Home World & Ancient Coins Forum

Fair Trade agreement with the EU???

I just signed up for the ebay global shipping program and am totally shocked by the import charges! Is this not unfair? Seems the going rate is around 24%! I sold a coin to a person in Latvia for $28.00 and the shipping and import charges are a bit over $40! Ebay is charging $28.95 for shipping! image There is evidently a minimum import tax also unrelated to value. Needless to say I messaged the buyer and offered to cancel the transaction.

There are a few countries that the prices are reasonable....non of which are in the EU.

Comments

  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    Welcome to European government. It's like $.99 coins with $20 shipping. Nope.
  • 1960NYGiants1960NYGiants Posts: 3,442 ✭✭✭✭
    You are learning why a lot of sellers do not use the GSP.

    I sell about 80% to Canada. The GSP costs were/are insane. Just use Paypal / USPS shipping and save yourself the headaches.
    Gene

    Life member #369 of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association
    Member of Canadian Association of Token Collectors

    Collector of:
    Canadian coins and pre-confederation tokens
    Darkside proof/mint sets dated 1960
    My Ebay
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭


    << <i>You are learning why a lot of sellers do not use the GSP.

    I sell about 80% to Canada. The GSP costs were/are insane. Just use Paypal / USPS shipping and save yourself the headaches. >>



    I have lost at least $400 of shipments to Canada over the past 2 years. It may just be me, but Paypal/USPS does not work. I have a better delivery rate to China. Canada can KMA!

  • coinpicturescoinpictures Posts: 5,345 ✭✭✭
    GSP is an instant ticket to negative feedback and chargebacks. Do *NOT* use it.
  • nicholasz219nicholasz219 Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭
    Ormondh, I think you meant "KLA" for Kuala Lampur Airlines, not "KMA."
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭


    << <i>GSP is an instant ticket to negative feedback and chargebacks. Do *NOT* use it. >>



    That is good to know for someone with no experience. However, where does the negative feedback and the chargebacks come into play?
  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>You are learning why a lot of sellers do not use the GSP.

    I sell about 80% to Canada. The GSP costs were/are insane. Just use Paypal / USPS shipping and save yourself the headaches. >>



    I have lost at least $400 of shipments to Canada over the past 2 years. It may just be me, but Paypal/USPS does not work. I have a better delivery rate to China. Canada can KMA! >>



    Thank You! That was the final straw that stopped me from selling international! My loses to Canada of all countries. Figured since Ebay finally allowed coins into the Global Shipping Program I would give it a try.
  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>GSP is an instant ticket to negative feedback and chargebacks. Do *NOT* use it. >>



    Ebay says no worries about feedback but I have been thinking hard about returns seeing how much ebay charges for shipping. Can you expand a bit on your comment????
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Ormondh, I think you meant "KLA" for Kuala Lampur Airlines, not "KMA." >>



    Why yes! You are correct, Sir. I apologize for my typo.
  • coinpicturescoinpictures Posts: 5,345 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>GSP is an instant ticket to negative feedback and chargebacks. Do *NOT* use it. >>



    That is good to know for someone with no experience. However, where does the negative feedback and the chargebacks come into play? >>



    Overseas buyers get charged shipping fees much higher than expected. Yes, they supposedly see these charges prior to checkout, but in certain cases it is after they have already committed to the purchase. The shipping costs and fees can be absolutely astronomical compared to the norm.

    In some cases, even thought the GSP collects customs fees/duties to remit to the governments in question, buyers have been known to also get soaked at their end even thought they supposedly paid them up front.

    Some buyers, when caught between a rock and a hard place, will file an "unauthorized purchase" chargeback to get out of it.

    No matter how you slice it, it is a potential unhappy customer service experience in the making, with the seller bearing the brunt of the customer's dissatisfaction with GSP's fees.

    I personally do not know of any sellers in collectibles fields who have anything good to say about the GSP.
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>You are learning why a lot of sellers do not use the GSP.

    I sell about 80% to Canada. The GSP costs were/are insane. Just use Paypal / USPS shipping and save yourself the headaches. >>



    I have lost at least $400 of shipments to Canada over the past 2 years. It may just be me, but Paypal/USPS does not work. I have a better delivery rate to China. Canada can KMA! >>



    Thank You! That was the final straw that stopped me from selling international! My loses to Canada of all countries. Figured since Ebay finally allowed coins into the Global Shipping Program I would give it a try. >>



    Trust me on this. I have only had problems with a few countries in the past ten years selling coins on eBay. All of them, except for France and Italy, have been from Canada. I have sold coins to at least fifty other countries without a problem. When a person from Canada wins one of my auctions, I literally cringe. There is nothing in place to protect me, as a seller, to ensure that I will get paid for my auction when I ship to Canada. That is a shame. especially when I send a package to an address to China that includes six lines and has Bunk #2 in the 5th line and I get possitive feedback once it has been received! Go figure.
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭
    I hear you Coin Pics. I do not use the GSP service, but I am tempted. It is a toss up. Do I lose possible sales because they are paying more or do I just not ship to certain country?

    Great tread topic though. I have wanted to understand this concept of the GSP for eBay!
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I did not even realize they were allowing coins in the GSP now.

    Guess I will proceed as I did in the past, and continue to ignore it.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • YQQYQQ Posts: 3,264 ✭✭✭✭✭
    IMO, GSP is the worst money grab Feebay ever initiated, next to No choice in feedback opportunity for sellers.
    I question the legality of it to some countries, especially Canada and the EU.
    Here is how it goes: a seller forgets or is not aware to untick, to unmark the DEAFAULT setting agreeing to the rip off costs.
    Then Feebay overrides the sellers settings for shipments outside the USA ONLY. However, the seller has NO idea this happened, as he does not see the override inside the US.
    After the auction Seller sends the items to Pitney Bowes somewhere in the US. Feebay claims they re-direct it and do all the paper work for importing into the destination country. AND collect (for the buyers convenience of course) all fees payable including a hefty fee for doing so. The seller is not aware of this. Question: is FVF on top of the actual goods?
    Now, in order to act on a buyers behalf for the buyers government, a Legal Power of attorney is required from each actual buyer. Such a law can not be ignored in small print which Feebay is trying to do.
    Do you really think that Pitney Bowes have all these PA's on file to present if asked by a customs person? There is automatically implied trust between import customs and Licensed Customs brokers. I know for sure, they do not have a PA from me!
    Further, most countries grant their citizen the right to process their own importing, any amount, any item. When I decide to use a broker, such broker must be licensed as such by the Federal government for collecting applicable duties and taxes on their behalf . Such broker must display such license at their place of business and all correspondance pertaining to an item being imported. AND must be licensed by the Tax collector of the respective provinces, as Canada does NOT have a uniform Tax collection system. A broker does this for a fee and No doubt, for the clients convenience. A Import broker has to learn a lot before being granted a license. Furthermore, Such broker must be bonded and must have a recognized “place of Business” in Canada. There are strict regulations pertaing to the operation of such a broker.
    So, Lets assume an item selling for $ 20 is imported by myself, shipping is $ 6.50 by the seller. Quite common. Seller ships the item, it gets to customs and moves on! Customs types your name into their database , it comes back in ½ sec – green and there it is on its way to you…. NO FEES!!!!
    A customs person told me: it has to be worth our while to at least recover our expenses. Our time is expensive and it makes no sense to spend $ 20 worth of time to collect, in most cases, only a 5% federal tax. That is all it is.
    Back to GSP. I have seen so different charges, it is a joke. Same size coin, different shipping different fees.
    Oh, O forgot, there is NO duty on Canadian coin coming into Canada, just the Federal tax GST. There is however, on other coins.
    I have tried contacting Pitney Bowes ans asking them about their licenses. You guessed it……No answer for the last 3 months.
    Please read THE SMALL print in this GSP stuff on Feebay. It makes your hair stand up… especially what a returned item is concerned….
    I will not buy from anyone using GSP. !!
    OH, nearly forgot: my next step is to inquire WHERE to Feebay and PB send the monies they collect on behalf of and “for each country” ?
    Do you think we will get an answer?













    axes (HST). Further, since Canada does not have a unified tax system, such broker must also have a license to collect each respective province's sales tax on the goods imported.
    Today is the first day of the rest of my life
  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    YQQ Unfortunately their are always bad apples that spoil it for everyone. image I was an ebay powerseller in the late 90's up to around 2000. I shipped internationally and never lost a coin! I shipped to almost every 3rd world country you can think of! I started back on ebay a bit over 2 years ago. Man things changed. I guess it is because a seller can not leave feedback against the thieves in the world. image I lost coins in countries I would have never imagined! My last straw was a couple from your precious Canada and I slammed the hammer down and quit selling internationally. With the introduction of the Global Shipping Program...I was like why not. I'll give it a try. The 2 sales I have completed have tracked all the way through and ebay is using a service overseas similar to Fed-Ex. It is expensive and tax cheats cannot avoid their import charges.

    For those who are curious...I researched and according to ebay if a coin is returned the seller is only responsible for domestic shipping on a refund it they offer free shipping.
  • YQQYQQ Posts: 3,264 ✭✭✭✭✭
    So, how does ebay and PB explain the power of attorney requirement which they do not have!, but are required by law to have if acting for someone else?
    And why has PB not replied and explained the situation?
    And why do they charge import fees which are not defined ( against the law)...
    I am surprised you use the word Tax cheats. I am certainly NOT one.
    fact is when it is legally declared on a CN 22 form and imported and customs lets it come in to a country because it would be too expensive for them to process it, that is not being a tax cheat!
    that is a very legal transaction. I have never asked anyone to declare a false value or to make a untrue declaration.
    I live by and respect the laws of a country.
    I go on record and say that a Importer, or his licensed and authorized agent, must complete prescribed forms containing a lot of detailed information and tariff numbers etc, AND must issue a receipt in a prescribed form containing all individual charges.
    NOW, how would you like it if one day a delivery service rings your door bell and says: sign here sir and later you find out that you actually signed an agreement after the fact retroactive that you authorized someone to act on your behalf? without a PA!! what's worse, they will not give u the goods unless you sign! ( happened to me exactly with UPS. I asked the driver who authorized them to act on my behalf.. he said we do this for your convenience...and handed me a 37 dollar bill. The item cost me only 22 dollars shipped ( a part). I told him to call his legal beagels.... he called someone... guess what: he was told to ignore it!
    absolutely illegal.. at least in Canada, and I am sure also in the USA.
    Today is the first day of the rest of my life
  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    YQQ I would think since the buyer is paying the shipping and import charges...not the seller that the buyer is authorizing the ebay global shipping program to act as the buyer's agent. While I do not know...there could be a terms of agreement you must check when you are paying.
  • bronco2078bronco2078 Posts: 9,964 ✭✭✭✭✭



    Anyone that uses the global shipping program is nutsimage


    Pitney bowes charge whatever they feel like with no rhyme or reason . If once the item gets to them they realize they can't make a profit they simply never send it to the overseas buyer.

    The seller is not told , they buyer supposedly gets a refund when this happens but it doesn't come from the sellers paypal.



    When this happens the seller is never made aware that the refund happened so a buyer could message the seller and get the seller to refund also.


  • YQQYQQ Posts: 3,264 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Regardless of what Feebays small print says, a Power OF Attorney must be in writing and must be witnessed and confirmed by an entity authorized by law. Like a notary or a lawyer.
    This can not be foregone by small print as it is a law. It must also be in original form on hand at the importing brokers place of business from where the transaction is done.
    it can not be given after the fact, However, a party can agree to the fact afterwards, accepting full responsibility for the actions.
    Global shipping is one of the best cash Cow for Feebay, as they prey on the inexperienced and naive buyers and sellers.
    And all " for our convenience".
    I will never buy from someone using it. I have contacted quit a few and they had NO idea what Feebay was charging.
    There is also NO rhyme or reason to charge different fees for 2 coins exactly the same..( 2 listings)
    Very soon I will get my MP involved to check out how PB handles this. AND if they have all the licenses in place.....
    Today is the first day of the rest of my life
  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Anyone that uses the global shipping program is nutsimage


    Pitney bowes charge whatever they feel like with no rhyme or reason . If once the item gets to them they realize they can't make a profit they simply never send it to the overseas buyer.

    The seller is not told , they buyer supposedly gets a refund when this happens but it doesn't come from the sellers paypal.



    When this happens the seller is never made aware that the refund happened so a buyer could message the seller and get the seller to refund also. >>



    I must say I find this hard to believe. That is actually a very serious accusation and I would love to see your evidence.

    Edit to add...Please PM if you do not want to post it here!
  • bronco2078bronco2078 Posts: 9,964 ✭✭✭✭✭



    I sort of replied to this but in the other thread by mistake image

    Basically the issues with the GSP are.

    Buyers are being charged huge fees that aren't due. Tax on items they don't owe tax on for instance.

    It takes forever to get the item as the seller sends it to kentucky and it just sits there , the tracking number provided to the buyers is useless.

    Pitney bowes is being paid to repackage the item but they don't according to some buyers they can can tell that they are just reposting the original box .(what are they being paid for???)

    If they decide not to ship it onto the buyer they simply keep it , refund the buyer and copy your listing and resell the item without even telling you.


    Combined shipping is not allowed , so if they quote the buyer $28 to ship a 5$ coin and the buyer buys 2 they charge the buyer $54 but buyers have to buy to see what the cost will be generally , especially with combined purchases where they will be very angry . (If you offer combined shipping on your listings this will really anger the buyer)

    While you ship USPS Pitney bowes may use a courier which might mean the buyer gets hit with a brokerage fee even though USPS doesn't charge those .


    As a seller you will be in the dark about all these things until the inevitable 1 star ratings start hitting you in the wallet.





  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I sort of replied to this but in the other thread by mistake image

    Basically the issues with the GSP are.

    Buyers are being charged huge fees that aren't due. Tax on items they don't owe tax on for instance.

    It takes forever to get the item as the seller sends it to kentucky and it just sits there , the tracking number provided to the buyers is useless.

    Pitney bowes is being paid to repackage the item but they don't according to some buyers they can can tell that they are just reposting the original box .(what are they being paid for???)

    If they decide not to ship it onto the buyer they simply keep it , refund the buyer and copy your listing and resell the item without even telling you.


    Combined shipping is not allowed , so if they quote the buyer $28 to ship a 5$ coin and the buyer buys 2 they charge the buyer $54 but buyers have to buy to see what the cost will be generally , especially with combined purchases where they will be very angry . (If you offer combined shipping on your listings this will really anger the buyer)

    While you ship USPS Pitney bowes may use a courier which might mean the buyer gets hit with a brokerage fee even though USPS doesn't charge those .


    As a seller you will be in the dark about all these things until the inevitable 1 star ratings start hitting you in the wallet. >>



    This has not been my experience at all! I read through your Aussie forum and I can see some issues which have been addressed. I just got positive feedback from a buyer in Denmark and Slovenia. When I go look at the various sites and click on cost to ship to...whatever country the shipping costs and import fees are plainly stated. I can see where multiple purchases could be an issue. I suspect if they are put in a cart and paid for together the shipping would be combined. An Aussie from your forum you posted had a solution. If the shipping fees are separate just have the seller relist the items they want in group!

    I really believe this program will work to the benefit of all in the long run(there are always bugs to work out of anything new!). Even Fed-Ex doesn't track all the way through from my understanding. Mine did! I have to say I give Big Cudos to ebay for trying to create an international selling program where the sellers are protected. I would not be selling internationally otherwise.

    1 star ratings would only effect international sales...not US as Ebay does separate them. Shipping costs and shipping time are ineligible for ratings under the global shipping program. Yeah...some would probably give a low star rating for item as described in retaliation. Time will tell. But the people that do that are people I do not care to do business with!
Sign In or Register to comment.