Import fees, higher chargers, poor service

[arcssydney]

I have notice e bay is charging import fees on products purchased from outside of Australia, Why is this when items under $1000 dollars at this present time, do not have import taxes,  as i purchase a lot of products both on and outside, i was looking at buying and item when i noticed a $5 import charge i guess this is eBay again  screwing us on chargers, with the amount of counterfeit products being sold, poor sellers and lack of control, i think e bay is slipping big time both e bay and PayPal increasing fees for a poorer service

i think its time to go direct as items are in most cases cheaper to buy from a retail out in most cases

anyway that my concerns with ebay and were there heading

[cq_tech]

At today's exchange rate, for an item priced at US$1500 (or A$1672) the "import charges" in digi's example should only be 10%, or around A$167, so where the hell does the balance of A$292 end up? In Pitney-Bowes' coffers presumably, and IMO that's nothing more than blatant corporate theft. 😞

Also, can anybody verify that ebay either owns Pitney-Bowes, or is a major shareholder in same?

[lyndal1838]

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@cq_tech wrote:
At today's exchange rate, for an item priced at US$1500 (or A$1672) the "import charges" in digi's example should only be 10%, or around A$167, so where the hell does the balance of A$292 end up? In Pitney-Bowes' coffers presumably, and IMO that's nothing more than blatant corporate theft. 😞

Also, can anybody verify that ebay either owns Pitney-Bowes, or is a major shareholder in same?

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CQ, Customs duties are not just the GST...there are other charges as well and the total usually works out at about 25-30% of the total of item price plus postage.

It is a long time since I had to pay Customs duties...back when the allowable limit was $400.  I had 2 items shipped together...neither was above the ceiling but together they came to a bit over $500 plus postage.  The duty was $150, which was roughly 25% of the items total plus the postage.

As far as I know ebay does not own PB.  PB is a very well established logistics company and have a finger in the pie of the USPS, where they provide postal franking machines to businesses and are apparently extending their services in this department.  I really have no idea if ebay is a shareholder and frankly I have better things to do than waste time trying to find out.

If you google PB you will find that they spread their tentacles far and wide.  I would say ebay gets a kickback at the very least.

[putney32]

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@cq_tech wrote:
At today's exchange rate, for an item priced at US$1500 (or A$1672) the "import charges" in digi's example should only be 10%, or around A$167, so where the hell does the balance of A$292 end up? In Pitney-Bowes' coffers presumably, and IMO that's nothing more than blatant corporate theft. 😞

Also, can anybody verify that ebay either owns Pitney-Bowes, or is a major shareholder in same?

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PB has been around since the early 1900s.  I used their postal machines back in the 1960s, a very old american company, doubt that ebay would own them however, they do work very closely with the american postal system.

they are a great logistics company to use if you are a large company, way too expensive if you are a 1 off ebay seller with a $15 skirt or $20 ashtray to sell !!!!!