eBay

38e_avenue · ‎03-27-2023

Hi, I got 3 returns from the EU within 1 month only. I contacted the buyers, they had no idea the package reached their postal offices. All of the packages (from 3 different countries!) were marked as "not claimed". Anyone had a similar problem recently?

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎04-01-2023

@tuckhouse2021 wrote:
When using CP Snap Ship there is a specific place within the form to input your IOSS number.

Hi-Yes I am aware of the spot to add the IOSS number in the customs forms but feedback from my buyers is that it does not show electronically at the other end. I have added it here, put it on the paperwork inside the package and put it on the outside of the package. Nothing I do seems to solve the problem.

Curious to know is this mostly an issue for anyone because they are using eBay Labels vs Shippo/SnapShip. The only place one could add the IOSS number would be the comment field using eBay Labels. Is that a viewable field from CP/Intl Customs perspective? There should a separate specific field (that is accessable) to input that info that can be viewed by all related parties. End of story.

devon@ebay

-Lotz

Shippo Options:

tuckhouse2021 · ‎04-01-2023

I don't use eBay labels. I use Snap Ship Canada post via their website. Does that make a difference?

doc_scribe · ‎04-01-2023

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
@tuckhouse2021 wrote:
When using CP Snap Ship there is a specific place within the form to input your IOSS number.

Hi-Yes I am aware of the spot to add the IOSS number in the customs forms but feedback from my buyers is that it does not show electronically at the other end. I have added it here, put it on the paperwork inside the package and put it on the outside of the package. Nothing I do seems to solve the problem.
@tuckhouse2021
@38e_avenue
@msmaggie060
@doc_scribe
@dinomitesales

Curious to know is this mostly an issue for anyone because they are using eBay Labels vs Shippo/SnapShip. The only place one could add the IOSS number would be the comment field using eBay Labels. Is that a viewable field from CP/Intl Customs perspective? There should a separate specific field (that is accessable) to input that info that can be viewed by all related parties. End of story.

devon@ebay

-Lotz

Shippo Options:

That field also needs to be embedded in Canada Post's online Customs form. None of us should ever have to second guess this stuff, or put our business at risk over use of any legit shipping/postal service.

It is also very disappointing that the EU would actually reject/return an otherwise legit International shipment over such a petty "you didn't deliver it exactly the way we like it." reason. If those admins and agents were operating in good faith, electronic vs. printed delivery of IOSS/HS/VAT info...inside or outside...pouch or label...shouldn't matter.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎04-01-2023

@tuckhouse2021 wrote:
I don't use eBay labels. I use Snap Ship Canada post via their website. Does that make a difference?

@tuckhouse2021

The problem seems to be what is available vs what is viewable (by the parties that require this info).

Just checked the USPS site regarding customs requirements and this showed up

https://www.usps.com/international/customs-forms.htm

Sounds like eBay does not have all their ducks in a row from the get go/as things changed for this concern. There may have been a bit more leeway to shippers at the beginning compared to the now written in stone requirements. Once they started clamping down and going by the rules, this would have caused more shipments to be rejected.

-Lotz

marnotom! · ‎04-01-2023

The problem of double VAT charges is (was?) not unique to eBay. You can find discussions on sites such as Discogs, Etsy and Amazon about this issue.

It appears that a stop-gap solution was approved by the EU last year, but as it puts the burden on the platform to refund the buyer, that would create a domino effect as sellers would also need to be issued FVF refunds as the VAT would no longer be part of the payment. I don't know if any North American digital marketplaces havve adopted this temporary fix, but I can see why they wouldn't go for it. Why should they do all this legwork to clean up what appears to be the EU's mess?

More info here:

https://www.bdo.global/en-gb/microsites/tax-newsletters/indirect-tax-news/issue-2-2022/european-unio...

doc_scribe · ‎04-01-2023

Why am I having flashbacks to a Monty Python skit? 🙄

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎04-01-2023

@marnotom! wrote:
The problem of double VAT charges is (was?) not unique to eBay. You can find discussions on sites such as Discogs, Etsy and Amazon about this issue.

It appears that a stop-gap solution was approved by the EU last year, but as it puts the burden on the platform to refund the buyer, that would create a domino effect as sellers would also need to be issued FVF refunds as the VAT would no longer be part of the payment. I don't know if any North American digital marketplaces havve adopted this temporary fix, but I can see why they wouldn't go for it. Why should they do all this legwork to clean up what appears to be the EU's mess?

More info here:

https://www.bdo.global/en-gb/microsites/tax-newsletters/indirect-tax-news/issue-2-2022/european-unio...

@marnotom!

Sounds like something caused entirely by eBay's own doing.

A comment I made ages ago was eBay's lack of willingness to include physical documentation. eBay should have been including proof of advance collection (more than just the a line in the address) as soon as they started handling any collecting of funds.

With GSP, as far as I know they never included a receipt(except what is buried online) for the buyers shipment compared to a buyer getting something that was routed through normal means like USPS/CP. You pay on pickup when it is owing and/or Canadian customs chooses to charge the recipient. Then you get a receipt proving you paid.. For anything going to a business, receipts/physical invoices are extremely important. Well and good to collect in advance, but proof of collection is a necessity. (Also, important to note if a return is required including a copy of that receipt streamlines the process.)

The same kerfuffle kicked in for international buyers when eBay started to collect for the VAT. Lack of official (accompanying) documentation.

-Lotz

marnotom! · ‎04-01-2023

If this problem is happening with sellers using other digital marketplaces, then it's not a problem "caused entirely by eBay's own doing."

I don't think that the lack of physical documentation is the issue here. It's the lack of electronic documentation, by the sounds of things.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎04-01-2023

@marnotom! wrote:
If this problem is happening with sellers using other digital marketplaces, then it's not a problem "caused entirely by eBay's own doing."

I don't think that the lack of physical documentation is the issue here. It's the lack of electronic documentation, by the sounds of things.

If it's still happening to eBay sellers(buyers) according to the reports on dot com it is something eBay should be addressing. I know there were reports of this happening to buyers being forced to pay again at the beginning (how long ago now has it been in place?) and same goes for any items being returned on the sellers dime. This is about making sure it doesn't happen to anyone, especially eBay buyers & sellers. If other marketplace sites are getting reports they should also be proactive in dealing with it. It is what it is doesn't help anyone.

Going by the screenshot in post 43 it will be even more critical this is fixed sooner than later.

-Lotz

marnotom! · ‎04-01-2023

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
If it's still happening to eBay sellers(buyers) according to the reports on dot com it is something eBay should be addressing.

If it's also still happening on other digital marketplaces, who should be addressing it?

The way I read the article I linked to in post 45, the EU knows it has a problem and it's responsible for that problem, but they want the foreign vendors/marketplaces to deal with it temporarily, and that doesn't strike me as being particularly fair given that these non-EU vendors/marketplaces have already made significant adjustments to their digital infrastructure (including payment transfers to the EU), bookkeeping to accommodate the EU.

msmaggie060 · ‎04-01-2023

@lotzofuniquegoodies

I use CP snap ship to print my labels. So far, no problems with anything being returned. I always make sure I fill in ALL the fields and yes, I do always give a proper description such as: Paper Printed Sewing Pattern or Fabric Panel Cotton New. You can't just use a Sewing Pattern or Fabric, you need to be more specific so that the item matches the HS Code.

marnotom! · ‎04-02-2023

@msmaggie060 wrote:

I use CP snap ship to print my labels. So far, no problems with anything being returned. I always make sure I fill in ALL the fields and yes, I do always give a proper description such as: Paper Printed Sewing Pattern or Fabric Panel Cotton New. You can't just use a Sewing Pattern or Fabric, you need to be more specific so that the item matches the HS Code.

My understanding is that it's not so much the item description or HS code that's causing problems here, but the VAT/IOSS information. Agree, though, that detailed information on the item will be of more use to customs.

Are your EU-bound ending up mostly in one particular country or are you seeing a range of destinations?

doc_scribe · ‎04-25-2023

devon@ebay wrote:
Hi @pjcdn2005! Thank you for sharing this information. Let me get this over to our Shipping Team so they can take a deeper look into this. If there are any updates I can share from them I will be sure to let you know.

Any updates from the Shipping Team about reporting HS/IOSS/VAT info devon@ebay ?

Just trying to prevent this very insightful thread from slipping into zombieland...