eBay

patrick_the_loner · ‎06-09-2013

I just had a trying experience with 2 E bay sellers, it is not their fault but this new darn Import Charge to Canadians is a farce..If the Americans need money badly just put a gun to my face and take it not bleed the main source of the E Bay sellers income. As I am a member since Jan-7-08 I have bought a lot of different items and I may be forced to go elsewhere to buy. And from what I have read in the discussion board a lot more Canadians are doing the same...DON'T E BAY CARE ABOUT IT'S MEMBERS???????..The US postal service is to darn high to send items here to Canada??? What happened to that FREE TRADE WE HAD ( OR DID WE ??????? ) Yeah Right

You buy an item from E.Bay for $25.00 US and the shipping charges are sometimes double the price and now this so called IMPORT CHARGE NOW AH YOU THINK THAT CANADIANS ARE STUPID WERE NOT WE KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE US ECONOMY...........WE HERE IT EVERY DAY,,,WHY SHOULD WE CANADIANS AND LOYAL E BAY MEMBERS PAY FOR YOUR DEBT YOU DID IT NOT US,

GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE WE ALL WERE HAPPY THEN AND E.BAY SELLERS DID VERY WELL... Thank You A LOYAL E.BAY BUYER

naomi_xo · ‎09-15-2013

Actually the Import charge is a Duty Rate. It is not a tax or a shipping fee. Those are charged separate.

This charge is to cover the cost of duty fees which customs sometimes add upon arrival of merchendise and buyer must pay to receive the items.

My big concern is under terms of this new program that Pintey Bowes will submit any payment to customs where "applicable". From my experience less than 5% of items receive these charges from customs. So is the money being paid to customs even when customs do not put an import charge on the item. Also is the amount buyer pays for the import charge the actual amount that customs charges. How
would a foreign seller know the actual amount Canadian customs will charge anyways.

marnotom! · ‎09-15-2013

@naomi_xo wrote:
Actually the Import charge is a Duty Rate. It is not a tax or a shipping fee. Those are charged separate.

You're correct that the Import Charges are (generally) charged separately from the shipping charges, Naomi, but the Import Charges do make up any taxes, duties (if applicable) and processing/handling fees due through the Global Shipping Program.

From the GSP terms and conditions page for buyers (linked to in every GSP listing):

"Import charges": this Program Fee consists of charges associated with the customs service described above and is comprised of the following variable amounts: sales, goods and services, and value added taxes, duties, tariffs, excise taxes, and other amounts assessed or levied by any government authority in connection with the importation of goods into the applicable country of importation (but excluding income taxes) ("Commodity taxes"); third party brokerage fees (including advancement and disbursement charges and customs brokers handling and filing fees); penalties (but excluding any customs duties, taxes, surcharges, fines, penalties, or other charges which may be imposed on you by customs or tax officials after a GSP Item has successfully cleared customs and been delivered to, or made available for pickup at, the delivery address that you specify); classification charges associated with the assignment of a Harmonized System ("HS") classification code; charges for export compliance screening and verification and the assignment of an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN); and operational expenses associated with short-term loss recovery and the management of variances between the quoted Import charges and actual costs. Note: at eBay's discretion, applicable classification and export compliance charges, third party brokerage fees, and operational expenses may instead be included within the Shipping amount that is quoted to you.

@naomi_xo wrote:

My big concern is under terms of this new program that Pintey Bowes will submit any payment to customs where "applicable". From my experience less than 5% of items receive these charges from customs. So is the money being paid to customs even when customs do not put an import charge on the item. Also is the amount buyer pays for the import charge the actual amount that customs charges. How would a foreign seller know the actual amount Canadian customs will charge anyways.

While Canada Border Services may not assess taxes on many mailed items entering Canada, the letter of the law is that anything with a declared value of over C$20 is subject to taxes (and duties, if applicable) plus a C$9.95 handling charge.

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

The GSP simply catches all these taxable items, while customs doesn't. And from what I've seen, in many cases it doesn't charge as much as C$9.95 on top of those taxes.

U.S. sellers don't know how much Canadian buyers will be paying in import charges as they're not the ones charging the import charges; the Global Shipping Program is charging and collecting those charges. A seller needs to check the listing page themselves and change their shipping location to somewhere in Canada to get a sense of what Canadian buyers would be paying for both shipping and import charges.

barrinha2000 · ‎11-16-2013

Canada has free trade with the USA! some one is packing this money and it is not the Canadian Government! more than 50% of American items on Ebay do not charge this tax! Some one is stealing our money and Ebay does not even mind! I iwll not buy anything that charges the so called "Import Taxes" Buy Canadian Products, or items from Overseas!!!

barrinha2000 · ‎11-16-2013

BUY from AMAZON.COM, they do not rob you!!!

@patrick_the_loner wrote:
I just had a trying experience with 2 E bay sellers, it is not their fault but this new darn Import Charge to Canadians is a farce..If the Americans need money badly just put a gun to my face and take it not bleed the main source of the E Bay sellers income. As I am a member since Jan-7-08 I have bought a lot of different items and I may be forced to go elsewhere to buy. And from what I have read in the discussion board a lot more Canadians are doing the same...DON'T E BAY CARE ABOUT IT'S MEMBERS???????..The US postal service is to darn high to send items here to Canada??? What happened to that FREE TRADE WE HAD ( OR DID WE ??????? ) Yeah Right

You buy an item from E.Bay for $25.00 US and the shipping charges are sometimes double the price and now this so called IMPORT CHARGE NOW AH YOU THINK THAT CANADIANS ARE STUPID WERE NOT WE KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE US ECONOMY...........WE HERE IT EVERY DAY,,,WHY SHOULD WE CANADIANS AND LOYAL E BAY MEMBERS PAY FOR YOUR DEBT YOU DID IT NOT US,

GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE WE ALL WERE HAPPY THEN AND E.BAY SELLERS DID VERY WELL... Thank You A LOYAL E.BAY BUYER

I decided to buy from Amazon.com where you do not pay any of the so called "Import Taxes", this is Stealing and some one is packing the money but it is not the Canadian Government!

reallynicestamps · ‎11-16-2013

You are wrong.

Please read the previous posts, which are accurate about what duty, tax and service/ brokerage fees are applicable.

Amazon does charge the same fees, they are not as upfront about it but they do.

It is not unusual for a foreign merchant to collect duty and tax for another country and remit them. If you have looked at the LL Bean catalogue recently, you will see those specified on the order form.

pierrelebel · ‎11-16-2013

This is what amazon.com has to say about shipping to Canada (and other countries):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201119100

When ordering from Amazon.com, you're responsible for assuring the product can be lawfully imported to the destination country.

The recipient is the importer of record and must comply with all laws and regulations of the destination country. Orders shipped outside of the United States may be subject to import taxes, customs duties and fees levied by the destination country. The recipient of an international shipment may be subject to such import taxes, customs duties and fees, which are levied once a shipment reaches the recipient's country. Additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by the recipient; we have no control over these charges and can't predict what they may be. Customs policies vary widely from country to country; you should contact your local customs office for more information. When customs clearance procedures are required, it can cause delays beyond our original delivery estimates.

As one who has often purchased "stuff" from amazon.com, I understand the rules and expect to pay taxes and brokerage fee at time of delivery.

marnotom! · ‎11-16-2013

Also consider that when purchasing from Amazon, you may be purchasing an item that already has the taxes (and duties, if applicable) added to the price of the item.

I once compared the price of a Smartphone on A.com to the same phone sold by the same seller on A.ca. The price difference was considerable. I decided to try going through the checkout process. I couldn't even buy the one on .com. I had to go through .ca as the phone was being shipped from Canada rather than the United States. My invoice on .ca didn't have amounts for GST or PST, which leads me to believe that they were simply folded into the selling price of the phone.

anguscoinshop · ‎11-16-2013

i'm in complete agreement, i would give you triple kudos if i could.

anguscoinshop · ‎11-16-2013

I actually talked to a CRA rep and NO, US sellers do not have and cannot be issued a GST/HST # for a very simple reason ,Canada has zero jurisdiction over the USA if one of those sellers decides to keep the money(i didn't to phone for something that's as common sense as that one) they couldn't go after them.

regalservice · ‎11-17-2013

lets all run a poll or a member vote on ebay to vote to keep or stop the pitney bowes global shipping program.

ebay members with over a certain amount of dedicated and experience need only apply.

afantiques · ‎11-17-2013

The shipping FVF is charged on the lowest domestic rate. This could be zero with domestic 'free' shipping.

afantiques · ‎11-17-2013

Doh! Responded to an ancient post.

pierrelebel · ‎11-17-2013

"I actually talked to a CRA rep and NO, US sellers do not have and cannot be issued a GST/HST #"

???

Somehow, I get the impression the person you talked to at CRA in unqualified or answering the wrong question.

We saw that earlier this year when the CRA agent you communicated with apparently told you that HST was included in eBay's sellers fees and Canadian sellers allowed to claim ITC when we all know it is not the case.

Today comes your claim that American sellers cannot have a GST/HST registration number and the ability to collect GST/HST on behalf of the Canadian government. Obviously you and your CRA agent are unaware of the hundreds of American retailers properly licensed to collect and remit Canadian consumption taxes GST/HST and PST (and duty if applicable).

For those interested on the subject, please take a look at the Government of Canada website (CRA) :

Doing Business in Canada - GST/HST Information for Non-Residents

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gp/rc4027/rc4027-e.html

anguscoinshop · ‎11-17-2013

You will get a skanking from one of the MOD, again you are off topic and are trying to provoke me.

STAY ON THE TOPIC "The New IMPORT CHARGE TO CANADA???"

The op deserves his topic to be discussed.

The canadian gov are not dumbells, there not going to waste there resources in an area where there's ZERO chance of success.

COMMON SENSE

anguscoinshop · ‎11-17-2013

"GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE WE ALL WERE HAPPY THEN AND E.BAY SELLERS DID VERY WELL... Thank You A LOYAL E.BAY BUYER"

unfortunately things will never go back the way they were, this site doesn't care about anyone, they only want the money.

this is my loyalty, i will buy wherever gives my the biggest bang for my buck.

this is this site "they will kiss your baby and steal the lollipop behind its back"

marnotom! · ‎11-17-2013

@angus_coin_shop wrote:
"GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE WE ALL WERE HAPPY THEN AND E.BAY SELLERS DID VERY WELL... Thank You A LOYAL E.BAY BUYER"

unfortunately things will never go back the way they were, this site doesn't care about anyone, they only want the money.

this is my loyalty, i will buy wherever gives my the biggest bang for my buck.

this is this site "they will kiss your baby and steal the lollipop behind its back"

You need to keep in mind that at this point, most sellers using the Global Shipping Program are likely ones that haven't shipped much--if anything--out of the United States in their lives.

Going back to how things were before the GSP means fewer listings with shipping available to Canada.

That may work for some categories, but may result in frustration in others. If I were in the market for a new smartphone, I'd rather pay $20 and import charges to have it shipped to me than over $100 to have it shipped to me with no idea if I'd still owe taxes and customs processing fees that I'd have to pay on my doorstep.

If there were some sort of magic "What if?" machine that could enable us to see eBay with and without the GSP, I strongly suspect that if there were no GSP, the number of listings available to Canada wouldn't be much different than the number of non-GSP listings available with Canadian shipping that we currently have.

splattii · ‎11-18-2013

The answer to this problem is simple, don't buy items that have the GSP as part of the auction. It's simple, and it's easy. For everyone who ever complained about things like lack of feedback for buyers and other problems, this is one of the few cases were your actions can make a difference. If you don't buy the items, the sellers will start to notice. Once you leave Ebay forums there isn't a shortage of American sellers upset by this option also.

pierrelebel · ‎11-18-2013

"don't buy items that have the GSP as part of the auction. It's simple, and it's easy. "

You are absolutely correct.

The program could be improved in such way to benefit both American sellers and foreign buyers (including Canadians). However, this will not happen until eBay realizes important structural changes must be made.

1) be more open about all the charges to be paid by buyers by offering complete information, a detailed breakdown

2) limit listings to items with a value high enough to benefit buyers.

3) educate sellers how and when to use the program. In reality, most items currently offered by American sellers should not require GSP.

Yes, GSP could add a positive experience to both American sellers (by increasing their sales) and foreign buyers (by making items available to them that were not available when those American sellers shipped domestically only). However this cannot be accomplished under the current system with sellers unaware of what they are doing or the consequences to buyers.