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Tariffs on cards from Canada?
craig44
Posts: 13,157 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have not purchased any cards from Canada for over a year. I am currently considering one on Ebay. does anyone know if there are still tariffs on cards coming to the states from canada? if so, how much? and how does one go about paying it?
thank you in advance!!
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
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I bought 2 vintage hockey cards from a Canadian eBay seller in early June, then one more card early July from the same seller.
When I purchased the items, I saw a notice "Due to US customs policies, the buyer of this item will need to pay import fees to the shipping carrier prior to delivery". When I clicked on it, there was an eBay page that explained how tariff fees are collected (there appeared to be 3 methods).
My transactions were like any other eBay purchase, but the shipping costs were much higher than US purchases ($10 for the 2 card order, $18 for the single card order). I assume these higher shipping costs were tariff-driven (i.e, the import fees were included in the total price). To date, I have not received any bill specifically for tariffs/import fees.
oh, that is good to know. i didnt know whether to expect the mailman to be asking for payment at the door or how it worked. it sounds like the tariffs were included in shipping costs
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I just recently purchased cards from Canada with the "buyer of this item will need to pay import fees to the shipping carrier prior to delivery" disclosure. It was 2 cards that cost $39 USD total and the import fee was $1.06 USD, which eBay collected at checkout.
great news. i was fearing it would be some sort of COD type deal. sounds like they will just take their cut whenever i pay.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
i bought one from martin sports/cards -- they didn't charge me anything.
The way I understand it, the tariffs are for the importation of Canadian goods into the U.S.A. In our realm here, that would be O-Pee-Chee cards.
If you're buying a U.S.A.-made item, like a Topps or Bowman.....etc..... card, at least in my view, there should be no tariff, as you are actually "repatriating" the item to it's country of origin (The U.S.A.)
At least that's how I see it.
Steve
I purchased several items on ebay from Canada in the last several months. The only time I was charged a fee was when the seller shipped UPS. The fee was $10 on a $20 item.
2025 SEC bowl record 4-10
SEC bowl record vs BIG TEN last two years 2-8
Sorry would have to disagree, the Tariffs Canada must pay US now have no direct correlation to the actual Product (With Some Exceptions of course) Everything Canada Sends to us now gets a Reciprocal Tariff of, 50% as of last night, but Dementia Don could change that in a Heart Beat! I Generally don't buy from Canada any more due to the Increased Shipping costs from Canada. Sheesh 3 Comics is now $19.99-$24.99. I just pass!
I received a PSA graded card from Canada yesterday and was not charged a tariff. It was hand delivered to my door just three days after the purchase. On the mailing label, the seller identified it as a “paper trading card” with a value of $100 which is well below what I paid. Customs clearly did not open the package to verify the accuracy of the description although I assume they have the ability to x-ray packages when they’re suspicious. I was surprised it did not go through PSA’s authenticity verification process since the purchase price was greater than $500. Does anyone know why it wouldn’t have?
Tariffs are the sellers responsibility and not the buyers it seems.
I do not believe authenticity verification or PSA grading are available on foreign purchases.
Matt
Whoever imports (usually the buyer) pays the tariffs.
However, if shipped Canada Post, the shipper pays upfront and this is because USPS and Canada Post do not have the system in place to collect the tariffs in the US. But I would assume the shipper would include these fees upfront.
I ship from Canada to the US all the time.... tariffs and broker fees are not always collected. Some get through and some get dinged. If the item was 'made in the USA'.... quite often the receiver just pays the broker processing cost and zero taxes or tariffs.
Honestly folk we in the US should never have to deal with bs stuff and we did not prior to 2025.
Yeah I know times change but my opinion on this will not.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
I have bought and not paid if it is a TOpps card, If the seller lists the origin country as US there should be no tariff. I did pay the UPS $10 processing fee
What if the OPC card is graded by PSA?
Is it a US product?
What if a Topps card is graded by KSA?
Is it a US or Canada product?
The card I purchased was OPC and graded by PSA. The seller’s description did not indicate either, only that it was a trading card, so my guess is that US Customs did not care enough to check since the declared value was only $100. There was no tariff charge when I checked out, only sales tax, since the buyer offered free shipping. I was certainly glad to receive the card so quickly with no added cost. If the package was lost, the seller might have been screwed since the declared value was much lower than the selling price but that was a risk he was willing to take to keep his shipping cost low and/or to keep my tariff cost low if enforced. Either way it worked out great for me. But I’m still puzzled why it didn’t go through eBay’s authenticity verification process.
I sell items on ebay mostly shipped to United States maybe 500 per year with a small amount being sports cards.
Sports cards are a tariff free product to the United States from Canada.
Single baseball cards are classified under the HS code 4911.99. This classification generally applies to other printed matter, including printed pictures and photographs.
Tariff Information
HS Code Description Tariff Status
4911.99 Other printed matter, including pictures Tariff Free
This means that when importing single baseball cards into the United States, there is typically no tariff applied.
Where you pay a fee is the entry fee. UPS and Fedex might charge you an entry fee for document processing. If the seller ships Canada Post they have to pay any document/entry fee as they dont allow the buyer to do that. Its because Canada Post and USPS have some kind of agreement for shipping back and forth. The charge we pay is $2.99. UPS or Fedex is a option for the buyer or seller to pay any fees.
Unless its a low value card we can sneak it in first class mail which isnt supposed to be allowed but its the only reasonable way for us to ship a low value card - just under $2.00 Canadian. Even small packet costs thru USPS cost us about $9.00 Canadian to the United States. UPS cost is about $12-15 and the document processing fee will be about $6-$10
I also do have to marked where the item was manufactured. SO OPC is manufactured in USA originally. Its worded the origin of the item
There is a line in the law that says something to the effect that if the item's value was increased through action in the foreign country, then the tariff applies, since it would now be considered a foreign-made product.
So, if you buy a Topps card from a dealer in Canada, and you're in the USA, and the card is raw, then no tariff would theoretically apply. However, if the card was graded and slabbed, then the tariff would apply. But then you also get into if the card was graded/slabbed by PSA, which is in the USA, then it's still a USA-made product, and "theoretically", no tariff would apply. If, however, the card was graded/slabbed by KSA, then it is a Canadian-made product, and the tariff would apply.
So..........it's a mess.
Steve
All I can see about tarrifs in regards to shipping - the question is where is the product manufactured.
Dan
This is an update from my 7/22 post. I just purchased another card from Canada for around $50 USD and this time I received an email from UPS stating I would need to pay $26.69 for import fees in advance (or an additional $12 if I wait to pay the driver). Back in July, I paid $1.06 for a $39 purchase. This latest turned a $50 card to a $75 one. I guess no more Canada for me.
oops, forgot this thread. let me add an update also. I purchased a card from Canada for $300 US. all was fine. no extra charges through ebay. card shipped to authentication, then shipped to me. a week later, i get an invoice from FED EX for an additional $69 for import fees.
the auction listed a flat shipping fee from seller to authentication to me. i guess that is not true...
of course ebay did nothing about it.
never will i ever buy another card from canada again. lesson learned.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Ouch! That $69 out of nowhere charge had to hurt.
Use the canned tuna life-hack.
What happens if you don't pay the invoice. Just say that is on the shipper?
Canada just added 50% tarrifs on US manufactured sports cards. That will kill sales from the US to Canada. More inflation coming to both markets.
Never bought anything from Canada and still plan not to.
Reciprocal thanks you-know-who.
i considered it, but figured fed ex would just refuse to ship to me until i paid the "tax"
lesson learned. its too bad because there are a lot of OPC baseball cards up in canada i would love to have but no more
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
It sounds like the seller might have chosen to ship FedEx and he didn’t declare that the seller was responsible so then the recipient becomes responsible. I just bought a card from Canada and I was hit with tariff fees on the purchase and I was able to decide before I purchased.
the seller shipped to ebay authentication and then authentication shipped to me via fedex. i didnt get any choice how ebay chose to ship.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Do they authenticate in Canada?
yes, i believe it was authenticated in canada
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
If a seller from Canada uses Fed ex bEWARE. Lesson learned.
2025 SEC bowl record 4-10
SEC bowl record vs BIG TEN last two years 2-8
Canada Post + USPS and you wont get hit with the fees. However as was mentioned PSA regardless of country their office resides only uses Fedex, however I think a PO Box will solve the that issue - right?
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
Unfortunately it was Canada that blew up the deal for political reasons. You side with a country that boos our National Anthem. I say who needs anything from Canada, they charge 200-300% tariffs on our dairy farmers BEFORE our tariffs and block our banks from doing business in Canada UNLESS you deposit $150000 which leaves most Canadians out and only businesses in. Keep drinking the Kool Aid
Remind me Harness, are you the guy that bought that bad unopened product, that was rejected by BBCE and tried to turn it? Just want to get my bearings on your perspectives on fair trade.
Also, Canada supplies 65% of US oil, hydro powers millions of homes in the Northeast and we supply like 90% of fertilizer. So if power and food production don’t matter I’d agree we offer no value.
And come on, OPC cards rule
.
If you're going to have an adult conversation you wouldn't start with over-quota rates. That points the finger that something that isn't the real problem.
A lot of incorrect information in this post... not sure if serious
He's the kind of guy you want to ask - but you don't.... "did you drive yourself? or.. yeah..."
Spot on! 👍 Well said! It’s a matter of informing oneself, but we know the illness that comes along with this. There’s been a trading travesty’s and unbalanced trade agreement for a long time. Now someone is stepping up for the “future” of the US. This has been on going for a long time.. Mexico was in agreement and balanced out our North American trade, I do business there at times. There’s an obvious reason why Alberta wants to succeed.
But these are the same people that think Venn Diagram’s are amazing! 😀 Or as Gavin says
“Zen Diagrams”. 😀 Or who doesn’t love “yellow” school buses 😃 Wow! Thanks for your time!
Please go back to Facebook.
Amazing how some entitled people think the no politics rule of this forum does not apply to them.
P.S. Notice how those who post political messages usually do so on weekends, allowing those posts to remain visible until the business week begins. IMO, that is a sneaky and despicable tactic.
Listen you two save it you’re typical sports board fodder 😂
It amazes me at times how people think education equals intelligence. Carney isn’t doing Canada any good with this. Because like the of you, Carney is letting his arrogant emotions and disdain for Trump control his common sense, at this point I don’t think he has any, he’s throwing a tantrum. He thinks being an associate with the EU is showing Trump
) , the EU and Europe can’t help themselves, by joining them or becoming part of EU makes no sense they already have a great deal with the EU in CETA [ go look it up] because of course you don’t know, there’s absolutely no reason for Carney to do this with the USA. Carney will crush Canada, he’s hell bent on it! And if Canada becomes a member, the EU laws supersede the laws of Canada. He will throw away Canada’s sovereignty. Breaking off from America will sink their middle class.. which is struggling already.
Carney is a friggen “Globalist”. The EU and Europe already have a BIG illegal migrant problem draining their social programs, they caused. The EU has nothing to offer Canada that they don’t already have. The USA holds the cards for Canada and trumps calling Carney’s bluff.. Also go look up how the secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack under “auto pen” morons administration tried to pillage our Dairy farmers and all farming including cattle industry. With the USDA making them pay fees for climate change BS and agendas like transgender food studies in San Francisco.
And as far as energy goes! We have plenty of energy in LNG and Oil. To take care of this country!
Big business will leave Canada like Ford and others, possibly moving back to the states.. He’s playing right into Trumps hands. And I’ll tell you something else there’s a lot of Canadians NOT happy! It’s in part why Alberta wants to secede. They’re sick of Ottawa’s BS red tape controlling them.
There’s an old saying! “It’s better to be quiet and thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt”.
And I don’t bother wasting my time on the PSA board I work. I read I work out .. I pay attention.. typical TDS high estrogen! 😂
🙄
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
I’m watching football at the moment Bud
) .. had some free time at the beginning of the game! Half time now!
Oh NO! ….Not banned! 😂 Why because I voiced my opinion like everyone else? But that’s typical of your side! Can’t debate .. So BAN HIM! 😃 So typical. Thanks for your time though!
Listen .. I’ve been on and off this board for years .. I graded with PSA when they first opened the doors! I had some good acquaintances with many at PSA, still am with the lady who runs the registry!. I have many older sets on the registry, some #1 many in the top 10! I’m no noob here or in life..
Hey no harm no foul you got tuned up on some politics, it happens in life! That’s how we grow. It happens to all of us. sincerely wish you all the best!
Another little saying or quip I live by! If you’re the smartest guy in the room… You’re in the wrong room! Back to football have a great Sunday!