Global Shipping active for US Buyers

[g1dgl]

I've just received a message from eBay to say that they have automatically added country of origin details to some of my listings to make it easier to sell them to US customers.

Well, firstly they don't say which of my listing they have updated.  Does anyone know of a way of checking this without opening each one individually?

Secondly, where does liability rest here?  If eBay get it wrong where does the buck stop?  I send my international sales via GSP so I've always imagined that it is eBay's responsibility to argue with US customs.  But perhaps they might somehow claim that I entered the wrong country of origin and then claim some extra fees from me (obviously I don't trust eBay further than I can throw them).

As I general rule I leave the country of origin box blank unless I can be completely sure - for example if the item has a clear label saying something like "Made in the UK".

[style_wise]

If you want to send an item to the USA via GSP then it is your responsibility to make sure the Country of Origin is filled in correctly. It looks to me like most of your 42 items will have an easily identifiable CoO, and the rest of them are probably 'China'. Or you could exclude USA and forget all about it!

[g1dgl]

---

@style_wise wrote:

If you want to send an item to the USA via GSP then it is your responsibility to make sure the Country of Origin is filled in correctly. It looks to me like most of your 42 items will have an easily identifiable CoO, and the rest of them are probably 'China'. Or you could exclude USA and forget all about it!

---

So, firstly, it is your contention that if eBay set a Country of Origin for me and this then turns out to be incorrect then that is my responsibility?  Are you able to provide any reference for this?

Secondly, whilst I agree that most of the books and instruction manuals I am selling have easily identifiable countries of origin (it usually says "Printed in ..." and in these cases I added this information myself when I listed them), I'm not sure how I'm supposed to work it out for the semiconductors.  Most were manufactured by US or UK companies but not necessarily in the US and UK.  Most semiconductor foundries are in the far east, and back in the 70s and 80s (when most of mine were made) quite a few were in places like the Philippines or Korea (see attached showing device made in 1986) but in the absence of a label on the device (rare) I have had to leave Country of Origin blank.

Which of my listings do you think were probably made in China?  It's surely not the semiconductors as 40 years ago China was a very small player in that market.

[4_bathrooms]

Do you know which items eBay has automatically added CoO information to? The publications I looked at have United States listed whilst some of the components have South Korea listed. Obviously I can't tell whether eBay or yourself entered that information.

EDIT - never mind, I can see you probably entered those yourself. Your previous reply was posted whilst I was typing this.

[style_wise]

C&BP in the States is rigorous and a responsible Seller wants their items to pass unimpeded. Accurate CoO is what you need to make that happen. It sound like you have a very good idea of what to enter for most of your items. (Much better than someone else's guess!)

[magpiecorner1]

To view, you can go into bulk listings, then scroll across to view your item specifics in the relevant drop down.  Quicker but not very much quicker.  Probably a lot quicker just to add/change the country of origin in bulk , using the bulk listing tool.  Though that can be a bit fiddly if you list in lots of categories.

I think you just have to be pedantic - you're very likely to be more knowledgeable about your items that the customs guy who is checking it.  There's a big difference between sending individual items, which will worry no-one - and multi million pound imports from China - I think its the multi million pound orders that the US want to jump on!

Also, your British made items will incur a tariff of 10%, South Korean 25%, Chinese 50% and USA manufactured 0% - now if I was dithering between wondering if Chinese or US made and it could be either, cos there's nowt written on it to guide me - I know what I would be declaring.

[4_bathrooms]

---

@magpiecorner1 wrote:

Also, your British made items will incur a tariff of 10%, South Korean 25%, Chinese 50% and USA manufactured 0% - now if I was dithering between wondering if Chinese or US made and it could be either, cos there's nowt written on it to guide me - I know what I would be declaring.

---

Just pointing out that publications and semiconductors are excluded from Trump's tariffs regardless of country of origin. 

[jjambadger27]

And CDs/vinyl & other physical audio formats, although nobody knows if eBay is abiding by these exemptions when it comes to buyer charges in GSP...

[4_bathrooms]

---

@jjambadger27 wrote:

And CDs/vinyl & other physical audio formats, although nobody knows if eBay is abiding by these exemptions when it comes to buyer charges in GSP...

---

Having checked one of the OP's items (a publication) on eBay.com with "United States" selected as the delivery country it certainly appears that no tariff is being charged:

The tax that may be applicable at checkout is any applicable state sales tax (this is separate to any tariff).

[jjambadger27]

I added a book of mine I've been trying to sell for a while just now, and indeed, the same is shown for me when looking at eBay.com. Yet if I look at the vinyl/CDs I'm selling, mostly, there is a charge roughly equating to what would be the tariff charge and a bit extra, despite their exemption from tariffs - however, the odd CD doesn't have anything detailed in the import charges, despite having the same country of origin as the ones that do have charges. 

The eBay reps in the weekly chat are unwilling to look into it. 

[bzmotman]

"Secondly, where does liability rest here?  If eBay get it wrong where does the buck stop?  I send my international sales via GSP so I've always imagined that it is eBay's responsibility to argue with US customs.  But perhaps they might somehow claim that I entered the wrong country of origin and then claim some extra fees from me (obviously I don't trust eBay further than I can throw them)."

If it was me I would assume that the buck stopped with me. How could I prove that Ebay altered my listing by adding the wrong CoO - I couldn't.

Remember that Ebay have added to all our listings "I certify that all my selling activities will comply with all EU laws and regulations." even though as UK sellers we have little chance of knowing what arcane law Brussels may have passed that could catch us out and that Ebay always say each listing is the sellers responsibility. 

Personally I would check each one not just for the US but it might help sales to the EU, assuming you sell to them, as in theory CoO is needed for GPSR reasons.

[4_bathrooms]

---

@jjambadger27 wrote:

I added a book of mine I've been trying to sell for a while just now, and indeed, the same is shown for me when looking at eBay.com. Yet if I look at the vinyl/CDs I'm selling, mostly, there is a charge roughly equating to what would be the tariff charge and a bit extra, despite their exemption from tariffs - however, the odd CD doesn't have anything detailed in the import charges, despite having the same country of origin as the ones that do have charges. 

---

The import charges shown will always be slightly higher than the actual tariff as there will be a customs clearance fee charged by the domestic carrier on top. State taxes will generally be charged on top of the tariff as well but this will be charged at checkout and not shown in the "Import charges" section.

Anyway; it doesn't look like you're posting from the affected account so I can only guess as to why some of your Vinyl/CDs are showing the charge and others are not. Can you provide the item number of a listing that is showing import charges?