Ebay Shipping Question

Let's get down to the real issue here. The high dollar amount package was shipped from the US via post. The package almost assuredly will be intercepted by Canada Customs at the Mail processing plant and Taxed up for GST / HST purposes.As it should be. Creating a level playing field for honest Canadian businesses that are duty bound to assess and collect sales tax.
The OP Does not want to pay any ensuing taxes. Pretty sure that covers what's at play here.

Still trying to understand for my own sake and because I've found that the ebay buying experiences which others share here to be extremely valuable.

This is simply a random example:



So Thrustie, in your instance, the seller is not complying whatsoever with the original shipping information that was contained in the listing?

If that's the case, I had no idea that could occur.

Thanks for the info Thrustie, something I will watch out for in the future.

The "worldwide" reminded me of something I'd noticed in the past, wondering why a Canadian ebay seller, item in Canada, would ship Internationally to a Canadian buyer. Obviously then it's possible the item location may not be in Canada, contrary to the listing.

Random example:

I think Pacific hit the nail on the head here, if you purchased enough coins for $500 in taxes, pretty sure the seller should be charging HST/GST. Have you asked the seller if tax was built into the price? (a possibility). You may want to wait and see if there is any tax due, as this might be a non-issue.

About 4-5 years ago I would ship from US to Canada for some items because it was $4-5 cheaper a package, does not seem to be the case anymore.

Last time I crossed the border with some HA purchases the person at the desk was not sure how circulation coins were classified, I did not know either, she put it under currency and I owed nothing, pretty sure some tax was due, but I will take it.

Respectfully disagree, the seller has less than 50 sales in 8 years. To say the average person on ebay should be remitting taxes and adding HST for less than 10 sales annually is just rediculous.

# of sales has nothing to do with paying HST/GST, it is the dollar value, at $500 tax, your transaction is probably somewhere between $4000 (HST province) and $10,000 (non-HST province), without knowing any details of seller beside less than 10 transaction per year, it is not hard to reach $30,000 if you multiply it out.

Anyways good luck with your transaction, hope it works out well for you.

Actually the reality of the situation is this. We have a national sales tax called either the GST in Provinces that have a sales tax at the Provincial level ( Alberta has none) or called the HST in other provinces.
The US does not have this situation.
If you are in business in Canada and sell more than $ 30,000 CAD Worldwide, you must be registered and collect and remit the tax. Does not matter your political beliefs or what the government blows the money on. It is the law.
To level the playing field when you import coins or collectibles into Canada you are supposed to pay this tax. Collected at the border by the CBSA or if mailed collected by Canada Post on behalfof the CBSA. If you smuggle or falsely declare again you are breaking the law.
As a legitimate business , that collects and remits GST / HST we have no sympathy for those that work around the law.
I will be very honest and say that yes it does kill sales in Canada for sure. This along with the falling dollar has forced many businesses to choose the export route. We are small and I can tell you that over 80 per cent of our sales are now EXPORT.
If the OP in this thread imported the coins as stated from the US he should pay the GST or HST.
Those on line or through ebay that buy from from unregistered businesses or private sellers that do not charge taxes do so at their own peril.
As Doubleeagle stated in an earlier post when the CRA comes knocking you are guilty until proven innocent.

Thrustie, no apologies necessary:-)