Questions about the Global Shipping Program

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Do you have questions about the Global Shipping Program? Please post here & I'll do my best to track those answers down for you!

If you have any comments about the program, use this forum instead.

Thanks,

[afantiques]

Not exactly. The seller is not shipping to Canada. He only ships to Kentucky with cheap domestic rates for Delivery Confirmation.

Shipping to Canada would be more. How much more would depend on the service chosen.

The Pitney Bowes charges something (around $5 apparently) to move the item from Kentucky to your doorstep.

The $5 is the paperwork charge, the actual shipping cost could be anything from $10 to $100 or more depending, as usual, on the size and weight information supplied by the seller.

So which is cheaper

$5 domestic shipping + $5 KY to Canada shipping?

The cost of shipping to Canada is never as little as $5

Which may or may not attract duty and tax for doorstep payment.

GSP shipping will never incur tax for doorstep payment.

I really am at a  loss to understand why you persist in stating that GSP items cost $5 to ship. Please explain this. A few minutes looking at the shipping charges for GSP items should dispel this misapprehension.

[femmefan1946]

afantiques

It's not a real value. It's just an example since we don't know the weight dimensions or service used to ship. I suppose I could use $X.xx instead, but the $5 makes more sense to me.

GSP shipping will never incur tax for doorstep payment.

You're right. My cut and paste got away on me.

[femmefan1946]

So which is cheaper

$5 domestic shipping + $5 KY to Canada shipping? Which may or may not attract duty and tax for doorstep payment.

$10 First Class International Shipping to Canada? (Because the duty and taxes are not really part of the 'shipping' cost and go to the Canadian government, eventually.)

$25 Global Priority Shipping to Canada? (This was the only Delivery Confirmed service available until quite recently)Which may or may not attract duty and tax for doorstep payment.

$10 UPS Ground Service to Canada? Plus $25 service fee plus duty and taxes on the doorstep (Remember those threads?)

Should read

$5 US domestic  shipping to KY + $5 KY to Canada shipping? Which may or may not attract duty and tax for upfront payment.

$10 First Class International Shipping to Canada? (Because the duty and taxes are not really part of the 'shipping' cost and go to the Canadian government, eventually.) But which may or may not attract duty and tax for doorstep payment.

I think the other two are fairly accurate.

[johnnyggg]

For items that are sold under the Global shipping program and list shipping and import charges separately, do the import charges include (destination) sales tax?  In my case I'm purchasing from the US and shipping to Canada.  Will any further charges be due on delivery?

[toby_le_pue]

No further charges should be added

[bigboyluc]

I purchased an item that stated 43 dollars would be charged to ensure I had no duty fees to pay, I also paid 29 dollars in shipping which the seller says he did not charge, What are these fees.  If I do not get an answer I will ask my Credit Card company to cancel this transaction.

[mjbeatle]

If I buy something from a seller using the Global Shipping Program with an estimate of zero, could there be further charges I don't know about until after I've committed to buy? If so, can I cancel the purchase? I've seen programs like this before that claim to collect Canadian duties when there aren't any duties on items worth less than $100.

Thanks,

Martha

[toby_le_pue]

 I've seen programs like this before that claim to collect Canadian duties when there aren't any duties on items worth less than $100.

Most things Imported into Canada with a value over $20.00 Canadian is subject to the same taxes

you would pay if you bought it in Canada.

You may not pay any duty but you will pay the taxes and a handling fee by Pitney Bowes.

[theafkgamer]

These fees are charged to you by something called the Global Shipping Program. The seller is not charging you this, it's a third party called Pitney-Bowes. They charge you the taxes Canadian Customs would charge you + a handling fee. This is to ensure the parcel is delivered to you without any extra fees at the door. You're basically paying these fees in advance.

The GSP has to be opted into by sellers, so your seller opted into this program (aware of it or not).

[afantiques]

If I buy something from a seller using the Global Shipping Program with an estimate of zero, could there be further charges I don't know about until after I've committed to buy?

No. You see the full charges before you commit to buy. At least, you are shown the charges. There is no way to make buyers actually read anything.

[patrick_the_loner]

TOO EXPENSIVE THE SHIPPING COST IS MORE THEN THE COST OF THE ITEM YOU BOY. NOW LOOKING ELSEWHERE TO BUY ITEMS .

[mjbeatle]

I used to think so too until last summer when I bought from a US retailer and didn't use their program which was going to charge me something like $30 duty on $60 worth of shorts. When I picked them up at UPS there was no duty or tax and UPS told me about the $100. I can't help wondering, if I had paid those "duties", that didn't apply, where would that money have gone? Not to the CRA.  

[marnotom!]

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@mjbeatle wrote:

I used to think so too until last summer when I bought from a US retailer and didn't use their program which was going to charge me something like $30 duty on $60 worth of shorts. When I picked them up at UPS there was no duty or tax and UPS told me about the $100. I can't help wondering, if I had paid those "duties", that didn't apply, where would that money have gone? Not to the CRA.  

---

What UPS shipping method was used?  The tax (and duty, if applicable) may have been rolled into the shipping charge for the item or perhaps the retailer included those fees with the item price, depending on whether the website was geared toward sales to Canada.

Without a receipt, we can only speculate, but I think you must have paid taxes, at least, somewhere and somehow.

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

[fantasystockings]

I've been importing products regularly for several years and I can tell you that Canada Customs does a very poor job of clearing the item properly. 

They give you time to appeal though. Write a letter and attach that bill, telling them that you were wrongfully charged. They should refund your money. 

[pjcdn2005]

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@bigboyluc wrote:

I purchased an item that stated 43 dollars would be charged to ensure I had no duty fees to pay, I also paid 29 dollars in shipping which the seller says he did not charge, What are these fees.  If I do not get an answer I will ask my Credit Card company to cancel this transaction.

---

You purchased an item through the global shipping program. The seller sends the item to the center in Kentucky and Pitney Bowes then sends the item to you. The $43 is for taxes, duty and brokerage. The $29 is the shipping cost. Your seller receives the domestic portion of that cost and Pitney Bowes receives the international shipping cost.

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/buy/shipping-globally.html

[marnotom!]

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@fantasystockings wrote:

I've been importing products regularly for several years and I can tell you that Canada Customs does a very poor job of clearing the item properly. 

---

Could you elaborate on this point?  I'm intrigued.  Perhaps this explains why most commercial shipments get cleared by entities other than Canada Border Services.

[ericktus]

canadian custom charge tax and duty an item over 20$, under this it's free of charge. it's why i didn't order from us sellers to avoid bad surprises 🙂 long life FREE TRADE between usa and canada......

[nitro-barry]

Why should Canadian or international bidders be forced to pay import charges at the source when this is handled ( in my case) by Canada Post. In most cases, these charges are much higher than they need to be! I can only assume that ebay is simply trying to squeeze more money out of the buyer to fill the`re pockets or they have no clue about international customs. Is this compulsory? If so, I and a lot of AAA buyers may have to stop using ebay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[xboxandy108]

Not all auctions have those charges, so do what I do and avoid them at all cost.

From what I understand, the seller has essentially signed up for a voluntary service that provides packing and shipping services for them, and they are essentially passing on the charges to the buyer. The so called "import" charges are MUCH higher than they are when handled outside of this ebay service. Also, if you check the small print, it says "These fees are in addition to the customs duties and taxes imposed by country tax and customs officials" so you can still get dinged for charges by Canada Customs. It's nothing more than an additional, over inflated shipping charge.

Unfortunately we're just stuck looking for sellers not participating in this outrageous program. I've been Ebaying for almost 10 years, and have over 400 purchases, and have never paid the types of fees that they claim they are simply charging you up front.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/shipping-globally.html

[judychance63]

I wanted to buy something on ebay but seller used the global shipping which is very expensive. I asked seller if she can ship it through USPS shipping and she agreed but she doesnt know how to change the shipping method. Can you tell me so I can message it to her?