I have been charged $18 from pitney Bowes inc

[triplexxx]

Bought an item on eBay paid the full amount postage and shipping but I had to pay pitney Bowes inc another $18 when he is shipping directly to me so I should not have been charged this

[Fedior]

I have be en charges $113 from pintney bowes inc and the buyer knew nothing about. This is illegal fraude.

[Strattm]

Just gonna put this out there, not sure if you guys read what you are agreeing to when you create an ebay account. This is just one snip from it.

Pitney Bowes' Role as Your Forwarding Agent. By purchasing the GSP Item and consenting to these Terms, you authorize Pitney Bowes to act as your agent for the shipment and delivery of the GSP Item. As your appointed forwarding agent, Pitney Bowes will: (A) make export classifications and complete export filings, including but not limited to, preparing and transmitting any Electronic Export Information or other documents or records required to be filed by the US Census Bureau, US Customs and Border Protection, Bureau of Industry and Security, and/or any other US government agency, (B) arrange for the importation of the GSP Item, including, but not limited to, assigning Harmonized System classification codes to each GSP Item and filing a completed customs entry and related documents with the customs authorities of the country into which the GSP Item is being imported, (C) account for and pay the assessed import duties and other taxes due upon importation of the GSP Item, each on your behalf, (D) manage any dispute with such authorities regarding customs classifications, applicable duties and/or taxes, and (E) perform any other act that may be required by law or regulation in connection with the exportation, importation and/or transportation of any GSP Item purchased by you for shipment out of the United States and into any other country. The making of export classifications and assigning Harmonized System classification codes requires expertise. You will defer to the expertise of Pitney Bowes in performing this task and will not question the export classifications made by Pitney Bowes on your behalf or the Harmonized System classification codes so assigned by Pitney Bowes.

Here is the actual terms you agreed to.... http://pages.ebay.ca/shipping/globalshipping/buyer-tnc.html

It is probably why you are not hearing from either of the companies you are trying to get an answer from. When fee's pop up that are unexpected, it sucks. As far as I can see, its legit if you agree to it; wether you knowingly agree to it, well thats kinda on you.

[auban]

You're right - but my purchase was made outside the USA (where consumer protection is minimal).  eBay don't operate this sort of fraud in Europe, where it would be illegal.  It is American selling outside the USA who should be aware of it, and who should warn buyers.  On the other hand, an American seller doesn't have to be lazy - s/he can simply send the item(s) by ordinary mail.  The Pitney-Bowes scam is for the lazy types who think that civilisation does not exist beyond the its coasts.  Most have not even heard of the European Union !

[TylerInNiagara]

I was just hit with the same BS the ad said "Shipping:$9.87 and $10.43 (amount confirmed at checkout)" I paid that at checkout then got a scam charge of $25.42

[musitronics]

I've been buying and selling on eBay since 1998, ( over 800 transactions) but after getting hit the last two times with Pitney-Bowes withdrawals from my PayPal account, I'm done with eBay and PayPal.

[ufobudi]

I have the same expereience. I bought automotive part from US to Indonesia and tey charge me US$111.96 for PitneyBowes Inc. What the h*ll this came for? This Pitney fee did not release my obligation to pay tax and custome fee. Is this a hidden cost from pay pal?

[robin12bc]

I HAVE RECENTLY MADE TWO EBAY PURCHASES FROM U.S. SELLERS; AN ELECTRIC GUITAR - TOTAL PRICE £352.30 WHICH INCLUDED POSTAGE AND IMPORT CHARGES. ON TOP OF THAT I WAS THEN CHARGED A WHOPPING £98.45 EXTRA BY PITNEY- BOWES !!!

FROM A SEPARATE U.S. SELLER I THEN PURCHASED AN ELECTRIC GUITAR TREMOLO FOR THE PRICE OF £64.30 INCLUDING POSTAGE. (NO IMPORT CHARGE). PITNEY-BOWES THEN CANED ME FOR £15.16 ON TOP OF THAT.

BOTH OF  THESE PURCHASES WERE MADE BY PayPal.

MAYBE I'M BEING NAIVE, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE SELLERS TAKE THESE  ITEMS TO A COURIER COMPANY AND OFF THEY GO. WHY DOES PITNEY-BOWES HAVE TO GET INVOLVED TO TAKE THEIR CUT ? SOUNDS LIKE A 'NICE LITTLE EARNER' ( CON), IF YOU ASK ME !!!

PayPal SHOULD WARN THE BUYER OF THIS EXTRA CHARGE AT THE POINT OF COMPLETING THE EBAY PURCHASE. 

[kernowlass]

@robin12bc

All it is is the customs charges being paid for up front rather than your postie collecting it when its delivered.

Sellers have NOTHING to do with customs charges so there is no way they would charge you for that, all they charge you for is shipping costs.

If you had bought the item on holiday and then declared it at customs you would have been charged, no difference if you buy it via the mail system.

[davidg46]

I received a sneaky $US36.32 charge to my account and the supplier had absolutly no idea.  Tried to contact Paypal and ebay to get some explanation but with the usual supreme arrogance they made it  impossible to speak to a human.  I would rather sit through a 5 hour oration by a politician than listen to the monoton instructions to press this button or that button again, and then try to speak with a person with little english.  It is a scam and needs to be recognised for what it is. I will never again deal wth a supplier that advertises the Global shipping scheme

[sonoco]

Same here.

I ordered a number of CPU's to upgrade a number of servers. The cost $4200, but I was surprised to dicover two additional charges by above mentioned, each for €480.... and the worst part of it is that the transport company returned to good to sender because they couldn't find our Address (It is well marked and I even had put a special sign outside to make it even clearer.

So now I've paid €960 for nothing....I've asked the seller to resend the goods as I really need them and it will still be cheaper then if I order them here in Europe but it's a reall rip off... Once this order has gone through I'll cancel my account at eBay... Long live Amazon.... Much better service.!!!!