Buying from US? Is this "Global Shipping Programme" ?

pfpf

i bought lots from the US many years ago and most sellers just posted the stuff themselves. then GSP happened and i remember buying one item where the buyer used it. all seemless.

but i do remember shipping was listed as GSP but i can't see anything on any US listings that use the term. maybe sellers are not using it but is this it?




does it work the same way? what i pay at ebay checkout is everything inc. import fee's etc?

if this is the case, is a sale using GSP now made up of cost of item + VAT + GSP cost, that's it?

thank you.

DullGreyGuy

The laws changed such that anything under £135 (inc postage) bought from overseas the VAT is to be collected by the seller unless its sold via a market place like eBay in which case it is collected by the market place. Given you are comfortably under the limit then there shouldn't be anything else to pay but it may be dependent on the sender correctly marking out the paperwork. 

once its over £135 its then down to the importer to pay but there are various schemes run my couriers etc that allow sellers to offer a fully landed price and so you pay the seller more but they pay for the importation. 

pfpf

hi. i appreciate the info regarding the £135 limit. its the postage i'm more keen to understand via ebay. the GSP always used to be that you paid that shipping fee and you were sure that no other import fee;s would hit when your parcel arrived. i believe that is still the case but i see no mention on this or any listing of the GSP, just the "ebay international shipping" - i am trying to find if thats basically GSP and works as i understand in the OP.

thank you.

edit: are you saying that i can buy from anywhere in the world that posts to the UK and if the value is under £135.00 all i am liable for is the VAT? no other import duties/fee's?

pfpf

ok. i found this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/buying/postage-delivery/changing-delivery-address-method/international-purchases-postage-buy?id=4057

"ebay international shipping" and the "GSP" are different. i can't remember seeing the GSP logo on anything recently. in my example above i won't know the cost of the additional fee's until i have purchased and go through checkout - i wonder if i can cancel the sale and not effect the sellers listing at this point?

i also wonder if infact i won't have to pay anything other than VAT as per the £135.00 rule?

thanks for any and all input.

DullGreyGuy

pfpf said:

hi. i appreciate the info regarding the £135 limit. its the postage i'm more keen to understand via ebay. the GSP always used to be that you paid that shipping fee and you were sure that no other import fee;s would hit when your parcel arrived. i believe that is still the case but i see no mention on this or any listing of the GSP, just the "ebay international shipping" - i am trying to find if thats basically GSP and works as i understand in the OP.

thank you.

edit: are you saying that i can buy from anywhere in the world that posts to the UK and if the value is under £135.00 all i am liable for is the VAT? no other import duties/fee's?

In theory anything you buy in the world that isn't alcohol, perfume, tobacco or something else subject to excise duty then if the price to get it to your door is under £135 you shouldn't be charged anything else as the buyer is supposed to collect the UK VAT at point of sale. 

If buying from a market place like eBay you should have higher confidence that this will happen because eBay themselves are responsible for ensuring the VAT is collected and passed on to HMRC. 

Over £135 is when you become liable for VAT, Import Duty and courier handling fees but certain merchants offer enhanced services like GSP where they guarantee a landed price

All items I've bought since the changes have operated as they should, there is a small number of people claiming to have been charged VAT and handling by couriers for sub £135 parcels but most have been odd stories (unsolicited goods etc)

pfpf

that's brilliant and makes things clearer. i thought the GSP had actually ended as i haven't seen a single example of it on my searches. my sellers obviously don't use it.

pfpf

i have read and re-read about the GSP and ebay international shipping. as a buyer i can't see any differences that would effect me. why the 2 shipping methods offered by ebay?
as for a seller how do they differ? 
anyone link me to any listing that is offering shipping via GSP? i just want to see an example. GSP used to be massive a few years back for US to UK shipping.

soolin

pfpf said:

i have read and re-read about the GSP and ebay international shipping. as a buyer i can't see any differences that would effect me. why the 2 shipping methods offered by ebay?
as for a seller how do they differ? 
anyone link me to any listing that is offering shipping via GSP? i just want to see an example. GSP used to be massive a few years back for US to UK shipping.

I'm sure someone can find a suitable item that is GSP , I'll answer the rest.

As a seller I won't ship overseas due to the VAT and customs declaration required- and also the fact that there seems to be some huge delays so potentially an INR can be opened before my item even has a chance to clear customs their end. 

So my overseas buyers see my item with their currency estimate displayed, they also see a VAT element and postage element. When I get a sale I can't do anything about an invoice as ebay do that. The buyer is invoiced for my costs, item cost plus UK postage, plus the extra Postage for sending on to their country and VAT and other duties When buyer pays I get the usual item cost plus UK postage, I post to the ebay hub in the UK. Once ebay have the item that's the end of it for me as far as an INR is concerned. If item gets lost between ebay and the buyer then ebay pay out.

pfpf

ok...thank you so much but....both EIS and GSP in my eyes do just that?  i won an auction yesterday, seller was using EIS, i paid the winning bid + shipping + 20% VAT. seller will send to ebay facility and they send on to me.

so again i don't see the difference, maybe GSP works on higher cost items as it covers all import fee's?

Spoonie_Turtle

From the link provided above, this is the only difference I can see:
"You can choose to pay for any customs charges, import fees and taxes either at checkout or when your item arrives."  - for EIS.  GSP it's all upfront automatically.

I wonder if there's a value difference (GSP for £135 and under) and EIS for above that?  Or if they're offered in/from different countries?  I can't see any info about that on the page.

pfpf

i suspect its the other way around. my EIS purchase added the VAT but as it was well less than £135.00 "no duties to be paid". i'd love to see an item thats got the GSP as an option.