Additional Fee to Seller Buyer Using a Freight Forwarder

[theoriginalbenjammin-7]

International Fee Charged because the buyer’s registered address is in Peru. (outside USA)

Final amount: $295.04. (including ebay fees on the item, tax and shipping.) eBay charges fees on the full amount, and an additional $4.87 because the buyer's address is outside the USA.  I've heard all the stories and opinions before, I choose not to participate in the international shipping program. This is my personal choice. I've had issues with the Global Shipping Program in the past, but I am not able to opt out of the buyer using a Freight Forwarder. 

I cannot cancel the sale without receiving a defect. So it's on it's way to Peru. Let's just hope it gets there, and in one piece. 

[buyselljack2016]

Well, the eBay international shipping program,  eIS is a vast improvement over the previous GSP.  

Opting into this new eIS may or may not have resulted in your buyer using it, but if used it would have eliminated the 1.65% "International" fee, and once your item hit the hub for all practical purposes you would be done.

With FF, there can be issues that will bite you. Hope it goes well for you.

Consider opting into eIS.  I had stopped doing international (other than the unavoidable FF sales), but opted into eIS. Have had sales. Am happy with the program. 1st sold item was to SA, and lived at the hub for a bit, but the buyer understood, and it worked out. 

[12345jamesstamps]

So a seller cannot cancel a sale due to an issue with the address?

And would be no 'defect'?

Just curious what others would say here.

Seller doesn't want to ship International...so why should a seller be forced to ship International?

[stainlessenginecovers]

Your math is WAY off. The 'International' Fee is 1.5% (1.6% with Shipping/Tax) so look at it this way:

Would you sell that $100 thingy for $98.40? 

Would you sell that $300 thingy for $295?

I think 999 out of 1000 sellers would. 

ps. been this way for almost 20 years, back when Paypal was the processor. 

[buyselljack2016]

Others would say ............................ that rumor has it that eBay has been monitoring the "reason for cancellation" more closely which could result in a ding for using "problem with buyer address" when there is no actual problem other than seller preference to not sell to an international buyer.  

[jbbowers12012]

We here in New Jersey dont' really mind the 1.5%.  We sell mostly low-priced items so the small extra percentage is not an issue.  We have quite a few regular customers that use freight fowarders & have never had a problem.  If thems' the rules then thems' the rules.  (J.B.)

[wastingtime101]

It's not just rumor. Using a false reason like "problem with address" or "buyer requested" is monitored by eBay and I've seen sellers have actions taken against their account when found abusing the cancellation process because they didn't want to ship to freight forwarders.

It's not possible to restrict selling outside the US. eBay doesn't allow that. Sellers are limited to restrict shipping outside the US.

eBay encourages international buyers. It doesn't violate policy for international buyers to use a US-based freight forwarder, or to purchase items and have them shipped direct to friends/family in the US.

The 1.65% international fee is spelled out on the fees page and it applies when the buyer has a registered address outside the US or their shipping address is outside the US.

If anybody is unsure about the policy, they can refer to Kyle's post from yesterday:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/need-help-with-a-seller-fee-question/m-p/34883625#M2512672

[monroe67]

"So a seller cannot cancel a sale due to an issue with the address?"

Yes, of course, an eBay seller is absolutely allowed to "cancel a sale due to an issue with the address."
An "issue with the address" occurs when the buyer's shipping address is in a location (US state or nation) to which the seller has specified he does not ship.  

This type of question comes up very often here in the Selling community.  The OP doesn't tell us where he was instructed to send his sold item, but he does mention a "freight forwarder," so it's a reasonable assumption that the shipping address given to him was somewhere within the United States of America.  Perhaps in Delaware or Oregon.  

"Seller doesn't want to ship International...so why should a seller be forced to ship International?"

On eBay, sellers are never forced to ship to a location that their own shipping policies say they will not ship  to.    

In this case, the seller/OP was apparently not "forced to ship international."  Again, he was probably instructed to send his sold item to an address in Delaware or Oregon or some other state within the USA.  

BTW, why Delaware or Oregon specifically?  Neither state imposes sales taxes. 

[monroe67]

"Your math is WAY off.  The 'International' Fee is 1.5% (1.6% with Shipping/Tax) . . . . "

                                                                Where did you get those numbers?  They are incorrect.

eBay's International Fee "is calculated as 1.65% of the total amount of the sale and is automatically deducted from your sales."  That's a direct block-and-copy from the International Fee definition, from the Fees and Taxes section of eBay's User Agreement.   

[theoriginalbenjammin-7]

Since I can't edit the content of my original post.... post script to the original post 

The final value fee and including all fees and shipping in this case was $40.45 on a 250.00 item, total was 275.74 including shipping, Tax and fees.  USPS priority including insurance and verified delivery. But the insurance only covers the item until it reaches the freight forwarder, and signature delivery to insure that the package is received so no "Never Received " claims. Can you not see the problem with this? So when the buyer receives (or never receives) the item damaged there is no recourse for the seller. So tell me are we protected against loss or damage in this case? Don't tell me "if you used the eBay international shipping..." 

It's not just about the fee, I don't want  to sell outside of the United States. All the rockstars and superstars here obviously side with eBay on this. Thank you for your opinions. And yes using "problem with address" or "buyer's requset" to cancel will result in a defect in most cases, and since it was a "buy it now" sale refunding the buyer may take longer or other issues may arise. Don't tell me it hasn't happened. 

In addition the freight forwarder or customs may open (inspect)  and or repackage the item. This may be ok if it is a durable goods item, however fragile items that require careful packaging may not be repackaged correctly. Final destination Peru. In this case I would ABSOLOUTELY not ship outside the USA.  

The freight forwarding address is in Florida,  eBay charged about 10% tax , and then charged final value fees on shipping etc on top of that , incuding and in in addition to the 1.65% add on fee. 

Sellers should be able to OPT OUT of shipping to a freight forwarder, if they do not ship to that country and have opted out of the eBay international shipping program.  However at this time this is not the case. 

Seller's Preferernce: Sellers should be able to  limit their target market to the USA when when choosing their selling preferences. 

[wastingtime101]

If the buyer files a claim of non-receipt you just need to prove delivery to the freight forwarder (address on the order).

If the buyer files a not as described claim, their MBG protections are void when they have the item reshipped by a third party so you'd need to work with eBay customer service to point out the use of a freight forwarder.

[janet9988]

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@theoriginalbenjammin-7 wrote:

Since I can't edit the content of my original post.... post script to the original post 

The final value fee and including all fees and shipping in this case was $40.45 on a 250.00 item, total was 275.74 including shipping, Tax and fees.  USPS priority including insurance and verified delivery. But the insurance only covers the item until it reaches the freight forwarder, and signature delivery to insure that the package is received so no "Never Received " claims. Can you not see the problem with this? So when the buyer receives (or never receives) the item damaged there is no recourse for the seller. So tell me are we protected against loss or damage in this case? Don't tell me "if you used the eBay international shipping..." 

It's not just about the fee, I don't want  to sell outside of the United States. All the rockstars and superstars here obviously side with eBay on this. Thank you for your opinions. And yes using "problem with address" or "buyer's requset" to cancel will result in a defect in most cases, and since it was a "buy it now" sale refunding the buyer may take longer or other issues may arise. Don't tell me it hasn't happened. 

In addition the freight forwarder or customs may open (inspect)  and or repackage the item. This may be ok if it is a durable goods item, however fragile items that require careful packaging may not be repackaged correctly. Final destination Peru. In this case I would ABSOLOUTELY not ship outside the USA.  

The freight forwarding address is in Florida,  eBay charged about 10% tax , and then charged final value fees on shipping etc on top of that , incuding and in in addition to the 1.65% add on fee. 

Sellers should be able to OPT OUT of shipping to a freight forwarder, if they do not ship to that country and have opted out of the eBay international shipping program.  However at this time this is not the case. 

Seller's Preferernce: Sellers should be able to  limit their target market to the USA when when choosing their selling preferences. 

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Ebay does not allow a block an international sale.... just an international address. 

You do have the choice ... if your preference is that you do  not want to SELL to an international buyer, then simply do not list items for sale on ebay.