Buying and Selling on eBay: Tips, Tricks, Problems & Questions

[Ebichuman]

I don't do business on eBay but I find it hard to believe that you wouldn't be better off by de-escalating this @Fueco

 

[Fueco]

Too much. But writing that no doubt helped you relieve your stress, so mission accomplished anyway!

I canceled the order and reported her to Ebay for making threats via messaging.

 

[Fueco]

I don't do business on eBay but I find it hard to believe that you wouldn't be better off by de-escalating this @Fueco

Part of it is frustration at not being able to actually kick customers out of the store. If you've ever seen the movie Clerks, my retail philosophy is closest to Randall, except that I let customers actively treat me like **** before I retaliate.

Maybe I spent too many years working retail (REI, Longs Drugs, and Walgreens).

 

[Ebichuman]

I read this thread occasionally and I am amazed at the stuff you guys put up with... kudos.

 

[Steve Smith]

Part of it is frustration at not being able to actually kick customers out of the store. If you've ever seen the movie Clerks, my retail philosophy is closest to Randall, except that I let customers actively treat me like **** before I retaliate.

Maybe I spent too many years working retail (REI, Longs Drugs, and Walgreens).

Blocked Bidder List, then move on. If I let them piss me off then they have won. And by that measure sometimes they win.

 

[dadjeans]

Why do people hate the global shipping program? I’ve done it about five times now without incident; really easy to ship to eBay in Kentucky, then they ship to wherever.

Let's say I'm looking to spend $20-25 on a Robert Talbott tie. If I go with the shipper who uses First Class?

If I go with the seller who uses GSP?

Now if I'm shopping for a more expensive item, it gets worse. Let's say I'm shopping for a sport coat.

If I go with the seller who uses First Class?

If I go with the seller who uses GSP?

Some other drawbacks other than cost:

• You get a tracking number to follow the item to KY, no tracking while it's in KY for two or three business days and a final tracking number only accessible by desktop and only after it clears customs. Once the item arrives in KY, it shows as 'Delivered' on eBay, despite being a good week away from arriving up here.
• Shipping takes almost twice as long if using GSP.
• The KY facility will often undo all of your careful packaging and throw the item loose into a poly pouch to cut down on their costs with zero regard for the increased risk of damage.

As a buyer, I'll pretty much always avoid GSP listings unless I absolutely need to have the item.

 

[capnwes]

@dadjeans out of curiosity what would the approximate customs charges associated with direct ship items look like?

 

[dadjeans]

It depends on the item. CRA has a handy calculator at https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/dte-acl/est-cal-eng.html

On your average $50 CAD purchase, you'd be looking at $5-10 plus a $10 processing fee. That being said, items eligible for duty charges are probably only flagged about 1-2% of the time and that's usually for higher-dollar items. Our border staff are already massively overburdened and spend more on enforcement than they collect in duties.

ETA: All of that being said, though, the Canadian market is small and there's not that much to be gained by shipping First Class up here. Some buyers will ask you to falsify customs forms, others will blame you if their package gets flagged for duty and others will claim false SNADs in order to avoid expensive return shipping. GSP does let you avoid some of that.

 

[bamgrinus]

Let me just say that as a casual, infrequent seller, I hate how much it seems to want me to know about shipping (especially international) when creating an auction where I'm not offering free shipping. I'd much rather see checkboxes for carriers and then let the buyer figure out which shipping they want since it's on their buck.

 

[kbadgley84]

@capnwes

Too much? I felt like ranting while eating my breakfast. I have not sent this yet.

View attachment 1295773

Dude send that

 

[HansderHund]

It depends on the item. CRA has a handy calculator at https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/dte-acl/est-cal-eng.html

On your average $50 CAD purchase, you'd be looking at $5-10 plus a $10 processing fee. That being said, items eligible for duty charges are probably only flagged about 1-2% of the time and that's usually for higher-dollar items. Our border staff are already massively overburdened and spend more on enforcement than they collect in duties.

ETA: All of that being said, though, the Canadian market is small and there's not that much to be gained by shipping First Class up here. Some buyers will ask you to falsify customs forms, others will blame you if their package gets flagged for duty and others will claim false SNADs in order to avoid expensive return shipping. GSP does let you avoid some of that.

Great, accurate information. I’d like to add that sellers shipping products that were made in N. America should be marked as such! Canadians will get the duty waived I believe if this is the case. I sent a €500 pair of sunglasses to Canada and marked it on the customs form and box that they were made in the USA. The calculator that @dadjeans linked informed me that it was something like CAD$150 savings, or some ridiculous amount. Things like shell Alden would really benefit from this.

 

[capnwes]

It depends on the item. CRA has a handy calculator at https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/dte-acl/est-cal-eng.html

On your average $50 CAD purchase, you'd be looking at $5-10 plus a $10 processing fee. That being said, items eligible for duty charges are probably only flagged about 1-2% of the time and that's usually for higher-dollar items. Our border staff are already massively overburdened and spend more on enforcement than they collect in duties.

ETA: All of that being said, though, the Canadian market is small and there's not that much to be gained by shipping First Class up here. Some buyers will ask you to falsify customs forms, others will blame you if their package gets flagged for duty and others will claim false SNADs in order to avoid expensive return shipping. GSP does let you avoid some of that.

Just meant on your examples above for comparison. Thanks though.

 

[MJMcRibb]

@capnwes

Too much? I felt like ranting while eating my breakfast. I have not sent this yet.

View attachment 1295773

I sent this reply yesterday to someone who had a max bid of $1,075 on 3 pair of shoe trees. I probably should have ignored their message and had someone shill bid up to the max.

 

[justridiculous]

Let's say I'm looking to spend $20-25 on a Robert Talbott tie. If I go with the shipper who uses First Class?

View attachment 1295813

If I go with the seller who uses GSP?

View attachment 1295814

Now if I'm shopping for a more expensive item, it gets worse. Let's say I'm shopping for a sport coat.

If I go with the seller who uses First Class?
View attachment 1295831

If I go with the seller who uses GSP?
View attachment 1295832

Some other drawbacks other than cost:

• You get a tracking number to follow the item to KY, no tracking while it's in KY for two or three business days and a final tracking number only accessible by desktop and only after it clears customs. Once the item arrives in KY, it shows as 'Delivered' on eBay, despite being a good week away from arriving up here.
• Shipping takes almost twice as long if using GSP.
• The KY facility will often undo all of your careful packaging and throw the item loose into a poly pouch to cut down on their costs with zero regard for the increased risk of damage.

As a buyer, I'll pretty much always avoid GSP listings unless I absolutely need to have the item.

This is very helpful to see on my end as an infrequent, hobby seller (mostly just selling off my own stuff). There were a few orders on which I've lost items and money shipping internationally some time back, and it was a huge headache for me. I switched over to GSP a couple of years ago and the amount of international sales has actually gone up since I've done that. However, if someone reaches out and shows genuine interest in an item but the drawbacks for them are the shipping cost and import fees, I'd try to work with them to try to find something that works for both of us.

 

[dadjeans]

Just meant on your examples above for comparison. Thanks though.

Ah, sorry! On the MiUSA tie it would be $13.51 (3.51 in sales tax, no duty and a $10 service charge). On the jacket (let's say it was made in Italy) it would be $63.34 (20.80 in sales tax, 32.54 in duty and a $10 service charge). As I mentioned before though, the chances of these fees actually being charged is very slim.