Seller paid unexpected customs fee without asking me, then requested reimbursement — who is responsible?
Summary: dollfashionista shared their experience with an international eBay transaction, expressing concern over a seller who paid an unexpected customs fee without prior consultation and then requested reimbursement. They highlighted their issue with the seller's approach, noting that being informed beforehand would have allowed them the choice to accept or cancel the purchase. They compared this to their own selling practices, where they've absorbed unexpected costs without seeking additional payment from buyers. They seek input from other experienced eBay users on whether it is appropriate for sellers to request reimbursement for unforeseen fees after the transaction is complete.
Hi everyone. I’m interested in hearing perspectives from other experienced eBay buyers and sellers about an international transaction I’m currently dealing with.
I’ve been selling on eBay for over 20 years and have a 100% feedback rating, so I’m familiar with selling internationally. These days I use eBay International Shipping specifically because eBay handles much of the international shipping/customs process.
Recently, I purchased a collectible from a seller in Canada. I submitted an offer based on the item price and shipping shown in the listing. The seller accepted my offer, I paid the agreed amount through eBay, and as far as I was concerned the transaction was complete.
Afterward, the seller contacted me and said that while preparing/shipping the package, they were charged an additional customs/import-related fee of approximately CAD $45 (about US $30–$32). The seller paid the charge without contacting me first and then messaged me asking that I reimburse them for it through PayPal.
This is where I have an issue, and it’s really not about the $30.
Had the seller contacted me BEFORE paying the additional charge and said, “There’s an unexpected $30 fee. Would you be willing to pay it, or would you prefer to cancel?” I would have had no problem discussing it with them. I might have agreed to pay it, or I might have chosen to cancel the transaction.
The reason that choice matters is that I could have purchased the same collectible from a U.S. seller for roughly the same total price once these additional fees are included. In fact, shortly after completing this purchase, I received an offer from another U.S. seller for the same item at a lower price, which I declined because I had already committed to this transaction.
When I’m comparing purchases, I consider the total cost. An extra $30–$40 discovered after the sale can change whether an international purchase is actually a better deal than buying domestically.
I’ve also been on the seller’s side of this. Before I started using eBay International Shipping, I made mistakes with international shipping and underestimated costs. When that happened, I considered it my responsibility. I absorbed the unexpected expense, learned from it, and changed how I handled future international sales. I never went back to the buyer after payment and asked them for additional money.
The seller feels that because this was a U.S. customs-related charge, I should reimburse them and has suggested that by questioning it I’m essentially trying to “burn” them. I don’t believe that’s what I’m doing at all. I’ve actually told the seller that since the item is already on its way, once I receive it and see documentation of the fee they paid, I will reimburse them. I’m trying to find a reasonable resolution.
But the principle still bothers me.
My question for other sellers and buyers is: Is it appropriate for a seller to pay an unexpected customs/import charge without consulting the buyer and then request additional payment after the transaction has already been completed? Or should the seller contact the buyer before incurring that expense and give the buyer the option to either accept the additional cost or cancel the transaction?
I’m genuinely interested in how other eBay sellers would handle this, particularly those who regularly ship internationally.
kathiec
·Aug 10, 2026 at 7:07 PMIt really depends on what the listing said. All international listing will either say that the purchase price includes all customs fees or that there may be customs fees and that the buyer will be responsible for paying them. Unless the listing said all customs fees were included then yes, you need to pay the fee.
With the demise of the de minimis exemptions buyers need to be very aware of customs charges when buying from international sellers. The days of thinking an item will be just as cheap when buying internationally are gone.
dollfashionista
OPAug 10, 2026 at 7:00 PMOriginal closing cost $300, but now with the amount the seller is asking is now $342.