Posted by Mike Maples on April 15, 2006 at 6:48 PM
I have had some bad experiences shipping from the US to Canada with fees added when the package crossed the border. Now I want to have something shipped from Canada to me in the US and I'm not having much luck finding info about fees coming this way. Can anybody help me here?
Any assistance appreciated
Posted by Toni Lankerd on April 17, 2006 at 9:14 AM
Unless something has changed in the last year, this is all new to me, Mike. I used to ship items now and again to Canada and also receive items from there (both through postal service) with no additional "border" fees. How are the items shipped?
Posted by Mike Maples on April 17, 2006 at 11:45 AM
I shipped an item to Canada via UPS about a year ago and it was hit with duties to the point that the recipient refused the package (can't blame them). I am looking at a lens and it will be around $3500 to buy plus something to ship, fully insured. I have just heard "war stories" about the different duties that must be paid on item crossing the border, especially when the full value is declared for insurance purposes, and want to know ahead of time what they are.
I appreciate your response and I hope you are right! If you have any source I can use to verify I would appreciate it a bunch.
I routinely ship software (at $8000 US--always declared with the full value) to the US by Fed/Ex, and I've never heard about any problems or excess duties being charged at the other end.
(As for shipping to Canada--there should always be 7% GST added to the declared value, payable by the reciever. Broker fees are $7 if delivered by Fed/Ex, and somewhere in that ballpark if delivered by post, paid by the receiver in both cases. UPS is a crapshoot--I've heard horror stories about UPS Ground charging a percentage--which kills you if it's a high value item--but for the air services that B&H ships by, the broker fees are built into the shipping charge, so the receiver pays only the GST.)
-Paul
Posted by Toni Lankerd on April 17, 2006 at 12:22 PM
Mike, I would see about getting info directly from USPS, UPS and Fed Ex regarding these charges.
Posted by Mike Maples on April 17, 2006 at 12:23 PM
Thanks to all. I was just afraid I would get hit with several hundred extra in fees. I'm probably overthinking it.
Mike, when shipping to Canada use USPS or FedEx, they have the lowest broker fees ($5 & $7) ensure that the Canadian receipient is aware that he will be billed the federal and provicial sales tax on the canadian value of the item purchased (does not matter if its used or new). Usualy we get the tax bill about one week after delivery; also there is no duty on camera equipment in Canada.
Hopes this help for your future Canadian shipments.
Discussion
6 repliesAny assistance appreciated
I appreciate your response and I hope you are right! If you have any source I can use to verify I would appreciate it a bunch.
(As for shipping to Canada--there should always be 7% GST added to the declared value, payable by the reciever. Broker fees are $7 if delivered by Fed/Ex, and somewhere in that ballpark if delivered by post, paid by the receiver in both cases. UPS is a crapshoot--I've heard horror stories about UPS Ground charging a percentage--which kills you if it's a high value item--but for the air services that B&H ships by, the broker fees are built into the shipping charge, so the receiver pays only the GST.)
-Paul
Hopes this help for your future Canadian shipments.
Cheers,