Why I no longer buy eIS items from US

[theoldestfart]

This is a prime example of why I am sticking to what little purchasing I do these days on eBay to Canadian sellers. I was watching an item in San Antonio Tx. The seller put out an offer for $20 USD for the item that was listed for $28 USD. I turned down the offer. The reason was that by the time the item crossed the US border the $27 shipping charge would mean the item was $63 CDN plus the $10 brokerage fee via Canada Post plus the 12% PST & GST charged on it.  It is no longer cost-effective to buy from US sellers. 

[marnotom!]

How do you know that the item wouldn't just get a "free pass" from Canada Border Services when it entered Canada?  How do you know your item would get a "free pass" from CBSA if it went through as a direct-mailed shipment?

Anyway, it sounds as though our governments' plans to level the playing field and keep us shopping locally are being successful.  I don't see this as being an eIS issue, quite frankly.

[brettjet38]

"It is no longer cost-effective to buy from US sellers." 

That is the whole point, buy local within your own country, that is what Western Goverments are doing...

[fh991586]

Shipping charge are not stated on the custom form, only the declared value of the item. So it's not accurate to think you'll be dinged with brokerage fee on the total you paid.

It's worse in Europe, as there are no more gift or small value item provision: everything not a document is taxable, thus making it a lot less interesting to sell there. If you don't pay the fee in advance, the buyer might refuse to pay them at delivery...

[theoldestfart]

I certainly have never gotten a "free pass" from CBSA on any eIS items which was about 4 or 5 items. Direct mail item I would take my chances any day on direct mail shipments especially at this time of year and since these days I am buying a heck of a lot more items via AliExpress than I am via eBay. None of these were assessed as additional charges via CBSA via direct mail shipments.

I tried to purchase within Canada on eBay only to have one user never reply back to my Best Offer bid and another seller in Canada tried to do an off eBay deal.

[marnotom!]

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@theoldestfart wrote:

I certainly have never gotten a "free pass" from CBSA on any eIS items which was about 4 or 5 items. Direct mail item I would take my chances any day on direct mail shipments especially at this time of year and since these days I am buying a heck of a lot more items via AliExpress than I am via eBay. None of these were assessed as additional charges via CBSA via direct mail shipments.

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I've only made one eIS-forwarded purchase so far, but I got it without a tax charge as it looks as though the C$40 tax-free limit for couriered shipments was applied rather than the C$20 tax-free limit for mailed shipments.  (Yes, Canada Post handled the item within Canada.  The package had a "Delivered Duties [sic] Paid" sticker on it.)

Unless somebody handling my item goofed or things have changed, the item you're referring to in your original post would have gone through tax-free, too.

[femmefan1946]

Under the CUSMA treaty of 2020 Canadians can import up to $150 value from the USA duty free,and $40 tax free.
So there should be no import fees on the purchase.

Canada Post's service charge is for collecting those import fees. No fees> no service charge.

The shipping charge is based in part on the seller's choice of shipping service, and in part on the eIS(discounted for bulk shipping) fee for shipment from Illinois to your doorstep in Canada.

Your total cost would be $47USD /$58.75.

[theoldestfart]

That $47 USD is what I paid a fellow Canuck in NWT for the same item up here. I did notice that one eIS seller in USA had enabled the feature that you paid the import fees upfront. I forget what the cost of that item was as I have looked at so many over the past couple of days.

[marnotom!]

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@theoldestfart wrote:

I did notice that one eIS seller in USA had enabled the feature that you paid the import fees upfront.

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Sellers don't enable that feature, eBay does.  When eIS was first unleashed, the word from eBay was that at some point buyers would get the choice as to whether they wanted to pay duties and taxes at Checkout or on delivery, but so far it seems to be mostly the latter option with the Checkout option determined by the value of the item and its category as well as other criteria that escape me at the moment.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you Been on eBay since 2003 Costs to buy or sell on eBay is outrageous especially last few years On top of that I’ve just learned that the carrier they use now out of Glendale heights has a very very bad history So now items coming to Canada from US can take longer than ordering something on Ali express from China EBay protects sellers by wiping out any comments about their now third rate shipping partner I assume to make even more profit Typical American capitalism at its worst I used to purchase a lot over the years but last year or so not so much and once this latest purchase arrives if it does will certainly lu be my last I’ve already flushed PayPal and eBay will be following shortly Shameful the contempt they have for buyers who are not American

[mrdutch1001]

Comments like this shows how little buyers know and/or understand about the different shipping processes around the world, but it's especially shameful how buyers have so little knowledge about  those shipping processes between USA & Canada....

Blaming eBay for a mail sortation problem in Houston, Texas is ridiculous...

[theoldestfart]

Who in this thread blamed anything on a mail sorting issue in Houston?

[marnotom!]

The user that @mrdutch1001 replied to made a reference to Houston in another thread, @theoldestfart.

[electricalley]

I've been on eBay for 16+ years. A seller from whom I bought 3 items is telling me shipping is free BUT eBay is charging me USD $20+ PER ITEM for 3 small items that are being shipped together in a single box to Canada.
1-eBay's new eIS (eBay International Shipping program) does NOT allow US sellers to combine & discount shipping.
2-The US seller ships for FREE to eBay's International Hub; that's why the seller is telling me that shipping is free' because IT IS free, for HIM!
3-That means at least half of the $60+ eBay is charging me is going DIRECTLY into eBay's pocket.
4-eBay chat and phone reps insist there's no way to combine/discount shipping when using eIS.
5-Is there a BETTER way to DISCOURAGE Canadian buyers from buying on eBay! ACTUALLY, THERE IS!
6-eBay's eIS does NOT us USPS which WOULD allow sellers to combine/discount shipping; eBay uses UPS & FedEx EXCLUSIVELY.
7-Neither UPS nor FedEx will ship to PO Boxes!
8-Is there any way for eBay to further ALIENATE Canadian buyers? YES, INDEED!
9-eBay will allow Canadian buyers who use a PO Box as their Primary Address to freely BID and BUY NOW on eBay WITHOUT warning them that the eBay Checkout page will STOP them from paying for the items they just committed to buying once the Checkout process spots the PO Box address.
10-So there you have it, Canadian eBay buyers. This is the NEW REALITY on eBay.com
11-Why would ANY Canadian buyer continue to use eBay?

12-We Canadians ARE polite; we're def NOT stupid! 😛

[electricalley]

There's no reason to bring MAGA politcs into this discussion.

[electricalley]

I totally agree with you. I've ordered a cell phone on Ali that arrived in3 weeks. eBay used to deliver items to me in Canada in 1-2 weeks; now it takes 3-4+ weeks because items MUST go through eBay's Intenrational hub where they get a new and different tracking number. The whole eIS process benefits sellers (who ship free to eBay's US hub) and it benefits eBay who gets to add shipping charges that CANNOT be combined/discounted, putting extra money into eBay's pockets. Additionally, eBay's eIS will NOT ship to PO Boxes because eIS ONLY uses UPS and FedEx. So Canadian ordering items on eBay.com has become a Canadian Porch Pirate paradise! Good-bye eBay.com. Adieu!

[electricalley]

So according to you eIS is great for Canadians? Sound like you're an eBay.com employee.

[marnotom!]

If the seller is open to the idea, the way to get around eIS’s limitations on combined shipping is for them to cancel the listings in question (or sales, if the items have already been purchased) and relist them as a single listing exclusively for the buyer. It helps if the items are in the same category for customs purposes on eIS’s end.

A good example of this can be found on this thread, which also brings up another issue with eIS that you haven’t brought up:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Buyer-Central/DHL-is-charging-me-taxes-WTH/m-p/508822

[mrdutch1001]

nooood..I never said that "eIS is great for Canadians "

I don't buy anything on eBay...haven't for many many years...and certainly NOT from the USA!

and oh yeah just love how you think I am an "eBay.com employee">!! what a joke!

Sorry, to dissapoint but at my age I don't/won't work for anyone but myself...

Have a good day!

C'est la vie!

Que sera, sera!

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@marnotom! wrote:

If the seller is open to the idea, the way to get around eIS’s limitations on combined shipping is for them to cancel the listings in question (or sales, if the items have already been purchased) and relist them as a single listing exclusively for the buyer. It helps if the items are in the same category for customs purposes on eIS’s end.

A good example of this can be found on this thread, which also brings up another issue with eIS that you haven’t brought up:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Buyer-Central/DHL-is-charging-me-taxes-WTH/m-p/508822

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@marnotom! 

@electricalley 

I have talked to numerous buyers who are, how shall we say, unthrilled with the program. I have passed on the suggestion on either a combined listing or opting out on the listings concerned. Their response from those sellers was either an outright no or zippo for a polite return response. They feel (imply) it's not worth their time and trouble. To find a seller that IS willing to cooperate/be flexible is definitely needle in a haystack like. Just has made for bad buying experience especially with the increased shipping costs, slow service and potential risk for porch pirates. There is supposed to be a video somewhere on dot com, I believe both for a seller and buyers perspective on what happens to a shipment when it gets to eIS but I have not had any luck tracking it down. (eBay supported video). 

-Lotz

PS. With GSP you could go to the help page and relatively easily find out how to opt out on a by listing basis for those 1 of customers. With eIS not as easy to find. In theory eIS should have dedicated help considering it is an entity onto itself for all the frustrations it has reportly caused. (The dot ca discussion forum should never have been the go to for user help and concerns on the issue.)

-Lotz