Shipping to Canada from the US

[BluMunk]

I've got a bite on a piece of gear (under $200 value) from someone in Canada. I've never shipped to Canada before; are there taxes/customs to pay? Forms to fill out?

 

The internet is conflicting and not very helpful in figuring out exactly what I need to do. Advice, please!

 

 

[Michael Wright]

.

[Song80s]

I've got a bite on a piece of gear (under $200 value) from someone in Canada. I've never shipped to Canada before; are there taxes/customs to pay? Forms to fill out?

 

The internet is conflicting and not very helpful in figuring out exactly what I need to do. Advice, please!

 

 

make sure you are clear on how Canada customs evaluates ' electronics '

 

You don't want an unhappy buyer/customer. Or a snagged sale.

 

[Delaware Dave]

Three years ago I shipped a spare Voce Midi Drawbar unit that I had and was not using. The size is 6-1/2" x 7-3/8" x 1-1/4" and I sent it USPS to Edmonton Canada. It fit in a USPS Medium Priority Box and the value was about $200. The additional cost to get it to Edmonton at the time was about $50 (including insuring the package for $200). There is some additional paperwork to fill out; they're interested in knowing if there is hazardous materials being shipped, the contents of the box, yada, yada. I believe it actually arrived to Edmonton from Delaware in about 1 week. Other than some additional paperwork the transaction went smoothly.

[Michael Wright]

.

[MikeT156]

Do yourself a favor, take the package to UPS. They are the only shipping company that knows what VAT to charge for every Canadian Province. When communicating with the buyer, tell them they have to pay you directly BEFORE you ship the item. The buyer has to pay the VAT and UPS will collect the tax, shipping charges, etc COD. That way you get your money and let the buyer deal with the VAT in their Province. Its not your problem, its theirs. Canadian VAT varies for each Province.

 

At one time I worked for a Hunting outerwear company and we used the UPS shipping software. It saved us a lot of headaches, their deliveries were prompt, and they collected the money or the buyer doesn't get the package.

 

In my experience, "some" Canadians might try to hook YOU into paying THEIR tax and might ask you to include all taxes and shipping charges in your selling price. Don't fall for it. Shipping any other method, like US POST office, is a mine field.

 

 

Mike T.

[MikeT156]

We have pst (provincial sales tax) and gst (federal goods and services tax). Totals will be calculated by the customs service, along with any import duties and brokerage fees, and are the responsibility of the buyer. It's actually quite easy.

 

That may be, but the OP is selling ONE item and it the responsibility of the BUYER to pay the TAX and Shipping. Why should the OP spend time trying to determine Taxes in Canada?

A UPS store can calculate every thing for the Seller, collect the money from the buying, and pay the appropriate TAX to the Canadian Province. Easier and the seller doesn't get screwed.

 

 

 

Mike T.

[Piktor]

We have pst (provincial sales tax)

...but not in Alberta (for now).

[Piktor]

Three years ago I shipped a spare Voce Midi Drawbar unit that I had and was not using. The size is 6-1/2" x 7-3/8" x 1-1/4" and I sent it USPS to Edmonton Canada.

Sorry for being off topic here Dave, but it was my drummer friend who bought the unit from you on my recommendation. Just wanted to thank you, as the Voce has made it easier for me when I help him lay down organ parts in his DAW.

[gg22]

My advice don't use UPS - it charges outrageous brokerage fees for packages imported to Canada. You should be fine with USPS for a $200 package.

[OB Dave]

Do yourself a favor, take the package to UPS.

 

I would advise you NOT to do this! Do not use FedEx or UPS to ship electronics to Canada.

 

I shipped a lot of drawbar controllers to Canada, and when I started, UPS was my preferred shipper. The first two units I shipped, the recipients got slammed with customs clearance fees. Not duties (tax), but charges from the third-party brokerage hired by UPS to shepherd the items though the customs process.

 

It turned out that UPS and FedEx both use third parties to handle the customs clearance process, and these charges are billed to the recipient. Your customer cannot pick up the merchandise they've already paid you for until they pay these additional brokerage fees. I was surprised to learn of this, but apparently it's pretty common knowledge among Canadians.

 

USPS does not use third party brokers. I never had any issues once I switched to USPS, even when mailing 20 units at a time to Long & McQuade.

[Dr88s]

+1 on what OB Dave wrote; I scrolled to the bottom to write exactly the same.

 

UPS will take care of Customs clearance, but their brokerage fees over and above whatever duties your buyer will have to pay are exorbitant and will negate any good deal your buyer might be getting.

 

For example, a few years back I bought a monoprice cable for approximately $3. The brokerage fee tacked on by UPS for an item on which I ultimately ended up owing zero tax and zero duty was an additional $15.

 

[Quai34]

I did a good trick to UPS one time:

They cannot obliged you to go through them for the customs fees, so, if you go to their desk, as for the bill,of,delivery, go yourself to the customs, pay the fees, come back to them, they have to deliver the package, at no extra fees....ok, you have to do all the work but it was worth the shot at that time when I did it...

So, yes, USPS is way better...I bought a lot of stuff from the IS and always asked for USPS/Canada Post.

[Polychrest]

Another reason to choose USPS if youre shipping to Canada right now: the rotating work stoppages by striking Canada Post workers have been halted by federal government legislation. So it should arrive on time. Its also been my experience that the mandatory two-storey parcel drop required for all UPS and FexEx shipments to Canada is only a one-storey drop for USPS/Canada Post deliveries....in other words, the USPS stuff seems slightly less battered on arrival.