eBay

kenhkleung · ‎02-06-2021

Anyone has experience on returning an item which you paid tax and clearence fee to the courier? I bought an item from a seller located in Japan. I paid $47 to DHL for tax and processing fee. The item is not as described so I contacted the seller. I asked if I will get a refund for the tax and processing fee but he just kept telling me to return the item but never answered my question regarding the tax and DHL fee. Will I get paid back for the tax and DHL fee?

Thanks

marnotom! · ‎02-06-2021

@kenhkleung wrote:

Anyone has experience on returning an item which you paid tax and clearance fee to the courier? I bought an item from a seller located in Japan. I paid $47 to DHL for tax and processing fee. The item is not as described so I contacted the seller. I asked if I will get a refund for the tax and processing fee but he just kept telling me to return the item but never answered my question regarding the tax and DHL fee. Will I get paid back for the tax and DHL fee?

Probably not. I don't think DHL has a mechanism for refunds like that, and the government form I've seen to apply for tax/duty refunds for casual imports is for overcharges made for items sent by mail, not a commercial carrier.

DHL actually paid the taxes and clearance fees themselves in order to expedite your item through customs. What you paid DHL is a repayment of the taxes and clearance fees that DHL paid. DHL isn't going to get those back, either.

kenhkleung · ‎02-07-2021

I believe it's the seller's responsibility to pay me back the clearance fee as it was their mistake. It seems that the seller doesn't want to do so. What if I ask ebay to step in? Would they help me to force the seller to pay me back at least the clearance fee?

pjcdn2005 · ‎02-07-2021

No, ebay would not force the seller to pay those fees. It's not the seller's responsibility to compensate you for more than what they received from you other than for return shipping . When an item is processed through customs and delivered by Canada Post there is an area on the back of the customs form that you can fill out to recover duties and tax if the item was sent back. Check to see if there is something similar on the custom forms on the package that you received. If not, contact DHL to see if there is a way of recovering your taxes and duty. It's unlikely that DHL will refund the fees that they charged for their services but hopefully taxes and duty can be refunded.

If you file a return request through ebay and check off that the item is not as described, the seller is responsible for either sending you a return label or for sending you the money to buy a label. Do not pay for the label yourself as ebay cannot force them to pay for it once the item has been sent.

marnotom! · ‎02-07-2021

I completely agree with @pjcdn2005 on this.

Customs-related charges are the importer's (buyer's) responsibility. When you purchased from the seller and agreed to their shipping method, you also tacitly agreed to let a third-party handle anything customs-related. Your seller's responsibility is to do whatever's in their power to get the item to you in the condition stated in the listing. Customs and importation processes are the buyer's responsibility and not in the seller's hands.

You're going to have to take a stab at getting anything resembling a reversal of your customs-related fees through DHL. My sense is that it might be a bit easier if the return was through DHL and the customs documentation for the return states that the item is something that's being returned to the point of export (the seller), that way DHL might be able to strike the taxes/duty they paid on your behalf off their ledger and return those to you. But I doubt that you'll be able to get the clearance fees returned. A service was performed for you (possibly by a party other than DHL), even if it was for the wrong item, and that can't be undone.

kenhkleung · ‎02-07-2021

Thanks for your reply. I understand that the seller didn't receive clearance fee but it just doesn't make sense to me that the buyer needs to pay for the mistake made by the seller. I thought ebay will always protect the buyer but it seems that I'm wrong

marnotom! · ‎02-07-2021

@kenhkleung wrote:

Thanks for your reply. I understand that the seller didn't receive clearance fee but it just doesn't make sense to me that the buyer needs to pay for the mistake made by the seller. I thought ebay will always protect the buyer but it seems that I'm wrong

eBay's protection extends to charges from the seller that they have on record for the sale. Customs charges don't generally figure into that, unless the item was handled by the Global Shipping Program.

You--knowingly or not--enlisted the services of a third party to handle customs clearance and the monies you paid that party go to that third party, not the seller. Those charges are not officially part of the sale, eBay doesn't "know" about them and are not covered by its Money Back Guarantee.

femmefan1946 · ‎02-07-2021

it just doesn't make sense to me that the buyer needs to pay for the mistake made by the seller.

The seller is responsible for his mistakes.

He is not responsible for Canadian duty and sales taxes.

The Canadian buyer is responsible for those, when he chooses to import goods rather than buying in Canada.

techrtr · ‎05-15-2021

If you pay taxes and duty on an item that you return, I can't believe that you can't get a refund even if DHL handled the shipping. Taxes and duty go to the Canadian government. DHL would keep their processing fee. I've never returned an item so I can't speak from personal experience, but it makes sense to me that no matter who handled shipping, duty and taxes can be refunded if you send a request to Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎05-15-2021

@kenhkleung wrote:
Thanks for your reply. I understand that the seller didn't receive clearance fee but it just doesn't make sense to me that the buyer needs to pay for the mistake made by the seller. I thought ebay will always protect the buyer but it seems that I'm wrong

Explanation of what is or isn't permitted regarding refunds for returned Intl. goods. "Casual Refund Program". Purchases intended for your own use. Not for commercial purposes.

https://clearit.ca/canadian-customs-broker-blog/canada-customs-duty-refund/

https://www.crossbordershopping.ca/getting-refunds-canadian-duty-and-tax-goods-returned-to-us

In a way it is similar to the program for US travellers to get a refund for GST paid when travelling in Canada. When most mail was moving through USPS/CP refunds for returns were straight forward. You got a receipt for any duties, taxes and processing when you received and paid for your parcel. Now with GSP/Couriers in the mix the process is a little muddy because it is being paid on behalf of the buyer with limited if any actual documentation.

https://www.cchwebsites.com/content/pdf/tax_forms/ca/en/rc4031.pdf

Unfortunately there is no similar program for Canadians shopping in the USA...Unless you include the Yee Old Duty Free Shops. 🙂

-Lotz