eBay

zjose4u · ‎10-21-2014

It limits my shopping with Ebay lately. I can go direct and find shipping 0 to 1/4 of Ebays charges...........................

sellmantra · ‎10-21-2014

It's another way ebay defrauds people by charging an import fee without telling you.

rockp5233 · ‎10-21-2014

May I suggest you two options ;

- Buy from a canadian sellers

- Buy from sellers outside the GSP ebay program, you may not have to pay any duty and/or tax, depend on the value and the type of commodity your are purchasing.

Good shopping,

ultimatedealzonlinegeneralstore · ‎10-21-2014

I'd love to know myself - I'm a seller from Canada - been selling for approx. 3 1/2 years and it's not easy at all - nobody likes the shipping costs.......and now - to make matters worse - with ebay's new calculation of seller's status - I keep losing my Top Rated Seller status because I don't have 100 sales within the last 12 months....grrrrrrr - I have approx. 92 and I'm approx. $700.00 over the amount they dictate we have to sell for the year and yet - I lose my status.......I give THE best customer service to my buyers.........I thought that's what selling on ebay was all about....it's hard enough due to the high shipping costs never mind not having Top Rated status.

ypdc_dennis · ‎10-21-2014

@debannmoo wrote:
...I keep losing my Top Rated Seller status because I don't have 100 sales within the last 12 months....grrrrrrr - I have approx. 92 and I'm approx. $700.00 over the amount they dictate we have to sell for the year and yet - I lose my status......

Going off topic from the OP's thread...

A simple thing is to mix in some inexpensive items to generate those extra sales needed to get over that 100 sale hump. You don't need to worry about dollar value since you've cleared that level, and as long as you break even on those 8 extra sales you're come out ahead with TRS status back.

And to keep shipping costs down find extra items that you can send as oversize lettermail (less than 2 cm thick, under 500g)

2011limey1 · ‎10-21-2014

Off topic I know.....but had to tell you this one re Canada Post. Yesterday I had a very small box (don't know what size but SMALL and light) to send to the U.K. for a kid's birthday. I only spent apx. $15.00 at a local store for the 2 tiny items. I knew I might be a little late so ran to the P.O. and this SURLY.....and I mean SURLY guy behind the desk said it might get there - who knows. So I asked what was the cost for Expedited and he said $78.00!! I really thought he was kidding (with that face I should have known better) but I started to laugh saying you're kidding me right? NO he replied. What the heck??? So I paid $9.37 - she's only 2 so she won't know if it's late! I still can't believe it - I keep thinking he MUST have got it wrong??!!

ypdc_dennis · ‎10-22-2014

@2011limey1 wrote:
.....and I mean SURLY guy behind the desk said it might get there - who knows. So I asked what was the cost for Expedited and he said $78.00!! I really thought he was kidding (with that face I should have known better) but I started to laugh saying you're kidding me right? NO he replied. What the heck???
So I paid $9.37 - she's only 2 so she won't know if it's late! I still can't believe it - I keep thinking he MUST have got it wrong??!!

Not sure where that $78 came from...

From the CanadaPost website find-a-rate section (Under 250g to the UK)

Small Packet (surface) - $7.53 (my experience, takes 4 to 8 weeks)

Small Packet (air) - $9.37 (my experience, takes 1 to 3 weeks)

Light Packet - $10.46

International parcel (surface) - $39.41

Tracked packet - $46.33 (7 business days)

Xpresspost - $65.39 (4 business day guarantee)

Priority - $98.20 (2 business day guarantee most UK locations)

femmefan1946 · ‎10-23-2014

dennis - are those the base rate or do they include applicable taxes? I would guess there are no taxes since the rates are for foreign destinations and over $5.

femmefan1946 · ‎10-23-2014

When you buy, make sure you add the shipping charges to the price of the item. And don't forget to include import charges under the Global Shipping Program.

You may find that sometimes a Free Shipping item is more expensive than a lower selling price plus shipping item. You may find that sometimes a GSP item is lower than either.

Always do the math.

Canada Post does have very high postage costs. And US sellers in particular tend to overprice their shipping to Canada.

2011limey1 · ‎10-23-2014

I KNEW it couldn't be right - but the guy WAS right. In my haste, I just said Express and he said the $78.00. I guess it was too much for the surly guy to give other options!

brentmorden · ‎02-11-2016

Shipping costs and the global shipping program have sent me to Amazon and buying things from China. Pitney Bowles has found a way to be a middle man on items that are within the free trade agreement. Poor sellers poor buyers. Bye-bye Ebay

marnotom! · ‎02-12-2016

@brentmorden wrote:

Shipping costs and the global shipping program have sent me to Amazon and buying things from China. Pitney Bowles has found a way to be a middle man on items that are within the free trade agreement.

Free trade has nothing to do with taxes. If it did, we wouldn't play GST/HST/PST in stores on items made in the United States or Mexico.

52waterdog · ‎02-12-2016

Ebay's Global shipping program puts Canadians at a disadvantage especially for items less than $100. Charging Canadians import duty on items under $100 is just a money grab since Customs Canada would not normally levy a fee here. GSP charged me $9.11 import duty on an item costing 26.95. Wow, thats a 33% duty.Are you kidding? And also charged shipping on top of that.

pierrelebel · ‎02-12-2016

"GSP charged me $9.11 import duty on an item costing 26.95."

Actually, the program charged you $9.11 import charges - not import duty. That charges covers the tax (GST/HST) and a handling fee ($4/$5) for Pitney Bowes to handle the shipment.

The same shipment coming by mail would have been charged a $9.95 fee by Canada Post in addition to taxes if taxes were levied by Canada Customs.

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

There is no question that the program is not "buyer friendly" for Canadians. American sellers had been informed by eBay years ago to use the program for items valued at US$50+. In most cases, Canadian should avoid buying from sellers insisting in using the program.

dmil8030 · ‎02-12-2016

Hello 'brentmordern',

<<Shipping costs and the global shipping program have sent me to [elsewhere] and buying things from China.>>

Suit yourself, but in the first instance you won't likely find the selection that you will here on ebay, and in the second

even if the item finally arrives it will almost certainly be a poor quality non-functional imitation of what you wish you had.

<<Pitney Bowles has found a way to be a middle man on items that are within the free trade agreement.>>

What does the Free Trade Agreement have to do with it? For online shopping purposes it simply means NAFTA-made

items will not have duty added on. Taxes, though, -- always taxes.

Or were you thinking that word "free" meant everything free, Free Trade, all free, ship free, everywhere all the time free?

If you buy from other online sites the rules still apply, -- any item valued at over $20 Cdn is subject to duties and taxes.

Should your item be shipped with a courier, in addition to the import charges required the brokerage fees will flatten you.

So since it seems to be high transport costs that are bothering you, why not set up your Search to best avoid higher

charges?

First try to find items in Canada. If you buy Canadian there will be no GSP or import charges (only tax if you buy from a

business seller).

Type your item terms into the Search bar and click to go.

Then,

From the left side of the page under Item Location choose Canada Only.

From the Sort bar, - pick Price + Shipping: lowest.

Be sure you have the View set to List and not Gallery.

If you need to expand your search to North America or even worldwide, simply train your eyes to pass by all those listings

which say,

Customs services and international tracking provided

That's a GSP listing. No point in clicking on it, the transport costs will only infuriate you.

Your only other option is to kindly ask the seller if he will remove the listing from the GSP and ship directly to you via

USPS First Class into Canada, -- which is a tracked (Delivery Confirmed) service.

https://ircalc.usps.com/?country=10054

USPS recently had a rate increase which has nothing to do with ebay or sellers or GSP items. Some services went up

nearly 22%, and you will find anywhere you shop online that items coming from the US will cost more.

Set up your Search parameters to accommodate your own criteria and choose your sellers (and items) carefully so that

when you do buy something you will get the best value for the money and not make a mistake or lose out.

Getting the best out of anything will always be up to you.

dmil8030 · ‎02-12-2016

Hello 'waterdog',

<<. . .Charging Canadians import duty on items under $100 is just a money grab since Customs Canada would not

normally levy a fee here.>>

If you have thus far not been charged at the door for items you bought outside Canada, you have simply been fortunate.

Any item over $20 in value could be assessed. It's the law. Sure, the GSP does it on every item making it a lousy choice

for inexpensive purchases but Pitney-Bowes has to tack on the charges. If the charges alone are what you believe to be

a "money grab", it is our government who is doing the grabbing.

<<GSP charged me $9.11 import duty on an item costing 26.95. Wow, thats a 33% duty.Are you kidding? And also charged

shipping on top of that.>>

Of course you were charged for shipping "on top of that", -- how else did you expect to receive it?

You do not say what the item is, but it sounds like the item had duty and taxes added. The term used on the listing was

"import charges", - because some items will have duty and others just taxes. There is no duty on camera equipment,

for example, but on clothing the duty is quite high. That is, unless it was made in a NAFTA country whereby it would be

duty-free, but not free of taxation. Taxes will be charged according to your province.

Have a look at this link here about which charges are imposed on what:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/dte-acl/est-cal-eng.html

But for all that, it seems as if you did agree to buy and pay for the GSP item, and those charges would have been

visible on the listing before you bought.

In future, why not try searching for items using Canada Only (never any duty and no tax, unless you buy from a business

seller), and otherwise just pass by those GSP listings as being too costly. That, or ask the seller to take the listing out of

the program and send it to you using plain old First Class mail.

hlmacdon · ‎02-12-2016

@dmil8030 wrote:

USPS recently had a rate increase which has nothing to do with ebay or sellers or GSP items. Some services went up
nearly 22%, and you will find anywhere you shop online that items coming from the US will cost more.

Spot on with your post. One small correction, the 22% figure is a blend, and some weight classes went up more than 50% as a result of the consolidation of the weight classes. Depending on the type of item one shops for, you could see a doubling of shipping costs. I deal with this on a daily basis as I use USPS for shipments outside of Canada. Ironically I still get Canadians contacting me looking to avoid taxes and duty. Whether you are a retailer under the obligation to charge taxes, or someone shipping into Canada, the real bone of contention ends up being having to pay taxes. Of course if a courier is in the mix, there will be another major complaint.

I often wonder if people scream and shout about the tax issue when they are shopping at local brick and mortar stores. I find it interesting when the general consumer doesn't complain about paying tax on local purchases but screams bloody murder when taxes apply to online purchases. On the other hand I do think the exemption limit for personal purchases is set far too low, and quite punative relative to many other countries. I think a better balance between protecting local business/tax revenues and allowing people to buy smaller purchases without the taxes/handling charges could be achieved.

dmil8030 · ‎02-13-2016

hlmacdon wrote:

dmil8030 wrote:
USPS recently had a rate increase . . .Some services went up nearly 22%, and . . . items coming from the US will cost more.

Spot on with your post. One small correction, the 22% figure is a blend,. . .

No, it is you who stands corrected:

From: http://www.3dcart.com/blog/usps-postage-rate-increase-starts-january-17-2016/

"First-Class Package International Services will increase by 21.6%"

https://stamps.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1685/~/january-2016-usps-rate-changes

"The overall price increase for the First Class Package International Service will be 21.6%"

http://www.stamps.com/usps/postage-rate-increase/

"First Class Package International Service will see an average rate increase of 21.6%"

http://www.fp-usa.com/ratechange/january-17-2016-rate-increase/

"First Class Int'l Package - 21.6%"

On First Class International an increase of 21.6%, well, gee, that's . . . nearly 22%.

Perhaps most puzzling to me is that considering the frequency with which that 22% figure has been bandied about

the boards recently, almost every day someone mentions it somewhere, I find myself once again wondering why,

when time and again poster after poster bemoans that "22% increase", why you have not chosen to 'enlighten' them all

with this imaginary 'correction' as well.

So now how does that saying go again, . . .something about mountains, . . . molehills . . . .

hlmacdon · ‎02-13-2016

@dmil8030 wrote:

@hlmacdon wrote:
@dmil8030 wrote:
USPS recently had a rate increase . . .Some services went up nearly 22%, and . . . items coming from the US will cost more.
Spot on with your post. One small correction, the 22% figure is a blend,. . .

No, it is you who stands corrected:
From: http://www.3dcart.com/blog/usps-postage-rate-increase-starts-january-17-2016/
"First-Class Package International Services will increase by 21.6%"

https://stamps.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1685/~/january-2016-usps-rate-changes
"The overall price increase for the First Class Package International Service will be 21.6%"

http://www.stamps.com/usps/postage-rate-increase/
"First Class Package International Service will see an average rate increase of 21.6%"

http://www.fp-usa.com/ratechange/january-17-2016-rate-increase/
"First Class Int'l Package - 21.6%"

On First Class International an increase of 21.6%, well, gee, that's . . . nearly 22%.

Perhaps most puzzling to me is that considering the frequency with which that 22% figure has been bandied about
the boards recently, almost every day someone mentions it somewhere, I find myself once again wondering why,
when time and again poster after poster bemoans that "22% increase", why you have not chosen to 'enlighten' them all
with this imaginary 'correction' as well.

So now how does that saying go again, . . .something about mountains, . . . molehills . . . .

Sometimes it helps to look at the actual numbers.

Anonymous · ‎11-04-2016

Shipping from us and within canada has went crazy.Ive had to drop my shipping below the real cost and offer my products lower then anything similar. Buying from the us forget it i collect records specifically 45s in canada 4.00 dollars from the us up to 24.00 dollars that's insane. Also I ship under a pound items by design used to cost 12 to us 8 within canada now it's 14-15 with my so called discount .my part time retirement bussiness went from 20k a year to 3k within the last year.