Global Shipping Program information showing on eBay.ca

[cumos55]

In a search report one finds  the following wording

Customs services and international tracking provided

In a listing the following is indicated

No additional import charges at delivery! This item will be shipped through the Global Shipping Program and includes international tracking.

and then the cost

Import charges: US $__.__ (amount confirmed at checkout)

[pjcdn2005]

Finally!

It amazes me that they would have even started the gsp without making sure that people who would be paying the charges could see the import charges when shopping on their own site. 

If someone wants to see an example of how it looks..

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/230949749446?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.ca%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D230949749446%26_rdc%3D1

[hoppy24]

that is cool that its showing and all but the issue remains.. the item you used as an example is what $13... still under the $20  customs threshold.  So why is there any import charges let alone $3 and change on something that is exempt from it.

[cumos55]

The listing says no additional charges at delivery...

For this example  there should be no GST charged.

I did a test for shipping to Manitoba versus Ontario and there  the import charges stayed at $3.34

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Then I found a book from this same seller with a price over $20

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/230949749446?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.ca%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_saca...

There was a difference between Manitoba at $17.04 and Ontarioat $18.18.  If GST/HST is included in the import charges... there should be no difference as books are exempt from the provincial component of HST   and the result is GST = HST = 5 %

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And finally a non-book item, where I first saw the GSP shown yesterday.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Roy-Rogers-Metal-Lunch-Box-AND-Thermos-Red-Band-Vintage-1954-Double-R-Bar-Ran...

Import charges were $89.32 for Manitoba where GST = 5 %  and $94.06 for Ontario where HST = 13 %.

If they are applying HST correctly then the difference between Ontario and Manitoba should be 8 % of $445, or $35.60.

Without knowing what the import charges include.....  it is not possible to determine if GST/HST is charged, and if it is charged correctly.

and then there is a difference in shipping cost from the US location to Manitoba and Ontario,.

Perhaps it would be more appropriate for the the import charges be shown as shipping, handling, brokerage  and finally GST/HST...and not as a single number....

If a business is buying an item  then the invoice must show a breakdown of GST/HST with the appropriate business number in order that the GST/HST be used as an input tax credit....

[cumos55]

I was unable to confirm whether provincial sales tax  was charge on an item purchased in the US and imported into Manitoba.

Federal regulations as they relate to GST/HST indicate that GST is charged for GST provinces,  and HST for HST provinces, when a purchase is imported into Canada, subject to exemptions .... such as ....  Books are exempt from the provincial component of HST

[pierrelebel]

"Books are exempt from the provincial component of HST'

That is correct.  However, by law, books are also taxable (5% GST) even if the value is under Cdn$20 as books do not qualify for the $20 exemption.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.html#c1 

This exception to the exemption was introduced decades ago at the request of Canadian book authors and publishers to protect the struggling Canadian book publishing industry.

[cumos55]

Exemption to the exemption.... Thanks for the clarification

Learn something new every day...

[cumos55]

It would be nice to know the many parts that make up the import charges.

[pierrelebel]

"It would be nice to know the many parts that make up the import charges"

You are correct.  It is quite obvious from many posts that some Canadian buyers are confused over the term "import charge".

Many seem to think "import charge" means duty and taxes.  Not really. In most cases for items with low value, it is simply a handling fee charged by Pitney Bowes.

For others, it is a total combining a handling fee which may include a Customs brokerage fee, taxes (GST/HST), duty if applicable and re-forwarding charge.

A breakdown supplied by Pitney-Bowes would be appropriate.

[i*m-still-here]

It would be nice to know the many parts that make up the import charges.

It's not confusing, and I've posted it many times.

1) The actual appropriate duty and taxes charged by the Canadian government and remitted to the government by P-B.

2) The shipping fee.  This consists of two parts.  a) The sellers fee to ship to P-B, and b) The shipping fee to ship from P-B to the buyer.

3) A handling fee and we know this exists because items under $20 with no import fees still have an added handling fee.

While it's possible that they waive this fee when items are over $20 it is not very likely.

Altogether:  Ouch!

[i*m-still-here]

oops......... almost forgot:  The shipping fee is actually in 3 parts.

1) Sellers charge to ship to P-B.

2) P-B charge to ship to buyer.

3) Brokerage fee.

Whatever that breaks down to isn't that important because the bottom line is that it's very expensive.

I'm not really sure why Canadian sellers aren't rooting for this program.

There is the danger that some or even many buyers will leave ebay.......... but there's also a very good chance that it will seriously hamper US sales .........

Thus leaving more for the rest of us.  :).

[taramialee]

In any case; the charges are very high if you are buying say, used clothing, or small items. ; MUCH higher than regular mail options. The fees are automatic, excessive, and generally makes purchasing many items pointless due to the total cost after these charges. I'm sticking with sellers who don't select this option. I will not be buying from anyone who uses this option.

[taramialee]

"3) A handling fee and we know this exists because items under $20 with no import fees still have an added handling fee.

In over $1000 ebay purchases from the US, I have NEVER been charged an 'import fee' or 'handling fee'; that's only on items with a brokerage, or where you are charged Customs duty ( the handling fee is for Canada post to collect the duty).

[taramialee]

*

The listing says no additional charges at delivery.."

...and that is stated because they've ALREADY CHARGED YOU; so no charge when it arrives at your door.

SO, already charged you regardless if you never would have been charged fees by Customs or the Post anyway. .

[pjcdn2005]

It's not confusing, and I've posted it many times.

1) The actual appropriate duty and taxes charged by the Canadian government and remitted to the government by P-B.

2) The shipping fee.  This consists of two parts.  a) The sellers fee to ship to P-B, and b) The shipping fee to ship from P-B to the buyer.

3) A handling fee and we know this exists because items under $20 with no import fees still have an added handling fee.

While it's possible that they waive this fee when items are over $20 it is not very likely.

Altogether:  Ouch!

The way that I understand it is that the buyer sees a combined amount for #1 and #3 so it isn't broken down to specify the amount paid for taxes, duty and brokerage which is what I think Cumos was referring to.

But perhaps you have an invoice that shows those amounts broken down? I'm simply going by what I've heard since I haven't ordered anything from a seller in the gsp.

[i*m-still-here]

Oh.... Ok, I see what you mean.  No, I don't have an invoice that breaks it all down.

The listing shows "import charges," and that number changes as item price changes and so that's probably a fairly accurate figure  which varies somewhat from province to province.

i don't know for sure.

If you really want to check it out follow and item and watch how the fee changes as the price goes up during an auction, then do the math.  It shouldn't be that involved.

The paypal receipt is in two parts (one to the seller and one to P-B, and the listing breaks it down into 3 parts (item cost, shipping cost, and import charges).

(In reality it's broken down even more.......................)

Really.........  does any of this matter to the average buyer?  

I don't think so......... buyers only care that their final cost is way beyond they have been used to paying.

The rest of it is purely academic................ and no one cares all that much about which part of the bill goes where.

[i*m-still-here]

What I'm hard to forgive, is the way sellers have no clue what we are seeing.

Another seller just asked me what I was getting charged via the GSP for her item.

For Goodness Sake:

Go to "Shipping and Payments," and punch in the various countries and take a look already.........

They just sign up and have no idea what their ("You are Very Important To Us" (ya right)) customers are getting billed for shipping.

[afantiques]

Items are shipped and customs cleared as one large shipment value CA$10,000, for example. The shipper pays some appropriate average GST/HST figure on the whole shipment.

This means that the individual exemptions are lost and low value items are taxed pro rata regardless of whether they would be exempt if sent by post.

At no point except that of sale are individual items treated as anything but components of one large import.

Therefore, although the otherwise exempt items are taxed this is paid to the governent not pocketed by the shipper.

It is very much something to avoid as a buyer except for heavy inexpensive items that can work out cheaper shipped tax paid through the GSP  than posted by USPS Priority Mial (over 4 pounds weight) and delivered without tax/collection fee if you are lucky.

[i*m-still-here]

Really? 

afanantqiues......... Do you know that?

On the one hand it makes sense because it doesn't really add up otherwise.

That is.......... the GSP has to use upgraded shipping methods for shipping and so the shipping cost we see is the sum of the seller's cost, the P-B cost to ship to the buyer with tracking, broker costs, plus a handling fee.

In a way, that doesn't really add up either.......... it's much less than couriers charge for the same services.

afanantiques............ However, what you are suggesting would only be possible if they were shipping to a hub in the destination country and then distributing from there.

[grandogranto]

I agree. If i see the seller is using the GSP and charge exorbitant shipping fees I will not buy from them.

One seller tried to charge me $35.00 to ship Six screws from Michigan to Ontario.

Sellers need to know its a deal breaker.

Some sellers may not want Canadian customers.

But there a lots of vendors continue to work with their customers to maintain the trust they have with their customer and in my case USPS (who in eight years has never lost any of my many purchases.)

I for one an happy to see them go. The can screw themselves.