International Shipping from USA to Canada

HI

I just got a tonearm shipped from NY to my place in Ontario. Fedex overnight was $100 for shipping. Cleared customs without duties or taxes. Shipping was expensive but it arrived flawless and no extrta charges.
More oftern than not I have had to pay duties and taxes on the declared value any other way.
Next best is Express Mail Service.

Hi Timoth
I've been using the US Postal Service Express for most of my transactions and haven't had a problem so far.

Just don't use UPS unless you don't mind them charging you a "brokerage fee" which can add alot to the cost of getting something over the border...

Sandy

Duties between the US and Canada do not exist anymore.

You do have to pay GST and whatever PST applies in your province.

Any shipped that provides tracking is good... UPS will do the taxes thing for you but will add 40 $ for the service. USPS/Canada Post will collect the taxes without other fees. FedEx varies from 0 $ to having you register as a private importer and sign 2 phonebooks of forms !-)

If you're not a hurry USPS/Canada Post of FedEx Ground are the cheapest and it'll take about a week from CA to QC.

I often use my work address as the destination... They're open 7:00 to 19:00, are equipped to pay whatever fee is needed and I simply pay them back... it helps to be friends with the guys

Hi Mdurand:

Duties do exist if not North American made. 6.1% on Naim stuff plus GST and PST=expensive.

quote:

Originally posted by timoth:


Duties do exist if not North American made. 6.1% on Naim stuff .

Agreed. I paid hefty duty on a used Naim piece sent from Canada to the US via FedEx.

quote:

Originally posted by timoth:
Duties do exist if not North American made. 6.1% on Naim stuff plus GST and PST=expensive.

IIRC, if the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) importer paid the duties at entry in the NAFTA zone, duty doesn't have to be paid again as long as the goods are shipped within NAFTA.

Otherwise, I must've been lucky, I only paid GST/PST on 6 Naim purchases in and 1 sale to the US !

And, from experience, do the customs work yourself (1 - 2 forms to fill) instead of relying on FedEX/DHL/... to do it (UPS forces you to use them !). Customs agents are usually more lenient (sp?) on individuals...

quote:

Originally posted by mdurand:


IIRC, if the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) importer paid the duties at entry in the NAFTA zone, duty doesn't have to be paid again as long as the goods are shipped within NAFTA.

This makes sense to me; I was quite annoyed because clearly I was paying double duty. The Canadian dealer, however, told me that this was perfectly normal.

Even with NAFTA you have to pay duty on Audio equipment every time a unit crosses the line. What mdurand says is true on computers, electronic component...for exemple, but not on HiFi.
Sometime the duty is not charged on used equipment in private sale. It seems like it is at the custom officer's discretion.

quote:

Originally posted by Sandy8:

Just don't use UPS unless you don't mind them charging you a "brokerage fee" which can add alot to the cost of getting something over the border...

Sandy

If you use UPS Express there is no brokerage.

quote:

Duties do exist if not North American made. 6.1% on Naim stuff plus GST and PST=expensive.

Yes this is in the customs books, but I have never heard of Canada Post collecting it. Only the the private carriers collect it.

a couple of years ago i sold a headphone amp to a buyer in Victoria BC and mailed it as a "gift" with an accurate insured amount per the buyer's request. it sat in customs for a week and was obviously opened/inspected before being delivered as reported by the buyer.

oddly enough, i've just mailed another headphone amp to Victoria BC, but this time as "merchandise". for the sake of the buyer, let's hope it gets there faster.

PACE

quote:

oddly enough, i've just mailed another headphone amp to Victoria BC

I wonder if its anyone I know?
I once bought a preamp from a grey market distributor, and he went and declared it a gift without telling me. Customs held that for a week, while I was to send them proof of value.

quote:

Originally posted by avhed:

quote:

oddly enough, i've just mailed another headphone amp to Victoria BC

I wonder if its anyone I know?
I once bought a preamp from a grey market distributor, and he went and declared it a gift without telling me. Customs held that for a week, while I was to send them proof of value.

enlightening. no wonder for the delay in my previous transaction. go legit or be bum-bit.

PACE