Tax claimed by carrier
Summary: gpk-france expresses concerns about additional fees when making a purchase in the United Kingdom, including VAT charges already paid and customs fees demanded by the postman. Anonymous User mentions customs, and felin12 advises requesting a VAT refund on eBay if it was paid twice. gpk-france details the costs, revealing high taxation and considers closing their eBay account. After receiving proof of payment from La Poste, gpk-france discovers duplicate payments and files claims with eBay and Colissimo. The participant is encouraged to follow up with La Poste for a full refund of the improper fees.
16 comments
marylinebawedin
·5 months agoAlthough your post is 1 year old, I’d like to reply that today Ebay has set up a customs fee refund link because they are the ones who handle collecting and paying the customs fees on your behalf. But for it to work, the IOSS number must be mentioned on the customs declaration that is attached to your package. If the seller does not enter that famous IOSS number provided by eBay, French customs will charge these customs fees a second time! You need to keep the carrier’s invoice and the eBay one, then send them to eBay. So today it is possible to get the VAT back... but on the other hand the carrier’s handling fees are on you... The link for Ebay in France
https://ocswf.ebay.fr/mudcwf?deptName=CollectRemitRefund
wikket74
·1 year agoHi
you have to be careful because otherwise they line their pockets....if you ask for nothing, you’ll get nothing.
When VAT is paid twice, know that it’s the same amount (paid twice, then)
Customs fees are something else.
Let’s stay focused.
gpk-france
OP3 years agoColissimo claim filed on the evening of May 24. Three days later, acknowledgment of receipt of my request. Yes, you read that right, it takes 3 days for the servers to send an acknowledgment of receipt (automatic message sent without any human intervention, I should point out).
Since then, no news. I’m counting from Thursday, May 25 = so that makes 14 days without a reply today.
francexpressdeal
·3 years ago@gpk-france
it's mainly La Poste that needs to be chased up ...
gpk-france
OP3 years agoOK, I'll take care of it tomorrow, thanks for the info
gpk-france
OP3 years agoHello,
I submitted a claim to eBay via the form (with attachment), but if that doesn't work out, I'll do as you say.
Thanks
francexpressdeal
·3 years ago@gpk-france
eBay would have refunded you, at best, only the amount of the VAT.
When filing the claim with the post office, they have to reimburse you for the full amount of the invoice (€19).
gpk-france
OP3 years agoReceived "Proof of payment of customs duties and taxes" from La Poste this morning:
- Customs duties = €0
- Import VAT 20% = €11 (so there’s a problem here since VAT has already been paid!!)
- Handling fee = €8
- VAT on handling fees = €1.33
- Total = €19
So I really got taken for a ride. Or so it seems to me.
francexpressdeal
·3 years agoHello @gpk-france
Since the IOSS number was clearly indicated on your shipment, you didn't have to pay VAT again at the post office.
If you haven't already done so, contact customer service at 36 31 and explain the situation to them.
gpk-france
OP3 years agoThank you for your reply,
There is indeed an IOSS number noted several times on my package. On a duplicate-stuck label + IOSS logo + the seller wrote "VAT PAID IOSS" followed by the IOSS number. So in 4 places on the package. Is there no way to check this IOSS number somewhere on the Internet and get some info?
My English seller just replied that it was a bad-tempered customs officer who must have had it in for me, and that generally it's the German or Italian customs that are particularly strict, but not the French ones.
In fact, I'm understanding less and less of it. Already for my last purchase in Japan (eBay France, Japanese seller), I seem to remember that I had customs fees AND "processing fees" (a flat rate kind, you can't get out of it) that were pretty obscure. I went to read a few explanation pages on the European Commission website = in fact customs clearance fees can contain absolutely anything and everything, it's like a repair bill at a garage: if you don't know much about mechanics, you pay and leave without saying a word.
Tomorrow my postal worker is bringing me a receipt (I don't know what to call that) for the €19, I'll maybe know more. My package does indeed contain information from the seller, the English carrier, English customs, the French carrier but... nothing from French customs. Nothing at all, no info.
For my $240 purchase from a US seller, I'm not feeling good about customs. I've already paid for the purchase, and the seller will ship when all my products are available (date unknown, it doesn't depend on him). Even if the seller agrees to a full refund, with the currency exchange fees, I'll lose at least €15 to €20.
Kind regards
Anonymous User
·3 years agoHello,
On top of VAT, there’s also customs.
felin12
·3 years agoHello everyone
@gpk-france
If you have paid VAT twice, you can get a refund from Ebay.
https://www.ebay.fr/help/buying/paying-items/payer-les-taxes-sur-les-achats-effectus-sur-ebay?id=4771&st=3&pos=1&query=Payer%20les%20taxes%20sur%20les%20achats%20effectu%C3%A9s%20sur%20eBay&intent=remboursement%20de%20tva&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1425
................................................
@Anonymous
Customs fees are applied for transactions above 150 euros incl. VAT
read paragraph 3
https://www.douane.gouv.fr/fiche/nos-conseils-avant-dacheter-sur-internet
kind regards
Anonymous User
·3 years agoHello,
Okay, fine, I didn’t say anything.
Getting old sucks. 😉
felin12
·3 years agoHello @Anonymous
It’s always good to remind readers that a transaction made outside the EU is subject to taxes, and there’s no age limit when it comes to getting completely lost with all the different taxes charged on an imported purchase.
best regards
gpk-france
OP3 years agoHello everyone,
Thanks for the replies. Over the past 20 years I’ve already bought from all over the world: USA (including Alaska!), China, Japan, Australia, etc. I’d forgotten about those damn customs fees (even though the last time, for Japan, I shelled out quite a bit).
Now for a few figures, even if nobody cares, I’m putting them here anyway since I worked them out. So for a purchase of 48 CDs (yes yes, compact discs, an old technology from last century) =
Actual product cost = £59.96
Shipping = £25.00 (and the seller chose the cheapest package, without tracking)
VAT = £16.99
eBay total = £101.95
Total paid via PayPal = 121.17€ (an extra 3.04€ that appear from who knows where)
French customs = 19€
Total paid = 140.17€
That works out to customs taxation of about +15.7%
So about a +103.5% gap between product value and cost price
So the English seller, after eBay took its cut, must have ended up with peanuts for these CDs.
I have an order for $200 (already paid) that’s supposed to arrive this year if all goes well, but I’m going to cancel it, much to my regret. And probably close my eBay account.
There, I’m done complaining, thanks.
felin12
·3 years ago@gpk-france
For all purchases made outside the EU, you have to pay VAT and customs fees (if applicable depending on the value and type of item).
For mail-order purchases, service fees (customs clearance) by the carrier are added, as well as fees related to currency conversion by your payment provider
This is not only related to the eBay site.
In my opinion you must have paid VAT twice and you can get a refund. (If there is no IOSS number noted on the parcel, you may be entitled to it)
Regards