COD Scam: What is going on here? What to do? Help!

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

Our package arrived today and when we went to pick up the item Canada Post said we owe $24+ towards a COD charge! We've asked them to hold the item.

Does anyone have experience with this? CPC said the COD is for shipping (not duty, not import, not brokerage). Our book cost nearly $100 plus $8+ shipping (also in retrospect, about the cost of a COD!...). The purchase was from the USA into Canada and our end of the shipping costs have already been paid.

If there is any shipping overage it is the sellers responsibility. The seller has been contacted but most of their feedback indicates they won't respond so we're trying to figure out the best course of action.

What should we do?

- If we pay the COD, can we get the difference back from eBay? Postage is the sellers responsibility.
- If we refuse acceptance will we get our money back? The seller has a no returns policy.

Additionaly there are a substantial number of folks in the sellers feedback who claim the item recieved wasn't the item ordered. Now, we haven't opened the package but given that the shipping is already a scam we're concerned that if we accepted the COD the book might not even be the correct one purchased. If it isn't the right book, will we still get our money back if they have a no returns/no refunds policy? Or will they say we can't open another claim because we've already opened a claim on the COD?

What is going on here? What to do? Help!

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

Alright folks settle down, here's the scoop: turns out the Ruckus is on me (and the postal agent who didn't specify beyond shipping because there was a long line-up). The postal agent was very helpful today, the charge was broken down on the label: Tax +**bleep**-Service-Fee charged by the intermediary shipper. If I'd known this yesterday it would have been paid. Though, the ruckus is also on the shipper/customs because they knew it is a book and there is no full HST on books in Ontario!

The "COD" which is actually "Customs" is paid for, the package brought home, the book oogled, and the seller beefed for only shipping it in a brown-card-bag. (To be fair the seller actually got in touch with us and offered to pay the customs because they didn't let us know about it ahead of time!)

This thread also shows why it is best to be prepaired because I know there is no HST on books and had no idea how to rectify this at the counter, or if you even can when multiple shippers have been involved.

@marnotom!Thank you for that link to the Point-of-Sale Rebate on Books. Do you have any experience with how to go about the process if you've already paid the amount? Will I be required to fill out the CRA rebate claim Form GST 189? Its a bit confusing as the page states that the CBSA should have automatically deducted the amount for internet imports but they did not. *sigh* If it's not one thing, it's another.

[flipistics]

I've never had to do it, but I think you just fill out whatever form it is along with the receipt (you can download the tax receipt from your purchase history).  Keep in mind that not ALL books qualify though.

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

It should, its Art Reference. Unforunately the link on the government website doesn't work, figures. (https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/gst189.html)

Customs shouldn't have processed it in the first place:

[marnotom!]

The book may have been "pre-cleared" for customs by ePost Global or (more likely) a logistics outfit contracted by ePost Global and CBSA may have just electronically rubber-stamped it.

Does the customs documention look all offical and CBSA-ish?  You mentioned something about the label looking different.

[fergua3]

so it was a Customs tax afterall.  The fee must have been small.  I assume the value of the book was $100USD.  So HST on that would be about $18, so the fee must have only been about $7?  If the fee was 9.95 then it is the standard CRA fee when processing inbound items.  Too bad you were charged at all, but that is just one of the problems with these international shipping programs, they don't know all the details of the import laws of each country.

[femmefan1946]

if they live in the Atlantic Provinces then this may well be a charge by Canada Customs, not a COD postage due charge....

i said twice i was talking about tax, not duties.  Tax. 

I was confused by the mention of Customs, since the first job of Customs is collecting duties, and taxes are secondary.

Too bad you were charged at all, but that is just one of the problems with these international shipping programs, they don't know all the details of the import laws of each country.

Except that is their job.

It's what the "customs brokerage fee" is for.

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

@fergua3There is no accompanying customs documentation at all, certainly nothing like when you take it to customs directly. There is only a breakdown at the bottom of the label that says a COD charge for Duty: 0.00 Tax: $17.xx Fee: $7.xx

And exactly as @femmefan1946 says - it is the shippers responsibility to know the law of the Country they are shipping too and collect all appropriate information regarding the documentation from the seller at the time of purchase of the label and process, or not, accordingly. The seller utilizes their service because it is their business. It is their responsiility to know that a book is not taxable because - repeatedly charging tax on a non-taxable item quickly appears like tax fraud!

This is a known issue with intermediary shipping companies. Just last year I purchased an item from a major US business and prepaid the tax and duty at point of sale. The UPS tried to double charge the tax and when I called them out on it they refused to release my package. I had to tell them to send it back, that I would be in contact with the major retailer about their service, and also with the appropriate government reporting agency. They still refused to release the item. About 5 minutes after I hung up the phone they called back and said the item was released and on its way! It was not the first time it had happened to me and others have told me the same. They knew the tax and duty were paid because they didn't ask for proof. These are serious issues. If they dont adequatley train their employees then they shouldn't be employed or in the business in the first place. *rant over*

[fergua3]

Very interesting.  This is one of the many reasons i hate dealing with courier companies and will never buy from someone who ships by courier.  Courier companies are borderline organized crime as far as i'm concerned.

If Ebay truly cared about giving a good buying experience, then they would come out with an international shipping program that uses the postal system, so there would be no nasty surprise brokerage fees, taxes charged when they shouldn't be, waiting around all day for your package to be delivered, no shows by delivery drivers, delivery drivers that just stick a notice on your door instead of actually trying to deliver, items marked as delivered that never were etc etc etc.

[fergua3]

of course i just realized in your case it wasn't a courier company, was it.  They were an intermediary.  Same rant applies though i guess.   They should be leaving it up to the CRA to collect appropriate customs fees and taxes, especially since they can't do it correctly.

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

@fergua3It would certainly help if in the shipping options sellers were required to say whether they ship USPS/CPC etc or Private Courier/Intermediary/eBay Global. A buyer should know ahead of time what charges to expect. Is it law that this has to be disclosed? Actually, I'm kind of curious now. I know at ConceptTwo and B and H Photo etc.. they say how the item will be shipped and what fees to expect, because both use private.