Any discussions with your buyers on the tariffs?

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

I was busy trying to figure out verbage to use when talking to buyers about how there might be tariffs on packages. It was pointed out to me that since the US president is telling Americans that other countries pay the tariffs, that my buyers might think I'm supposed to be paying tariffs and if their goods show up with tariffs owing, then I did something to get out of paying them and pass on to them (and they'll still believe they're not the ones who has to pay).

I was talking with the shop owner today (where I get a lot of my items) and he said it will be hard to educate all the buyers on tariffs when the US President is lying to them about who pays them. And it might take some time for US buyers to realize that they're paying the tariffs by having the cost of everything go up (as they realize this is happening).

Anyone talk to their buyers about tariffs and how is that going? 

I've had a few buyers asking about tariffs to see if I know anything new about how it's all going to work. They're asking me if the stuff in my store is subject to tariffs, how do they know if they'll have to pay, that kind of thing.

I did have one discussion with someone in the US (not one of my customers, they are another seller) who said "the tariffs are paid by the other country, Americans don't have to pay tariffs. They put tariffs on other countries so the other countries will be the ones paying". I tried to explain about the cost of everything I buy at the grocery store that comes from the US with tariffs on it costs more for me the end shopper to pay, and they will be paying more for a lot of things too because of the tariffs. This person was as dense as cement and I couldn't get through to them that the buyer pays the tariff, not some other country that's selling a product to the buyer.

This discussion with a dense individual in the US is making me wonder how many dense customers are out there that will be angry with us because they have to pay tariffs and are not realizing that as the buyer they have to pay tariffs, it's on American citizens to pay their government for the privilege of sourcing outside the US. (And if you start making it all in the US it will cost more, because the manufacturers will be sourcing outside the country, or the factory workers need living wages and the cost of everything will go up because it's made in the US).

Some people don't get it... curious to know if anyone selling here has encountered this yet.

C.

[intimewithmusic]

    I came into this thread  "Any discussions with your buyers on the tariffs?"

to find out if other eBay Canada sellers had something helpful to offer on @sapphyres-designer-jewellery  topic. I added my recent experience which resulted in a sale with very positve feedback. 

   The topic has nothing to do with how you or others feel about politics.  

  Isn't our objective to sell products?

   Don't most sellers sell to the USA?

   Instead of channeling discontent wouldn't it be better if eBay Canada sellers could work together to mitigate the de minimus problem? 

   If any of that makes sense then how about just sticking with the thread topic. What does customer and Trump bashing have to do with 

"Any discussions with your buyers on the tariffs?"

If you could please add something that you have told your buyers that will help sellers who are speaking to their buyers it would be really nice.

Thanks

[intimewithmusic]

"I think it was a mistake so I'm looking into this, but it looks like UPS is ready,  they'll be happy to collect all the brokerage fees. I guess there will be a lot of surprised people in the US who were led to believe that they don't pay the tarriffs. "

Hello @biglittleape 

  Welcome to eBay Canada. Can you please tell us about the listings you have for sale? 

You had a $120 USD item hit with a tariff. Can you please elaborate on the persentage and what eBay category the item was listed in?

  As well, can you please tell us the color of your quote above in italics? Is it blue or pink? 

  Thank you for joining eBaY Canada Seller Central!

[nhl_automotive]

I'm sending a note to my regular buyers next week. I expect to lose a lot of them, at least for now. Others are overseas and use freight forwarders in the USA. I'll be starting to offer international shipping in September so they can still purchase from me.

[daisydaisy999]

I added a blurb to all of my listings a while ago - I am going to have to change it to something else soon, I was just waiting to see what Canada Post was going to be doing before I come up with some verbage! I have had a few more US sales then usual so it might have actually resonated with some... 🙂

Attention America: as of Aug 29, your government's new tariffs will mean buying from abroad costs you more. They'll say it doesn't - but math says otherwise. Want this at today's price? Better click "buy" before Uncle Sam hikes the bill!

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@nhl_automotive wrote:

I'm sending a note to my regular buyers next week. I expect to lose a lot of them, at least for now. Others are overseas and use freight forwarders in the USA. I'll be starting to offer international shipping in September so they can still purchase from me.

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@nhl_automotive 

It will be interesting to see how the subject of US freight forwarders are handled when it comes to tariffs. I believe in the past it was just state sales tax up to the destination. Going forward...who knows how or if tariffs will get collected or be responsible for??? It's not like an eBay order clarifies a sales final destination, when there is one.  A shipment "use to be" sent as in bond, but there was a cost for this service. Again, who would be responsible for applicable charges?

[rosscd57]

How bout this? See they are not all Dorks.

Feedback left by buyer.

Past month - Restored Sparton Radio

All went well here, and thanks for excellent packaging!  We apologize to our Canadian friends for our pathetic president as well!

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@rosscd57 wrote:

How bout this? See they are not all Dorks.

Feedback left by buyer.

Past month - Restored Sparton Radio

All went well here, and thanks for excellent packaging!  We apologize to our Canadian friends for our pathetic president as well!

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Sums it up very nicely!!! Spoken to a number of  my US buyers recently. Majority appologizing almost as much as a Canadian for the US insanity that we have all inherited!!!

[shallow_karl]

Very true.  As witnessed by exemptions bestowed on HUGE CHINESE sellers TEMU and SHEIN by the U.S.  "The Rich Get Richer" is an apt phrase.

[shallow_karl]

Who are these sellers with Canadian customer bases that can even BEGIN to replace the American?  I'd say 94% of sales of mine go to the U.S.  Canada may be 1/10th the size population wise, but disposable income is maybe 1/50th of the U.S.