Seller Put Incorrect Value on Declaration Form

[aposaean]

Im sort of mad at the moment. I bought an item for 9 dollars with 37 dollars of shipping (via USPS). The seller sent the item with DHL and declared it for 50 dollars, leaving me with a 17.78 tax bill. What do I do?

[brandeentertainment]

I had this happen once and the seller apologized and paid half my duties... Hopefully the seller is nice because other then that you can do to much ...

[block36]

I had it once (very long ago) - the duty was around $20, I do not recollect now whether I dealt with seller about it.

But since then I write to sellers EACH TIME when I pay for the purchase adding message through PAYPAL's transaction:

"In view of expected custom taxes, please do not show the value of the parcel higher than my bid".

And it works.

[pjcdn2005]

You can put in a claim for an overpayment of tax/duty with Canada customs.

Since you paid $37 for shipping, it was probably sent by DHL express. If you phone DHL, they should be able to send a customs refund form which you then have to fill out and send to Canada Customs.

Just in case it was sent DHL Global (basically ground service) and delivered on this end by Canada Post, there is a refund request form on the back of the CBSA import form (white and grey paper) that was on the package.

I would definitely talk to the seller first though since they are the one who caused the hassle by declaring an amount too high and by shipping it by courier instead of USPS. Perhaps they will reimburse you.

[dipmicro]

Canada Customs calculates shipping cost as part of the price, so your seller overdeclared by $4. DHL Express charges $10 plus HST from your declared value and their fee, that's where $17.78 comes from. He did not cost you much, if he declared properly $46, your payable would been $17.28.

Next time ask the seller to declare the value without shipping cost. Some sellers may not want to do it, because declared customs value is also highest insurance they can claim if something happens to the shipment and that's how this probably happened, seller rounded up the insurance value and did not realize it also increased customs value.

[rosscd57]

I had a buyer return an item - he declared the item at four times what he paid for it and insured it for the same dollar amount. He also did not put the correct street address on the package. However I live in a small town and the Post Office called me to pick it up. The duty's and is taxes came to $42.55. I was not happy but I paid it and then phoned PayPal who asked me to send in a copy declaration and address from the box. When they received it they took the $42.55 back out of his PayPal account and put in into mine. All this was done on the same day that I picked the item up.

I was really impressed with PayPal that day let me tell you.

I figure he thought the package was not going to be delivered and was going to try to collect the extra money who knows. If that was what he was up to, I don't think it would have worked anyway.

[aposaean]

Dipmicro, from what I was told by a couple of the customs agents at Peason Airport, and by a person on the phone was that the value of the item is what tax is calculated from, not the shipping cost. If it did include the shipping I would owe much more because he declared the item as 50 dollars plus 37 for shipping. 

I sent a mail to the seller. If nothing happens I'll try a different avenue, don't know what that is yet. 

[butemandavid]

That is incorrect, Canada Customs does not calculate the shipping cost as part of the price.

I don't know where you got that information, duty and tax is payable only on the VALUE of the item imported into Canada.

Shipping ( and handling ) charges can be excessive to say the least and if you purchased an item for $ 100.00 and the shipping charges were $ 50.00 you would pay duty ( if applicable ) and tax on $ 100.00 not $ 150.00.

[i*m-still-here]

If you file a claim with Canada Customs you can recover taxes and/or duty, but not brokerage fees and the paperwork takes time and it's a PITA.

Some sellers actually think they're doing the buyer a favour by over-declaring.

I'd email the seller and discuss how the seller would feel if you refused the item.

You would be covered by paypal if you did, and maybe, if the seller agrees, it would be a viable solution for both of you???

[i*m-still-here]

Oooops............... that wouldn't work if the item has already been accepted, but it wasn't quite clear if it's been delivered yet?