Global Shipping Program Cost Calculation

[daniesmetan_0]

How are shipping cost calculated? I just purchased an item from England to be shipped to Canada and it is about 5 times smaller and lighter than something I purchased last month (also shipping from England to Canada) but the shipping quote is more. How does that happen?

[marnotom!]

My understanding is that f the seller hasn't provided any information on the item's shipping size and weight, the best the GSP "bot" can do is make a calculation based on an average for the item's category.

The recent drop in the value of the Canadian dollar may also affect the shipping cost, but probably not by much for an item like yours.

Also consider that the shipping cost you see is the sum of the seller's charge for shipping the item to the Global Shipping Center plus Pitney Bowes' charge for shipping the item from the UK to you.  If this seller has chosen a more expensive method for shipping within the UK than your previous seller, that's going to make a difference to the overall shipping charge as well.

[femmefan1946]

Are both purchases for the same item?

Duty varies with the category of the item.

Look at the threatened duty on importing metals to the USA recently. Steel at 24% and aluminum at 10%.

Did both purchases have the same purchase price?

And the value of the item (purchase price plus shipping) will also affect import fees.

The duty will be higher on a more expensive item.

The sales tax will vary with the value of the import- and will be assessed even if the items are not dutiable.

The usual service fee from GSP is lower than the service fee from Canada Post.

[daniesmetan_0]

They are not the same item and in fact, the item that is smaller and cheaper is the one whose shipping charge was the highest.