eBay

patrick_the_loner · ‎06-09-2013

I just had a trying experience with 2 E bay sellers, it is not their fault but this new darn Import Charge to Canadians is a farce..If the Americans need money badly just put a gun to my face and take it not bleed the main source of the E Bay sellers income. As I am a member since Jan-7-08 I have bought a lot of different items and I may be forced to go elsewhere to buy. And from what I have read in the discussion board a lot more Canadians are doing the same...DON'T E BAY CARE ABOUT IT'S MEMBERS???????..The US postal service is to darn high to send items here to Canada??? What happened to that FREE TRADE WE HAD ( OR DID WE ??????? ) Yeah Right

You buy an item from E.Bay for $25.00 US and the shipping charges are sometimes double the price and now this so called IMPORT CHARGE NOW AH YOU THINK THAT CANADIANS ARE STUPID WERE NOT WE KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE US ECONOMY...........WE HERE IT EVERY DAY,,,WHY SHOULD WE CANADIANS AND LOYAL E BAY MEMBERS PAY FOR YOUR DEBT YOU DID IT NOT US,

GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE WE ALL WERE HAPPY THEN AND E.BAY SELLERS DID VERY WELL... Thank You A LOYAL E.BAY BUYER

marnotom! · ‎06-25-2013

@i*m-still-here wrote:
You keep trying to explain the existence of the GSP.

I think you stated something above about how it makes sense for countries other than Canada.

Are you kidding?
Have you looked at the charges for oversees shipping via the GSP?
It makes Canada look reasonable.

There simply is no justification for it.

It was a mistake.

It will die before you know it.

I also said that the GSP wasn't designed with small, modestly-priced items in mind.

Looks like you missed that part.

i*m-still-here · ‎06-25-2013

The GSP is horrible for small inexpensive items because it drives the cost of shipping too high and prices them out of the market.

Not sure what you mean by that.

marnotom! · ‎06-25-2013

I'm not sure what's meant by replying to a post that I didn't make in the first place.

00nevermind00 · ‎06-27-2013

Absolutely the worst aspect of the GSP, for me anyway, is the lack of combined shipping. Having to pay all those charges on one lightweight $10 item is bad enough, but if you buy three or four lightweight $10 items from the same seller, you'll incur those high charges 4 times instead of only once. The savings from combined shipping now go to PB instead of the buyer. Not nice!

The GSP promoters are also not helping their case by lumping their service charge and whatever else charges they tack on under "import charges". Seeing "import charges" tacked on so many non-taxable items has given buyers the impression that these "import charges" are a way for the PB/ebay partnership to line corporate pockets, and that none of the money is actually going to the taxman in their country. Some clarity would have helped, I think, but that was probably expecting way too much from people who implemented their program in such a devious fashion.

marnotom! · ‎06-27-2013

@message*board*id wrote:

Absolutely the worst aspect of the GSP, for me anyway, is the lack of combined shipping. Having to pay all those charges on one lightweight $10 item is bad enough, but if you buy three or four lightweight $10 items from the same seller, you'll incur those high charges 4 times instead of only once. The savings from combined shipping now go to PB instead of the buyer. Not nice!

The GSP promoters are also not helping their case by lumping their service charge and whatever else charges they tack on under "import charges". Seeing "import charges" tacked on so many non-taxable items has given buyers the impression that these "import charges" are a way for the PB/ebay partnership to line corporate pockets, and that none of the money is actually going to the taxman in their country. Some clarity would have helped, I think, but that was probably expecting way too much from people who implemented their program in such a devious fashion.

The lack of means to combine shipping as well as the fact that there doesn't seem to be a mechanism for providing refunds on the import charges for not-completed sales or for sales where a refund was made leads me to believe that whoever devised the mechanics of the GSP was not overly familiar with how eBay works.

Your perspective on the Import Charges is interesting, as there's been a European arguing on the .com site's International Trading board that people there seem to associate the term "import charges" with taxes/duties owing and nothing else. I agree that more clarity would help, although in fairness the GSP Terms and Conditions page for buyers does go into some amount of detail for those who bother to read it. I suspect a lot of buyers click on that "by agreeing to purchase this item I agree to the terms and conditions" button/link without knowing to what they've agreed.

i*m-still-here · ‎06-27-2013

I wasn't replying to a post you didn't make marnotom.

I was saying that the GSP is a mistake with no redeeming qualities.

The only transaction where it "might" be a good thing is when you have a seller who won't ship out of the State otherwise combined with a buyer who just has to have that one particular item and none other will do.

Even then it's only works when the buyer isn't in a business and tax rebates are an issue and when returns aren't an issue.

The GSP is a mistake with a limited life span.

sa_calla · ‎06-27-2013

This is NOT an import charge and it has nothing to do with Canada customs or USPS! Ebay has US sellers using their new "shipping center" so EVERY INTERNATIONAL ITEM that is sent to the shipping center gets a brokerage fee applied. Most of the small ebay sellers don't even know this is happening & none of the money goes to them. This is just a new way for Ebay to grab more money just like Fedex, UPS & other courier companies have been doing for years! Now Ebay is cutting them out. If you buy anything from the US ASK the seller if they use Ebay's shipping center, if they do you WILL be charged a BROKERAGE fee. If the seller goes it to the post office themselves it COULD be pulled by Canada customs & you will have to pay the GST & I think a $10. fee. The "shipping center" parcels can also be pulled by Canada customs so you then get Ebay's brokerage fee & Canada customs fee.

marnotom! · ‎06-27-2013

@i*m-still-here wrote:
I wasn't replying to a post you didn't make marnotom.

I was saying that the GSP is a mistake with no redeeming qualities.

The only transaction where it "might" be a good thing is when you have a seller who won't ship out of the State otherwise combined with a buyer who just has to have that one particular item and none other will do.

Even then it's only works when the buyer isn't in a business and tax rebates are an issue and when returns aren't an issue.

The GSP is a mistake with a limited life span.

I was and still am very confused by the fact that your post was "in reply to" mine and you had a sentence in bold that you then questioned.

Anyway, if you were a U.S. seller and were selling a $500 mobile phone to Europe (where they're a lot more expensive), how would you ship it so that it has an online viewable signature confirming delivery?

marnotom! · ‎06-27-2013

@sa_calla wrote:
This is NOT an import charge and it has nothing to do with Canada customs or USPS! Ebay has US sellers using their new "shipping center" so EVERY INTERNATIONAL ITEM that is sent to the shipping center gets a brokerage fee applied. Most of the small ebay sellers don't even know this is happening & none of the money goes to them. This is just a new way for Ebay to grab more money just like Fedex, UPS & other courier companies have been doing for years! Now Ebay is cutting them out. If you buy anything from the US ASK the seller if they use Ebay's shipping center, if they do you WILL be charged a BROKERAGE fee. If the seller goes it to the post office themselves it COULD be pulled by Canada customs & you will have to pay the GST & I think a $10. fee. The "shipping center" parcels can also be pulled by Canada customs so you then get Ebay's brokerage fee & Canada customs fee.

There's no reason to ask a seller if they use the Global Shipping Program. The information's right on the listing.

I don't think it's a cash grab by eBay. From what I've seen of a few shipments posted on the discussion boards, there's not much there to give to eBay after Pitney-Bowes and its partners have their share. eBay is simply hoping to bolster its revenues from increased international sales.

I find it interesting that you object to the GSP's fees when--as you point out--Canada Post levies something along those lines, too. For larger items, the less expensive shipping cost through the GSP may mitigate the higher import charges. You're right that it's makes the cost of importing smaller, more modestly-priced items pretty ridiculous, though.

If an item should somehow be pulled by Canada customs and assessed taxes a second time, a buyer should be able to contest that with CBSA although admittedly that can be a pain in the tuckus.

i*m-still-here · ‎06-27-2013

marnotom; I get that the way I posted was confusing. I was not quoting you. The statement was mine and not yours and I did not mean to imply that it was. My mistake.

""Anyway, if you were a U.S. seller and were selling a $500 mobile phone to Europe (where they're a lot more expensive), how would you ship it so that it has an online viewable signature confirming delivery?""" (Quote from marnotom.)

That whole scenario: Being a US seller and selling mobile phones is so far out of my universe that it means nothing to me.

I can't even speculate on how I'd operate that business.

However, as for being a buyer of something like that from a US seller, I would look somewhere else for my phone and would not have any problem finding one from a seller who does not use the GSP.

marnotom! · ‎06-27-2013

Maybe you wouldn't have problems, but you might be hurting a little for choice.

Just did a search for a popular new Android phone on four different eBay sites. The results available on each site differ quite a bit.

eBay.ca: 1065 results

eBay.co.uk: 646 results

eBay.com.au: 320 results

eBay.com: 2451 results

Since the eBay.com results are a mix of sellers stating shipping to the United States and shipping to other destinations, I think it's reasonable to conclude that there are a lot of U.S. eBay sellers who are not shipping their phones outside of the U.S. when you compare those numbers to those of the other sites.

Also did the number crunching on a listing for a $600 phone. A GSP listing had a shipping charge of $18.28 and import charges of $78.88, for a total of US$97.16 in extra charges.

I found a listing for a similar phone where the seller was shipping it by Priority Mail International. (Note that this shipping method may not give the seller the full fraud protection they may be seeking.) The shipping charge was $35.30. If this item were stopped by customs and assessed taxes owing on it (and never assume that it won't), that would add another US$72 in taxes for me in BC. Add Canada Post's handling charge of, let's call it US$9.40, and those extra charges come to US$116.70.

Just found that difference interesting.

rsterzik · ‎07-06-2013

Anyone who has paid the "import charge" to Pitney Bowes should make a formal written complaint to the Canada Revenue Agency.

There is no GST number provided by Pitney RIP OFF Bowes. No GST number means no proof of that tax being paid, and the Canada Revenue Agency has no opportunity to check whether Pitney RIP OFF Bowes is remitting any tax, or all tax, that they are collecting. Collecting GST in the USA is also illegal, though I'm sure if any of the money actually arrives in Canada Revenue Agency hands they will ignore the illegal part.

I for one will no longer deal with sellers who use this RIP OFF system. Ship to Canada via USPS, not someone else. Don't try to collect taxes that are not due. Low value shipments are NOT TAXED. Period. This is nothing but a scam.

I will repost here once I have figured out how to make the complaint, and again if or when I get any reply. Being Canadian, I am used to being overtaxed and apparently am happy to pay taxes. I just HATE having someone collecting "import fees" (carefully not stated as TAXES) and ripping me off. If this was tax collection on behalf of CRA, as has been claimed, they would need to provide anyone who paid with a GST number. Without that number, this is a scheme, a rip off, again.

pierrelebel · ‎07-06-2013

"Collecting GST in the USA is also illegal"

With all due respect, you do not know anything about GST/HST collection.

Hundreds, yes hundreds, of US merchants are registered with GSt/HST and regularly collect and remit GST/HST on sales to Canadian residents. The advantage is obvious: goods are pre-cleared at Customs and are delivered quickly to buyers.

The Canadian government loves it as they fully collect all taxes due - something that may not always happen when goods are shipped by mail and assessed at time of Customs entry before being transferred to Canada Post for delivery.

Some of the largest mail order businesses in the USA doing business with Canadian buyers offer such service (GST/HST tax collection). Please do some research on the subject. You may learn a lot.

2011limey1 · ‎07-07-2013

Portfelt "Tell US sellers you will not buy from them if they are enrolled in the Global Ripoff Program. Buy Canadian!"

As I've said before, of course it's ridiculous and I have not and would not ever buy ANYTHING if I had to pay extra, however much I want it, just on principle. So like so many others, I'm not buying much these days because even their regular shipping has risen so much.

Buy Canadian?.......of course we should, and I know there are great Canadian sellers, but depending on what you want, there isn't much choice. Many times when I do searches and click Canada Only - I get zero results! There are also two Canadian sellers that I used to buy from but for inexpensive items I used to get even THEIR shipping charges have gone way too high, and again, I won't do it. Ah well, I'm saving money - when I joined in 2011 I was addicted. How things have changed in just 2 years.

marnotom! · ‎07-07-2013

@2011limey1 wrote:

Portfelt "Tell US sellers you will not buy from them if they are enrolled in the Global Ripoff Program. Buy Canadian!"

As I've said before, of course it's ridiculous and I have not and would not ever buy ANYTHING if I had to pay extra, however much I want it, just on principle. So like so many others, I'm not buying much these days because even their regular shipping has risen so much.

Buy Canadian?.......of course we should, and I know there are great Canadian sellers, but depending on what you want, there isn't much choice. Many times when I do searches and click Canada Only - I get zero results! There are also two Canadian sellers that I used to buy from but for inexpensive items I used to get even THEIR shipping charges have gone way too high, and again, I won't do it. Ah well, I'm saving money - when I joined in 2011 I was addicted. How things have changed in just 2 years.

Pardon me if I chime in here, but I don't look as additional costs such as taxes and shipping as "extras" but part of the price of the item as a whole. Particularly the taxes. If I don't get charged them, great, but I consider it a discount.

Is the item with shipping, taxes and processing fees still a good deal? If so, I buy it. I don't look at an item and nix it as a potential purchase simply because the shipping price is too high.

ricki865 · ‎08-06-2013

I agree! What the hell? First they take away Canadian eBay bucks program and now this?

We do not have to pay import charges on every purchase we make over our border so why should we start on eBay!/? I have been a member since 2002 and this is ridiculous. I buy A LOT, but I will turn up my nose to any Seller I see with that import crap in their auctions. You did this to them and us eBay. And what do you have against Canadians in particular?

marnotom! · ‎08-06-2013

@ricki865 wrote:
I agree! What the hell? First they take away Canadian eBay bucks program and now this?

We do not have to pay import charges on every purchase we make over our border so why should we start on eBay!/? I have been a member since 2002 and this is ridiculous. I buy A LOT, but I will turn up my nose to any Seller I see with that import crap in their auctions. You did this to them and us eBay. And what do you have against Canadians in particular?

Why are you taking this so personally? This is purely a business move. Pitney Bowes needs more cash, and eBay.com's domestic sales have flattened so they're taking this idea on to see if greater international sales can be generated.

PB and eBay are doing just what most eBay sellers do: trying to make a bit more money by finding a perceived need and meeting it.

No, we don't have to pay "import charges" on every purchase we make by mail. But we don't get pulled over by the cops every time we go over the speed limit when we drive, either. Occasionally, somebody gets nabbed.

Not all sellers are enrolled in the GSP. Buy from those sellers instead.

slickdecals · ‎08-07-2013

Well I don't know how this is going to improve business for ebay with US sellers selling to Canada. I for one have not spent 1 penny with any US seller using GSP since this program was implemented. I buy mostly new stuff. With the GSP program and high shipping costs, it 's no longer worth buying from US sellers. I Now only buy from China....Sad

marnotom! · ‎08-07-2013

@slickdecals wrote:
Well I don't know how this is going to improve business for ebay with US sellers selling to Canada. I for one have not spent 1 penny with any US seller using GSP since this program was implemented. I buy mostly new stuff. With the GSP program and high shipping costs, it 's no longer worth buying from US sellers. I Now only buy from China....Sad

Not all US sellers use the GSP. (It's pretty obvious in a listing when a seller uses the GSP and when a seller doesn't.) And while the GSP is a wash when it comes to shipping small, modestly-valued items, its usefulness becomes more apparent with larger, high-value items. But since you're buying from China, it seems unlikely that you're purchasing anything like that.

Having said that, I have yet to make a GSP purchase--deliberately or accidentally--and I don't plan on doing so until a few more kinks get worked out.

cuddleskovinsky · ‎09-10-2013

@kerstingunnel wrote:
I will not buy from an eBay business who partners with GSP.
   This year we Canadians number 35 million people and I'm sure that there are many of them who LOVE eBay as much as I do. Since this is a substantial market, I think it would be exceedingly foolish and myopic of eBay to jeopardize it altogether by taking GSP on board. Several eBay sellers I have contacted say that if the partnership becomes mandatory, they will cease to offer their listings to Canadians. Some have tried to work with GSP and find immediately that it doesn't serve them or their Canadian customers well - they have subsequently backed out of the partnership. Many have figured out beforehand and on their own that it wouldn't be in their interest or that of their Canadian customers and they have not opted for bringing GSP on board. All sellers say that they are encouraged by eBay to partner with GSP.
   Every seller I have discussed this issue with was under the impression that this a valuable service devised to streamline the buying process and solve existing problems for their Canadian customers. This is, then, patently untrue. If this is how eBay, against their better knowing, "sells" the GSP program to their vendors, eBay actively misleads them. If eBay is unaware of the real state of affairs in regards to import charges, it ought to look into the factual situation more diligently before making such a serious move. It appears to be a predatory and parasitic practise.

I think you've nailed it all here, sadly.

I feel bad for all the US buyers who will no longer be getting my business..........my main question now is:

In my searches (the ones that send email alerts), can I specify to NOT include auctions that involve import charges? I don't want to be bothered with alerts for such auctions now.