Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Go Back   Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community > Main Forums > The Off Topic Forum
Register Forum Rules FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 03-13-2007, 09:12 AM   #1
Bend it like Bourgeois
Franchise Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Exp:
Default import duty ordering from the US

If you order things online, is it better to combine orders and save shipping or order in smaller bacthes to save duty?

I'm told there may be a $ limit over which duty applies - and it apparently can be steep.

Anyone have experience with this?
Bend it like Bourgeois is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2007, 09:19 AM   #2
ken0042
Playboy Mansion Poolboy
 
ken0042's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Close enough to make a beer run during a TV timeout
Exp:
Default

Be sure to read this thread: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=19929

Under $20 you usually will not be charged duty. And whenever possible get your seller to use USPS instead of couriors like UPS.
ken0042 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2007, 09:19 AM   #3
burn_baby_burn
Franchise Player
 
burn_baby_burn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chiefs Kingdom, Yankees Universe, C of Red.
Exp:
Default

I know that if you buy something on Ebay, make sure the seller knows to put that it is a gift and under $50. Experienced sellers know this allready. Ordering from stores can be expensive when it comes to duty. I ordered a hat from NFL.com. The hat was like $20, but with shipping and handling (which included duty and brokerage fee's) it was $45. That is a little steep.
__________________
burn_baby_burn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2007, 09:30 AM   #4
ken0042
Playboy Mansion Poolboy
 
ken0042's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Close enough to make a beer run during a TV timeout
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn View Post
I know that if you buy something on Ebay, make sure the seller knows to put that it is a gift and under $50.
Just be very careful if you take this approach. There are many sellers who are not willing to lie on your behalf. While most of us may consider these fees to be BS- the bottom line is you are asking the seller to help you commit fraud.
ken0042 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2007, 09:57 AM   #5
I-Hate-Hulse
Franchise Player
 
I-Hate-Hulse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Sector 7-G
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn View Post
I know that if you buy something on Ebay, make sure the seller knows to put that it is a gift and under $50. Experienced sellers know this allready.
This is the reason why experienced sellers hate selling to Canadians - being nagged to lie on a customs declaration form. Good sellers will sometime just do it for you but badgering someone for it backfires often. In the classic 1 bad apple situation, some Canadian buyers have given negative feedback to sellers that didn't do this... resulting in those sellers never selling to Canadians again.

-----

In my experience, I've had parcels opened with a less than $20 value. I think the problem was the shipper didn't complete a customs declaration form, which means that Canada Customs opens the package automatically, thereby triggering a $5 fee plus GST on value of package cost immediately.
I-Hate-Hulse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2007, 10:24 PM   #6
Fozzie_DeBear
Wucka Wocka Wacka
 
Fozzie_DeBear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: East of the Rockies, West of the Rest
Exp:
Default

Depending on how big an item it is you can also have it shipped to the Great Falls UPS store where they will hold it for you, then you can drive down and pick it up yourself...probably not worth it unless you are doing something bigger...I got a motorcycle on Ebay and shipped it to Great Falls b/c getting the transport company to take it across the border was an extra $1000-ish...so since I was going down anyway I got all my extra gear on ebay, and shipped it to the UPS store...they charge $3 a package to hold it for you...and once an item (windshield, bags, sissybar) is attached to the bike it is considered part of the bike and no extra duty...
__________________
"WHAT HAVE WE EVER DONE TO DESERVE THIS??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH US????" -Oiler Fan

"It was a debacle of monumental proportions." -MacT
Fozzie_DeBear is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:25 AM.

Calgary Flames
2024-25




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright Calgarypuck 2021 | See Our Privacy Policy