eBay

canuckchat · ‎11-23-2006

If you reside in Canada - and purchase an item from the USA - you need to educate yourself as to the fact that you WILL be paying applicable taxes and possibly duties on the item when it crosses the border into Canada.

Yes, if the item is shipped by postal service, your "brokerage handling fee" will be a nominal $5 or $8 - plus the applicable taxes for your province (and possibly duties, but seldom are they charged.)

And yes, MANY times the items shipped by postal service are NOT charged taxes or duties incoming - so sometimes you will escape paying the taxes that are due to the Canadian and provincial governments.

However, you should ALWAYS - and I stress ALWAYS! - calculate the cost of the taxes and possibly duties into the decision to make a purchase internationally.

Additionally, if your item is sent by the USA seller (or other international seller) through a courier service (for example, UPS, FEDEX, DHL, etc.) then your applicable brokerage fee will be upwards of $25, on a sliding scale dependent upon the value of the incoming item.

Yes, these fees (brokerage, tax, duty) are ALL part of the cost of buying an item internationally and having it shipped to you in Canada.

It is NOT up to the seller to pay these for you - YOU are the importer of record - YOU are the one who will be billed for these charges - YOU are the one who will NOT get your parcel until you pay these charges.

So - before hitting the "BID NOW" button, do a bit of calculating and make an informed decision to see if it is really worth getting that imported widget!

Happy Bidding, Folks!
:-D

pjcdn2005 · ‎07-07-2011

Yes, that's allowed.

The price of an item isn't related to the cost of shipping. The seller could probably send it to you cheaper if they used USPS first class international but they are probably uncomfortable sending it that way as there is no delivery confirmation on first class. The $25 would be for priority international which would have delivery confirmation. Also, the seller has to go to the post office to send a first class item to Canada. If they use priority, the post office will pick it up at their house or business.

It seems like overkill for a $10 item but some sellers in the U.S. are used to using delivery confirmation all the time as it is very inexpensive within the U.S.

Next time, if the shipping price for Canada isn't in the listing, make sure you that you contact the seller for a shipping quote before you bid. Then there are no surprises. 🙂

postit4me · ‎07-07-2011

Thank you for the reminder of these extra charges that can and will be placed on foreign bids.

Proves that buying Canadian is not just a saying, but a better value it the long run. Have a great day.

11heeed · ‎07-08-2011

11heeed · ‎07-08-2011

Im fairely new on eBay and have bought few watches and never been charged for taxes or any other charges thus far.

Actually to day i did recieve my first item, `a fake watch`(this;s whole other topic to talk about, being cheated) for the amount of $102 and they delivered it at my door.

11heeed · ‎07-08-2011

Im fairely new on eBay and have bought few watches and never been charged for taxes or any other charges thus far.

Actually to day i did recieve my first item, `a fake watch`(this;s whole other topic to talk about, being cheated) for the amount of $102 and they delivered it at my door.

vaninwestend · ‎07-20-2011

Buying from the US has become inceasingly more expensive, especially if it is sent through a brokerage company. I bought a duty free itmes,and thought I had to only pay the taxes and shipping fees but I had to pay a brokage fee that cost almost as much as the item purchased. I learned the hard way never I will never buy from a USA seller. Just is worth the extra fees. Quite sad that buying within North America has become increasingly difficult, but buying from other countries is simplier.

kasiablue2000 · ‎07-21-2011

Don't say WILL.

I have been buying for nearly a decade on Ebay...mostly from the US...and I have been charged duty less than a handful of times and never taxes or anything else.

A Canadian buyer MAY expect those things but saying that you WILL be charged them is false.

patken123 · ‎07-22-2011

After a few years of buying from us sellers I now have come to the conclusion that I can find almost anything I'm looking for here in Canada for almost the same price,of course there are occasions when you are better off buying from the US(even after paying for GST other taxes)but in general I always try to find what I'm looking for ,here in good old Canada ,I just have to search a bit more,what ebay does mainly is to make the whole experience of searching and shopping ,finding different choices ,etc,a lot simpler and easier.

So I advice all Canadians to first make an effort to find what you want ,here,then try to search a bit more,if you succeed ,not only you helped a fellow Canadian ,but you also don't have as much hassle with shipping within Canada ,or deal with brokerage,importation fee or other stupid fees that the dreaded UPS shafts us with.

1maddiemoo · ‎07-27-2011

Hi I don't know if any of you all are from the Fraser Valley B.C.If you are the new place is Bromleys IGA in Sumas.Just let them know you will be shipping there and It is only a buck a package or big box.They are open from seven in the morning till ten at night Letters and cataloques are free. Tell them mrcharlesfarley sent you or melinda. most every thing I have bought ther boarder gaurds have flaged me through One night I brought back a thousand dollars worth of 1972 GMC OEM parts and I had to pay 75.00 but lesson learned only bring a coupler of hundred dollars back each time they are three minuts from the huntington boarder and there are gas stations right there sorry for spelling I gitta run hopwe this helps someone. Maddie

portfelt · ‎07-29-2011

Yes, there is an iron curtain between the USA and Canada. What ever happened to free trade? Apparently it is just for corporations and not for the unwashed masses. A US buyer can import an item up to $200 in value while we are allowed $10. Whoopee. I was scared off from buying from the US for a long time. Since then I've bought numerous purchases and very rarely been assessed custom's charges. If the package is hand wrapped and appears to be from an individual no problem even though the value may be $50 or more. From my experience it's the professionaly packaged items that get nailed.

daydreamer1800 · ‎08-03-2011

The best way to save money is to make a friend on the U S side. If you are close to a boarder, you can have stuff shipped to your friend or you can time your listings to all end in the same week. Pick a day to drive over and ship your sales and/or pick up something you bought. This works for many of my friends and we take turns making a trip once a month! It is the most economical. Canada post is outrageous. UPS is the worst, you can't win with them. B-)

lovbugshop · ‎08-04-2011

very good artical

2011heather32 · ‎08-04-2011

So when they say "the value of the item", do they mean the dollar value for which you paid or the actual value of the item (since sometimes you can pay less or a lot less that what the item is worth through a retail store)?

Also for items where the purchase price is over $60, how do you calculate duty? Is there a flat rate?

Thanks,

Heather

naturepony · ‎08-17-2011

What do you do if the seller states they will ship USPS to Canada and then they go and ship UPS without telling you. Now I am stuck with a big brokerage bill grrrr

I know I have to pay taxes, thats not a problem but the brokerage hurts when I wasnt expecting it.

oohay19592002 · ‎08-28-2011

From what I've seen, none of the Chinese / Hong Kong vendors list the shipping service. Usually it is only "Standard Int'l Shipping".

Does that meean that they only deal with Canada Post in Canada or one can expect UPS / Fedex / DHL charges? TIA.

pierrelebel · ‎08-28-2011

"What do you do if the seller states they will ship USPS to Canada and then they go and ship UPS without telling you"

You should contact the seller and ask him to refund the difference between the brokerage fees (not the taxes) charged by UPS and what Canada Post would have charged ($8.50) if the item had been shipped through USPS as requested or shown in the listing.

pierrelebel · ‎08-28-2011

"Does that meean that they only deal with Canada Post in Canada"

It means they most likely ship through China Post and the parcel will eventually be delivered through Canada Post.

Taxes and brokerage fee ($8.50) will be collected by Canada Post.

However, a buyer should read a listing carefully and ask the seller what method of shipping will be used PRIOR to placing a bid or making a purchase just in case the seller uses a shipping service other than the postal service.

11heeed · ‎08-28-2011

2nd response;

as i mentioned in my first response, this has never happened to me. Could any one shed a light on this!

I still recieve my purchases from various sellers as we speak and never had this problem here in Toronto.

I wish, this stays the way it is since there're some complains over extra fee's. It SUCKS!

magictrickx · ‎08-30-2011

I purchased an item and it was shipped via USPS in the U.S and I guess Canada Post once it reached Canada. I wasn't home to receive the delivery but the notice that was left for package pickup shows that I have to pay $108!

I've received items via USPS before and never been charged. Granted this is a much more expensive item, but what is the deal here??