Ebay global shipping to Europe (Norway). Including VAT? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tronde
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2017, 08:00:19 pm
content: I try to figure out this. Does the global shipping programme include VAT or not? Some says yes, others no.Ebay is rather vague on the subject, but they write:"In the European Union, import VAT incurred on the purchase of goods for non-business purposes cannot be reclaimed or recovered by the Buyer."which I read as the global shipping actually includes VAT."Pitney Bowes' Role as Your Forwarding Agent ....(C) account for and pay the assessed import duties and other taxes due upon importation of the GSP Item, each on your behalf, (D) manage any dispute with such authorities regarding customs classifications, applicable duties and/or taxes,"VAT is due on importation for a private induvidual in Norway.*Exclusions. You alone are responsible for any customs duties, taxes, surcharges, fines, penalties, or other charges which may be imposed on you by customs or tax officials after a GSP Item has successfully cleared customs and been delivered to (or made available for pickup at) the delivery address specified by you or the collection center near you that is designated by Pitney Bowes."Which I read as: "If we goof, it's your problem."http://pages.ebay.com/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.htmlIf VAT is included, I would expect the shipping cost to be at least what I should pay in VAT, but sometimes I see lisitings with lower shipping cost.I am aware of the critics about the global shipping, but sometimes the cost seems to be OK because DHL / UPS / Fedex can be extremely greedy when they calculate their handling fees here in Norway. Our VAT is 25%, so it makes a difference.Anyone out there who has hands-on experience?

author: kaz911
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2017, 08:05:12 pm
content: UK - So far I have never had issues with Global Shipping apart from it takes a LONG time to get your items (expect 2-4 weeks from Shipping Date)Sometimes it IS cheaper to ship with GS - other times it is cheaper to ship through a shipping agent. There are free and paid for "freight forwarders" - but usually they only "pay off" if you have multiple parcels to consolidate.I have used MyUS for 15 years - so i'm on a cheap grandfathered plan with them. So I don't pay so much as you would now. So I would not recommend them. Find someone who just take a cut of the shipping fee with no membership fee.

author: tronde
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 01:38:30 am
content: Quote from: MasterTech on January 21, 2017, 08:20:44 pmI understand. I tried to add some products to my basket, and then the import charges became specified. I tried to add four different GDM-8251A multimeters, all used. Funny thing is that the shipping cost is inverse to the price. Ebay compensating themselves for low profit on cheaper products?

author: ovnr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 03:00:45 am
content: And just another confirmation: Yes, the prices are including VAT and customs fees. The package will arrive as normal with no extra costs (as in payment on delivery, "postoppkrav"), but with a giant and unsightly eBay sticker. You simply pay the VAT and fees up front when ordering.

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2017, 03:29:58 am
content: Though a recent purchase from the US wasn't electronics, during checkout, before paying the seller, I recently requested that they shipped the product to me via USPS international with tracking, without the priority. The 50$ shipping + import charges which eBay forced added upon the 25$ item I purchased was changed to 25$ as a raw shipping charge from the seller. When the item came into Canada, I wasn't charged a cent in taxes, or, import charges since it went through the mail and was less than 50$.To think, if I didn't ask the seller to manually charge me the shipping fee directly, I would have paid a total of 75$ just on shipping and import charges. The eBay global program is BS. Even if Canada post would have charged me import taxes, it would have been only about 10$, not 25$ + the additional 25$ which eBay blindly added on.

author: azer
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2017, 06:13:35 pm
content: Import charges should be listed below the shipping charge on the item page if you are logged in.Import charge is (unit price + shipping)*25% + some pocket change for Pitney/ebay/paypal/postnord.The difference in shipping cost you see is because the shipping cost is actually shipping from seller to Kentucky + Kentucky to Norway so it depends on the shipping method the seller has configured for US and the distance from the seller to Kentucky.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2017, 06:17:16 pm
content: AFAIK the global shipping program uses USPS where sellers can drop their parcels off. Once dropped off at the shipping company the Global Shipping program takes responsibility for shipping and refunding lost packages.