CANADIANS: Read before you purchase from the USA!!!

[canuckchat]

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

[5000piecespuzzle]

"bump"

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[patchwork_monkey]

Morning cc....you up late, or early?

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usually up by 5:00am

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[5000piecespuzzle]

;-)

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[5000piecespuzzle]

150 bump!

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[5000piecespuzzle]

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[shelleywaring]

You know, I wish someone would explain the costs involved buying goods from the US to the average joe NOT shopping on Ebay. I stood behind an elderly gentleman at the postal outlet yesterday for 10 minutes while he argued with the clerk he had already paid for the item. The clerk was trying to explain to him that he was being charged GST, PST, duty and of course CP's standard $5 broker's fee. It took him quite a while to understand this. I would say he wasn't using Ebay because he paid by debit and had a lot of trouble with the debit machine too, so I'm guessing he's not to tech saavy. I don't think the public realizes it costs even if you by from the US by mail or by telephone. They know if they go across the border and shop, they might have to pay. I don't know I guess they figure anything coming through the mail is free of those charges???!! I have always figured the exchange, shipping and possible duties/taxes I may have to pay on an item -- that to me determines what to bid. This is a great info email though, especially for newbies!!

[canuckchat]

... thats up to the postal clerks... more power to 'em

[shelleywaring]

What postal clerks??!! I don't think I know of a post office where you can actually buy stamps/pick up packages, etc. except for these postal outlets. The staff are actually working for the company (i.e. Shoppers Drug Mart) and are "rented out" to the postal outlet by Canada Post. I feel sorry for some of the clerks who do their best but, because they are providing a CP service, people think they are are CP workers and take it out on them! Its unfortunate that more people don't have common sense when cross border shopping.