on 06-04-2025 03:39 PM
Hi everyone,
I’m posting this to alert the Canadian seller community about a potentially devastating change: the possibility that eBay may start collecting tariffs automatically at checkout for shipments to the U.S.
Like many of you, my business relies heavily on cross-border sales. Let me be clear—if eBay moves forward with this, it could very well mark the end of my store.
We already have systems in place. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can collect duties when packages cross the border. Offloading this responsibility to eBay at checkout would confuse buyers, increase cart abandonment, and make us completely uncompetitive with U.S.-based sellers.
Let’s not forget: these tariffs come from Trump-era protectionist policies. eBay should not become a tax collection agency on behalf of U.S. customs.
This kind of change would have serious consequences:
Fewer sales and more abandoned carts
Increased costs at checkout that drive buyers away
Loss of competitiveness in the U.S. market
I urge eBay to push back strongly. If the U.S. government wants to enforce these tariffs, they should do so at the border—not at the checkout screen.
Canadian sellers, please speak up. Our businesses depend on it.
Thanks,
***
À l’attention des vendeurs canadiens : Le prélèvement automatique de droits de douane à la caisse pourrait tuer nos ventes vers les États-Unis
Bonjour à tous,
Je publie ce message pour alerter la communauté des vendeurs canadiens au sujet d’un changement potentiellement catastrophique : la possibilité que eBay commence à percevoir automatiquement les droits de douane à la caisse pour les envois vers les États-Unis.
Comme plusieurs d’entre vous, mon entreprise repose fortement sur les ventes transfrontalières. Soyons clairs : si eBay va de l’avant avec ce projet, cela pourrait bien signer la fin de ma boutique.
Nous avons déjà des systèmes en place. Les douanes américaines (CBP) peuvent percevoir les droits à l’entrée du pays. Transférer cette responsabilité à eBay lors du paiement risque de semer la confusion chez les acheteurs, de faire exploser les abandons de panier et de nous rendre non compétitifs face aux vendeurs américains.
N’oublions pas que ces tarifs sont issus de politiques protectionnistes mises en place sous l’administration Trump. eBay ne devrait pas devenir percepteur d’impôts pour les douanes américaines.
Un tel changement aurait de graves conséquences :
Moins de ventes, plus de paniers abandonnés
Des frais supplémentaires à la caisse qui font fuir les acheteurs
Une perte totale de compétitivité sur le marché américain
Je demande à eBay de s’opposer fermement à cette mesure. Si le gouvernement américain veut appliquer ces droits, qu’il le fasse à la frontière—pas à l’écran de paiement.
Vendeurs canadiens, exprimez-vous. L’avenir de nos entreprises en dépend.
Merci,
I'd like to take this time to suggest we all thank all those elbows up Canadians and those who thought it wise to boo the American anthem, hope it was worth it - as I expected then after humiliating prowd Americans -we are paying for it now . My American Buyers are the best -or might I say were because Americans only heard the Boo's and not the God Bless America from some of us who know better, and were raised with common sence. Never bite the hand that feeds you.
I'm actually fully in favour of them collecting them at checkout. I'd rather a buyer know the costs ahead of time and not receive any surprises as opposed to the mess we're in right now. With regards to the USA, it should only apply to items that don't qualify for the de minimis right now anyway (ie, over $800 or Chinese / Hong Kong items). If Trump in the future removes the de minimis for all countries, having a system already in place is greatly preferable.
To me, it kind of sounds like they could be implementing a global shipping program for Canada. The eMail was very short on details though.
Who pays if eBay collects the wrong tariff ?
Too much?
Too little?
A mistake in the description (although that is the purpose of the HS codes).
This is the problem with Bullion shipments which were being charged sales taxes and import fees although for some reason* they are not supposed to be charged anything.
* I've had it explained. And I say it's spinach.
Until and/or Unless this becomes a reality, instead of speculation, I don't think any of us need to jump on the panic wagon...
Carry on, folks!
Sorry to hear that.
You need a boss like we have in Manitoba who tells our southern friends to take a hike when they start acting stupid.
A bunch of POTAS's yahoos are whining about the smoke coming from our forest fires and ruining their summer vacations!
Maybe their idiot boss should install fans all along the border to blow it all back?
I wonder what kind of tariff we should charge them for this lovely blue stuff that kills people?
While eBay can collect and remit certain taxes like sales taxes (GST/HST/QST/PST) in Canada, it's generally not responsible for collecting import tariffs. Tariffs are charged by the government of the importing country, and buyers are typically responsible for these charges.
<By CBA etc. Trained inspectors who are in possession of goods before they are approved to cross a border.>
Addendum:
This seems to be a very real possibility. I am Canadian, and have been looking at used cameras that have been listed by sellers located in the US, and the shipping charges are absolutely stupid - like $250.00 ~ $350.00 on a camera listed for $750CAD. Far more than they would ordinarily cost to ship pre-Trump. So this looks to me like CBSA are starting to charge punitive retaliatory tariffs. And eBay are tacking on a bit of extra profit for themselves through the Global Shipping Program, where they collect duties and fees upfront.
Quality used mirrorless cameras that don't cost a fortune, aren't ancient, and are in good condition are hard to find in Canada. Dealers just don't seem to be in the business of selling much of anything that is used anymore. They're pushing new. Guess they gotta finance their brick-and-mortar stores somehow.
If a buyer Refuses a shipment, whether for Trump's federal sales tax (tariff on imports) or any other reason, eBay considers it Undeliverable and does not require the seller to refund anything at all.
Nada. Rien. Zippo. Not one red cent.
The seller would be out the cost of shipping, but would be free to relist the returned item.
And Block the customer.
Just like we don't know when eBay is collecting the correct Provincial & State taxes because the % rate is not expressed anywhere. The same thing is likely to happen if they (eBay) was to collect tariffs. It's like when they collect duties in advance with eIS there is no actual documented invoice breaking down the charges so next to impossible to try to do any kind of claim if it was charged incorrectly. Why it is so important to have services doing it that know what they are doing or using the correct discretion. This should all be left in the hands (collected by) CBSA and CBP for mail shipments and either billed on account for courier or charged at the door.
If tariff and taxes are paid by the buyer, as sales taxes are, most sellers are going to be willing to have eBay work them out and pay only the fee on the tariff.
And having already paid there is no delay at the doorstep or trip to the PO to collect those fees, one of the many objections to paying import fees with courier deliveries.
...AND has anyone actually had a customer yet who has had to pay a tariff for made in China items shipped via CanadaPost/USPS. I haven't. Why deter buyers if the tariffs are not actually being imposed?
"If the U.S. government wants to enforce these tariffs, they should do so at the border—not at the checkout screen."
Totally agree!... as I would no longer offer shipping to the USA here on eBay and I would put more time & effort into keeping more listings on my other selling site where I would continue to offer shipping to the USA...
Hopefully, other selling sites are not considering this tariff collection at checkout...
Asking for a friend. What if you disregard the Ebay shipping system, and start going back directly to the post office and marking every sale as a gift and using the small business card and getting 5% off the price. The discount is less than the Ebay shipping system, but still okay. Do US buyers have to pay tariffs on gifts?
At this point in time sellers need to worry more about the current 25% tariff on most goods to the USA from Canada possibly increasing to 35% that would affect goods of value over the current de minimus level...