Getting refund on custom charges on a return from Canada Post

[chphan]

Short/long story.

Seller sent me an item that is said item in terms of name and description but the item itself is not the one in the pictures that seller posted. It's an item in lesser condition than the one in the pictures. Seller may have multiple of said items and sent me the wrong one matching the pictures in the listing or he intentionally sent me a different item even though it doesn't look exactly as the one in the pictures hoping I wouldn't notice there was a switch. 

I made a return request and eBay system gave me an auto return label. Before I sent it back and get a full refund, I just realize that I had to pay custom charges of nearly $40 to Canada Post office. I don't think ebay or the seller is going to refund me these custom charges. I will be out $40 even if I return the item. Is there a way to get the charges back? 

[burtzchest]

i just return an item in france and the postofice there asks that women to pay 22euros to gat it back

now she dosent want to accept my return  shes mad and  ...who has to pay for a return such an amount of  customs????

[reallynicestamps]

Hindsight being 20/20 - you should have marked the shipment as Returned Merchandise

[pjcdn2005]

It's the seller's responsibility to pay any custom or VAT fees being charged. They may be able to apply to get that money back from their government.

[reallynicestamps]

Umm -@pjcdn2005-- The Buyer pays their country's customs and VAT, not the seller. Just as we pay GST on our new pair of sneakers and not Walk In Comfort.

[marnotom!]

@reallynicestamps, I think what @pjcdn2005 means is that because there was no indication on the customs form that the package contained returned merchandise, French customs considers the seller to be the "importer" or recipient of this particular shipment, and as such, the seller would be technically responsible for paying VAT, etc. due on the returned item.

[pjcdn2005]

@reallynicestamps In this case the seller is considered by France as the receiver/importer on record.

[reallynicestamps]

Yes. It is the "returned merchandise" that notifies the Customs clerks that the importer is not the buyer and is not subject to import fees.