to Canadian users: do i have to pay GST+PST for shipping items?

[ivzhao]

i ordered a Bessa from cameraquest, now it's on the way.

so when i receive it, do i have to pay the bloody GST+PST (14% tax) on it?

one more thing: the online tracking status says it's already "out of customs", so how long would it take to actually arrive?

thank you all the Canadian RF buddies.

 

[dcsang]

You're lucky.. only 14%.. we Ontarians have to pay 15% 😉

Short answer: yes

Longer answer: depends.. Mr Gandy is awfully good at selling and shipping and a lot of this depends on the size of the order/box - I ordered small nick nacks from him and it was small enough that there wasn't any heavy duty taxes. I'm not saying that he controls this; but I think it depends on if customs "catches" the package as it goes along its merry way to your home.

Enjoy the Bessa 😀

Cheers
Dave

 

[FrankS]

Sometimes Customs digs you, and sometimes they don't. When GAndy shipped me a CVmeter2, he labelled the parcel "camera part" and declared a lower than actual value. Good guy.

 

[dcsang]

Sometimes Customs digs you, and sometimes they don't. When GAndy shipped me a CVmeter2, he labelled the parcel "camera part" and declared a lower than actual value. Good guy.

heh.. you are a far more direct man than I am Frank 😀

Cheers
Dave

 

[back alley]

the bad news is...it depends
the good news is...it depends.

customs is like a wave on the ocean...no
customs is like a brick in the wall...no
customs is like the howdy doody show, without the howdy...closer

there ain't no defining canada customs, they are a friggin' puzzle to me.

joe

 

[Frank Granovski]

Did Cameraquest send via insured PO PP? If , yes, then you will have to pay the GST and PST. If he sent via UPS, then you're screwed---because UPS also charges a HUGE brokerage fee, unlike US/Canadian PP.

 

[julianphotoart]

The law is that you SHOULD be paying the same level of tax you would have paid had you purchased the item where you live. At least camera stuff doesn't get subjected to duties. Customs would say you're lucky to JUST pay the tax. If somehow on any incoming foreign shipment someone forgets to charge both GST and PST, then count yourself lucky and don't tell anyone.

 

[Kin Lau]

And the $5- handling fee 🙂

 

[julianphotoart]

And the $5- handling fee 🙂

As I ranted in a prior thread, that is my most FAVOURITE part of all. I wrote my MP (Jack Layton as it so happens) about the $5 handling fee. Got a standard response. Will HE be forming the new government and do away with the handling fee. Somehow I doubt it.

 

[nickchew]

I gave up buying from outside Canada after emptying my wallet to UPS and the Canadian Customs! Those vampires!!!!
I even went out of my way to have my M6 delivered to a US address and got a friend hand carry it into Montreal.

As for the times you get lucky... my understanding is that all the packages get checked in recent times, it is unlikely that you'd get away with it.

Nick

 

[John]

In most cases someone will be collecting the gst & pst. Lower value items are expedited through so you can pay the tax plus small fee at the Post Office. Customs wants to see on paper;

1. If the receiver is an individual or company
2. Value of item(s) in Can. dollars
3. Description or nature of goods

If you receive through UPS - I suggest you try the Expedited 2 day Blue Label service. They do not charge a "customs fee" with this service. They do however prepay your taxes and expect payment upon delivery. If you choose regular ground shipping they charge a fee for clearing customs and prepaying your taxes.
My rule of thumb is if using the postal service - choose Air Freight or better. They tend to keep the paperwork straighter and do it faster - like they care. Couriers with tracking have low fees if you use their premium services. The above is a bit simplified to reduce boredom. :bang:

 

[Frank Granovski]

And if USP loses the insured package, they'll try to haggle with you to lower the price, which can take up to 6 or more months to get your money. I never use UPS any more. They lost 3, no 4, of my packages.

 

[Aardvark Aallen]

Customs as julianphotoart noted will not require duty be paid by you for the importing. The only thing you will pay is the same taxes you would if you walked down to the local camera store and bought the camera. You would also have to pay the (as you put it) bloody taxes. One way to avoid taxes is don't spend your money.

Enjoy the camera.

 

[ivzhao]

ITEM RECEIVED.

thanks to cameraquest's Setphen, who insuranced an lower value of the item. so i only need to pay 1/5 of the acctually tax. Bessa is awsome. and cameraquest is even better.

 

[John]

Re. UPS shipping

Please do not think I am totally endorsing UPS. I much prefer Fed Ex who have never made a mistake on me - hundreds of items over 8 years. Fed Ex costs roughly twice as much as UPS. I would request a Leica MP come via Fed Ex. I would chance a $100 - $200 ebay item with a semi-premium UPS service. Mail comes last but I roll the dice with that too. 😱

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I am not in Canada.

But, in EU I find that 95% of deliveries arrive 'late'. And if you you get the shipping money back from from the seller this usually covers any import duty etc.

 

[jan normandale]

ITEM RECEIVED.

thanks to cameraquest's Setphen, who insuranced an lower value of the item. so i only need to pay 1/5 of the acctually tax. Bessa is awsome. and cameraquest is even better.

Ivzhao; you might want to think about what you write in a public forum regarding taxes and the names you use.