Purchasing From U.S. Vendors: Taxes, Duties, Shipping, other Issues, etc. - Page 33 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

velix · 2010-04-01, 10:05 PM

+1 on excellent experience.

I mostly shop vendors on a popular auction site that only use USPS for shipping. I just bought a channel master 7777 titan 2 pre-amp for $50.99US instead of $100CDN locally. At almost par for the exchange I saved about $32 after shipping and taxes. I also bought a new DTVPAL DVR from the same vendor. This item is simply not available in Canada.

dm_4u · 2010-04-15, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGrinch

For those who live in the Winnipeg area there is a really great service out of Pembina, ND called "Pembina Postal Service" (google it) that will accept and hold you delivery items for you if you desire to pick them up and bring them across the border yourself. Pembina is about a 60 minute drive from Winnipeg. Good service for those ebay vendors who only ship to USA. And they charge on average $5 per package.

I cannot thank you enough for this little gem of information...although it's actually called Pembina Parcel Service.

spensar · 2010-08-06, 09:17 AM

I just bought a speaker set on the US Amazon site and had it shipped to A UPS store just across the border. They won't ship to Canada, but I put the address of the UPS store in the "ship to" area, and used my Canadian address in the "bill to" area and the order went through fine.

The UPS store I use has a street address, and not a PO Box, and I addressed it to myself "via UPS". The speakers were used and from a private seller as well. It will cost my bridge tolls +$5 to UPS, and an hour's drive so it is only practical if it's a really good saving or will be in the US anyway.

sphinx · 2010-08-07, 02:59 PM

I don't know if anybody's noticed this but best buy canada is selling the G25 for $1699+tax and best buy us is selling is for $1199, I would imagine these Panasonic are not subject to duties there all you would need to pay is tax at the border. I'm still baffled how are dollar being at .98 and still prices are so far off..

d2e8b8 · 2010-08-27, 10:40 PM

Is it safe to buy used from amazon.com - I mean is it any safer than ebay etc since it's being sold 'thru' amazon or is it the same buyer beware scenario.

I was looking at a number of cd's I want to buy and the used prices seem to be just a dollar or two. I'd like to save my money if I can but not if it means taking chances with scratched disks and such.

avhed · 2010-08-28, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d2e8b8

Is it safe to buy used from amazon.com - I mean is it any safer than ebay etc since it's being sold 'thru' amazon or is it the same buyer beware scenario.

I was looking at a number of cd's I want to buy and the used prices seem to be just a dollar or two. I'd like to save my money if I can but not if it means taking chances with scratched disks and such.

Did you check the shipping cost?
I buy from Amazon. Its pretty safe. Even ebay is for that item. Paypal has always stepped up for me for CD/DVD, when I have a non delivering seller.

d2e8b8 · 2010-08-28, 01:48 PM

Thanks for pointing out the shipping costs. It's just not worth it to pay separate shipping for each used item.

the-pred · 2010-10-07, 07:46 AM

I have been searching high and low to try and find a straight answer to the question, "When importing a projector from US to Canada, is there duty?" Allot of people are saying has to do with tariff # 8528.69.11 00. Can anyone shed some light on this.

stern_howie · 2010-10-20, 12:17 PM

It's outrageous isn't it?

Inception $24.99 a_mazon.com $32.89 amazon.ca. With the exchange rate what it is these days I can't help feeling shafted.

I haven't shipped anything via a_mazon.com in a while but don't they add extra $ to the order to compensate for 'duty' now?

I have seriously upped my cross border shopping activities around my business trips to the U.S. these days.

Could be worse I suppose we could be in the U.K. those guys get it rougher than we do.

Thoughts?

'Scoresman got a tattoo'

james99 · 2010-10-20, 12:23 PM

amazon dot com is good for large orders. If you just ordered that one title, the shipping would be $8 USD plus import fees.

stern_howie · 2010-10-20, 12:27 PM

isn't it exponential? meaning the more you order the larger the import fees would be?

Why is Amazon charging it....should be down to the gov. to collect it. Not to mention that anything under $20 (I think) is exempt.

It's pretty frustrating, why should .ca charge so much more in the first place is the main question that begs belief.

Dougofthenorth · 2010-10-25, 09:08 AM

I have had issues with this on over a dozen items since 1998
Hotrod, PC, chainsaw & etc parts (the worst was a small fibreglass hood airscoop from NJ to Ottawa was double the original cost to my door).

I have found that shipping from the EU is cheaper than US to Canada (for some items - ie EK waterblocks from Germany & CD's from Hong Kong

Depending on the "class" of the item exempt or non-exempt
Duty may or may not apply.
HST/PST is added on top of all charges (purchase price & shipping)
Also, US to Canadian dollar exchange is usually done with a hi-premium surcharge.

It becomes a nightmare when shipping used or RMA (returned/repaired goods). Any value listed for insurance coverage gets all the charges applied. So if you don't put a value, no insurance covers any lost/stolen item. (They are supposed to be exempt).
The custom form does not even have a place or checkbox for this.
If the US//EU retailer is nice enough to use the Gift or Sample box then it gets bypassed.

Another ripoff is when the shipping is quoted/charged, then UPS tags on another shipping charge from border to Canadian home.

These are a sample of brokerage fees (from 2008)
http://www.sbncanada.com/blog/canadian-brokerage-fees/

alebowgm · 2010-11-27, 12:40 AM

Ok, so I have read through this entire thread top to bottom and I am probably more confused now than when I began, lol...

I want to pickup a 32inch LCD TV for the holidays and have my eyes on on the Samsung LN32C350. Best Buy USA has it listed for $327.99 USD whereas Best Buy here in Windsor has it listed at $379.99 CAD.

So what I can't figure out is, is it worth the schlep over to Michigan or Ohio from the Windsor, ON area?

$327.99 USD to CAD = $335 at $1.02 right now, so lets say realistically I get it for $340 from the bank. So I am looking at a $40 savings after the convert on the purchase price, which isn't huge but I'll take it...

Then I have to pay sales tax and this is where I get confused. Michigan sales tax is 6% and Ohio is 5.5%, but I want to bring it over the boarder and I figure that is HST @ 13%? So do I wind up paying 13%+ either the 5.5% or 6%, or can I do what I read somewhere and get the 5.5 % or 6% either waived or declare some sort of export thing when I make the initial purchase to avoid having to pay it all together? A little help please...

que3jxp · 2010-11-27, 07:21 AM

Naw, it is not that bad. You only pay Canadian tax on the pre-tax price.

The bigger question for you should be regarding warranty. If the savings was massive, then fine but for only maybe $40 savings?

Dougofthenorth · 2010-11-27, 08:08 AM

I would think your time going through US then Canada border stations + cost of gass plus NO warranty would be more than the $40 savings!

View Poll Results: How would you rate purchasing from U.S. vendors: Taxes, Duties, Shipping, etc.
Excellent	69	19.11%
Very Good	90	24.93%
Satisfactory	85	23.55%
Troublesome	66	18.28%
Poor	18	4.99%
Never Again	7	1.94%
I buy only from Canada, you insensitive, unpatriotic clod!	26	7.20%
Voters: 361. You may not vote on this poll

2010-08-06, 09:17 AM	#483
spensar Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ottawa Posts: 1,113	I just bought a speaker set on the US Amazon site and had it shipped to A UPS store just across the border. They won't ship to Canada, but I put the address of the UPS store in the "ship to" area, and used my Canadian address in the "bill to" area and the order went through fine. The UPS store I use has a street address, and not a PO Box, and I addressed it to myself "via UPS". The speakers were used and from a private seller as well. It will cost my bridge tolls +$5 to UPS, and an hour's drive so it is only practical if it's a really good saving or will be in the US anyway. __________________ Panasonic TH-42PX60U, Harmony 670, Rogers HD 8300, 3250HD, Denon AVR-591, Chartwell SL3-5A, Venturer SHD-7000, Samsung 1600 BR.

2010-08-07, 02:59 PM	#484
sphinx Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 76	Panasonic G25(Canada)G20(USA) I don't know if anybody's noticed this but best buy canada is selling the G25 for $1699+tax and best buy us is selling is for $1199, I would imagine these Panasonic are not subject to duties there all you would need to pay is tax at the border. I'm still baffled how are dollar being at .98 and still prices are so far off.. __________________ LG 55LX9500,CM 4228, Logitech Z550, PS3 Last edited by 57; 2010-08-07 at 03:33 PM. Reason: Moved to existing thread. Discussed many times already.

2010-08-27, 10:40 PM	#485
d2e8b8 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mississauga Posts: 478	Amazon.com used Is it safe to buy used from amazon.com - I mean is it any safer than ebay etc since it's being sold 'thru' amazon or is it the same buyer beware scenario. I was looking at a number of cd's I want to buy and the used prices seem to be just a dollar or two. I'd like to save my money if I can but not if it means taking chances with scratched disks and such. __________________ my riser build

2010-08-28, 01:48 PM	#487
d2e8b8 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mississauga Posts: 478	Thanks for pointing out the shipping costs. It's just not worth it to pay separate shipping for each used item. __________________ my riser build

2010-04-01, 10:05 PM	#481
velix Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Montreal South shore Posts: 220	+1 on excellent experience. I mostly shop vendors on a popular auction site that only use USPS for shipping. I just bought a channel master 7777 titan 2 pre-amp for $50.99US instead of $100CDN locally. At almost par for the exchange I saved about $32 after shipping and taxes. I also bought a new DTVPAL DVR from the same vendor. This item is simply not available in Canada.

2010-10-07, 07:46 AM	#488
the-pred Rookie Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3	Duty on Projectors I have been searching high and low to try and find a straight answer to the question, "When importing a projector from US to Canada, is there duty?" Allot of people are saying has to do with tariff # 8528.69.11 00. Can anyone shed some light on this. Last edited by 57; 2010-10-07 at 10:00 AM. Reason: Moved to existing thread.

2010-10-20, 12:17 PM	#489
stern_howie Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 64	Costs of Blu ray's Canada vs. U.S.A It's outrageous isn't it? Inception $24.99 a_mazon.com $32.89 amazon.ca. With the exchange rate what it is these days I can't help feeling shafted. I haven't shipped anything via a_mazon.com in a while but don't they add extra $ to the order to compensate for 'duty' now? I have seriously upped my cross border shopping activities around my business trips to the U.S. these days. Could be worse I suppose we could be in the U.K. those guys get it rougher than we do. Thoughts? 'Scoresman got a tattoo'

2010-10-20, 12:23 PM	#490
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 24,791	amazon dot com is good for large orders. If you just ordered that one title, the shipping would be $8 USD plus import fees.

2010-10-20, 12:27 PM	#491
stern_howie Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 64	isn't it exponential? meaning the more you order the larger the import fees would be? Why is Amazon charging it....should be down to the gov. to collect it. Not to mention that anything under $20 (I think) is exempt. It's pretty frustrating, why should .ca charge so much more in the first place is the main question that begs belief.

2010-10-25, 09:08 AM	#492
Dougofthenorth Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: near Ottawa Posts: 110	I have had issues with this on over a dozen items since 1998 Hotrod, PC, chainsaw & etc parts (the worst was a small fibreglass hood airscoop from NJ to Ottawa was double the original cost to my door). I have found that shipping from the EU is cheaper than US to Canada (for some items - ie EK waterblocks from Germany & CD's from Hong Kong Depending on the "class" of the item exempt or non-exempt Duty may or may not apply. HST/PST is added on top of all charges (purchase price & shipping) Also, US to Canadian dollar exchange is usually done with a hi-premium surcharge. It becomes a nightmare when shipping used or RMA (returned/repaired goods). Any value listed for insurance coverage gets all the charges applied. So if you don't put a value, no insurance covers any lost/stolen item. (They are supposed to be exempt). The custom form does not even have a place or checkbox for this. If the US//EU retailer is nice enough to use the Gift or Sample box then it gets bypassed. Another ripoff is when the shipping is quoted/charged, then UPS tags on another shipping charge from border to Canadian home. These are a sample of brokerage fees (from 2008) http://www.sbncanada.com/blog/canadian-brokerage-fees/

2010-11-27, 12:40 AM	#493
alebowgm Veteran Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,962	Ok, so I have read through this entire thread top to bottom and I am probably more confused now than when I began, lol... I want to pickup a 32inch LCD TV for the holidays and have my eyes on on the Samsung LN32C350. Best Buy USA has it listed for $327.99 USD whereas Best Buy here in Windsor has it listed at $379.99 CAD. So what I can't figure out is, is it worth the schlep over to Michigan or Ohio from the Windsor, ON area? $327.99 USD to CAD = $335 at $1.02 right now, so lets say realistically I get it for $340 from the bank. So I am looking at a $40 savings after the convert on the purchase price, which isn't huge but I'll take it... Then I have to pay sales tax and this is where I get confused. Michigan sales tax is 6% and Ohio is 5.5%, but I want to bring it over the boarder and I figure that is HST @ 13%? So do I wind up paying 13%+ either the 5.5% or 6%, or can I do what I read somewhere and get the 5.5 % or 6% either waived or declare some sort of export thing when I make the initial purchase to avoid having to pay it all together? A little help please... __________________ Windsor:CM4228+4220HD to 1.Samsung LNT3242H+2.AccessHD DTA1080D [RCA DTA800+CM7775+DTB-H260F in storage] GTA:LN40B750

2010-11-27, 07:21 AM	#494
que3jxp Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Fredericton, NB Posts: 3,174	Naw, it is not that bad. You only pay Canadian tax on the pre-tax price. The bigger question for you should be regarding warranty. If the savings was massive, then fine but for only maybe $40 savings?

2010-11-27, 08:08 AM	#495
Dougofthenorth Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: near Ottawa Posts: 110	I would think your time going through US then Canada border stations + cost of gass plus NO warranty would be more than the $40 savings!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode