Why on earth pay as much as 60% Global Shipping when Canada Customs can not chrge more more than the

[tango69]

Why on earth should a Canadian pay as much as 60% [I have been confronted with at percentage] when the maximum Customs can legally charge on  a US manufactured product ranges from 5% to 15% - depending upon the destination.  If the product has been made in Bulgaria and sold by an American, the duty, in addition to HST, may be 5%.  It has been my experience that packages valued as much as $200 simply slide through without any attention what ever.  

[nubian_treasures]

Don't buy from sellers who use the GSP.

[femmefan1946]

The cost of shipping (actual transport) is not related to the value of the item. It costs $12 to ship a $10 vintage  paperback from Ontario to Alberta, for example.

Duty is not charged on US -made items (or Mexican or Chilean, which also are signatories to NAFTA), but it may be on items purchased in the USA but manufactured elsewhere.

Sales tax (between 5% and 15% depending on your province) will be charged. Even if the item is used.

There will be a fee from the carrier. PitneyBowes seems to charge around $5. Canada Post $10. Other couriers charge from $20 up depending on the value of the shipment.

CBSA/Canada Post have been missing an important income stream by ignoring small and lower value imports. Of course, this may be because it costs too much to process the fees. Why pay $20 to collect $5?

The answer would be to raise the limit to $200 (which cross-border shoppers enjoy) and actually charge the duty and tax. Write your MP. His House of Commons postal code is K0A 1A6 and you don't even have to stamp the envelope.