You can ask anything you like, but the seller may not agree to a refund or even a partial refund.
This is one of the reasons that the new (and much hated) Global Shipping Program was introduced.
Couriers like UPS offer very reasonable rates to the shipper, along with tracking and insurance that would cost much more if purchased through USPS. However, they do not clearly explain to the shipper that the buyer will be paying a steep service charge ($25 or more) plus Canadian sales taxes and duty on the doorstep.
And note that the duty and the sales tax do not go to the seller nor to the courier, they go to the Canadian treasury. Paying these is part of our duty as citizens/residents.
So you paid $25 for customs brokerage to UPS. The rest of the charge is probably/ depending on your province $$13.50 in sales taxes and $1.50 in duty.
And yes, there is tax and duty on used items too. Also on "gifts" valued over $60.
From what has been posted about the Global Shipping Program, if your seller had used it you would have paid about $20 in addition to the shipping and handling fee that the seller gets. This is a $4.95 fee to PitneyBowes who run the program and exactly the same duty and tax. However, you would have been charged at the time of payment and the seller would not have shipped until you did pay.
If your seller had used USPS/Canada Post, you would have been charged about $25 on the doorstep. However, and what fools people, Canada Post is notoriously lax about processing these charges and many importers do not realize that they are due.
