eBay Updates Sellers on U.S. Tariff Changes But Key Questions Remain After Supreme Court Ruling

eBay has posted updates about U.S. tariff changes for international sellers, but many questions still remain after Supreme Court decision ruling import tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were not valid.

For sellers in Germany and Canada the announcements posted in their respective eBay community forums were short and very light on details.

Following the US Supreme Court’s decision on tariffs, we’re working with our shipping partners to manage impacts for eBay buyers and sellers.

We’ll share guidance with the community as soon as more information is available, including if there are any changes that buyers or sellers need to be aware of.

But the announcement for the UK marketplace went more in depth, advising users that the IEEPA tariffs are no longer being applied and the most current rates for other applicable tariffs are still being shown at checkout for items shipping through the Global Shipping Programme.

Update on US Tariffs

We’re sharing an update that may be relevant if you're selling to US buyers.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that import tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were not valid. These tariffs are no longer being applied.

What this means for buyers and sellers

The most current tariff rates are reflected in Global Shipping Programme at checkout and will be updated if and when rates change.

What you need to do

No action is required if you are using GSP. You can continue listing, shipping as usual.

For the most predictable experience when shipping to the US, eBay recommends options where duties and taxes are calculated and paid at checkout, such as the GSP or other Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) services. This helps avoid unexpected charges for your US buyers.

This information reflects the latest information available and may change. We’ll share updates that affect buyers or sellers.

FAQs

Will tariffs still appear at checkout through GSP?
Yes. Applicable import fees will continue to be shown at checkout based on current rules.

Where can current rates be checked?
Rates are displayed during checkout automatically when using GSP and can also be checked using public reference resources or tools such as the Zonos Duties and Taxes Calculator.

But questions remain about what, if any, refunds buyers and sellers may be owed following the Supreme Court decision.

FedEx has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government seeking a full refund on all paid duties that were installed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act - likely the first of many to come.

FedEx sues US for refunds on Trump tariffs

The carrier’s lawsuit comes after a Supreme Court decision invalidated duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Supply Chain DiveMax Garland

But beyond wrangling to figure out who should receive refunds for the tariffs payments themselves, sellers are wondering if they will be compensated for additional marketplace fees they may have paid on sales that had IEEPA tariffs applied.

eBay typically applies their Final Value Fee to the order total (including item price, shipping, and taxes) which means that when shipping costs increase, it generally acts as a de facto fee increase as well.

However, sellers who use eBay's Global Shipping Programme should only be charged fees based on the item price and postage costs to the domestic shipping hub - not on the international postage costs or import charges the buyer will see at checkout.

But that still leaves open questions about whether sellers who offer other Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) international shipping options or those who have baked customs and tariffs costs into their shipping prices may have been charged higher Final Value Fees as a result and, if so, should those fees be partially refunded now that the IEEPA tariffs have been struck down?

Unfortunately, answers may be a long time coming. Stay tuned for updates and let us know in the comments below if you've been paying higher eBay fees on items shipped to the U.S. as a result of IEEPA tariffs.