Purchasing From U.S. Vendors: Taxes, Duties, Shipping, other Issues, etc.

[RNAChemist]

I want to order some things from Parts Express Online. They are situated in Dayton OH. The UPS charge for shipping (calculated through Parts Express online ordering) is like $17 USD.

Now my question is, does this charge cover shipping to my door or will I be zinged for some "hidden" charge or duty or something?

Anyone have any experience ordering from Parts Express?

[ken0042]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong; but doesn't UPS have some insanely expensive customs brokerage fee?

[RNAChemist]

Thats what somebody at work told me. The guy said they tack on like $50 when the package gets to you.

[james99]

do not ship anything, let me repeat myself, anything from the US to Canada via UPS. Some times the fees are greater than the price of the product.

[HeaTransfer]

Do not crossborder ship with UPS.

They'll grock you for $35 "brokerage" charge at very least. Add to that GST PST etc; this was a couple of years ago but going crossborder via UPS is a Bad Idea.

[rob]

I belive the customs fee depends on what level of service you require. For UPS ground, it is inexpensive. For overnight express, it is very expensive.

I've has two items shipped up to Vancouver via UPS ground and paid $10 (including their fee) upon delivery. I can't remember the other item, but it wasn't shocking.

Rob

[reddwarf]

I got dinged BIG TIME when I got my Phatbox. The dollar exchange was bad enough (back when it was in the 0.60c area) but the UPS brokerage fee was a kick to the head! I try to insist on postal service delivery now or else have items delivered to a friend in the USA who comes back up here several times a year.

[JohnnyCanuck]

UPS Express is fine. That ridiculous brokerage fee applies only to UPS Ground (and is a function of the customs value). And I too have been dinged. FedEx used to do the same thing (ground only) but I think they have dropped it (I just received something FedEx so I'll find out shortly).

USPS is still the best bet from the US. If it is USPS Priority it will be delivered via Purolator with a $5 brokerage fee.

[mmorais]

I haven't seen this question posted and couldn't find it archived anywhere.

The CCRA website is so horrible...you'd think there'd be some sort of simple duty calculator on there for goods entering the country but I can't find one.

Does anyone know of a good duty calculator for audio equipment? Specifically speakers bought from the US? I'm thinking about ordering a pair of speakers off ebay but I'm usually shocked at what I owe when stuff enters the country.

Also, from the formula I've seen we actually pay provincial tax and GST on the actual duty as well. That's double dipping...unbelievable.

[GGopher]

Usually with ebay items they don't apply duty.

Have the speakers shipped using USPS. The seller will have to fill out a form at the post office stating the value. Just have him mark the package as a "gift" with whatever value.

If the value is under $50 then Canada Post will charge you GST and PST, plus $5 for handling on the value of the package. Usually they just go by the value stated on the box. However, they sometimes open the box to inspect it and can assess the correct value.

In theory we should be paying duty on any items not manufactured in North America, however I have never been charged duty on any products I buy off ebay. That includes electronics that are definitely not made in the USA.

[jpaik]

Originally Posted by GGopher

....In theory we should be paying duty on any items not manufactured in North America,...

Not exactly right. For example, importing a CD player does not attract duty, regardless of where it is made.

Anyone who needs information on duties should call Canada Border Services. Between 8:00am - 4:00pm you can speak directly with an agent.

1-800-461-9999

[ctown6412]

What ive done is do a checkout from a place like etronics that uses border free just pick a similar item. go thru the check out and it will give you the totals. Its always been within a few dollars for me.

[Diesel63]

If the speakers are made in the US or Mexico and qualify for NAFTA, then they will be duty free. If they are not made in the US the duty will be 6.5%. There will be GST and usually PST. Depending of the delivery company there will also be a brokerage fee. As mentioned above Canada Post charge is $5.00, Fedex is $7.00 Minimum etc.

[Mexicanuck]

Originally Posted by Diesel63

As mentioned above Canada Post charge is $5.00, Fedex is $7.00 Minimum etc.

And UPS is some preposterous amount. My recollection is that it is something like $35.00.

I used to live in Richmond, near the Vancouver airport. When UPS (United Postal Service) would phone about delivery, I would tell them I would clear customs myself and save the money.

Then they stopped phoning and require people to have UPS do the customs clearance. (i.e., would not permit people to do their own customs clearance.)

I started telling US companies that I would refuse to buy from them unless they agreed to ship by USPS (United States Postal Service). That way I only had to pay the Canada Post $5.00.

[que3jxp]

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/061024/b102488.html

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. My guess is that it will end up forcing Canada Post to actually broker their volume for real and you will end up seeing the $5 fee jump quite a bit.

I say this because the fact is, Canada Post rarely charges the fee or bothers to collect the applicable duties and taxes. The entire courrier industry (Minus Purolator of course) has a suit against Canada Post in regards to this that they have been pursuing for at least 3 years. This guy trying to take it to UPS will simply draw the light on the entire import industry.