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"after the end of the listing it no longer shows that info on .com. "
Actually it does show
$24.60 + $3.34
"that doesn't explain how $350 worth of books and magazines came through with only 5% GST"
The Customs officer that day decided to charge 5% GST only as if all items were "books" and ignored some of them were in fact magazines.
Say "thank you" and move on. 🙂
"according to a previous message by thegroupofone....Under this new system, I am paying $21 on a $76 item or 27% "import duty". "
The situation pointed out by one member may not be the same as applied to you. An amount charged to one buyer may not represent the same percentage for another member. Better to stick to the facts you know.
Then, there is a misconception about the words "import duty"
Seldom is "duty" actually charged by Canada Customs.
Many understand the term to mean the total of all taxes and brokerage fees applicable.
When dealing with Pitney Bowes (Global Shipping program) it may also include the extra shipping charge for reforwarding to Canada and the Pitney Bowes fee. Once again, better to stick to the facts that apply tio you in each situation. It is impossible to "generalize" the meaning of the extra fees. They are different for each buyer based on many factors, including different tax rates (GST/PST or HST) for different provinces.
"same "nice" postal worker"
Postal workers have nothing to do with it.
The Global Shipping system automatically calculates the tax that should apply and add their fees. The tax is paid directly by Pitney Bowed to the Canadian government and the parcel enters Canada on a tax paid basis.
On the other hand a shipment coming by mail (USPS) goes to Canada Customs. The decision to charge tax or not is made by Canada Customs, not Canada Post. Once taxes are applied to a parcel, it is tranferred to Canada Post for delivery to buyer and collection of taxes and brokerage fee.
"Whether eBay will notice that a few thousand Canadian buyers have disappeared is questionable,"
For the record, I do not like the eBay Global Shipping system when applied to shipments to Canada. I do not like it nor approve of it.
I do not wish to "defend" eBay for its implementation.
That being said, disregarding the highest costs to many Canadians because Canada Customs system allows many parcels to come in without taxes when taxes should be levied - and that is by far the biggest objection to the new program - many large American based mail order businesses use similar systems and follow the same concept.
Take a look al L L Bean, a well known American mail order retailer with a large Canadian customer base:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/510628?bvCategory=510628&nav=ftlink
Take note:"We assess 0% for duty and brokerage on goods made in the US, Canada and Mexico and 19% on all other goods." In other words, they average it, regardless of actual duty rates. GST/HST are added as applicable (depending on province).
We also know that many American sellers have historically offered to ship within the USA only. Why? They are Americans! The centre of the world, the most powerful country in the universe. Many feel the domestic market is all they need to be successful.
By offering a relatively painless service for sellers, eBay expect many American sellers will increase sales outside the USA. Looking at the program objectively, if we make exceptions of low priced items and export to Canada. the system makes sense to help American sellers increase overseas sales, without the headaches of understanding Custom forms, etc...
A few years from now, three things may have happened:
1) percentage of overseas sales did not increase or decrease
2) percentage of overseas sales remained constant
3) percentage of overseas sales has increased and eBay will call the program a "great success".
While sales by American sellers to Canada may suffer, I expect an increase in overseas sales over time.
"It should be mandatory that this charge is calculated and disclosed prior to bidding. "
IT IS.... on eBay.com where sellers list.
The problem is with eBay.ca
