Buying from eBay - Customs Fees - Whos liable?

[andrewconnors9]

Just curious if anyone else has got nailed with customs fees after buying something from ebay?

Just got a package and i got nailed with 33.91$CDN customs fees. Am i liable for this or should the seller be? considering he sent 32 cards in a box that could have easily been shipped in a bubbler

Andrew

[jim70mustang]

Did the sender fill out the green customs document and attach it to the box?

[Craig2]

What did the auction itself say about how the item would be shipped (ie. insurance, ect.)? That might give more information, although I'm not sure how you'd go about getting those fees from the seller.

I've been hit with them a few times, along with the occasional "broker fee" for UPS. It's worth it to make sure big-ticket items make it here, but nobody wants to pay heavy customs and excise taxes on a $40 lot.

[andrewconnors9]

yes it is attached to the bottom

[andrewconnors9]

well it was a 215$US lot, but i mean i payed that as it was a steal. Now throw another 33$ in it, kinda makes it not so much a steal anymore lol

[flemingc04]

From what I understand, it's a risk we take when trading or selling across the border. It's very uncommon to get nailed by customs, but some collectors have it happen to them once every year or two. Thankfully, I've never had it happen, but I'm dreading the day it does. I think I also read that it happens to almost all packages shipped by UPS (don't quote me on this...it could even be another similar shipping company) because they charge a processing fee of doing the customs work and then declare the value on the shipping slip. Therefore, you are billed an admin fee to the company and customs.

[30ranfordfan]

IMO - It's absolutely the buyers responsibility.

I've been nailed with them once, in about 20 years of online buying / trading. Didn't like it, but paid it. (I suppose twice, if you count a purchase from MeiGray)

Technically here's what the deal is. You're paying the buyer for his cards, and to ship. Canada customs has decided that you should pay taxes on the purchse. No way that the seller could deal with this. Just because you're buying from outside of the country, doesn't mean you're not supposed to pay sales tax. They rarely enforce it, but they can.

[Craig2]

IMO - It's absolutely the buyers responsibility.

I've been nailed with them once, in about 20 years of online buying / trading. Didn't like it, but paid it. (I suppose twice, if you count a purchase from MeiGray)

Technically here's what the deal is. You're paying the buyer for his cards, and to ship. Canada customs has decided that you should pay taxes on the purchse. No way that the seller could deal with this. Just because you're buying from outside of the country, doesn't mean you're not supposed to pay sales tax. They rarely enforce it, but they can.

I agree - as someone who has paid it more than once, it's the buyer's responsibility.

One thing you can do to avoid fees is to avoid sending highly-insured packages via UPS. I did get nailed once for about $250 in taxes and brokerage fees on a large lot, the majority of which actually went to UPS and not the Customs folks. On some others cards/lots, I've willingly paid the taxes because I wanted the item properly tracked and insured.

And you're right, it's not the seller's fault that our country has these taxes and duties. For the number of cross-border purchases I've made, it's been well worth it.

[sko789]

tax for buying across the border....ouch. guess it always helps to buy inside our own countries to avoid senseless taxes such as these.

[jim70mustang]

The seller should have shipped via USPS to avoid the added fees.