US Tariff Chaos - Can Ebay Help Sellers

[picture_box_postcards]

Good Morning All,

Just logging the worry that the chaos caused by US Tariff confusion poses a huge risk to sellers and the platform as a whole.

The current Royal Mail cessation of shipping to America continues and there is no clear info as when they will get a new system in place. For our part we sell Postcards (theoretically exempt still) which we can only send economically via royal mail ( GSP or global couriers are prohibitively expensive  ) so currently we can only cancel orders bound for the Americas (They won't even ship to south America it seems) there is no news or clear guidance from any party involved.

Given the platform seem to take great delight in sanctioning sellers and rejecting appeals for faults / late deliveries (even when its clear the seller has behaved in the correct manner throughout)  I fear for the ramifications of this mess.

Anyone had any insight or conversations with ebay that may help.

[luvvintagecharms]

Thank you for your reply. If we add the extra fees to the shipping cost will ebay then charge us a percentage on those as well as the shipping costs when an item sells?

[silicon-press]

I Google the item + HS tariff

So it would be coin + hs tariff

Then use the Royal Mail website to test a parcel

[wellingnorth]

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@luvvintagecharms wrote:

Thank you for your reply. If we add the extra fees to the shipping cost will ebay then charge us a percentage on those as well as the shipping costs when an item sells?

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Yes, that's correct so you'd want to add the duty + whatever % ebay fee it is to the postage that you charge.

If you start putting an order through here you can see the duty rate

https://send.royalmail.com/

Or if you register at transglobalexpress they have a duty calculator under 'account tools'

You can find the hs codes for items here https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/find_commodity

Or just a google search for HS code cotton trousers, etc will often come up with some options

[luvvintagecharms]

Thank you!

[silicon-press]

The only way that I can see at the moment is to create specific Postal Policies for the USA and have bands of items based on value

£10 + (postage + tariff + handling fee (add Ebay fees of 10.9% + VAT))

£15 + etc

£20 + etc

Or however many brackets that you want

[luvvintagecharms]

Ok thank you!

[ett1954]

"£10 + (postage + tariff + handling fee (add Ebay fees of 10.9% + VAT))" - you forgot international transaction fee.  The buyer will be paying in US dollars.  eBay will be rubbing their hands with all these extra fees.

[silicon-press]

I didn't - I just figured that if I need to recover another 2.5% for trading internationally, then it's probably in my interest to find something else that pays better.

[*vyolla*]

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@luvvintagecharms wrote:

Does the receiver still have to pay any additional costs at their end - duty fees etc or does your fees paid now cover that? Did you have to take the hit then as the seller or is there a way to claim the 10% back from the buyer?

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No, the tariff is paid up front by the sender, no fees for the US recipient. I took the hit on that one.

The only way to not take the hit would be to set an extra 10% at checkout for US buyers (and the admin fee too if it is a giddy £1.50). I'm still trying to work out if that can be done. 

With eBay I guess the GSP will factor all fees in. If eBay sellers aren't using the GSP then it seems that they'll be taking the hit unless, as mentioned above, they can have a postage policy for US that charges a price to factor that in.

[a45heaven]

No, the tariff is paid up front by the sender, no fees for the US recipient. 

I think not- maybe ebay cant make the process work - but  id prefer not to sell than pay an outgoing Tariff -

the US  folks voted to  set allow the process to be inflicted - let them live with it or buy else where.

[pafishlock]

Ebay states:

"If the item is being sent from outside the US, the recipient may have to pay duty and customs processing fees."

Ebay also states:

"Buyers are responsible for paying import charges. If you offer international postage, you can't include these costs in the item's purchase and postage price. Make sure to let international buyers know about this in your listings."

Regards
Paul Fishlock

[pafishlock]

Its actually against Ebay's own rules:

Ebay states:

"Buyers are responsible for paying import charges. If you offer international postage, you can't include these costs in the item's purchase and postage price. Make sure to let international buyers know about this in your listings."

"If you have an order delivered to an address outside of the UK or EU, local consumer tax and/or customs duty may apply. Online marketplaces such as eBay may be responsible for collecting the tax, or the parcel's recipient may need to pay these as part of clearing the parcel through customs."

"If the item is being sent from outside the US, the recipient may have to pay duty and customs processing fees."

"If you have an order delivered to an address outside of the UK or EU, local consumer tax and/or customs duty may apply. Online marketplaces such as eBay may be responsible for collecting the tax, or the parcel's recipient may need to pay these as part of clearing the parcel through customs."

My solution is simple. I am no longer shipping to the USA.

[hot**chile]

Surely ebay just need to let us have a "tariff" box on listings (like the ones you see on GSP listings) where we can add the required tariff and they charge no fees on it

[insidethe93]

eBay could change its policy and procedures if it wanted to, in a minor or major way, if it wants its sellers to be happy. Happy sellers don't leave.

It's an opportunity for eBay and other large platforms to keep sellers from leaving or attract new ones.  Since eBay's spring 2025 changes (e.g. BPF) I shop a lot elsewhere, mainly small businesses with individual websites, and they're increasingly showing notices that they no longer ship to the USA. One or two explain, mentioning tariffs or say it's temporary.

If eBay changed its policy so as to help its sellers, I think it'd be taking unfair advantage over smaller competitors but commerce is cut-throat and I understand that's what big firms do. It could, however, help give eBay an edge over rival large platforms.

A major aspect, I suspect, is the uncertainty: the current USA president keeps changing his mind, disregards stability, is happy to disrupt business with long-standing allies & trading partners. Also, are the tariffs on or off? as some are on hold after being challenged in USA courts. Some, most or all tariffs will be illegal from October unless (or until) the pro-president Supreme Court supports him (harming allies' trade seems to go hand-in-hand with political mistreatment of them, as part of his overall campaign to Make Russia Great Again).

The uncertainty, however, doesn't mean eBay can't act in some way to mitigate the tariff misery for its sellers. It'd have to adapt as and when tariffs fluctuate, which is what you'd expect of any sensible large trader. This shouldn't be a case of letting individual sellers sink or swim by themselves: eBay is a big organisation and can make a difference if it wanted.

[tinksemporium]

Hello Pafishlock,

I just spoke with eBay today and Global Shipping is slowly being opened back up product by product, country of orgin by country of orgin. I asked ok but what are these products and what country of orgin are currently on the banned list and I got the answer no list is being compiled. I said this is not good enough for us sellers and I as well as other sellers need to know this so we know what to buy wholesale and what not to? 

Supposedly the agent is going to call me back with a list. We shall see....if not I will call again and again until I get an answer. I am a new start up so can't afford to buy stuff that I can't sell to the US as well of what they can't buy there already!

[tinksemporium]

Hahahaha....or drink up in brewery comes to mind

[tinksemporium]

I am leaning that way myself. Quick question....where on eBay if you are with the Global Shipping Programme can you change the countries you ship to? Or do we not get a choice and basically quit eBay all together?

[pegr-834437]

Its never been turned off if the seller has country of manufacture selected. It seems the 3rd party customer services have either been told a lie or made something up. I've checked a handful of items which all have it selected using GSP and they give you a shipping price and a duties price for it to go to America. They are high so doubt anyone would buy them but its working.

[pafishlock]

Most interesting. Thanks for the information. I think you are right.

As for the GSP... it never worked before for low value listings. It entailed 2 shipping charges and an extra charge from eBay which already made it impractical. The shipping cost was frequently over £30 compared to a real direct cost of less than £10. Does not compute!

My listings rarely go more than £30 so I'm sticking with not posting to the USA.

Best regards. Fish.

[cabrio4]

Charged 50p 'handling fee',  to send a print to the USA when I posted today. Paid online via the Royal Mail website.