Ebay is charging IMPORT and CUSTOM fees when it shouldn't? Shipping from UK to CAD.

[crackl]

I wanted to purchase a made in Japan camera lens from the UK for shipping to Canada.

HOWEVER - it seems that Ebay's shipping programs is charging customs even though the items wasn't made in a NAFTA country and shouldn't have any import costs associated according to Canada gov't sites.

Is EBAY adding the customs charge because they are going to route my item through the USA?

[pjcdn2005]

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@crackl wrote:

I wanted to purchase a made in Japan camera lens from the UK for shipping to Canada.

HOWEVER - it seems that Ebay's shipping programs is charging customs even though the items wasn't made in a NAFTA country and shouldn't have any import costs associated according to Canada gov't sites.

Is EBAY adding the customs charge because they are going to route my item through the USA?

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How much is the item and what are the import charges?  Even if the item isn't supposed to have duty on it, you still have to pay gst/hst.  The import charges also include a gsp service fee of approximately $6-$10US in the US so I assume that there is a comparable charge in the UK.

You've got things a bit backwards though. Duty is usually not payable if the item was made IN a NAFTA country, not outside of a NAFTA country.   However, photographic equipment is usually duty free regardless of where it was made.  But the gsp program is not always 100% accurate with its import charges.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

The eBay GSP exists in both the UK and the U.S. -- different hubs. Nothing is routed through the U.S. from the UK to Canada.

NAFTA refers to imports made within North America and sent within North America, not to merchandise made in Japan and sent from the UK. Duty may or may not be applicable on camera equipment but you certainly have to pay GST/HST on items valued over $20 Canadian. If the UK seller is using the GSP, then Pitney Bowes adds a handling fee as well.

~~C~~