Paying in Canada $

[rodm1975]

Why are People selling on here US $ prices? also how do U check to see how much in Canada cost U owe when ready to submit Order thanks? Also how do U know if Custom fees are INC or not needed.

[femmefan1946]

hy are People selling on here US $ prices?

Some sellers who are listing on the US site (eBaydotCOM) will ship to Canada.

In Search, those asking prices show in Canadian dollars here on dotCA, but both US and Canadian dollars show on the listing itself.

• This applies to all sites, so you may find a UK seller whose prices show on eBaydotCA in loonies and pounds or an Indian seller whose prices show in rupees and loonies.
• To confuse matters, that UK, Indian or Canadian seller may list on the US site in US dolllars.

Take a deep breath, you are buying in a truly worldwide market.

also how do U check to see how much in Canada cost U owe when ready to submit Order thanks?

Look at the listing itself. If you are logged in here to the Canada site, both currencies will show.

But.

Be aware that foreign exchange is very volatile and the price you see in USD/pounds/euros/rupees is accurate but the Canadian dollar price may be slightly different when it is actually paid- up or down.

Also how do U know if Custom fees are INC or not needed.

Sigh.

This is difficult.

Canadians can only import $20 value (about $16 USD) before being liable for possible duty and almost certain sales taxes.

But.

Canada Post and the CBSA informally ignore this.

But.

Couriers cannot.

So.

If your seller is shipping by the international postal system and your item is valued under $100 or is not bulky, you probably won't pay sales tax.

Probably.

But if couriers or the Global Shipping Program get involved, you will be charged sales taxes  and duty either before the seller ships or on your doorstep.

The GSP is annoying but legal. You run into it when buying from US and UK sellers.

Couriers charge an arm, a leg and your first born child to wrangle your item across borders. Do NOT buy from sellers who insist on courier shipping.

[nojusticenopeace]

You can, and have the legal right, to self-clear stuff coming across the border so you don't have to pay brokerage fees, but they'll make it as difficult as humanly possible for you to do this.  UPS, for example, is notorious for simply lying and telling people they can't self-clear.  Here's a thread on how to handle UPS specifically when you want to self-clear:

http://trueler.com/2010/09/13/ups-brokerage-fees-total-scam-fraud-cheating-avoid-it/

[femmefan1946]

You are correct that self-clearance is possible. Whether it is a good use of the buyer's time is another question.

Self-clearance requires the importer to turn up at the CBSA counter (somewhere out by the airport, often) and do a bunch of paperwork.

Depending on your income, the time spent doing this (plus gas plus the annoyance factor) may exceed the dollar cost of having the courier do it for you.

Fine if you are basically retired like me, but expensive if you are still working for wages.

(The minimum wage in BC is 17 cents a minute. )

And the Global Shipping Program charges 'import fees' at purchase/payment which are used to cover Canadian duty and sales taxes (plus a $5 fee to the GSP). The buyer doesn't get a choice.