Selling used items when COO not known

[katlover1952]

I had thought I had posted about this yesterday but unable to find my post today.  I sell mostly used items with the majority being jewelry. Some is marked as to where made but lots are not. The country of origin for all items listed as COO unknown defaults as Canada COO on eBay shipping labels. What are we supposed to do going forward with tariffs now for these items, I talked to eBay yesterday about this & they just referred me to Canada Post or customs. I did tell the agent I talked to that I know I am not alone with this concern & that it would be great if eBay could get some answers for all of us. She said she would pass it in up the line but I am wondering what others selling used items are doing in the meantime. 
I am going thru my items & eliminating US shipping in items made in China, lots if those too. 

[mrdutch1001]

IMHO, I don't believe it is eBay's responsibilitiy to tell sellers how to designate the CoO for the items/products sellers list on eBay>sellers need to  do their research through the available channels to get the desired information that is accepted and approved by the border agencies and customs departments. I understand their is great debate, great concern, and great need for how to proceed with how to designate CoO for many producrts/items but as time progresses I do believe the necessary informations will be out there for all who need it.

[reallynicestamps]

If you were talking to a phone rep, you should understand that they work for a subcontractor not for eBay and mostly want you to get off the phone so they can make their daily quota.

The country of origin for all items listed as COO unknown defaults as Canada COO on eBay shipping labels.

And how is an overworked customs officer going to prove otherwise?

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

You would have to speak to an actual customs broker or lawyer. An eBay phone rep is not going to know this.

In their recent e-mail, Chit Chats suggested placing stickers or tags on items with the country of origin. This isn't a solution when you don't know the country of origin, but if you have an item where you know where it was made but it doesn't have the original packaging, Chit Chats seems to suggest that it is a good idea to label the item as Made In X.

I have this issue with pre-owned media. Most media is either manufactured in Mexico, USA, or Canada. Some media will say on the case or on the bottom side of the disc where it was pressed. Some does not. Even my distributor for brand new titles isn't able to tell me where individual titles are pressed, other than a blanket statement of "most of it is pressed in Mexico or USA". I ship with Canada Post, but I've started following Chit Chats advice and placing a tag on poly bags outside of items, because even for releases that are clearly labeled as Printed In (Country), it's usually in very small print or underneath the disc.

Luckily, I don't stock/ship many brand new titles for the US market and I have been able to find out where the specific ones I have sold were pressed. But if I was stocking every new release from every studio (dozens of different titles a month), and I was selling to the US market, it would become a hassle to have to find out where each title was pressed out of Mexico or USA.

I'm not a lawyer or a customs broker, so I don't know how likely you would be to face consequences if you ship with a traditional carrier (Canada Post, UPS, etc), declare all your items in good faith, but wrongly declare a pre-owned item that was made in a different country as being made in Canada. The safe thing to do right now would be to assume that any garage sale/thrift store type finds that you don't know the origin of are made in China. 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@katlover1952 wrote:

I had thought I had posted about this yesterday but unable to find my post today.  I sell mostly used items with the majority being jewelry. Some is marked as to where made but lots are not. The country of origin for all items listed as COO unknown defaults as Canada COO on eBay shipping labels. What are we supposed to do going forward with tariffs now for these items, I talked to eBay yesterday about this & they just referred me to Canada Post or customs. I did tell the agent I talked to that I know I am not alone with this concern & that it would be great if eBay could get some answers for all of us. She said she would pass it in up the line but I am wondering what others selling used items are doing in the meantime. 
I am going thru my items & eliminating US shipping in items made in China, lots if those too. 

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@katlover1952 

A google search brings up the following:

When the country of origin is unknown, it's generally not permissible to leave the item unmarked. Instead, you should prioritize determining the country of origin if possible, or if that's not feasible, you can indicate that the country of origin is "unknown" or "not applicable." You can also indicate the last country where a significant transformation or production step occurred. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. 1. Prioritize Determining Origin:

   The most accurate approach is to investigate and determine the true country of origin. This might involve consulting suppliers, reviewing documentation, or contacting customs officials for guidance. 
2. 2. If Origin is Truly Unknown:

   • "Unknown" or "Not Applicable": If you can't reasonably determine the origin, you can use phrases like "Origin Unknown," "Not Applicable," or "Country of Origin Not Available". 
   • Last Country of Significant Transformation: If you can identify the last country where the item underwent a significant transformation or production step, you can indicate that country. 
3. 3. Marking Requirements:

   • Clarity and Visibility: The marking, regardless of the phrase used, should be clear, conspicuous, and easily visible to the end-user. 
   • Legibility and Permanence: The marking should be legible and sufficiently permanent to withstand normal distribution and handling. 
   • English: In the U.S., the country of origin marking must be in English. 

Important Considerations:

• Customs Regulations:

  Country of origin marking requirements vary by country and are often detailed in customs regulations. 
• Free Trade Agreements:

  Free trade agreements, like CUSMA, may have specific rules for country of origin marking for goods that qualify under the agreement. 
• Seeking Guidance:

  If you're unsure about the correct country of origin marking or the specific requirements in your jurisdiction, it's best to consult with customs officials or trade experts.