The rules of the game are pretty simple. Items under $20 CAD in value
are not subject to customs handling and you should not receive a bill
for services not rendered (that's what I like to call the gouging
practices of the courier services when it comes to brokerage fees -- I
would happily pre-pay GST & PST to avoid the $30-50 of brokerage fees
with couriers).
That said, anything you buy from the US is subject to GST, PST and/or
HST. Under $20 it's up to you to take care of sending in the relevant
taxes (how many do is a different question). If it's over $20 the
brokerage services are obliged to collect the taxes.
Ship using the US postal service, but do NOT ship with their courier
service or you may receive the dreaded brokerage bill. Straight USPS
-> Canada Post should not cost you an extra penny since the item is
under $20.
If it's valued over $20 you'll have to pay $5 + GST/PST/HST on the $5
and the value of the package.
Either way, USPS non-courier is the safest way to go to avoid
exorbitant brokerage fees on lower cost items.
PS Some of the 'faster' (more expensive) courier services (like over
night) often include the brokerage fee in their price... you just have
to figure out which service does and which one will leave you cursing
the stupid shipper and/or unscrupulous courier service.
Eric.
On 5/11/05, James Fraser <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I'm getting (yet another) bit for my Mac shipped from the Great White North.
> Hurrah! However, all is not well...
>
> Suddenly, the shipping estimate the seller furnished me (you'd better
> believe I asked in advance...) isn't enough. The phrase "possible customs'
> cost" is being used in an effort to (dare I say it?) get more money out of
> me. <sigh>
>
> I'm sure that list members have shipped Mac-related peripherals, etc., down
> here, so I'm wondering: when stuff ships from Canada to the US, at what
> "minimum value" are customs charges levied on the goods? I'm also wondering
> how the worth of something is calculated. This comes into play here because
> I won the item off of ePay for a whopping one cent. Of course, I'm guessing
> that a given item's value for customs purposes is not based on what was
> actually paid for it, but what, say, an objective third party would assess
> its value as.
>
> Regardless of what I paid, the value of this item can be confidently given
> as $25 US. With that as a working number, would customs charges be levied
> on it? From my past (albeit limited) experience, I'm guessing the answer is
> "no." However, I'd be grateful for any information the list could share to
> help support this assertion (or refute it, if it doesn't hold true).
>
> Best,
>
> James Fraser
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