Shopping as a German on ebay.com - what to consider?
If you want to buy as a German at ebay.com, you should pay attention to a few things, so that the supposed bargain does not turn out to be a cost trap.
Shopping on ebay.com: general tips
Anyone shopping in the US should keep a few things in mind. It's no different at ebay.com. That's why we give you a few valuable tips so that in the end there is no unpleasant surprise waiting for you.
- Basically, you can shop at ebay.com as well as in Germany. The dollar amount is converted into euros. The price varies depending on the current exchange rate.
- As soon as the goods including shipping exceed the value of 22 euros, you have to pay import sales tax. This amounts to 19 percent. Customs fees are added from 150 euros. You can read more about this in our practical tip about customs fees for orders from the USA.
Global Shipping Program: Use worldwide shipping
Many vendors in the United States use the Global Shipping Program. However, caution is required here.
- The eBay Global Shipping Program calculates shipping costs, import duties and customs fees. The shipping costs are extremely high. You should write to the seller and ask for an alternative solution. In any case, request shipping with tracking ID. This is how you can track the shipment.
- If you pay the import taxes and customs fees in advance, it may happen that you still have to collect your package from customs or that the import duties or customs fees are requested by the postman. Then you run after your money because you have now paid twice.