Why does some foreign shipping include tariffs, and others does not?
Summary: sin-n-dex discusses issues with eBay listings related to tariffs for international shipping to the US. They noticed some sellers from Turkey and China include tariffs in shipping costs, while their own listings show tariffs separately. They sought advice on making their listings tariff-free but found eBay unhelpful. Participants suggested checking the country of origin settings, considering the nature of tariffs on specific items, and possibly adding clarifying information in image sections. Others shared experiences of how tariffs impact their sales and speculated about eBay's potential future changes regarding tariffs for international sellers.
This isn't about EIS or shipping from the US. It's about other countries shipping to the US.
I was looking at some listings, and a few that I saw (one was in Turkey, I think the other was in China) say with the shipping quote that there's no tariffs after checkout, and they are included in the shipping price.
OK fine, mine says there is tariffs before delivery (but that's not even true). I asked eBay how to make that go away so my listings can look like the others, and they said "put it in your item description" (the description that no one ever reads, and you can't even see it on your phone unless you click something).
The Turkey seller said his shipping was US Ground Advantage. I haven't always shipped by Ground Advantage, but I could commit to doing it that way if it would make the banner go away (right now mine says economy shipping, generally speaking, so I can choose my service when they pay). I tested one listing and made it Ground Advantage like the Turkey seller, but the banner is still there. I was thinking if you say US Ground Advantage that's domestic shipping from within the US (therefore no tariffs before delivery), but putting that there didn't help.
There must be some way that eBay can decide if there are or are not going to be tariffs before delivery when shipping is added to the listing, and I don't like them scaring off my customers by telling them they'll be paying tariffs when every single Canada Post package has to have tariffs prepaid to pass through US Customs.
C.
marnotom!
·3 weeks ago · EditedThanks for posting that link.
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that eBay's extending its tariff-related pilot program and is gradually inviting TRSs from regions other than China and India who are listing on .com. So your turn may come eventually.
On a likely unrelated note, have you seen the list of countries to which this seller ships? It's a bit bizarre. For example, Canada is on the exclusion list, and while Australia doesn't show up as excluded, it doesn't show up on the drop-down list of locations, either.
sin-n-dex
OP3 weeks agoIf this is a pilot program, things will change for all international sellers eventually. That's a good explanation on why I found two banknote listings from Turkey, and one had tariffs and the other had it included.
marnotom!
·3 weeks ago · EditedI don’t get the sense that this will necessarily change for all international sellers, though, just the Top-Rated ones listing on .com.
Having said that, given Canadian sellers’ unique set of circumstances when it comes to sales to the US, perhaps eBay will use a different set of criteria so that those listing on .ca can also be brought into the fold.
inhawaii
·3 weeks agoHow do I apply EXTRA tariffs to my listings?
I heard tariffs are a good thing.
It makes the country money.
marnotom!
·3 weeks agoYup! And they relieve ordinary citizens of that burden of having all that money sitting around doing nothing.
12345jamesstamps
·3 weeks agoI think it's just there because it's easier than actually doing the homework as to who has tariffs and who doesn't.
My seller in the Netherlands and Macao do not have added tariffs even though eBay has that banner. My sellers sent out emails to me stating there are no tariffs to USA.
With our category of stamps...there are usually no tariffs since we are shipping usually lightweight items.
Does it hurt your sales of stamps?...Absolutely!
I stopped buying from my seller in Macao due to that 'banner'....then my seller bought something from me...to get me notice...and tell me there will be no tariffs on their items to me...I was a big buyer.
I kinda got around that by doing 'free international shipping' and I think it helped me with buyers from Canada and United Kingdom(a big buyer).
I bought something large from a seller in Canada..wondering if I would have to pay more and of course I did not...but seriously...yea...I am scared to buy anything out of the USA with that 'banner'.
jdbelt1960
·3 weeks agoThe problem is the tariff policies changes constantly and inconsistently. Not too many small businesses have the means to keep up.
sin-n-dex
OP3 weeks agoSince I have a shipper (whose job is to keep up with that), I'm trying to roll with the changes... it's kind of either sink or swim... I'm still trying to swim.
12345jamesstamps
·3 weeks agoHave you ever thought about free shipping with some of your cheaper items...stamps and paper currency?
Got to tell you 50+% of my buyers are 'repeat buyers'.
If your not getting repeat buyers you might want to think about it.
caldreamer
·3 weeks agoYes, I agree nobody reads the description. You could put this information in the photo section (everyone looks at pictures).
sin-n-dex
OP3 weeks agoIs there a policy against putting text (or pictures of text) in the photos section? I seem to remember at some point this wasn't allowed.
stainlessenginecovers
·3 weeks agoNot sure how, but that 'Turkey' seller shows they are using USPS Ground Advantage; no idea how? They also sell to Germany, you don't/can't?
sin-n-dex
OP3 weeks agoI did notice the Ground Advantage and thought that was the trigger to make the banner go away, but when I tried it on one listing it didn't help. I only don't ship to Germany because of all the weird packaging stuff and needing to be licensed and all that. Not shipping there seems to be the easier thing to do (right now anyway, I might consider changing that later).
stainlessenginecovers
·3 weeks agoA seller can put US in the 'county of origin'
sin-n-dex
OP3 weeks agoAh... hmm, OK, I'll look at that listing again. He did honestly state he was shipping from Turkey.
Interesting idea. I did check eBay help, and they too said the description is where you put it. I do have items in my store with a US country of origin, I'll see what that says.
caldreamer
·3 weeks agoCould also be tariffs are only on select items.
sin-n-dex
OP3 weeks agoMy item https://www.ebay.com/itm/177015254547
USA coin, US country of origin, still says tariffs will be due. I thought you were on to something, but seems to be some other setting that's triggering this banner to go away.
stainlessenginecovers
·3 weeks agoLink to that 'turkey' item?
sin-n-dex
OP3 weeks agohttps://www.ebay.com/itm/168144357137
I had trouble finding it, there's another guy in Turkey selling this item and his says that buyers in the US have to pay import fees. So what country someone is in doesn't seem to have anything to do with this setting (as both listings were shipped by someone in Turkey).
I might be overlooking something really obvious...
jdbelt1960
·3 weeks agoI ship only within the US and most of my products originated from Germany and Italy. thought it meant "Ptoduct Origin" not "shipping origin".