Buying cards from Canada on eBay

[Eric72]

Potentially dumb question:

If I buy a card on eBay, and the seller is in Canada, do I pay any additional charges? I understand the item price and listed shipping cost. Just making sure there are no customs fees, etc.

Pardon my ignorance. I'm expanding my horizons a bit (stepping out of the "USA only" mindset) and want to figure this out before bidding on something.

[Wanaselja]

I’ve only made 1 purchase from Canada and incurred no additional fees. The card took 5 or 6 weeks to arrive though.

[oldeboo]

Pretty sure what's listed is what you pay. I've bought from across both ponds and that's how it has worked. Great way to get cards more obtainable in other places like the Goudey World Wide Gum cards up north. Be ready for potentially really long shipping times as packages can and do get held up. Another challenge can be sellers that aren't great at English if you have questions.

Sometimes a foreign seller has really high shipping and sometimes it's less than USPS, go figure.

[JustinD]

I buy from Canada all the time, living in Michigan it never seemed like a notion to not or to worry as it’s just next door.

Never had a problem, just don’t knock a seller on shipping time as in Covid times items can sit in customs for sorting. It’s not the sellers fault. As to additional taxes or customs fees, there are none.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by JustinD

I buy from Canada all the time, living in Michigan it never seemed like a notion to not or to worry as it’s just next door.

Never had a problem, just don’t knock a seller on shipping time as in Covid times items can sit in customs for sorting. It’s not the sellers fault. As to additional taxes or customs fees, there are none.

Perfect. Thanks for the info.

[riggs336]

I don't buy from Canada often, but when I do I always ask the seller to double check my address before mailing. Here's why: Several years ago I made a sizable purchase ($3000) from a Canadian seller. Time passed and no cards. Dozens of emails and five months later I got a refund. Turns out the shipment was lost, evidently because the high school intern who packaged and mailed it didn't know what a ZIP code was. At least that was the story.

[Jim F]

Americans have an $800 duty free limit from Canada. Anything over that may be taxed.
I ship USPS first class through a third party company. My shipments get there in a third of the time and at a third of the cost compared to shipping with Canada Post.
There are many options up here now that allow a seller to use USPS, I just don't know how many card sellers use them.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Jim F

Americans have an $800 duty free limit from Canada. Anything over that may be taxed.
I ship USPS first class through a third party company. My shipments get there in a third of the time and at a third of the cost compared to shipping with Canada Post.
There are many options up here now that allow a seller to use USPS, I just don't know how many card sellers use them.

Highly informative. Thank you.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by riggs336

I don't buy from Canada often, but when I do I always ask the seller to double check my address before mailing. Here's why: Several years ago I made a sizable purchase ($3000) from a Canadian seller. Time passed and no cards. Dozens of emails and five months later I got a refund. Turns out the shipment was lost, evidently because the high school intern who packaged and mailed it didn't know what a ZIP code was. At least that was the story.

Seller of a $3,000 item allows a high school intern to package and ship it? Their story doesn't hold water, in my opinion.

[Eric72]

So, it turns out I was the only one who bid on this card. What a thrilling experience. See a card I like, enter a max bid, win the auction, complete payment. I'm absolutely thrilled!


AND THEN...


(come on, you didn't think it would end there, did you?)


Within minutes after I paid, the seller cancelled this sale. They sent me a message, claiming they couldn't find the card, thought they had ended the auction early, etc. Oh well...c'est la vie.

I left negative feedback, put them on my blocked bidder list, and am now moving on.