Shipping to France, Now massive Customs fees and repeat buyer rejects packages

[thetubedude]

For several years, we have shipped boxes of delicate antique porcelain, Bavaria made, from the US to a buyer in France. The VAT, shipping, fees have always been high, but today, the buyer had to refuse his orders since the customs fees he would have had to additionally pay to receive were equal to the product value. So, we just lost $1000 in orders to a very good repeat customer. DHL in France will be returning items back to me, the sender. Is this a fluke? Why are buyer fees so massive all of a sudden? We have packages in route to Italy, Germany, Australia and elsewhere and hope they don;t get rejected due to enormous fees buyer may have to pay. 25% of our sales is international. 

[kalyoth]

Customs is established by the Destination Country. It sounds like that repeat buyer, whom is likely a business, did not keep up with the ever changing regulations in France / EU.

[comicscauldron]

France is very proud and nationalist country. They despise the "orange" guy so they are boicoting the US 

[thetubedude]

Do you have a link or info on this $150 duty free? I am very interested in knowing about that. I hope Ebay can provide a good training video or something for exporting. The change from the HS Tariff 6 digit system to the HTS 8 digit system complicates categorizing the items even further and with more opportunity for countries to tag high fees to subcategories that did not really exist before. Last year I was able to utilize HS 6 digit database spreadsheet website, but now all appears changed and relinked to the HTS.

[greatstuff80]

Tariffs will certainly have an impact.  It could  also be a lot of people in other countries have just stopped buying anything from America to make a point. 

[sin-n-dex]

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@greatstuff80 wrote:

Tariffs will certainly have an impact.  It could  also be a lot of people in other countries have just stopped buying anything from America to make a point. 

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I'm seeing a lot of evidence of that... I have a few international sales, but not many.

I opened up a store on eBay Canada and am putting listings up there (I live in Canada but ship most orders from NY, hence my NY location in my listings).

C.

[chariot_badges]

There is going to be a great deal of turmoil the next few months ... maybe couple of years.

The world (including France) has been taking major advantage of the US for the last fifty years, and when you pull the teat out of the baby's mouth, they gonna yell.   Wait till Germany finds out that we going to close the military bases there, and leave their defense, and economy up to them.   Europe has to stop looking to us as their local Constable. 

They will throw temper tantrums: throw themselves on the floor and kick and scream ... they'll hate you (and tell you so).  They'll call you names that mock the color of your skin.  (Isn't that racism?)   They'll throw their toys around and break them.   They'll go on hunger strikes.

All because the flow of money and sweet milk from the country they hate the most ... stops. 

Oh well, if you're going to be hated, it might as well be for a good reason.

But, they all get over it.   It takes some (Canada, France) longer than others (Mexico).  but they ALL get there eventually. 

[campanaelia]

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@chariot_badges wrote:

There is going to be a great deal of turmoil the next few months ... maybe couple of years.

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You certainly sound very angry and your first sentence is the only part I can agree with. The market has totally underestimated the massive spending cuts and changes to policies. I would bet by June we'll be in a recession and if we continue down this path a depression by december. Meanwhile the rest of the global economy will find new trading partners and will lose their trust in the US.

[chariot_badges]

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@campanaelia wrote:

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@chariot_badges wrote:

There is going to be a great deal of turmoil the next few months ... maybe couple of years.

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You certainly sound very angry and your first sentence is the only part I can agree with. The market has totally underestimated the massive spending cuts and changes to policies. I would bet by June we'll be in a recession and if we continue down this path a depression by december. Meanwhile the rest of the global economy will find new trading partners and will lose their trust in the US.

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Angry?   Me?    LoL.   Nope.   I got nothing to be angry about.

I've raised a couple kids, and I have watched them throw their fits.  I don't get mad at them, I just watch and wait.  Usually with no reaction ... sometimes I laugh.    Sometimes ya just gotta get it all out, ya know?   It's ok.   It's not going to change a thing though.     I don't think our current leadership is going to allow us to be taken advantage of anymore.   

Just keep telling yourself, and those around you that "It'll get better."   Because it always does.

Nothing lasts forever. 

Nothing bad, nothing good.

It always changes.

Keep listing.   Keep promoting.  

[cardxcraft]

Using your recently sold product to France as an example:

RARE - Left Handed Vintage Mustache Tea Cup Mug Lot of 6 W/ Plates Victorian Era

Product Cost: $525 usd with b/o

Domestic Shipping: $19.68 usd

eBay International Shipping Program: $41.65

total cost= approx. $586 usd

On this product, a 25% VAT waa charged

updated cost to buyer = $733 usd

France also has Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Packaging: Manufacturers and sellers who introduce packaging to the French market are required to pay a fee for their recycling to one of the three collection systems. 

I priced your item from the perspective of a French buyer receiving your goods in France and there are no tariffs imposed.  This is not directed to you, the op, but to those blaming tariffs: you can't blame tariffs when no tariffs are imposed.  Even if they were, it's France imposing the tariff, not USA.  Any tariffs inacted by current administration towards EU would be reciprocal in nature.

[cardxcraft]

@femmefan wrote: The tariffs are charged to the importer by their own government

Not to the exporter.

I checked OP's product, no tariffs were imposed.  The seller used EIS program which requires the buyer to pay domestic shipping as well.

Product Cost: $525 usd with b/o

Domestic Shipping: $19.68 usd

eBay International Shipping Program: $41.65

 total cost= approx. $586 usd

On this product, a 25% VAT waa charged

updated cost to buyer = $733 usd

[cardxcraft]

I checked OP's product sold from the perspective of a buyer from France and no tariffs were imposed.  You can't attribute tariffs if no tariffs were imposed.  France has so much legislation and bureaucracy it's nearly impossible to keep up with, howver, this has nothing to do with tariffs or USA.  Any tariffs imposed by current administration on EU would be reciprocal in nature.

[cardxcraft]

You sell stamps, currency and collectibles, there are no tariffs imposed on these goods.  I checked from the perspective of USA  buyer and no tariffs are being imposed on your goods.

[goclunker]

Thank the orange baboon. I have noticed international shipping rates skyrocket in March. We are talking $20+ a package. Its only probable that these are retaliation tariffs imposed by customs since the package is originating in the USA. Perhaps mark that the goods are made in Germany. IDK

The buyer gets shafted with the tariffs. That's ultimatum on who always pays for these political wars.

[reallynicestamps]

Since I used Ebay Shipping, they filled out the customs form and I doubt if they selected Germany as origin

When I use eBay labels, I can change the default origin.

That's a dropdown menu.
Click on it.

[cardxcraft]

clucker wrote: Thank the orange baboon. I have noticed international shipping rates skyrocket in March. We are talking $20+ a package. Its only probable that these are retaliation tariffs imposed by customs since the package is originating in the USA. Perhaps mark that the goods are made in Germany. IDK

The buyer gets shafted with the tariffs. That's ultimatum on who always pays for these political wars.

@cardxcraftwrote:

I checked OP's product, no tariffs were imposed. The seller used EIS program which requires the buyer to pay domestic shipping as well.  (see cost breakdown below).  I used eBay France with ISP located in Paris, France and no tariffs were/are imposed.

Fact Check

Claim: An orange baboon was able to raise tariiffs and eBay international shipping rates.

Result: debunked

Recommendation to claimant: find a new hobby and/or victimhood source

Case Closed.

Product Cost: $525 usd with b/o

Domestic Shipping: $19.68 usd

eBay International Shipping Program: $41.65

 total cost= approx. $586 usd

On this product, a 25% VAT waa charged

updated cost to buyer = $733 usd