Royal Mail PDDP service for USA

[lindisfarne2]

Could anyone tell me if they have managed to find a way to add Royal Mail PDDP as a postal service to their listings. All my listings are showing this blue  banner for US buyers ," Due to US customs policies, the buyer of this item will need to pay import fees to the postal courier prior to delivery". This is simply not true as most of my  items are exempt and I send everything via RM PDDP service so I pay the tariff not the customer if it is applicable. All other sites I sell on allow me to add this service and my sales to the US have continued. On Ebay I have had one sale to the US since the Tariffs were brought in ( previously half my business), hardly surprising if they're being told they have to pay the tariff .

[style_wise]

No, but all I did was add the £1.50 RM processing fee to my Custom International Postage and left it alone. While things are so up in the air - legal challenges to the tariffs for example - I just figured any US buyers could have a 10% discount (I pay the tariff with Royal Mail PDDP) or that I would switch to EVRI (buyer pays the tariff before it leaves the UK). Not a single sale to the States but to be fair, I wouldn't be importing right now either especially, as you say, if eBay is scaring them so badly before Halloween!

[jjambadger27]

Also seems like eBay are applying tariff charges to GSP sales to the US in categories that are exempt. 

I think all you can do is mention the exemption in your item listing description. 

[c_of_e84]

I contacted ebay and they told me to send a paypal invoice to the buyers anonamized ebay email address, it wont work and is against ebay law as they dont get there cut of the fees.

[c_of_e84]

Its the blue banner of death thats killing US sales, it has a link to an ebay page thats oiut of date and pure lies.

[lindisfarne2 · Accepted solution]

I have contacted Ebay Customer services twice on this matter. On both occasions they did not seem to know what I was talking about as they couldn't see the blue banner .  I explained that the blue banner appears if they were  a customer in the US. I was informed on the second call that they would look into it - that was six days ago and nothing has changed. If other sites have managed to ensure that Royall Mail PDDP can be offered and shown as a postage options I am sure Ebay can. If more people keep raising this is an issue something might change.

[jjambadger27]

eBay customer service really is useless (you would not believe the conversations I've had this week with them re tariffs and exempt categories) and the antiquated coding of eBay means that it takes a while for any changes to be implemented.

[style_wise]

To be fair to eBay CS, when you try to go directly to the C&BP website for tariff information you only find old general statements (from before 10% tariffs went into effect) and links to Error pages. The situation is being challenged in the US courts, the current C&BP seems confused at best, and nobody knows much about what is going on. Best just to keep calm and wait for them to sort themselves out, but with this C&BP it may be a long wait!

[jjambadger27]

It being challenged makes no difference to the ongoing situation. 

C&BP have provided clarity, particularly re exempt categories. 

The Royal Mail PDDP system is working very well. 

It's only eBay who are being their usual slow selves on this matter. 

[c_of_e84]

One time I managed to contact them they told me the blue banner was a royal mail problem and I should contact them directly, there not interested in fixing it, they just want everyone to sign up to the global shipping programme, £29.00 to ship to the UK that can be done PDDP for about £4.00. Saying they look into it is saying they have kicked it into the long grass.

The US governement is shut down at this time so there is no fresh legal guidance available.

[c_of_e84]

No aint figured a workaround yet, spoke to someone on free wifi in a flavella who was charging his ipad from street light and was told to add something in the porduct description about tarrifs.

[c_of_e84]

The problem is ebay probably cant do anything because tariffs are collected on the value of goods, there is no tarrif on shipping, thats international law, as ebay collect fees on the total value its unable to split the value of the goods and shipping so would have to charge fees on the goods, royal mails 50p charge and the applicable tariff so buyers would be ripped off. They seem to be able to charge US "State Taxes" correctly on a state by state basis but this is far bigger.

It seems some sellers based in china have got round it by saying there stock is already customs cleared in the US even though it is not and that way they dont get the "Blue Banner of Death" at the top of there listed items.

What they could do is bin the "Blue Banner of Death" and update the (?) in the shipping area below the item price that says about customs fees and duties to say for tarrifs see listing or ask the seller.

In reality based on how ebay has decined over the years I have little faith they will do anything at all.

[c_of_e84]

Thats a classic problem and not just ebay, pushing ahead trying to keep up and stay relevant and not bothering updating whats churning away in the background, thats how other platfors are lightyears ahead because they are new started recently and up to date, in time they will fall behind under the same circumstances and news ones more up to date will be in front of them.