In Off-topic

I recently shipped a neo-geo cartridge to Canada and just got this email from the buyer:

Hi. I just received the item.

The value stated on the customs was wrong. It was stated as USD $50. The auction closed at USD $29. I specifically do not buy items over that value because otherwise I would be assessed taxes and duties and brokerage fees by customs. Because of the incorrectly stated value of $50, I was assessed $14 dollars in taxes and duties and brokerage costs which the person who received this item has already paid. I would like to kindly ask that this amount be reimbursed to me by you to cover these costs. I hope you understand.

Regards.



Can someone living in Canada tell me if this is even right? I value all of my games at $50 when I ship in case I have to make an insurance claim. Do I just suck up this charge to keep my 100% feedback rating? (this guy had complained about my shipping charges AFTER he won the item) Should I offer to pay half of this?

When shipping to Canada, mark the item as a "gift" and make sure the insurance/cost is less than $60 . This will work around the extra costs that are included for some reason... yeah, always ship as a "gift."

I'm from Canada, and yes, that's right. Customs is greedy.

The problem is easily avoidable by declaring the package a gift. I think that allows up to $200 value without being taxed. if it's shipped via UPS or some other, I think declaring it a gift allows you $60 untaxed.

I think the buyer should have discussed this sort of thing with you BEFORE shipment. I know I alwasy make sure and request that the item is declared as a gift for that purpose.

it's a stupidly high tax rate as well. I had an old computer shipped, and they wanted $300 before I could claim it.

Or the guy at the UPS store the seller shipped from put an extra "0" on the value, so I was expected to pay $50 on a package valued at $100

but yes, that's accurate, and your buyer was ripped off. Not by you intentionally, but by customs due to lack of planning prior to shipment.

I had marked it as a gift, maybe I need to make sure he was aware of that.

I'm just trying to make sure he isn't trying to refund his shipping charges.

if it was marked as a gift with a value of only $50, then there shouldn't have been any tax on it. perhaps he's just trying to rip you off.

But if was $50 US which is over $60 CDN (or should be I'll have to check the exchange rate) then he coud be telling the truth.

I'm waiting for an email back from him to clarify this, but at least I've learned something.

That's why you should always state the proper value. If he gets hit with duty charges, it's his own issue because that's his responsibility to pay. But if you put an innacurate value on the package, and he was charged duty rates because of that, you should reimburse him for it.

At the current exhange rate, $50USD is just over $60CDN. Most items are charged 6%. At that rate, he would have been charged about $3.65CDN duty. You should offer him $5 for the trouble, and if that's not enough, have him send a high resolution picture of his receipt and offer to reimburse him the actual duty he paid.

Then, after it's all settled, be honest when you ship internationally.

Definitely, he is trying to rip you off.