Exporting goods to Canada

[Raymond]

Any one of you gents from the USA have experienced problems with US Custom when exporting goods to Canada?
Raymond.

[JC]

Only experience I can recall was when we crossed the border going to BearQuest II and Border Bob Walker answered the customs agent with a somewhat deranged look in his eye through 2 days of unshaven scruff "What do you mean exactly by GUNS?"      

I'd holler at Dave Hunt It Stinson, he has a lot of experience with back and forth USA/Canadian border shipping and travel.

[Paul Mattson]

Send things up North all the time.  Only thing is, if it's a used bow make sure to state USED on the customs form.  I only use USPS, I have heard the others have some sort of service fee.

[Jerry Wald]

It costs us - duty and gst (gowge and screw tax) usually it adds up to about 14 percent when you add shipping - exchange on the money etc (IT GETS EXPENSIVE TO BY SOUTH OF THE BORDER FOR US)

that's why I like things to come up as a

GIFT

...get it...send it as a GIFT and we don't have to pay anything but the shipping.

GET IT "GIFT"

   

JB

[hunt it]

Exporting drugs and guns is getting tough these days.    Otherwise legal stuff no problem, just make sure you have the little declaration sticker of contents and values etc. Some guys buy a used bow but ask for shipper to insure like a new one. They will sometimes calculate duty/tax based on insured value. This is buyers problem not shipper. We have ability to appeal their fees if can prove otherwise.

[Jerry Wald]

If I got my new bows sent to one of you and then you sent it to me as a gift I could save about 150 bucks a pop on each bow.....that's alot of cashola that we just give the gov to allow us to get things we CAN'T GET IN CANADA

so much for FREE TRADE  :mad:

[Ted Fry]

That is true on any shipping from UPS , they charge a brokerage fee on the other end. We ship via USPS priority mail to Canada to avoid this issue.
Best to list the cost rather than the sale price to help with GST and PST but it is best to not list it as a gift if you are a business , hard to get reimbursed for insurance purposes if its listed as a gift. If you want it shipped as a gift best to send it to a friend in the states and have them ship it to you rather than the business . Then if it gets lost or damaged its your responsibility.

[Jerry Wald]

I agree Ted - I wouldn't ask that of a business EVER.

My sister used to buy me gifts (I would send her the money) she would buy it and send it to me as a gift.

I pay an average of 17-19 grand a year in taxes be damned if I am going to give them an extra nickel so they can squander my money on some of the programs they have out there.

Billions of dollars are being poured into Haiti...no problem with that if they were plowing up the land and helping them to get some food planted, but none iof that is happening.

just more money in the coffers of the ultra rich ppl yet again...don't get me started.

Jer bear

[hunt it]

Jerry,

Just have all your stuff shipped to my place. I'll use it a bit and pass it on as used goods N/C it'll save you a bunch.  

[Raymond]

I know that USPS is the best way by far to ship anything from the USA to Canada.
I've been told yesterday from someone in the USA from whom I attempted to buy a used small fry quiver he was advertising that he had problems at one time with the Custom when attempting to send an item here to Canada and that accordingly he will NOT sell anything outside the USA.
I suspect now that he just did not want to bother filling additional forms for a $75.00 item.
It would have been easier to just tell me that he will not ship outside the US, period.

[Ted Fry]

Good idea Dave , what do you want me to send you since its on Jerry's tab?
Im with you Jerry , "dont get me started".

[hunt it]

No blow up dolls Ted!

[Pete W]

Couriers like Fed EX / UPS charge a 25% brokerage fee on the declared value. The post office has a flat rate brokerage fee of 7 dollars. Both charge sales tax based on the value.
 Customs may decide to use the insured value if it is higher.
 An obvious attempt of a "gift"  tax dodge if caught can hold up the parcel for months while a  very slow paper chase is caried out.

Fill out the forms properly and you have no problems.

 Pete

[Ragnarok Forge]

Isn't NAFTA great, all the big corps get a cheap write off and the little guy gets screwed!  Don't worry all you northern brothers aren't alone in the government rip off departments. The old USA is working on taking what we have from the little guy too. Me thinks the people on boht sides of the border need to tell the beaurocrats to take a long leep of a tall bridge and let the rest of us get back to doing business without the rip offs.

[Jerry Wald]

Dave great idea except you live in CANADA TOO BUDDY...so I won't get any deal there will I

TEE HEE.

Good idea though....

I usually get my stuff sent snail mail - CHEAPEST way. It doesn't matter if I get it quick if i can save more money in the long run...and it's really not the money so much but more of who I am giving it too.


jer Bear

[JRY309]

The only problem I have had with shipping to Canada was a bow that had snakeskins on the limbs,was told that it wasn't allowed.But I have gotten things from Canada and shipped a few things there through USPS without any problems.

[Kanuck]

What I like about using USPS is that it is cheaper AND faster than any courier service!  I've had stuff sit in a UPS customs warehouse for over a week before it was sent to me.

My last dealing with UPS was on a shipment from a composites company in Ohio that didn't deal with USPS because they said they had too many problems with theft during transit and up to six months to have insurance claims addressed.  A valid concern, I admit, but my order with them was $245 in material, that cost me $105 to ship and $80 in brokerage and tax (fortunately only 5%) on the value of the shipment AND the shipping fees.  I REALLY wish they would have sent it USPS!  Since then I've found another supplier who will ship USPS.

By the way, as much as I'd like to save money on taxes and customs brokerage fees, I won't let any business to either lowball the claimed value or send me something as a "gift" unless it really is.  Its a personal decision but for me that would be unethical.  At the same time, if I have something sent separate from the initial order because of a backorder, I will not pay extra tax or brokerage fees if I have already paid them once.  I've had to bring original receipts and packing lists to prove that something was backordered but its the principle of the thing.  Same goes for items that are sent as warranty replacements.  I've already paid the tax and brokerage so I shouldn't have to pay it again.

One of the nice things about archery is that there aren't any export restrictions like there are for firearms and accessories.  Boy, I tell you THAT is a nightmare to deal with!

[Kanuck]

Oh ya, I forgot to mention that composites order was for 3 packages with a total weight of under 10lbs.

[woodsman 365]

The bow I bought from the classifieds in november was insured for $650.00. I had a bill waiting for me at the post office for all most $100.00. ( can't remember the exact amount ).  

Originally posted by Pete W:
Couriers like Fed EX / UPS charge a 25% brokerage fee on the declared value. The post office has a flat rate brokerage fee of 7 dollars. Both charge sales tax based on the value.
 Customs may decide to use the insured value if it is higher.
 An obvious attempt of a "gift"  tax dodge if caught can hold up the parcel for months while a  very slow paper chase is caried out.

Fill out the forms properly and you have no problems.

 Pete

[acadian archer]

USPS way to go. I avoid UPS for sure. They are way to expensive. Hvae always had great service with USPS.

Shippers!!!!----->USE USPS