Is it legal for Global Shipping Program to charge $50 extra to actual cost of $23

[bberman2009]

US $23.50

Australia

USPS Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box

Estimated Delivery within 7-12 business days

is it reasonable that the global shipping joke charges $75 to ship the same item?

[zanadoo_56]

Considering the Global Scam Program seems to overcharge all the time it's probably legal.....but that doesn't necessarily make it right.

[zsazsa25]

Global Shipping Program is way out of line with its post charges and adding Import Duty when no Import Duty is applicable, to Overseas Buyers.

Many Sellers are losing valued custom because of their exhorbitant fees. I and my friends will now not place Bids on any items that use the Program.

How do you get in touch with Global Shipping - does anyone know? I have a US$60 Import Duty on one of the items I am waiting to pay for, and the Seller doesn't know how to remove it and I am unable to contact them to remove it as No Duty is applicable.

[putney32]

I think you'll find the 'import' bit is not the actual charges, but Pitney Bowes charges to prepare the papaer work and clear it thru customs here even when there is 'nothing to pay' to Aussie Customs

[bberman2009]

there is no paperwork to prepare unless its worth over $1000, and you pay 10%
then you do the paperwork yourself or pay an agent to do it
if they are charging Import Duty dishonestly maybe make a complaint to Australian Customs (Post Imports).
Be amusing if there was easy enough fraud to prove that that got stung with legal action.

[lyndal1838]

IF import duty is payable it will be specified on the listing/invoice.

The charges that are listed are Pitney Bowes charges for preparing the item for internatioanl shipping including Customs Declarations and repacking if necessary.

[afantiques]

Global Shipping Program is way out of line with its post charges and adding Import Duty when no Import Duty is applicable, to Overseas Buyers.

Many Sellers are losing valued custom because of their exhorbitant fees. I and my friends will now not place Bids on any items that use the Program.

How do you get in touch with Global Shipping - does anyone know? I have a US$60 Import Duty on one of the items I am waiting to pay for, and the Seller doesn't know how to remove it and I am unable to contact them to remove it as No Duty is applicable

In New Zealand, the exemption from import sales taxes only applies for personal imports by mail or courier. Technically, the importer of record is a corporation, Pitney Bowes Inc.

Although this was the situation a few months ago, there have been signs that something was being done about it. As for the item that you are waiting to pay for, there is nothing either of you can do  except cancel the sale and start again with USPS  shipping on the listing.

I have never found a case where a buyer has said that duty or import sales tax is not applicable where investigation has not shown that in fact it is payable. Buyers have little conception of the difference in treatment that freight shipments get compared to mail shipments and this leads to all sorts of understandable but wrong ideas,

[davewil1964]

In New Zealand.... probably doesn't have a lot to do with Australia. You are aware that they are different countries?

[some999]

I've just started a new topic re Global shipping both on our board & also the US SELLERS BOARD.

I had a rather heated call with ebay this morning & in the end they could not help.  .

They said that the global shipping charges 2 lots of shipping - 1 for within US to the despatch point.

Then another from the despatch point to the destination.

You cannot combine purchases/postage with Global Shipping.

You can't have FREE SHIPPING either.  Hre they are trying to make everything free postage!

It is a joke.

I had already purchased a large item & wanted a very tiny light item worth $18.95 that would have fitted into the box with the first item & not altered the postage..

Global shipping wanted $31.66    To post via USPS was somewhere around $8-$9 in a small box.

The seller wanted to make it $0 postage so it could travel with the 1st item & guess what????
Ebay says that can't be done!

How ridiculous.  

US Sellers have lost 5 sales this week from just me due to this stupid program & I've told ebay that & what I've bought & from where.

Amazon is picking up sales & posting more items now worldwide & many other websites are also posting internationally & without ebay fees tacked onto items that are available in US Stores, the stores are much cheaper for both the item & the postage.

An example was 5 x same item on ebay was US$86.50 (on special, usually $120) + $29.97 postage.

I found the same item on Amazon.  5 cost me US$74.95 + just under US$20 postage.  == saving of approx US$20 just for spending a few minutes to hunt on non-ebay sites.

[afantiques]

In New Zealand.... probably doesn't have a lot to do with Australia. You are aware that they are different countries?

That specifc post I was replying to came from a NZ poster. Do check all  the facts before criticizing.