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,

[bentley099]

My question to fellow Canadian buyers. 

I recently purchased an item, and since I have not had an issue with GSP before I felt that I shouldn't have an issue this go round. , Everything was going well, I received my Canada Post Tracking # etc. Now it has been sitting as "May 17, 2014 In Transit with Destination Carrier in Etobicoke, ON" for the longest time, and when i track via Canada Post " May 16, 2014 Electronic information submitted by shipper Winnipeg , MB". Given the time line im not overly concerned just wondering if anyone has had this as to me if its In Transit with Destination Carrier than it should be in Canada Posts hands. Has anyone else encountered this?

[marnotom!]

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@bentley099 wrote:

My question to fellow Canadian buyers. 

I recently purchased an item, and since I have not had an issue with GSP before I felt that I shouldn't have an issue this go round. , Everything was going well, I received my Canada Post Tracking # etc. Now it has been sitting as "May 17, 2014 In Transit with Destination Carrier in Etobicoke, ON" for the longest time, and when i track via Canada Post " May 16, 2014 Electronic information submitted by shipper Winnipeg , MB". Given the time line im not overly concerned just wondering if anyone has had this as to me if its In Transit with Destination Carrier than it should be in Canada Posts hands. Has anyone else encountered this?

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For the smartphone that I bought on eBay and had shipped through the GSP, I received an email from Canada Post before the item reached Canada stating that shipping information had been electronically submitted.  It seems that the item reached Etobicoke and was handled by a different carrier before Canada Post took over delivery in Richmond.  (The final destination was Vancouver Island.)  There wasn't really any useful tracking information from the carrier (Canpar?) between Etobicoke and Richmond.  It sounds as though your item may be in a similar boat.  I'd say you'll get more information by the beginning of next week if not sooner.  I suspect that the long weekend put a small monkey wrench into things.

[dtrjj]

Do you received the package now? I have the same situation with you, i bought an item from U.S. via the global shipping program on May-13 and i have lost contact with my package after it delivered to the U.S. shipping center. Now, one week passed i still have no idea about where is my package...

[bennett4612]

Hi nrsljt. 

Pitney Bowes pays import fees in every instance where they are due. They do this in order to make absolutely sure all items and fees are covered BEFORE they arrive at the buyer’s front door. This means no additional fees upon arrival, and no unwelcome “surprises” from local customs. And while there are times where import fees are not applied when shipping outside of the GSP, this does not mean the item wasn’t eligible for these tariffs and duties. 

As mentioned above this is done in part to make sure that there are NO additional amounts to be paid by the buyer upon delivery. You can learn more about that here:  http://pages.ebay.com/buy/globalshippingprogram/

Hope that helps. 

---Bennett

[afantiques]

This is normal, the package goes to KY first.

Dont't worry about it, it should arrive soon.

[hoogland123]

Tris10, 

Did you ever receive your package? I just received the same message you did: 

In transit - Exception-Held at Terminal
May-09-14, 22:50 PM, ETOBICOKE, ON M8V0A1

I contacted both USPS and Canada Post but the tracking number I was provided via the Global Shipping Program is no good to either of them: they need the actual USPS (2 letter, 9 numbers, 2 letters) tracking number or they can't help me. 

I've contacted the seller, but haven't yet heard back. 

Any tips would be appreciated. 

[zhol068]

What is a GSP Seller ?

[toby_le_pue]

A US seller who uses the Global Shipping Program.

[froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock]

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@hoogland123 wrote:

Tris10, 

Did you ever receive your package? I just received the same message you did: 

In transit - Exception-Held at Terminal
May-09-14, 22:50 PM, ETOBICOKE, ON M8V0A1

I contacted both USPS and Canada Post but the tracking number I was provided via the Global Shipping Program is no good to either of them: they need the actual USPS (2 letter, 9 numbers, 2 letters) tracking number or they can't help me. 

I've contacted the seller, but haven't yet heard back. 

Any tips would be appreciated. 

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patience. it happens. I have bought dozens of items through GSP and have had that  exception notice.Then the item arrived. 

[brenline1]

tell me , what happened to free trade ?   import charges to canada  ?.... who,s the idiot who came up with this money grab ?    its not worth buying anything here anymore.....what a waste..

[afantiques]

Any way to unkudo a post? I meant to hit reply.

Free trade does not mean no import charges and never has. Imported items are charged the equivalent of local sales taxes.

[femmefan1946]

Even under 'free trade' some items are still dutiable. Remember the foofaraw over Canadian steel and softwood lumber exports to the USA?

Only items manufactured in the 'free trade' country are exempt. If you buy an iPad from the USA it is dutiable because it was manufactured in China. That it was purchased from a US seller is irrelevant.

You still have to pay sales taxes, which are from 5% to 15% of the declared value depending on your province.

The shipper will charge a service fee for brokerage through customs (which includes showing CBSA that the item should be duty-free, in some cases) and transport.

[hoogland123]

Thanks, that's good to know. 

[mwc1942]

"Pitney Bowes pays import fees in every instance where they are due." 

What happens to the balance of the buyer's paid import fee in instances where they are not due?  

[mwc1942]

"Only items manufactured in the 'free trade' country are exempt."

For the most part that is correct but under "NAFTA Rules of Origin for Causal Goods Regulations" between United States and Canada, Item 3[a][ii] also states:

"the goods do not bear a mark and there is no evidence to indicate that the goods are not the product of the United States or Canada."

The GSP, charges duty on these type of items by the hundreds [?], knowing full well that they are not obligated by law to pay that duty.  They then have two options, one is to reimburse the buyer or pocket the difference.  Does anyone know of a buyer being reimbursed this portion [duty] or any portion of the import charge?

Ask yourself, why its not mandatory to list the country of manufacture or origin in the eBay listing?

Edit

GSP, terms & conditions does say manufactured only.

[pierrelebel]

"where they are not due"

The "import charge" shown on eBay reflects both the duty/taxes paid to the federal government and a handling fee going to Pitney Bowes.

For example, if $20.00 is charged as "import charge" and $15.00 is paid in GST/HST/PST (and duty if applicable), then the balance of $5.00 goes to Pitney Bowes as "handling fee". 

It is not that different from the $9.95 "handling fee" charged by Canada Post when taxes are levied by Canada Customs for parcels coming by mail or the huge "brokerage fee" charged by Fed-Ex or UPS for parcels coming by courier.

For items of low values (under Cdn$ 20) you will not see "import charge" since no tax is generally payable (a few exceptions apply). In those instances, the $4/$5 handling fee is incorporated in the shipping charge by PB.  In any case, American sellers should NOT by offering Global Shipping on these low priced items.

[mwc1942]

"The GSP, charges duty on these type of items by the hundreds [?]"

Should read:

The GSP, charges duty [under import charges] on these type of items by the hundreds [?]

[mwc1942]

"The "import charge" shown on eBay reflects both the duty/taxes paid to the federal government and a handling fee going to Pitney Bowes."

Agree with what you say but I was actually referring to items well over that amount, where the duty is collected in the import charge but not payed out by PB as in the case of duty free items under NAFTA.  The seller may not mention country of manufacture in the eBay listing, allowing duty to be added to the import charges but the item itself remains a duty free item.  What happens to that paid "duty" when PB ships the item into Canada .... its duty free.  Either Canada Customs illegally collect duty or what?

[pierrelebel]

"where the duty is collected in the import charge but not payed out by PB as in the case of duty free items under NAFTA."

I understand the concept.  However, could you provide an actual example where it did happen?  Where a Canadian buyer was actually charged duty and that amount was not remitted by Pitney Bowes (or its agents) to the Canadian government.

[pjcdn2005]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

"where the duty is collected in the import charge but not payed out by PB as in the case of duty free items under NAFTA."

I understand the concept.  However, could you provide an actual example where it did happen?  Where a Canadian buyer was actually charged duty and that amount was not remitted by Pitney Bowes (or its agents) to the Canadian government.

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I am sure that the poster does not have proof. However, PB is apparently opening packages to check for the country of manufacturer when they do not have the information. If the item is marked made in the U.S. and they note that on the paperwork they have to submit, they would not have to pay duty even if the buyer had already paid an amount equal to duty. Have you every heard of a buyer getting back money because of a situation like that? I haven't.

I agree that there is no proof that they are doing this but there is proof that the way the system is set up now allows items to be sold that should not be sold through gsp and allows sellers to use the gsp without providing the correct information. Also, noone other than PB knows what figures they are using when they charge  import fees and what figures they are using when they fill in their paperwork...there is no accountability.