I was recently enrolled in the EIS program and found its import fees to be inaccurate. I had one listing which was made in the Netherlands and it had more than 100% import fee into the USA when the rate is only 15%. There’s no way brokerage on that would be that high.
I have also noticed inconsistencies with made in Canada items. Some have the small brokerage fee (to be expected) and then another had brokerage of a much higher rate. I guess the brokerage rates arent flat rate + tariff rate like chit chats per package and are based on the value of the item + tariff fee?
Another thing is 100% of the time the EIS program costs more and takes longer to ship than my chit chats offerings but still it is shown as the default shipping option. I don’t like this because it’s more harmful to business than the big ugly blue banner because I don’t want my customers first impression to be that their shipping prices have double or tripled as well as handling times even if my old policies are still technically an option because optics and first impressions matter. The first thing they see is a whopping new shipping fee and handling times.
Ideally I only want to use the EIS program if I can choose only a small handful of non CUSMA items to use it and if that isn’t possible and it has to go on all of my listings that I can make 100% sure it isn’t the default option shown to buyers. I want it to be the last resort option rather than the first option buyers see because honestly it’s a trash option for both buyers and sellers and has almost no value to most sellers especially if they mostly sell CUSMA stuff and are living in or near a big city in Canada.
I think if you live in a log cabin in the middle of the woods away from 3rd party shippers like chitchats and all you sell are rare artifacts that nobody can find anywhere else the EIS works great for you because you have no other shipping options and buyers have no choice but to pay whatever you ask for your impossible to find items.
If you’re an everyday seller and want to be competitive in the USA market the EIS is not worth it.
I opted out. I would only opt back in if you could pick and choose which listings use it and choose that it not be shown as a default shipping policy to potential buyers.
I also have a few questions-
1. Now that I opted out will my listings that have the EIS as an option remove that option or do I have to unlist and relist to get rid of it?
2. Since I was enrolled, will the rest of my listings still be gradually added to the EIS even tho I have already opted out as of this morning?
I really want nothing to do with it in its current form. I am hoping I don’t have to unlist and relist everything just to not be included in this bloated program because it is a MASSIVE eye sore on your listings even moreso than the ugly blue banner.
I was waiting to see what it looked like but now that I see what it is I want no part of it. I’ll just carve my path forward with 3rd party shippers like chitchats and hope that eBay , Canada post, and Mark Carney work something out within the next year or 2 to simplify shipping to the USA again but until that happens I’m sticking with chitchats and similar methods.
It really would be nice if eBay decoupled the USA from international shipping destinations so I could offer calculated shipping for everything but the USA. The USA is the only pain in the ass country to ship to right now and I don’t see why I should have to do flat rate shipping for every country on earth just because the USA is a complicated shipping destination currently.
I firmly believe shipping should be separated into 3 categories when making a listing: Canada (domestic), USA (it’s its own thing let’s be real), International (everybody else).
Anyways. That’s my piece. All thoughts and commentary appreciated.
Take care
-Ryan
