If you reside in Canada - and purchase an item from the USA - you need to educate yourself as to the fact that you WILL be paying applicable taxes and possibly duties on the item when it crosses the border into Canada.
Yes, if the item is shipped by postal service, your "brokerage handling fee" will be a nominal $5 or $8 - plus the applicable taxes for your province (and possibly duties, but seldom are they charged.)
And yes, MANY times the items shipped by postal service are NOT charged taxes or duties incoming - so sometimes you will escape paying the taxes that are due to the Canadian and provincial governments.
However, you should ALWAYS - and I stress ALWAYS! - calculate the cost of the taxes and possibly duties into the decision to make a purchase internationally.
Additionally, if your item is sent by the USA seller (or other international seller) through a courier service (for example, UPS, FEDEX, DHL, etc.) then your applicable brokerage fee will be upwards of $25, on a sliding scale dependent upon the value of the incoming item.
Yes, these fees (brokerage, tax, duty) are ALL part of the cost of buying an item internationally and having it shipped to you in Canada.
It is NOT up to the seller to pay these for you - YOU are the importer of record - YOU are the one who will be billed for these charges - YOU are the one who will NOT get your parcel until you pay these charges.
So - before hitting the "BID NOW" button, do a bit of calculating and make an informed decision to see if it is really worth getting that imported widget!
Happy Bidding, Folks!
:-D
Yes, if the item is shipped by postal service, your "brokerage handling fee" will be a nominal $5 or $8 - plus the applicable taxes for your province (and possibly duties, but seldom are they charged.)
And yes, MANY times the items shipped by postal service are NOT charged taxes or duties incoming - so sometimes you will escape paying the taxes that are due to the Canadian and provincial governments.
However, you should ALWAYS - and I stress ALWAYS! - calculate the cost of the taxes and possibly duties into the decision to make a purchase internationally.
Additionally, if your item is sent by the USA seller (or other international seller) through a courier service (for example, UPS, FEDEX, DHL, etc.) then your applicable brokerage fee will be upwards of $25, on a sliding scale dependent upon the value of the incoming item.
Yes, these fees (brokerage, tax, duty) are ALL part of the cost of buying an item internationally and having it shipped to you in Canada.
It is NOT up to the seller to pay these for you - YOU are the importer of record - YOU are the one who will be billed for these charges - YOU are the one who will NOT get your parcel until you pay these charges.
So - before hitting the "BID NOW" button, do a bit of calculating and make an informed decision to see if it is really worth getting that imported widget!
Happy Bidding, Folks!
:-D
CBSA guide to duty rates
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/b3elements-e.html
Coming by mail: $5 nominal customs clearing; 5% GST; applicable PST for your particular province; duty at rate as per CBSA determination.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/b3elements-e.html
Coming by mail: $5 nominal customs clearing; 5% GST; applicable PST for your particular province; duty at rate as per CBSA determination.
Call CBSA and ask them - you will need to know the value of the item, exactly WHAT it is, and where it was made.
... anything incoming over a value of $20 CDN that is coming via courier will most likely cost you a brokerage fee (and of course, you will always pay GST/PST on the item)
... anything incoming over a value of $20 CDN that is coming via courier will most likely cost you a brokerage fee (and of course, you will always pay GST/PST on the item)
There "should" be no duty IF you are purchasing an item made in North America - hence the reasoning behind NAFTA.
If purchasing from outside of NA, then item will be subject to whatever duties are valid for that particular classification of item.
And of course - you pay GST/PST on items valued over $20CDN
If purchasing from outside of NA, then item will be subject to whatever duties are valid for that particular classification of item.
And of course - you pay GST/PST on items valued over $20CDN
... I'm not so sure that there is anything "hidden" about the brokerage charges a courier company assigns to an incoming item .....
Rule of thumb:
- buy only from sellers that ship by postal service (in the USA, you need to spell it out to them: United States POSTAL Service)
- if receiving an item via courier, be prepared to pay minimum of $25 Brokerage (plus of course the normal GST and PST you would pay on an item you purchase)
- if item is expensive, brokerage will be more
- if receiving incoming item via postal service, clearing customs will be either a nominal $5 or $8 fee with Canada Post
- buy only from sellers that ship by postal service (in the USA, you need to spell it out to them: United States POSTAL Service)
- if receiving an item via courier, be prepared to pay minimum of $25 Brokerage (plus of course the normal GST and PST you would pay on an item you purchase)
- if item is expensive, brokerage will be more
- if receiving incoming item via postal service, clearing customs will be either a nominal $5 or $8 fee with Canada Post
If the items are over $20 and they arrive via courier service, then it would indeed be very unusual if you are not being charged any brokerage or GST or PST on them.
The import amount is changing, after all these years?
Interesting.........
Any link to this info?
Interesting.........
Any link to this info?
