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.

pierrelebel · ‎04-08-2013

"Actually it wasn't disclosed with the shipping information"

Sandra, I checked 200911440193 and the charge was disclosed in the shipping section on eBay.com

Shipping and handling US $27.64

Import charges (estimated) $27.04

As stated earlier, a buyer must go to eBay.com to see the charge prior to buying.

i*m-still-here · ‎04-08-2013

All the information is there for the buyer to see, but no one is watching out for it (yet).

We've been buying on ebay for years and years............. without the GSP.

We are not used (trained?) to being on the look-out for the Global Shipping Program yet, so almost no one is watching.

Canadians are getting nailed all over the place.

THEN: They have the luxury of turning the blame on the buyer for not reading the details.

That Sucks!

rainbow71113 · ‎04-08-2013

on auctions it only says that it will charge a percentage at the end based on the final bid price. If you are the first bidder there is no information on what those charges will be and if you come into an auction that has bids already you can only see the current bid's estimate, if you put a maximum bid of $100 more than what is showing, for example, and win at the price you will not see the fees until that price has been reached in the auction and by that time it's too late unless the seller is nice enough to cancel your bid. Also interesting is when you go on the question mark it says "This amount is subject to change until you make payment" I don't think it does change after the bidding has ended but would like to know if it has for anyone out there.

pierrelebel · ‎04-08-2013

"turning the blame on the buyer"

???

I am not aware of anybody blaming the buyer.

Folks here try to help by explaining where the information is, not justifying what eBay does and certainly not blaming buyers for an ill advised system, not providing information where the buyer actually buys instead of where the seller lists..

i*m-still-here · ‎04-08-2013

Oooops............. :).

I was in no way referring to you or any other poster here.

In fact, your information has been nothing but factual and accurate and helpful.

I was referring to the system.

The way it's set up is that once you've bought an item you are committed to paying for it.

Buyers who don't pay or want to negotiate after they've committed to buying are given a really hard time by sellers and by the system.

Many buyers who really would rather opt out of the sale after they see the extra GSP costs pay anyway because they feel obligated.

The system blames the buyer.

Not you.

bb_cool_stuff · ‎04-08-2013

While an awareness has been created on the forums, many don't read the forums & are caught by surprise.

Many don't buy on .com, they still buy on .ca.

I would think buyers in the US would be fair & would cancel the sale if the buyer was unaware.

As I*m mentioned previously, some US Sellers are not aware they are signed up for the program.

Again, am i missing something, how would US Sellers not know they are signed up for the program.

Do this have something to do with Country of Manufacture that is now present when we create a new listing ?

i*m-still-here · ‎04-08-2013

I would think buyers in the US would be fair & would cancel the sale if the buyer was unaware.

That's what I've found.

However, I think that most buyers are too intimidated to ask and just pay without a word.

Anything less has always been discouraged, met with hostility, silence, and/or other ebay sanctions.

Those buyers probably complain to everyone else around them, and there's a good chance they won't return to ebay again.

Imagine what it's like for some guy in Germany, or France, or Japan who's command of English is very poor.

Again, am i missing something, how would US Sellers not know they are signed up for the program.

Actually it makes a lot of sense.......

Sellers just saw the FVF discounts and jumped aboard and then forgot about it.

They never look at what their listings appear like to those out of the US.

If you go to a listing with the GSP, change the country for shipping to the US and you'll see what they see.

I'm not sure what you mean by the Country of Manufacture.

rainbow71113 · ‎04-08-2013

only certain countries are eligible to "receive" packages this way and it's interesting to note that a lot of them are Eastern countries- Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia....I'm wondering if they noticed a problem with packages getting lost in those areas. I know that I have had a bit of trouble with Russia. And no countries in Asia or South America. I have found South America has always been a problem forcing me to stop shipping to Brazil.

bb_cool_stuff · ‎04-08-2013

Gotcha.

Country of Manufacture is an option when i create a New Listing.

Maybe just in my category ??? I believe this option started appearing last fall.

Friends said to not click on that option, but cannot remember the reason why.

rainbow71113 · ‎04-08-2013

the only problem that I can see on clicking on the country is if you are selling something from a country that is on Ebay's no no list....Cuba is one that comes to mind and I know there are a few others.

bb_cool_stuff · ‎04-08-2013

Wow, another seller who has problems shipping to South America.

I guess it depends on the items that are being shipped there.

Still never had a problem shipping there but the awareness has been created.

rainbow71113 · ‎04-08-2013

most of the buyers in countries in South America and Mexico realize that there is longer shipping time, I've seen over 3 months for packages to get there-airmail. The downside is that you get a buyer who is jumping up and down asking where their package is after only a week and I have had to reimburse countless Brazilians only to find out that they did eventually receive the package...but of course they don't pay me back.

pierrelebel · ‎04-08-2013

"Country of Manufacture is an option when i create a New Listing."

It does not appear in the "Stamps" category.

Can you imagine offering Canadian postage stamps with "Australia" as the country of manufacture? Many Canadian stamps were produced in Australia.

Or, American postage stamps with "Canada" as the country of manufacture? There was one such issue about ten years ago. Americans were rather upset. Many could not understand why USPS had gone to Canada to print some stamps but saw no problem at all with American printers printing stamps for other countries. Double standards?

rainbow71113 · ‎04-08-2013

wow Pierre, I had no idea, great history lesson, thanks

bb_cool_stuff · ‎04-08-2013

Like you Pierre, isis has also had problems shipping to South America.

I guess i am still in the minority.

Yes, sounds like a Double Standard in regards to stamps.

isis could be right, with the Country of Manufacture option. eBay could be cutting back on selling items originating from countries on their no-no list.

Could be also trying to stop the movement of counterfeit shirts although that is an exercise in futility.

There are still a ton of counterfeit raglan jerseys for sale.

rainbow71113 · ‎04-08-2013

on auctions it only says that it will charge a percentage at the end based on the final bid price. If you are the first bidder there is no information on what those charges will be

sorry have to correct myself it shows the opening bid percentage for instance if it starts at $5.00 the import fee is $3.34.... now I'm looking at item #151024261773 on .com and this is a 2 page chart, shipping to Canada would be around $2-3. The seller has put gsp making the shipping to Canada $11.95 plus the $3.34 before you even start. Imagine how much that will change if the price goes up to $50 for that chart.

pmlinne · ‎04-08-2013

I had my first (and last!) experience with Import fees program. Expensive lesson. Now I go to Canada only first when looking for merchandise to buy. If I can't find it in Canada, I look for sellers who do not use the GSP. I may be writing more emails to sellers to find out final costs. It would be different if the final costs were up front, not after you have committed to buy. Even if they indicated the percentage of the selling, s/h costs that would be "taxed" by Pitney Bowes you would be able to make a better decision. If I made the right calculations, I paid at least $20 more for this "service".

rainbow71113 · ‎04-08-2013

Hello Rose-dee -here's a negative I saw today that is just about customs

"Seller didn't include customs fee so had to pay to actually collect (45% on top)"

I've seen many other negatives saying similar things and they don't mention anything else- so am I wrong about the policy?

I was given a negative by someone in Italy and she said in an email it was because she was charged customs but she didn't put it in her feedback.

So it will be interesting to see what happens when people leave negatives saying they HAD to pay customs.

I also wonder if, like someone else said, they got one of those reps that don't know what they are doing... in one of my cases ...3 reps said they would remove the negative I got (not the same one I just mentioned) and another 3 said it couldn't be removed. Make up your minds!! Everyone agreed I should not be faulted for someone not understanding how to use their computer in a variation listing but no one could figure out how to remove it....even after I showed them the 23 emails I sent to the buyer describing it in detail. Are we supposed to fly to their house to show them how to use a drop down when they obviously did it to purchase something?

femmefan1946 · ‎04-09-2013

already found 12 sites to order from [in the us] that wil not charge anything but postage and gift everything.

Be aware that the “gift” provision is not meant for purchased imports. It allows only that the value of a gift be $60 or less before duty and taxes are levied.

If the customs agent notices that a particular address is getting “gifts” from commercial sources, they are allowed to open , inspect and reassess the goods. The receiver may also be flagged for inspection of all future imports.

on auctions it only says that it will charge a percentage at the end based on the final bid price.

Yes. So bidders should be aware of the costs of importation into Canada, something that is already true, and adjust our bids accordingly. In many ways this is the same advice we give when teaching new bidders on how to bid” be aware of shipping costs and factor them into your bid to control your final price.

If the item sells for under $20, there is no problem.

If the item passed the $20 duty-free, Canadians have to know what the duty and tax would be for Canada and their own province. This is not a change. It is not the seller's responsibility.

The changes are:

-Canada Post is often lax about collecting their $9.95 fee +tax+ occasional duty. But don't count on it.

-Pitney Bowes (which handles the GSP programme) has a higher fee and will always collect the tax and duty.

Or, American postage stamps with "Canada" as the country of manufacture? There was one such issue about ten years ago.

And the Canadian Space issue that was printed and royally messed up by an American printer. OTOH, lots of sought after and valuable errors, including the Missing Hologram.

I look for sellers who do not use the GSP. I may be writing more emails to sellers to find out final costs.

As customers do this, I hope we will see US sellers dropping out of the programme.

-here's a negative I saw today that is just about customs

"Seller didn't include customs fee so had to pay to actually collect (45% on top)"

This is an “illegal” feedback. Because buyers are expected to know their own countries import fees, the seller can have the FB removed. Not sure if that also removes the probably trashed DSRs.

The only other reason I know of for having FB removed is for obscene language.