Ebay shipping supplies will no longer ship to a PO Box

[dutchman48]

Just tried to order my free store supplies and added to cart and tried to check out.

Says they don't ship to PO Boxes but I don't have street delivery.

They did the last quarter, is this something new?

Any one else run into this?

Are they using courier now?

I have emailed them and await their response.

[recped]

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@mjwl2006 wrote:

"There is a problem with that of course, HST is refundable to registered sellers as an ITC but in theory at least you need some documentation, what are the odds of getting any kind of invoice, receipt, packing slip or customs form showing the HST/GST portion and registration number? (did any of the previous orders have this????)"

I don't think my previous orders came with any packing slip whatsoever.

Out of curiosity, how would you reclaim GST on an item whereby payment was submit via 'free' coupon?

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Using the invoice that the supplier provides! It makes no difference if you pay for the goods with cash, cheque, credit card, loan from Guido, never pay, use a coupon or whatever.

Here's an example of a situation where you would not be able to get a refund of an ITC.

You purchase (different from paying), supplier provides an invoice with GST/HST, you subsequently return the goods and receive a refund, your credit note will show a negative GST/HST amount. You claim the ITC on the invoice and deduct the ITC on the credit note and it's a wash. On the other hand if you throw the goods in the garbage and never get a refund you can still claim the ITC.

[dutchman48]

Ebayshippingsupplies replied to me telling me they could send an invoice through Paypal to complete my order. What gives???????

I have been in contact with Raphael again.

[momcqueen]

Perhaps that is their workaround to using USPS For your order. Will the coupon code still work that way?

[dutchman48]

I have absolutely no idea but am getting real tired of Ebay Canada and all the issues and supposed workarounds due the Ebay not doing anything to differentiate us from US policies and procedures.

I changed my address and ordered supplies on one of my stores and will see what happens.

Estimated delivery is Jan 20th to Jan 27th

[momcqueen]

We all small potatoes on ebay Canada.

Actually, not even potatoes, probably. More like the garnish of chives on those potatoes. 

[dutchman48]

Here is what I just got:

Our UPS shipments to Canada do have the import customs and brokerage fees prepaid so there is no additional cost for the buyer

[dutchman48]

I have sent a follow up email in regards to GST and/or HST as that was not made clear

[dutchman48]

I just received an email back.

They also prepay the GST and/or HST so no cost at all when received

[recped]

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@dutchman48 wrote:

I just received an email back.

They also prepay the GST and/or HST so no cost at all when received

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Well of course, they already said that taxes and brokerage are prepaid.

What I wanted to know is if they provide documentation showing the GST/HST paid as a separate line item on an invoice so that sellers would be able to recover the ITC's.

If they don't then effectively they are increasing the cost of the supplies by (in my case) 13%.

If the taxes were not prepaid then UPS would be billing recipients and their invoice WOULD include GST/HST as a line item enabling the recovery of any GST/HST paid.

[momcqueen]

My order of tape arrived this afternoon. There is no packing slip or receipt of any kind inside.

To clarify, your 'cost' is not 13 per cent higher in terms of what you can claim for expenses. Shipping supplies would be a tax write-off for you. As they are for any of sellers who claim income from ebay sales.

When I import merchandise from the USA and self-clear at the border by land, any parcels that I advance-shipped to my USA address for self-pick-up that were eligible for free domestic shipping (shipping included in the cost) are items that I have to pay tax on the full amount even though some of their value went to shipping it to me. For example, I pay more import tax to Border Services collecting for Revenue Canada on an item that 'cost' $50 with 'free' shipping than I do on an item that cost $25 with $25 shipping. See what I mean? 

I get what you're saying but your cost isn't 'cost' or actually out-of-pocket. Shipping supplies are an expense. Maybe you can't claim back the GST/HST on it but you didn't 'pay' for it with actual money either. It's been rolled into free shipping, like in my example. 

The alternative (collecting import taxes at the receiver door) would raise a hue and cry. And, to be honest, I have unfounded suspicions that the shipping supplier is declaring the package contents value at their cost for value not our cost value. 

[recped]

Claiming expenses means that those amounts are deducted from taxable income, if your income if low that deduction is worthless. A refund of GST/HST on the other hand is actual cash in your pocket.

GST/HST paid is only an "expense" if you are not registered and can't claim an ITC.

I have unfounded suspicions that the shipping supplier is declaring the package contents value at their cost for value not our cost value. 

While it wouldn't surprise me given that this has been done by many it is clearly fraud against the Canadian Government if it's true.

[momcqueen]

I'm not an accountant and I don't play one on TV. 

[dutchman48]

They did not say taxes and brokerage fees, they said import and brokerage fees

[recped]

People in the US who don't have a clue do not understand the difference between duties, taxes and fees so they just lump everything under "import charges". It's a misnomer because taxes such as GST/HST are totally unrelated to "imports"

eBay's packaging which is made in the USA is 100% exempt from any Import Duties when shipped to Canada so the only things left are taxes and fees.

[dutchman48]

I am only trying to get the information I want accurately.

I don't assume anything or paraphrase what they say

That way I have what I need and there is no misunderstanding or surprises.

You are free to make any assumption you wish about the people in the US as to what they know or don't know, or what they mean when they say something.