eBay

what-a-guy-2002 · ‎03-10-2013

Member since 2010 (632 100% feedback). I have been experiencing the new compulsory "import fees" policy on items from USA. Surprising! I am disappointed with this policy. It is a negative one on many levels notwithstanding for USA and eBay revenues, as many like myself will now be sure to be motivated to resource items outside of USA, and outside of eBay.

Also disappointing is a story I was told that USPS recently (January 28, 2013) redefined Canada from being an 'intermediary' to an 'international' country, and therefore shipping fees from the USA to Canada have risen 80%!

Must be people in rooms in the USA racking their brains on how to support the USA economy versus just printing money.

phboy38 · ‎05-18-2013

is this fee trade

phboy38 · ‎05-18-2013

well im not paying the fee ebay can kiss this one good buy.

im sorry to all the sellers

ebuyhermit · ‎05-20-2013

I to will be looking elsewhere for deals. GSP a simple cash grab by Ebay et all and their financial engineers. Ebay not happy with making money the old fashioned way have put 33 million potential buyers on notice.

gerry_doire · ‎05-23-2013

In a way it's a good thing, I cut back buying online bigtime.

What I used to save buying online is now gone, so I have started to buy alot more locally.

Ebay doesn't value customers outside the USA, so they could care less if we all stopped.

toryapril · ‎05-24-2013

bull!!! I have purchased hundreds of items from US ebay sellers and very rarely had to pay duty when they arrived (maybe 2% of the time). So you either work for Ebay or are completely naive to suggest the extra money is going to the Canadian government.

It is either going into the pockets of PB or Ebay.

I am done buying from US sellers who charge the import fees. And I suggest every other Canadian does the same.

Ebay used to be great, but their greed is slowly destroying them.

cdnannihilator · ‎05-24-2013

With the new import policy, I will simply STOP buying from any sellers that have "opted in" into this new "extra shipping charges program".

With the OLD way of doing things, you wouldn't have to worry about customs & tax if your package didn't exceed a fixed amount (as per CBSA rules) and even if it did, it wouldn'T be too bad.With this "new & improved" program, you're damned to pay extra no matter how much your package is worth, essentially.

Result: Fewer Canadians buying from US eBay sellers. Way to go, eBay... perhaps it's time for the competition to start offering your customers an alternative!

X-(

rainbow71113 · ‎05-24-2013

interesting turn of events, I wanted to buy a listing of 15 magazines and shipping was $26 with $3.00 import fees- these totals are rounded off. I asked the seller to remove the gsp and charge regular shipping and it turned out to be $40. Now I can 't figure out why the GSP with the import fees would have been cheaper when it has to incorporate 2 shipping charges....but live and learn. Next time I'm going to ask what the shipping charge would be BEFORE removing the gsp....I had assumed it would be cheaper.

taramialee · ‎05-25-2013

I have just phoned ebay and made a complaint about this offensive 'money grab' regarding this global shipping program. These fees are NOT 'compulsory'. They are supposedly collecting fees FOR Canada Customs- no country is REQUIRED to do that; nor is a seller REQUIRED to use this shipping option. They are collecting 'duty' on many items that would never be charged duty ( so how do they prove the actual duty charge and justify charges, and do thery provide a refund to a buyer for overcharging? Even Canada Customs allows for applying for refunds); also there are massive extra charges for fuel surcharges, Pitney Bowes handling and processing; not to mention telling sellers they are 'protected' from neg feedback in delivery issues. Really? Does that mean if we buy from a seller using this program we lose our usual buyers protection, or even the right to leave feedback regarding the process? Phone. The more we stop buying and the more they hear why, the better!

Stay away from sellers using this or it's at your peril!

pierrelebel · ‎05-25-2013

"Stay away from sellers using this"

That is good advice for most Canadian buyers.

Others may find it advantageous.

Buyers will have to work the numbers as they apply to their specific situation.

"They are collecting 'duty' on many items that would never be charged duty"

Actually very few items coming from the USA are subject to "duty". What Pitney Bowes charges, like many other registered US based mail order sellers, is consumption taxes (GST/HST/PST) which would be payable in any case.

They also charge a handling fee, a Custom clearance fee (if applicable) and a reforwarding shipping charge. Because at times their shipping costs are lower than individual US sellers, it is possible to achieve overall savings.

Once again, each buyer will have to work the numbers for each possible purchase.

mstickle01 · ‎05-27-2013

I got badly stung recently. I had NO IDEA I was going to be charged extra until it came time to pay, and I did - through the nose! SO NOT IMPRESSED with this. I was charged duty and taxes on an item that I should never have been charged duty on.
When I buy items from out of the country, I rarely, if ever get charged duty and taxes, and when I do, it's along the lines of $5 for brokerage and then taxes and duty, as applicable. Most items I buy SHOULD BE duty free, but this system is a complete ripoff, guaranteeing I will never get a break on duty and taxes again. Way to go, eBay, you've guaranteed to piss off a lot of Canadians and chase their business away. Must be nice to be doing so well in business that you can afford to turn away customers.

habsolutefate · ‎05-28-2013

this is *****

I just purchased a 10.00 item and got charged 4.00 import fee crap for it. THERE IS NO DUTIES FOR ANYTHING BELOW 20.00 F**** dollars ***** ebay

This is **** ridiculous and guaranteed im leaving a neutral feedback saying to stay away if your canadian unless the seller somehow reverses the 4.00 charge.

What a **** ripoff

doumb21 · ‎05-28-2013

Those import fees are simply ridiculous.

I only buy from US sellers that do not charge those fees upfront. What a scam.

2010.water · ‎05-29-2013

I thought two months ago the end of Ebay is near for me as the rich need only apply! Ebay owners are using shipping to get even more money. The blind leading the blind. Not in this case...I am definitely will buy Canadian if i can find the sellers.... if not i am done with Ebay..

derekread · ‎05-29-2013

The easiest thing for me to do at the moment is to avoid sellers that use the GSP system.

If it becomes mandatory (I can easily seeing that occurring given the revenue it must be generating) I would move to another means of procurement.

miggs.2008 · ‎05-30-2013

1st. To all who thinks eBay cares 2 seconds about Canadians buyers and their complaints about this matter are sorely mistaken.
2nd. Unless eBay has a secret deal with Pitney Bowes to receive a cut on every gps transactions, I don't see how eBay is making money with this. On my PayPal account, it specifically shows where my money goes. Price of item+shipping for the seller to ship to PB address in the US is one charge, second charge all goes to PB to ship to Canada.

.
In my case, I just purchased a used laptop. The seller wrote me saying he charges $55 via USPS for a Canadian delivery. Through the gsp program it turned out to $58. So in this case, I cannot complain because I know for sure I won't get taxed again. Otherwise without the gsp program, there is that chance Canada Customs would have withheld it for taxes collection....and let's not forget the $10 fee from Canada Post to collect the taxes

.
I totally understand everybody who buys stuff under $20 and get unduly nailed for such low priced items. I suspect this is a result of pressures applied from our loving federal government to squeeze $ from us as much as they can. Could be a result from buyers asking US sellers to lower the item's price on Customs form or a combination of reasons

.
What I'm not understanding yet, is if a laptop like mine costs at a bare minimum $45 to ship (which is the cheapest I could find), how is it Pitney Bowes with physical address in the US can pay broker fees,Canadian taxes and the actual shipping for $39.45 ???
If anyone wants to enlighten me on that, please do.
I'm now writing sellers to bypass this gsp for "the buy it now" items. For auctions, its a different situation all together. I need not explain I'm sure.
BTW; my seller said he wasn't aware of the gsp program and knew nothing of the "import charge". I sent him a screen shot to prove to him. So how is it he knew nothing if he's the one who has to opt-in this program???

happymealtoys · ‎05-30-2013

I've boughten many glasses and sunglasses on ebay mostly if not all from the USA. I live in Montreal and I've never been asked to pay customs on delivery. Today I bought a pair of glasses that was listed for 140$ - 15% off rebate and it said free shipping on .ca

When I go to check out my order before finalizing it, I see the extra charge for S&H which was 11 and something dollars plus 28$ for GSP

I msged the buyer asking what the hell was that 28$ for and he explained it was new shipping charges and that he couldn't do anything. Finally after some bartering the seller had to drop it's price and pretty much break even according to the seller.

all in all, today I payed 40$ shipping for glasses lol no post service would ever charge me that if it came that I had to pay for costum.

I don't care what Admin here will say otherwise that it was practical for whom ever. pls explain 40$ for a pair of glasses that don't weight anything.

pjcdn2005 · ‎05-31-2013

Were you using a mobile device when you saw the free shipping? The listing says that shipping is $11.85 to Canada and that there is a $14.15 import charge. I have heard that some mobile users will see free shipping even though it isn't free. Apparently it is a glitch but it doesn't happen all the time.

That's really odd that the import charge would double though. It does say it is an estimate but I would complain to ebay as that's ridiculous that the estimate would be that far off.

happymealtoys · ‎05-31-2013

No. up to date chrome on my up to date Win 7 on my Toshiba laptop. It's definitely a glitch since I've been noticing it since the new Web page upgrade.

what's even funnier is that I've have bought prolly 10 items on ebay from US sellers since March (start of this thread) and NO ONE charged me this GSP till today, hell even the seller I bought the glasses from didn't have the GSP charges the day before...

zg77vics · ‎05-31-2013

Yep for this I will no longer be buying from US sellers, its just not worth it along with the currency exchange charge that comes right after this. This is almost like charging tax over taxes to me.