GSP, best offers, and import fees

[4la57or]

Recently, I saw an item that I was interested in which was $85 and the shipping to my location was with the ebay GSP.
My country has an import tax threshold of $75 and the seller was accepting "best offers".
I contacted the seller through messages (I also had other questions), and besides my questions about the item also asked if he'll accept an offer if I send one.
The seller agreed, but then when I was sending the offer, just before clicking "submit", I noticed that I'm still being charged $26.xx in import fees (instead of $0). Now, the seller was very nice and just changed the listing price for me so that I can buy it without the extra import fees.

However, I was wondering what would have happened if I sent the offer and he accepted? Would there really be a $26 (or whatever amount) extra charge by ebay?

I guess that they calculate the import fees (in the "best offer" box) according to the listed item price and not according to the offer. But I don't know if this is just a mistake in the "best offer" review box, or if it would have also appeared in the checkout.

[donsdetour]

Interesting question in which I have no idea.

[acrc3113]

Never know. Just be grateful that the seller lowered the price of the item for you, and given the pandemic, is still willing to ship through the GSP. There are a lot of delays in the mail system here. It may be months before you actually receive it.

[4la57or]

I am grateful to the seller.

About the GSP - this is overstated. Mostly I see it takes about a week for the packages to go from the seller to Erlanger KY. The real bottleneck is actually at the ebay GSP center over there where it sits for about a week, maybe more. So in total it takes 3 weeks for packages to arrive through the GSP.

I only use the GSP when there are no other options. Not because of the delays but because of the cost. It arrives just as fast as economy options such as USPS first class (intl) or ebay international standard delivery, but costs 2-3 times as much.

[7606dennis]

It is my understanding that if the transaction is through the GSP program the seller cannot make any deal with the buyer that would change the import fee charged by the GSP program.  From what I gather, the shipping from the GSP processing center to the destination country, any customs duty or import taxes and the fee charged for the services of P-B is all part of the import fee charged by the program.

Sellers may accept any offer for the selling price of the item and even offer free shipping to the GPS processing center.  However, it would not affect the import fee charged by the GSP program.

In addition, I believe that once the seller has listed the item through the GSP program, they cannot simply change their mind and would have to end the listing and relist in order to remove it from the GSP program. 

[4la57or]

You are right.

But my question is what will be the import fee charged by the program? Is it based on the original listing price or the "best offer" price?

If I buy a BIN item under under $75 then the GSP automatically removees any import fee. But here, the original price is above $75 and the "best offer" is below.

[7606dennis]

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@4la57or wrote:

You are right.

But my question is what will be the import fee charged by the program? Is it based on the original listing price or the "best offer" price?

If I buy a BIN item under under $75 then the GSP automatically removees any import fee. But here, the original price is above $75 and the "best offer" is below.

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I'm not sure that the price that you pay for the item would affect the Import fee charged by the GSP program at all.  While I suppose that it could affect the amount of any duty or taxes charged by the importer's country, it is my understanding that any amount of the import fee that isn't attributed to such taxes becomes part of the GSP program's compensation.  Thus, any affect resulting from a lower value being declared on the item for duty or tax purposes would simply mean more money in the programs pocket. 

I'm afraid that I'm not privy to the method used by the GSP program to calculate the overall "Import Fee" that they charge the buyer.

[nkmipgolf]

When GSP started the prices were very good. Now they have more than doubled their fees.  I now look for sellers who do not use GSP.  Also added items to my cart and after seeing the total I go nope and remove it. Sellers can remove GSP, ask him.

[4la57or]

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@nkmipgolf wrote:

When GSP started the prices were very good. Now they have more than doubled their fees.  I now look for sellers who do not use GSP.  Also added items to my cart and after seeing the total I go nope and remove it. Sellers can remove GSP, ask him.

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I sometimes try, the success rate is about 10%-20%. I suggest ebay standard delivery and provide the relevant links because I guess they's be more comfortable using a shipping method backed by ebay (though usps+insurance will be cheaper and faster), and still most feel it's unsafe. So sometimes if it's a small seller I don't even bother.