eBay

vlopddap · ‎04-21-2013

Hi,

First let me tell you that this program is a joke (almost a scam). I buy products ship from the US on eBay for several years and on 99% of the time I don't paid a penny in brokerage fees, taxes or anything. But now eBay forces me to pay import fees? WTF?

The law in Canada is simple: a package purchased in the U.S. with a value of 60$ (CDN) or less is free from customs and taxes! I currently check for an item of 44$ and eBay add 11$ of import fees? And because Canada's customs do not charge anything at this value, who will receive this extra money?

Is there a way for a BUYER to REFUSE to participate to the "Global Shipping Program" and to chose to deal myself with imports procedure at Canada customs (if required) like I do before?

toby_le_pue · ‎04-21-2013

Hi,

The law in Canada is simple: a package purchased in the U.S. with a value of 60$ (CDN) or less is free from customs and taxes! I currently check for an item of 44$ and eBay add 11$ of import fees? And because Canada's customs do not charge anything at this value, who will receive this extra money?

It is anything with a value of $20.00 Canadian not $60.00.

$60.00 is the value if you receive a gift.

chimera148 · ‎04-21-2013

Was charged US 3.34 import charges on a US 18.50 purchase. The seller had no idea what that the GSP charges would be and opted out of the GSP on all her other listings. As bids had already been made on the item i purchased , she said she couldn't opt out of the GSP. I was bidding on another item she had which i didn't get, but she said she couldn't combine shipping under the GSP. She refunded the whole transaction cost { not my request for any refunds} and i've stayed away from anything listed with GSP since. It likely arrived slower than it would have with USPS, which has always given tracking to Customs clearance and sometimes to the local PO.

downsizing2018 · ‎04-22-2013

I wonder is there a way for buyers to know if a seller has opted into the program, and adjust buying accordingly?

Is it mandatory in the USA?

pierrelebel · ‎04-22-2013

"The law in Canada is simple"

That is correct. Here is the information as supplied by the federal government:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.html#c1

"If the item is worth more than CAN$20, you must pay the applicable duty, the GST or HST, and any PST on the item’s full value."

Now, we all know than Canada Customs officers let many parcels into Canada without charging the applicable taxes. That is another story.

i*m-still-here · ‎04-22-2013

""" Is there a way for a BUYER to REFUSE to participate to the "Global Shipping Program" ............

Yes, don't buy from sellers who use it for shipping.

If you do so by accident, no one is forcing you to pay. Under normal circumstances it is a very bad idea not to pay once you've committed to a purchase.

The GSP is not "Normal Circumstances."

There is nothing about it that is in your best interest, and does not deserve the usual respect allotted to other transactions.

It is disrespecting Canadians in a very bad way........... and deserves a like response.

What's the worst that can happen if you don't pay?

You get a strike.........

vlopddap · ‎04-22-2013

Now, we all know than Canada Customs officers let many parcels into Canada without charging the applicable taxes. That is another story.

You are probably right, but on the 200 purchase done on eBay last year, I did pay taxs ONCE only... so... regardless if it is a question of Canada customs policies, it is quite evident that a Canadian buyer as I to see this new policies like the worst possible scam ever! Why should I pay 10-15$ more when I didn't pay a penny before?

In fact when a seller ship with major carriers like UPS, UPS automatically add imports fees to all package shipped to the Canada. But for people who do not know, you can contact UPS during transit of the package and said you refuse to pay theirs import fees because you require to deal directly with Canada customs directly without paying a dime to UPS... eBay must do the same...

pierrelebel · ‎04-22-2013

"UPS automatically add imports fees to all package shipped to the Canada."

That is not totally correct.

Take a look at the UPS fee table:

http://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html

No brokerage feee is added when using UPS shipping services except for the cheapest Standard (ground). Even then, there is no brokerage fee for shipments with value under $20 and the brokerage fee charged for value between $20 and $40 is lower than Canada Post recently increased $9.95.

When a Canadian buyer uses eBay Global Shipping (Pitney Bowes), there is no additional fee charged when arriving Canada. The fees (re-shipping, taxes, handling fee, customs clearance brokerage, etc...) are paid at time of purchase

I am not suggesting that Canadians should all line up and ask their American sellers to use UPS to ship to Canada. NO. However, it is important to understand the facts, not the myths.

chimera148 · ‎04-22-2013

If you look at the item on ebay.com you will see the shipping cost and "International Priority Shipping to ...." and the approximate import costs at "Import Charges {amount confirmed at checkout}".

On ebay.ca the import charges will "be provided at checkout".

melissasminis · ‎04-22-2013

I would have to disagree about UPS not charging anything at the door for purchases under $20. I have been charged on more than 5 occasions for purchases under $20 ($5.00) from UPS, never had I not have to pay fees on any amount item coming from them!

pierrelebel · ‎04-22-2013

You should call UPS, complain and ask for a full refund.

marcelmistral · ‎05-12-2013

You have to look carefully before committing to buy: the import charges are indicated along with the shipping cost on the page where the total price is displayed, before you click on "Commit to buy".

antique.collector · ‎05-15-2013

A lot of times there is a glitch which makes the area where the import charges is displayed to be gone on the listing page... So the best way is to double check if the listing mentions customs service is included.

You should tell the seller the reason why you chose to not buy because many seller opt-in the program without really knowing what it is as they think it is part of the new eBay user agreement. Only the seller can opt out of the program. as a buyer you can only choose to either buy or not buy from this seller.

kashka · ‎05-15-2013

Just shop on other sites..thats what I do now. Ebay has finally found a way to make money off the buyer is all this is.

pinoy_eh · ‎06-24-2013

Almost 90 to 95% of my ebay purchases are from sellers from the USA. Since ebay have implemented this darn global shipping program, the shipping cost and import cost nearly doubled in my bottomline estimated price. Furthermore, it seems that you don't have any other options to request from the seller to use the cheapest shipping method. I guess this Global Shipping Program is focused on making an extra dollars for their (ebay) pockets and its partners like paypal Pitney Bowes and etc.

Since this implementation, I'd prefer to purchase items from overseas like Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and EU. It is much cheaper and I don't mind the wait. I hate this friggin GSP.

l8e123 · ‎09-08-2013

First I have to say that I am surprised not to see that more people have complained about the Global Shipping Program implemented by ebay. Second I am sad to see so many sellers using this truly awful option. I assume its because they actually think its a good thing! It isn't! I love shopping on ebay but now the first thing I do when I find an item I like is to see if the seller has signed up for GSP and if they have I avoid them. I only found out about this new addition when I ordered a pillow and couldn't believe that I had been charged again, almost the same cost of shipping the item, for customs fees. I contacted the seller and asked them what that was all about since Canada customs doesn't charge custom fees for items that cost less than twenty five dollars. They explained that if I paid the customs fees now the transaction would go smoothly. Why should I pay ebay for custom fees I would not be charged by Canada Customs? I cancelled the bid. The seller didn't even know that this system had been implemented and was unable to change the invoice. I hope sellers see this for what it is and avoid this new system. In eight years on ebay I have never paid customs fees, even for some of the more expensive items The only problem I had was with an ivory Netsuke which I ordered from a US seller. I was charged with importing ivory even though the law states that very old ivory can be imported. Canada Customs kept the item. I think this is where ebay can make a difference and let both sellers and buyers know this type of information. I have a mail order business and also receive items from other US companies and I don't pay customs fees. Guessing at custom fees is ridiculous as well. The whole thing stinks to high heaven. Makes me very sad to see.

marnotom! · ‎09-09-2013

@l8e123 wrote:
Why should I pay ebay for custom fees I would not be charged by Canada Customs?

The question you should be asking is: Why isn't Canada Border Services charging taxes on more personal imports valued at above C$20 the way they're supposed to do?

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

pierrelebel · ‎09-09-2013

"I have a mail order business and also receive items from other US companies and I don't pay customs fees."

???

Could you explain what you mean by "customs fees', please.

If you mean the GST/HST paid at time of importation, it should not matter to you since you have a mail order business and, if GST/HST registered, you get a full refund (ITC) of all taxes paid.

i*m-still-here · ‎09-09-2013

@marnotom! wrote:
@l8e123 wrote:
Why should I pay ebay for custom fees I would not be charged by Canada Customs?
The question you should be asking is: Why isn't Canada Border Services charging taxes on more personal imports valued at above C$20 the way they're supposed to do?

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

marnotom!.......... That, actually is an interesting question.

It has NOTHING to do with the P-B GSP operation..................

But why isn't the government collecting when they could?

I have a number of ithoughts and deas on that ................. but that's a whole different issue and thread which has nothing to do with the GSP

pierrelebel · ‎09-09-2013

"Why isn't Canada Border Services charging taxes on more personal imports valued at above C$20 the way they're supposed to do?"

Fascinating question.

Personally, most of my parcels coming from outside Canada with a value exceeding $20 have cleared Canada Customs with taxes payable at the Post Office, although many (with value clearly declared above $20) have gone through without tax being charged. To be candid, I am always a bit skeptical of claims by some that hundreds or thousands of taxable parcels valued at more than $20 always go through without taxes being charged.

If I were cynical I would think it is a political plot by politians to buy votes by not charging taxes otherwise payable: fewer people complaining about taxes.

On a more pragmatic perspective, with the government constantly reducing staff, I suspect it is simply a matter of not wanting to spend $2 in staff (and related expenses) to collect $1.50 in taxes. Instead they want to deploy their limited resources on "larger fish".

Is it right? No, of course. The law should apply evenly to all. If the law is unfair, then politicians (elected by us) should change it instead of arbitrarily ignoring it at times.