the door for import fee's on any of the dolls that were shipped U.S.P.S. I ordered a guitar kit for my hubby for Christmas this year. It was ordered through a seller in Australia but was shipped out of China. Because we paid almost $300.00 for the kit when it was delivered I was sure we would be paying import fee's but surprise, surprise, not a penny was charged at the door. Yesterday I received my doll from a seller in Denver Colorado and I was charged $30.00 for G.S.T., P.S.T. and a handling charge. The doll was only $65.00 and the shipping, through U.S.P.S., was about the same. By the time I paid the fee's at the door I ended up paying over $100.00 for shipping for that doll. I read somewhere that the import fee's that I am charged at the door should be based on the price I paid for the doll before the shipping charges and not the entire bill, doll and shipping. Sure am curious as to whether this is the case. If Canada Post is going to start getting everyone for import fee's at the door then us Canadian eBayers might as well give up on eBay all together. Our dollar is dreadful, the Global Shipping program is dreadful and Canada Post has their hands in our pockets also. Can't afford eBay any more!!! Have a nice week end everyone and lets hope Canada Post doesn't show up at your door looking for money!

femmefan1946 · ‎01-30-2016

First paragraphs are your friends

You can form a paragraph by hitting Enter.

Yesterday I received my doll from a seller in Denver Colorado and I was charged $30.00 for G.S.T., P.S.T. and a handling charge. The doll was only $65.00 and the shipping, through U.S.P.S., was about the same. By the time I paid the fee's at the door I ended up paying over $100.00 for shipping for that doll.

The doll was $65 USD? That's ~$84.50 CDN

Canadian duty and tax are based on the Canadian dollar value.

There should be no duty on the doll.

http://www.dutycalculator.com/dc/135760443/toys-games/figures-dolls/figures-dolls-non-humans/import-...

There will be sales taxes of between 5% and 17% depending on your province.

At 13% (ON) that would be $10.98.

And Canada Post adds a $9,95 service charge.

So about $98.47 plus, of course, the $65USD/~$84.50CDN shipping.

I may have missed something in there.

But since it appears there is no duty on dolls (going by that Pitney Bowes link) you can phone CBSA (the number should be on the back of your Canada Post reciept) and ask for a refund on the duty mistakenly applied.

Anything over $20 CDN (around $14USD) MAY be assessed for duty and sales tax at the border.

Small packages and low value packages often/usually are not assessed. The customs agents seem to have concluded that it makes no sense to charge these fees when the labour cost of assessing them is more than could be collected.

But some parcels are assessed.

dmil8030 · ‎01-30-2016

Hello 'mpit',

<< I collect antique composition dolls and I have about 17 of them. (I hope my husband hasn't noticed that!!)>>

Nah, he'll be too busy hiding his purchases from you to worry about what you're buying.

<<we paid almost $300.00 for the kit . . . , not a penny was charged at the door. >>

It doesn't always make a lot of sense, I would agree. Because we can be required to pay on any amount over $20 Cdn in value, always be prepared. And then when it just arrives for free, say "Halleluja!" and put the saved money aside for the next unpleasant surprise.

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

<<I received my doll from a seller in Denver Colorado and I was charged $30.00 for G.S.T., P.S.T. and a handling charge. The doll was only $65.00>>

When we are charged, it is always on the Canadian version of the declared amount on the day the parcel is assessed. Here is my favourite link for currency conversion, although the percentage that the assessors use will be a teensy bit higher (natch). At the time of writing, your doll costs $90+ cdn.

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/currencies/converter/#from=USD;to=CAD;amt=1

You're in BC so your tax should have been around $11, give or take (depending on the above). Plus the $9.95 for Canada Post. It came through the post, right, and not a courier?

So that should have you paying less than $23 at the door, even on a bad day.

It's not Canada Post who is at fault, - it is our government who wants the cash. Items pass through Customs and if they are slated for charges, Canada Post simply processes the paperwork. So there should be paperwork, -- when you pay the postee, there should be an assessment bill on your package outlining what all the charges are.

Unlike those GSP items where it is all a big mystery, Canada Post accounts for every cent you hand over.

So if you paid $30, - that's about $8 - $9 more that it should be. I am wondering if the item was correctly labelled as a doll, ie, toys, or was it classified as something else. What does the label say? Also, is there any chance the seller over-valued the item?

I've had that. A while back I bought an item for £12 to be shipped by Royal Mail. The seller used DHL and valued the item at £40 and of course did not affix a bill of sale to the package. Grrrrr. . .

The information should all be on the assessement slip, - what does it say?

<< By the time I paid the fee's at the door I ended up paying over $100.00 for shipping for that doll.>>

I certainly understand the sting of it , but try to think of it in terms of item price, not shipping. It means your doll cost you $120 Cdn. And try to find solace in having saved charges for that $300 item you bought. (If that was $300 US, - imagine that in Cdn funds).

The smallest amount I have had to pay on was $43, and the largest that slipped through without charges was an item valued at $500. ("Halleluja!") Because it is our government's requirement on $20+, I have truly saved a bundle on items that are rarely assessed.

I know it's not much of a tonic, but think of how much more precious that doll just became.

So see what's on the info slip, if you were charged appropriately, - and I wish you joy of your item.