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Unable to Post Seller Feedback
Summary: 7mm-arbres expressed frustration with eBay's policy restricting feedback after being charged an additional FedEx bill due to import tariffs. eastlaneave and disneyshopper provided detailed information on tariff processes and brokerage fees, explaining that these charges are standard for international purchases and not directly imposed by sellers. 7mm-arbres appreciated the insights and noted the importance of being informed about international purchasing costs to avoid unexpected charges. They concluded that they would be more cautious with international purchases in the future.
I am very disappointed and surprised with EBay customer support on this issue. The issue isn’t about a refund or a return. The issue is about leaving a Feedback! The seller waited for more than a month to send me a $17.00 FedEx bill to pay. And I want to post that.
I asked Ebay to allow me to leave a feedback about my negative experience with the seller. But it has been decided that I cannot do this. Since this is Ebay’s policy on restricting customers from giving feedback about a seller, then, this policy gives a loophole for sellers to use to their advantage after 30 days. It allows sellers to use it to charge customers an additional fee after purchase.
disneyshopper
Mentor2 weeks agoWhen sellers use Fed Ex or UPS for international deliveries, there is a brokerage fee that the carrier has to pay for, so they will bill the buyer.
7mm-arbres
OP2 weeks agoThank you so much. You’re spot on! Your information lines up completely with what the Fedex’s Customer Representative told me! He said the seller passed the bill on to me. So since he works for FedEx, his answer is provably the correct one! Going forward, I’ll avoid making international purchases with the words “probably import tax” in the description.
eastlaneave
Mentor2 weeks ago@7mm-arbres
You can leave feedback up to 60 days after delivery
https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/leaving-feedback-sellers/leaving-feedback-sellers?id=4007
You don't need to pay a FedEx bill unless this was an import.
In that case, the seller isn't sending that bill; it's due to USA tariffs.
What is the eBay Item Number for the listing?
7mm-arbres
OP2 weeks agoItem number: 167958436545
I thank you so much for this information and clarification — very informative.
Yes, this item was an import. However, I’m too late to post anything concerning purchasing this item. It’s unfortunate that I can’t inform other buyers about paying USA tariffs on it. So without this knowledge, these buyers will get blindsided unexpectedly with $17.00 being added to the total sum!
Reply
eastlaneave
Mentor2 weeks ago@7mm-arbres
It's a bad time to buy products overseas, unfortunately
The listing did mention tariffs
If your item was made in another country, it will be assessed tariffs when it arrives in USA.
Buyers pay a tariff and the brokerage fee to collect the tariff. DHL, UPS and Fed Ex assess brokerage fees because they prepay the tariff at the dock and collect the tariff from the end buyer.
I believe most tariffs are now 10-12.5%, but it is a volatile issue, and could change. Do a search on tariffs for the country where the item was manufactured, not where it is shipping from. The brokerage can be $50 or more
The seller doesn't add or assess the duties/tariffs. Those are added by the US Government upon arrival.
Tariffs are a tax paid by buyers, tariffs aren't paid by sellers.
Tariffs are assessed by the country where the product is received, not the sending country, based on country where the product was manufactured.
There is no longer an $800 de minimis exemption on imported items, which would exclude small purchases. That was removed as part of these 2 President Trump Executive Orders:
July 2025 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/suspending-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-fo...
and Feb 2026 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/continuing-the-suspension-of-duty-free-de-mi...
Even though SCOTUS ended IEEPA tariffs on Feb 20, 2026, President Trump has added other new tariffs as follows:
- President Trump imposed new tariffs (10%) under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act in Feb 2026. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/imposing-a-temporary-import-surcharge-to-add...
When these (Sec 122) tariffs expired after 150 days, President Trump imposed new tariffs (10%-12.5%) under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/28/trump-usmca-canada-mexico-trade-deal.html
So, there are still tariffs on everything imported into the USA.
See https://pages.ebay.com/tariffs/
and https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/-/-/international-purchases-shipping?id=4057#section2
7mm-arbres
OP2 weeks ago · EditedThank you. Such information is useful to buyers to know about USA tariffs taxes. Having such knowledge, the buyer won’t be surprised like me when required to pay USA import taxes. I’m wiser now about purchasing internationally. So thank you for explaining USA tariffs. However, FedEx’s Representative stated that the seller passed a $17.00 bill to me.
eastlaneave
Mentor2 weeks agoYes, it's the brokerage for collecting the tariff.
Buyers pay a tariff and the brokerage fee to collect the tariff. DHL, UPS and Fed Ex assess brokerage fees because they prepay the tariff at the dock and collect the tariff from the end buyer.
7mm-arbres
OP2 weeks ago · EditedThanks again for expounding on the conclusion. This has been a great learning experience for me. The original listed price was $17.00. So I paid $17.00 for the item, then had to pay an additional $17.00. A sum total equaling $34.00. Now, if this item had originally been posted at $34.00, that amount would definitely discourage a potential buyer! And, I wouldn’t have brought it at that high price point. So now in hindsight, receiving a $17.00 Fedex bill taught me a lesson about this international transaction — beware, the listed price isn’t the true final cost! Thus, the lesson learned— do not buy from an international seller!