"Standard international shipping" and hidden fees

[arn250]

I just bought an item that indicated "Free shipping" from Japan, supposed to be delivered through "Standard international shipping". Item description stated that there could be some "custom processing and additional charges."

I now just received a notice the item was in fact sent through FedEx and that I had to pay over 40$ in various fees. I did not receive the bill, just a call indicating I had some sums to pay. I never had to pay hidden fees before and I ordered from Japan in the past.

Question 1 : What is "Standard international shipping" ? I thought it would be handled through national postal services.

Question 2 : FedEx asks to pay them custom and taxes, and an added fee just to pick up my item at the customs. Shouldn't that fee be absorbed by the seller?

[brettjet38]

Question 1 : What is "Standard international shipping" ? I thought it would be handled through national postal services.

"Standard international shipping" is any mid-priced shipping service it's the Sellers choice as it is "Free"

Question 2 : FedEx asks to pay them custom and taxes, and an added fee just to pick up my item at the customs. Shouldn't that fee be absorbed by the seller?

No, any fees are the responsibility of the Buyer, you're the one importing the merchandise and the one who pays the tax, duty & brokerage fees...

...it's always been like that.

A - There is NO SUCH THING as FREE ANYTHING!

B - The shipping may have been "Free" but any import duties, taxes, or other fees are the Buyers responsibility...

...and in every listing on eBay worldwide it says

"International shipment of items may be subject to customs processing and additional charges. "

And if you click on the little? it say's

International Shipping - items may be subject to customs processing depending on the item's customs value.

Sellers declare the item's customs value and must comply with customs declaration laws.

 As the buyer, you should be aware of possible:

- delays from customs inspection.

- import duties and taxes which buyers must pay.

- brokerage fees payable at the point of delivery.

Your country's customs office can offer more details, or visit eBay's page on international trade.

So you see eBay does give/provide ALL the information, but as is often the case in situations like this the BDNR...

[reallynicestamps]

I don't know the declared value of the item in question, but $40 may be a reasonable amount to pay to FedEx depending on the amount owing in tax and duty.

FedEx, like UPS, charges $25 and up for "customs brokerage" while Canada Post charges $9.95 and the GSP charges ~$5USD.

And FedEx has a nasty habit of delivering the parcel, then billing later for the import fees including their very profitable"brokerage" fee.

Most of that $40 will be the brokerage and the other $15 will be mostly  sales taxes, since we have a Free Trade Agreement (TPP) with Japan.

[marnotom!]

UPS charges $25.50 and up for customs brokerage for ground shipments from the US. Their fee schedule is likely quite different for international air shipments. I wouldn't be surprised if the brokerage charges for FedEx international air shipments are partially subsidized by the shipping charge, the extent of which is dependant on the shipping service used.

[marnotom!]

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@arn250 wrote:

Question 1 : What is "Standard international shipping" ? I thought it would be handled through national postal services.

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"Standard International Shipping" is an international shipping service of the seller's choice that is not fast enough to be express, nor inexpensive enough to be economy.  It may be through the postal service, it may not.

Our own @reallynicestamps wrote a great explanation on the .com boards about five years ago.  Ignore the other responses--they're rubbish:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Shipping-Returns-Q-A/what-is-Standard-International-Shipping/q...

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@arn250 wrote:

Question 2 : FedEx asks to pay them custom and taxes, and an added fee just to pick up my item at the customs. Shouldn't that fee be absorbed by the seller?

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No.

By the sounds of things, you're accustomed to purchasing items shipped by mail that get processed by CBSA.  Theoretically speaking, items with a declared value of C$20 sent by mail should be assessed by CBSA for duty plus HST or GST and PST, but often low-value shipments get a free pass.  If they do get hit by tax charges (and duty, if applicable), you'll have to pay those plus a fee of C$9.95 to Canada Post for collecting and remitting those charges on CBSA's behalf.  When my wife and I first started buying on eBay in the late '90s, about half of our purchases were hit with these charges.  That proportion has dwindled considerably over the years, and not because of the declared value of our items.

I don't know the declared value of the item in question, but $40 may be a reasonable amount to pay to FedEx depending on the amount owing in tax and duty.

[reallynicestamps]

Sales taxes kick in at $40, not $20. That was the pre-NewNAFTA tax-free and duty-free level.

[marnotom!]

@reallynicestamps- My understanding is that the C$20 limit still applies for items sent by mail. The C$40/C$150 limit is for items sent by courier.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/new-nafta-raises-duty-free-limits-for-private-couriers-not-canada-post-1...

[reallynicestamps]

A new one on me, @pjcdn seems to stay on top of this best.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@arn250 

Hello tyler@ebay ,

The new Standard International Delivery system now in place needs to be clarified for the customers perspective in any applicable listings. It does state Duties, Taxes and processing "May" be applicable but it does not clearly explain that another courier may be in play. If duties and taxes are charged they need to be paid prior to delivery. This is the standard when DHL is involved. Very likely it would be similar when another courier is used. (Courier customs  processing charges do vary.) Also important that a customer is set up to receive emails. Some buyers "may" have eBay mail turned off and this could affect final delivery.

Correcting this would improve a buyers experience as this service has become the new go to for many US sellers.

-Lotz

Note: This information would be better to know prior to purchasing vs after.

[reallynicestamps]

Standard International Delivery is not a system though. It's just a name that covers dozens, perhaps hundreds, of services the seller can choose from shippers including postal services, in his own nation.

[pjcdn2005]

@arn250

@lotzofuniquegoodies 

The service that lotz is referring to is called ebay international standard delivery and is available only from US sellers.  It has nothing to do with a package originating from Japan as in the original poster's situation. 

Sellers who list on a ebay site not in their own country use either economy, standard or expedited international delivery to describe how quickly the shipping service they are using will be.  It does not refer to a specific courier or postal service..it is up to the seller to choose the method they are using.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Apologies. Intended it as a blanket post for any sellers using International Standard Delivery as a shipping method to help clarify for all buyers.-Lotz

[tyler@ebay]

Thanks for the tag @lotzofuniquegoodies! To clarify, the OP's situation isn't the same as what you're giving feedback on. I'll make sure that gets reported.