eBay

rdemaree · ‎02-03-2025

As I am sure you are all aware of at this point- Trump seems to be making good on his 25% tariffs and removal of di minimis which will end up being more than a 30% effective tax on ALL items once you calculate their orginal tariff code tax imported to USA and also trump says he may even raise it higher than that if we retaliate.

I am trying to strategize on how I can minimize the effects of this as best as possible.

Some things I have in mind:

-Is there any benefit to listing on .CA vs .COM? I currently list on .COM from Toronto. There is a small fee to do this but using USD and .COM opens me up to a larger base. I am thinking of trying to grow my Canadian base. Currently my customers are about 70% American, 20% Canadian and 10% International.

Would listing on .CA and using CAD actually garner more purchases from Canadian buyers? If I could even get it to 30% Canadian and 15-20% international and 50% USA id be happy with that. Also, is it possible to have your listings on .CA / CAD and .COM / USD?

-I am also thinking of ending my free shipping and essentially separating the item cost + shipping cost and offering them separately to optically appear to be cheaper at first glance and to offset the USD to CAD conversion shock. I would round down to a digestible number. INstead of 46.7 CAD it would be 45 CAD etc. stuff like that.

-I am thinking of offering some smaller dollar items as well as offering sales more frequently and for a bit higher percentage. Any ideas on what might be effective on this front?

-Currently I use ChitChats. Is Stallion Express cheaper? or is there anything better? I have been really happy with ChitChats for around 3 years now but keeping my mind open to any way to possibly soften the blow from this. If those go under I would have to go back to Netparcel UPS which is less than ideal as it would cost 3-5$ more per small package to ship.

What are some things you all are planning on ? I understand that some people dont sell much to the USA or plan on halting shipments to the USA but thats not an option for me as this is my main income and USA was/ is 70% of my base.

All productive thoughts are helpful!

reallynicestamps · ‎02-27-2025

The de minimus means that for the first time in our memory, US residents will be paying to import goods.

The duty is paid by your American customer not by you.

Even if your product is $10, in theory the customer must pay duty on the import.

The duty is paid by your American customer not by you.

If you remember the 5000 +post about UPS /courier "import fees" you can imagine how the average American will react.

But again.

The duty is paid by your American customer not by you.

Be prepared for refused shipments.

They will very slowly be returned to you.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

And very basically, eBay's policy has been that Refused and Undeliverable shipments do not qualify for refunds.

It's more complicated than that, but basically.....

cottagewoman · ‎02-27-2025

And as per my rather hazy recollection, CP charges you for the return label. What fun.

sin-n-dex · ‎02-27-2025

@cottagewoman wrote:
And as per my rather hazy recollection, CP charges you for the return label. What fun.

Stallion also charges for returns, but not the USPS shipping, it's the 4.99 fee to import it back into Canada. (let's hope there are no tariffs getting it back... I've had items of mine returned by FedEx, not related to eBay, where it was declared as Canadian Goods Returned to Sender, and they still charged duty on them).

C.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎02-27-2025

@cottagewoman wrote:
And as per my rather hazy recollection, CP charges you for the return label. What fun.

With CP US premium services there is no option to choose return instructions. Default is return at shippers expense printed on label. With Shippo you did have the option to choose for ALL services either Return or dispose. With couriers those options have always been in play.

For Canadian services, if you get charged for a return is pretty much luck of the draw/discretion of worker who processed. I've had items returned in the past no charge, using original account number rate and rated based on counter rates. Had letter mail returned from US address not found. No postage due. Confirmed with customer address was correct and re-shipped with no problem for redelivery. Reused postage as it was uncancelled.

As a side why it always good to include both the shipping label and a confirmed address on package. Becomes even more important when items may be inspected. Whenever spidey senses tingle best to google address prior to creating label.

Going forward back to luck of the draw and whatever policy mail service chooses to use. And when or if you want your item back, most important that your contact info is included on original label.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎02-27-2025

@sin-n-dex wrote:
@cottagewoman wrote:
And as per my rather hazy recollection, CP charges you for the return label. What fun.
Stallion also charges for returns, but not the USPS shipping, it's the 4.99 fee to import it back into Canada. (let's hope there are no tariffs getting it back... I've had items of mine returned by FedEx, not related to eBay, where it was declared as Canadian Goods Returned to Sender, and they still charged duty on them).

C.

@sin-n-dex

Was the return shipping shipping with Fedex, shall we say excessive? Did you have to pay duty prior to delivery or when it was delivered? I have spotted on a few sites you are billed prior to delivery. Driver does not carry cash.

sin-n-dex · ‎02-27-2025

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
@sin-n-dex wrote:
@cottagewoman wrote:
And as per my rather hazy recollection, CP charges you for the return label. What fun.
Stallion also charges for returns, but not the USPS shipping, it's the 4.99 fee to import it back into Canada. (let's hope there are no tariffs getting it back... I've had items of mine returned by FedEx, not related to eBay, where it was declared as Canadian Goods Returned to Sender, and they still charged duty on them).

C.
@sin-n-dex
Was the return shipping shipping with Fedex, shall we say excessive? Did you have to pay duty prior to delivery or when it was delivered? I have spotted on a few sites you are billed prior to delivery. Driver does not carry cash.

We'd sent some hardware to Texas for testing, and when it came back I declared it as Canadian goods returned (the hardware was made in Canada). They charged a $10 brokerage fee plus $13 in taxes, so it not excessive, but the value was $100 CAD, so perhaps excessive for what was imported.

They go ahead and deliver stuff to me and bill my credit card and send an invoice by mail, I never have to pay before delivery with FedEx because I have an account. With UPS I've been contacted to pay duty before delivery.

Brokerage can be $50 on a more expensive package, but with FedEx if it's a low value, the brokerage fee is not extreme, however this was last year, so things may have changed with tariff threats.

C.