[PSA] Ebay's solution to pre-paying import fees on US orders and why it is terrible
Summary: En el hilo de discusión titulado "[PSA] Ebay's solution to pre-paying import fees on US orders and why it is terrible", los usuarios almats65, twyngwyn, gutterpunkz05 y ramcycle2010 intercambian opiniones sobre las complicaciones que presenta la solución de Ebay para el prepago de tarifas de importación en pedidos estadounidenses. El autor inicial, almats65, destaca los problemas asociados con la implementación de dicha solución, argumentando que actualizaciones recientes complican las compras. Las respuestas de los demás participantes parecen alinearse con esta percepción, mostrando una preocupación compartida sobre el impacto negativo en la experiencia del usuario y la necesidad de mayor claridad en las políticas de Ebay.
Today I got email from ebay inviting me (seller) to take part in a new "program" that will display my listings to US buyers as Delivery Duty Paid.
Here is a relevant excerpt:
Starting Dec 10, if you're opted in, your listings will clearly show US buyers that the total price includes import fees. We'll also remove the warning that additional import fees may be due after checkout. To participate, please complete this short form by Dec 5.
This is, frankly, the most lazy solution because further down in the message they suggest to include import duty in the shipping price. The same suggestion already has been sent out to sellers a few months ago.
Including import duties in a shipping price means that sellers will be paying final value fees and promotion fees on it as well. That is not even to mention that you will have to use shipping rate tables to do that. You most probably cannot even charge import duty accurately on each individual order (due to how rate tables are set up), unless you have an opportunity to send an invoice to buyer, for example after accepting offers.
What needs to be done. I understand Ebay will probably never see this post, but they need to charge and remit import duty the same way VAT/tax is done, BUT also make sure that the import duty is NOT included in the FVF and promotion fee calculation. I do not see any other viable option, if anyone knows any solution please feel free to share.
ramcycle2010
·8 months agoLooking forward to receiving that email, as my US sales have completely dried up.
I wonder how they decide which sellers to send it to?
almats65
OP8 months agoI would stay away from participating because they introduce a new type of account defect that you can get while participating. My understanding is if buyer gets their order delayed in customs or US changes how much of import duties needs to be paid, buyer can report (I assume in INR request) that their item does not have duty prepaid and you (seller) will get account defect.
Relevant part of email:
If a buyer is asked to pay import fees by the shipping carrier on a Delivered Duties Paid-marked item:
Without knowing how and when exactly this new defect is applied I will not gamble with my account on that. If all it takes is for buyer to make a claim that Ebay cannot even verify I will never opt in.
gutterpunkz05
·8 months agoAs far as I am aware, FVF's apply to all taxes, duties etc. Might have time to double check later.
almats65
OP8 months agoExactly. FVF applies to item price+shipping+tax and if you include duty in the shipping you are paying fee on it. Even bigger issue is that import duty is calculated not as percentage of the item value but as a flat fee for up to 80$ regardless of value (for countries US has not signed trade deal with). This might be a bit outdated info, but a few months ago that is how it was announced by US government.
For all other countries FVF is not charged on import duties because it is being paid by the buyer AFTER item lands in their country and customs issue some sort of notice to pay duty. I, as a seller, do not even know how much my customers from other countries pay in import charges because it is charged by their government (customs) completely outside of Ebay.
twyngwyn
·8 months agoI have no solution……just bizarre!