eIS no longer allows shipping computers/electronics to Canada
Summary: aramatic raised concerns about eBay's new policy blocking international shipping of electronics to Canada, citing a US policy on e-waste. dhbookds suggested tariffs might be involved, but aramatic clarified it was due to the e-waste policy. lacemaker3 linked this to a US Presidential Action on export restrictions, which aramatic found indiscriminate, especially affecting vintage items. lacemaker3 noted that the implementation was not eBay’s decision.
I came across this a few days ago when some vintage computer accessories I bought from the US were stopped at the International Hub and declared "Unable to deliver". Now eBay is going to the source and ruling out Canada, and no doubt elsewhere, as a destination for computers and other electronics through eBay International Shipping. This seems to follow from a recent US administration policy on e-waste. Searches on eBay and PicClick reveal that computers etc. will only ship to Canada via USPS, UPS, and other couriers. Another kick in the teeth to cross-border eBay trade.
lacemaker3
·1 week ago · EditedIt's not really targeting "e-waste" as such. It's more specific than that. Although the implementation seems to be a very broad stroke.
This appears to be related to the Presidential Action issued on July 30, 2026, which authorized the Secretary of Commerce to implement export restrictions on "Recoverable Critical Minerals and Materials" (CMM).
Fact sheet:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-delegates-defense-production-act-authority-with-respect-to-recoverable-critical-minerals-and-materials-that-are-essential-to-our-national-defense/
The Presidential Action document:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/07/presidential-determination-pursuant-to-section-101-of-the-defense-production-act-of-1950-as-amended-on-recoverable-critical-minerals-and-materials/
ETA: eBay has waited almost a month before implementing this, which suggests that they waited until they received guidance on how this should be implemented. eBay is probably following guidelines provided by the Secretary of Commerce (so this is probably not eBay's decision).
This appears to be affecting other marketplaces as well, in a similar manner. I think they want vintage devices like this to be collected locally for recycling so the Recoverable CMM can be recovered locally, or at least within the USA.
Possibly related: my US county just sent a message about a scheduled event where electronic devices can be dropped off for recycling. I have been trying to find out when this can be done since sometime in the pandemic lockdown. I don't think they (my county) have had an event like this since then (i.e. in the last five years). Now, they have scheduled one.
At first, it appeared that exports to Asian countries were being targeted, but yours is not the only report I have seen that exports to Canada are also being affected. I think this policy is deliberate, and far-reaching.
aramatic
OP1 week agoYes, that's it. eBay seems to be applying it indiscriminately. Blocking the export of large quantities of so-called e-waste is one thing; blocking a single 40-year-old computer or disk drive is something else.
lacemaker3
·1 week agoI don't think that the implementation of this was eBay's decision. I updated my earlier post, so all the info would be together.
aramatic
OP1 week agoYes, thanks. Very unfortunate for collectors.
dhbookds
·1 week agoMay have something to do with the tariff fight
sin-n-dex
·1 week agoI don't think Canada has started the tariffs yet. There might be other regulations relating to security that prevent electronics from being imported to Canada.
aramatic
OP1 week agoNothing to do with tariffs. It's apparently a new e-waste policy that's responsible.
sin-n-dex
·1 week agoThere's similar "waste policies" for countries in the EU now, only it's not e-Waste, it's to do with packaging materials. All these things are "trade barriers" to make it more difficult to buy or sell outside your own country.