Shipping to Europe

[MidnightMeltdown]

I recently sold an eBay item to someone in Europe. The buyer has messaged me complaining that they have to pay import duty to collect their parcel, when they have already paid me for shipping and import.

As far as I'm aware, import duties are the responsibility of the buyer. Unless the item is sold through the global shipping programme (which this wasn't), I don't think that a buyer can be charged import duty at the point of sale. Does anyone know any different to this? Thanks.

item has exceeded the allowance so buyer has to pay...they should look into this first..!!....post office told me the allowance for eu was about £40 inc the postage costs.

Thanks @earsup

This item is only worth about £35 so it seems that they were unlucky!
Personally, I always check the duty charge before buying anything from abroad, I'm just a bit baffled about why this buyer seems to think that they've already paid me for shipping and duty! I added the shipping cost only.

Ah, just noted the 'inc postage cost'. Including the the postage it would be above £40.

It seems a bit hit n miss...friend in spain was sent a crappy jigsaw for birthday....and had to pay £7 to get out from post office....yet item and postage could not have gone over the limit...i need to send the same friend a large parcel but as she is struggling a bit, dont want to land her with a big import duty bill...

If you sent it at the post office did you tell them it was sold via eBay? EBay charge EU buyers duties at sale now so you need to put their IOSS number on the parcel so customs know duties have been paid, the post office should do this for you but you need to tell them.

It is probably VAT that is being charged + collection fee. The EU has a €0 VAT threshold on purchases entering the EU. It should have been clear to the buyer at the time of purchase whether or not these fees were included, perhaps ask them for a copy of their invoice, if they paid these charges it would be listed there?

@HowToMurderYourLife

If you sent it at the post office did you tell them it was sold via eBay? EBay charge EU buyers duties at sale now so you need to put their IOSS number on the parcel so customs know duties have been paid, the post office should do this for you but you need to tell them.

I just had a look there(I'm in the EU) and they seem to be included on some things but not on others.

No I didn't tell the post office that it was an ebay item. Where do you find the IOSS number?

It would be helpful if eBay put this number on the address information if it needs to be added to the parcel!

I'm not a business seller, or selling new items. I don't know whether that makes a difference.

The import duty of stuff posted from the UK has rocketed since Brexit. Everything is taxed now (and receiver often has to fill in forms before the package is released from customs). This seems to apply to pretty much everything, even gifts/childrens' books/2nd hand things.

I live in Europe and used to buy a lot from the UK but since June even parcels from my mum for her grandchildren are getting double charged (she pays shipping and then I basically have to pay the same again to receive it.)

I knew that the import duty rules to the EU had changed since Brexit, but I've frequently sold to non EU countries before (USA, Canada, Aus) etc and have never had a problem.

I always just assumed that the buyer paid any taxes when the goods arrived.

Brexit, the gift that keeps on giving!

@LaTomatina

I live in Europe and used to buy a lot from the UK but since June even parcels from my mum for her grandchildren are getting double charged (she pays shipping and then I basically have to pay the same again to receive it.)

This is what my buyer is saying, that she is being double charged when she has already paid me for shipping and import.

I'm tempted to tell the buyer to contact eBay for assistance. If she has been charged anything for tax or import duty, then it has been charged by them, not by me.

It also doesn't help that the buyer isn't messaging me in English, so I'm using google translate!

@MidnightMeltdown

I'm tempted to tell the buyer to contact eBay for assistance. If she has been charged anything for tax or import duty, then it has been charged by them, not by me.

It also doesn't help that the buyer isn't messaging me in English, so I'm using google translate!

You should probably contact ebay. If she did pay charges already it was your responsibility to declare that via whatever forms at the post office. If you were supposed to do that but didn't then you are at fault. If they were payable on receipt of the item then she will have to suck it up. If it is her first time since brexit ordering from the UK she may not have realised.

eBay has an information page on this sellercentre.ebay.co.uk/news/brexit

As the page notes, it applies whether you're a private seller or a business seller.

GSP is eBay's Global Shipping Programme

Thanks @Chersfrozenface this is helpful.

I didn't pay duties when I sent the item, so it looks like I've gone for the middle option - buyer pays duties on delivery to carrier. This is what I expected.

I have used the GSP before and it was fine, but not all items are eligible for the GSP.

I've checked the page for buyers on eBay France (French is the only language where I'm confident of my ability to understand the explanation).

It does warn buyers that if they purchase from a seller outside the EU who doesn't use the "international delivery service", presumably the GSP, that they may have to pay duties and delivery costs. Also that if the seller cannot provide details of these costs in the listing, the buyer should contact the customs department in their own country to check.

@Mynameismargot

I don't think that she has paid duties already, I think that she probably just wasn't expecting to pay duty.

I'm not sure that it can really be my responsibility to declare that duty has been paid if I wasn't informed that it had been paid. If eBay have collected duty, then the responsibility is on them to ensure that I am notified of this when they provide the shipping information.

Every country is different with regard to rules in taxes and import duties, and if you opt for international shipping, then eBay does not allow you to select different rules and rates for different countries (not as far as I know anyway). It is just one flat shipping rate for all countries. As I say, I've posted to non EU countries before and never had an issue.

Anyway, I don't think that she has paid duty, I think it's just come as a bit of a surprise.

@Chersfrozenface

I've checked the page for buyers on eBay France (French is the only language where I'm confident of my ability to understand the explanation).

It does warn buyers that if they purchase from a seller outside the EU who doesn't use the "international delivery service", presumably the GSP, that they may have to pay duties and delivery costs. Also that if the seller cannot provide details of these costs in the listing, the buyer should contact the customs department in their own country to check.

Thanks @Chersfrozenface. Yes, this is what I expected.

I've paid customs charges on things that I've ordered from the US before. I use the online calculator on the government website to check how much it will be before I order.

I've certainly never expected the seller to pay the import duty, or even know what it would be, as it's different for every country. I can see that business sellers might want to learn a bit about this, but I don't think that eBay can expect every individual private seller to know the tax rules and duties for different countries.

I'm in the EU and have recently had to put extra costs to receive parcels here. One was a parcel containing (low value) gifts from a relative and another from eBay but I had processed the order with a UK delivery address and requested EU delivery later. I made another eBay purchase that included all postage and import costs but it ended up being really exorbitant. I'm so disappointed because I like buying UK brands second-hand but it is no longer good value at all

*had to pay extra costs

It seems crazy that low value items are attracting such high charges.

I think that I might stop offering EU shipping, unless it's an item where I can use the global shipping programme. I'm not sure how well the GSP works out for the buyer though. I've always suspected that eBay overcharge / use a more expensive courier service than Royal Mail international.

From what @Nightwithhertrainofstars has said, it sounds like this might be the case. Less hassle though as there shouldn't be any unexpected charges.

Yes I can understand why sellers might just not want to bother offering EU shipping anymore.