One drawback of shopping on eBay is that you have to pay for shipping for most items. (It’s always great when you can score a deal that includes free shipping!) When you are shopping overseas, it opens up your search to find more great deals, but it also increases the amount you have to pay for shipping. Not only do you have to pay higher rates for shipping, but you also have to pay taxes and other customs fees. Here are a few ways that you can save money on shipping when shopping on eBay so that you can take advantage of deals and keep your costs low:
Use a Third-Party Customs Broker
Living in Canada, you have to pay the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), a handling fee, and depending on the value of your item, the Goods and Service Charge (GST) for any items that you purchase overseas. Your shipper charges a brokerage fee to clear your item through customs and to pay for these taxes and fees on your behalf. Most large carriers like UPS charge high brokerage fees to do this. You can use a third-party customs broker like Clear Smart, which will charge you much less and still offer you the convenience of not having to do it yourself. You’ll be able to save quite a bit of money by using a third-party broker.
Choose a Longer Shipping Method
If you don’t have to get your item this week, why pay more for shipping? Choose a longer shipping method that may take a few weeks or even a month or more to get to you, and you’ll pay much less. Unless it’s for a gift or there’s some other urgent need to have it right away, there’s no reason to spend more on shipping to get it to you faster.
Combine Shipping
Most of the time, you don’t shop for one item at a time. You can save money on shipping by purchasing a few items at a time and then combining shipping — sending more than one item in the same box so you don’t have to pay more for sending them separately. Of course, this means that you’ll have to shop with the same seller, but if you can find a good deal with one vendor, this is a great way to save money on shipping.
Don’t let shipping kill your good bargain! Use these simple tips to save money on shipping when you are shopping on eBay.