# Damn duty and brokerage fees!



## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

My new PRS is out for delivery as I write this. I have acquired a brand new SC245 in White Limited Edition (100 made), in a trade, for my Fender CS '69. I shipped my guitar to Kentucky and the other guy shipped his to me (Gatineau Qc)..with each of us paying for our respective shipping (UPS insured). It ended up costing me $117 to ship to him which isnt' too bad I guess considering I insured it for it's real value.

I saw that the PRS was out for delivery this am so I called UPS to see what the brokerage would be....figuring maybe a hun or 150 max. It is $336.30!! Holy shite! sigiifa

I guess the purpose of this post is to warn others when trading/buying from out of country... I'll try to post pics of the guitar tonight or tomorrow. Till then I'm waiting on the big brown truck!


----------



## w.luchka_17 (Dec 7, 2009)

This is why I'm scared to order stuff off ebay from the US I know shipping will cost a fortune ( something I could probably live with) AND they are going to charge me outrageous money for the bustoms and brokerage fees.


----------



## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

that PRS is Made In the USA, there isn't any duty under NAFTA. What are they trying to pull on you?

When I have an expensive guitar coming from the US I specify FedEx overnight service, it's about $150, and includes brokerage (as they have to clear it fast for the overnight delivery). And I specify to hold at the airport for pickup. I don't want some guy driving around all day with my guitar in the back of his truck.

For less expensive stuff, always try to spec USPS.


----------



## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

dwagar said:


> that PRS is Made In the USA, there isn't any duty under NAFTA. What are they trying to pull on you?


I expect the charge is for brokerage and taxes (even used items coming across the border are taxable).


----------



## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

Actually I just called UPS back and to clarify it's GST & PST that they charged not Duty. That came to $200+ then brokerage was 100+.
On top of that the driver didn't leave it in the back yard as instructed too so I won't get it today either... :-(


----------



## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

UPS are the worst for cross border shipping. I always use USPS, fee's are way lower.


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Rideski said:


> Actually I just called UPS back and to clarify it's GST & PST that they charged not Duty. That came to $200+ then brokerage was 100+.
> On top of that the driver didn't leave it in the back yard as instructed too so I won't get it today either... :-(


Yes, they won't leave it without collecting the money. The brokerage is 'rape' if you ask me. With USPS the brokerage would have been $5 but you likely would have waited a few more days.
Which method did you use to send your guitar down there for $117?


----------



## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

OMFG I am so glad we have FREE TRADE and don't have to pay those exorbitant tariffs at the boarder any more ....




/sarc


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

This is the very reason I'm probably going to make the trip down to Virginia to pick up my Crook when its ready.


----------



## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

I paid the fees over the phone, with UPS, as soon as I saw the guitar was out for delivery.

I shipped the Fender via UPS Standard for $117 including insurance to cover 1900cad.


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

Rideski said:


> I guess the purpose of this post is to warn others when trading/buying from out of country...


I can understand why you're pissed off, but really, you shouldn't warn others not to buy from another country simply because you got shafted by UPS. UPS is quite possibly the worst service to use. If the buyer is American, insist that they use USPS. No brokerage fees and way better service. I only paid $80 tax on a $2000 guitar coming from California, and a $5 handling fee from Canada Post.


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

keeperofthegood said:


> OMFG I am so glad we have FREE TRADE and don't have to pay those exorbitant tariffs at the boarder any more ....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Brokerage fees are charged by the shipping agent, not Customs. NAFTA exempts you from paying duty if the item was made in North America.


----------



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

UPS has it's own little revenue center going with the brokerage side of the business. Normally, if you have something coming in from the states, unless you specify a broker that you are usuing, they will normally call you up and offer their wonderful and convenient brokerage service. This of course will cost you twice as much as a brokerage house. If in any way possible, I will always request USPS from a seller. FedEx would be an option, UPS would be the last resort.


----------



## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

You're in Gatineau. I would just ship everything through the UPS Store in Ogdensburg, NY and run down and get it (if you have the ways and means). Gas is cheaper than brokerage...


----------



## Tim Plains (Apr 14, 2009)

dwagar said:


> that PRS is Made In the USA, there isn't any duty under NAFTA. What are they trying to pull on you?


You're right, it's not duty - it's sales tax. You folks in Alberta are lucky, you only pay 5%...we pay 13% here in Ontario.


----------



## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i don't mean to give you a hard time, but it's been posted in this forum many times just how bad ups is. i've posted my own experience in two different threads, skipping others because i figured folks prolly get tired of reading it. everyone gets burned once i suppose, but on the bright side, you have an awesome guitar coming your way. just remember thenext time the subject comes up here, (and it surely will) add your experience with them to try and save someone else the hassle.


----------



## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

TheFinalCost.com - Canadian total shipping fees calculator (brokerage, duty, customs)

always refer to this site to see what you're going to end up spending. Even with the $ at par, shipping, duty and taxes make life difficult for us...


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

Are Nine said:


> ...we pay 13% here in Ontario.


You sure that applies to guitars coming over the border? I only paid the GST on the guitar I just got a couple months ago from the US.


----------



## Tim Plains (Apr 14, 2009)

Samsquantch, I've brought three guitars across the border (well 5 but...); two of them I drove over (Gibsons) and one I had shipped (US PRS). I had to pay 13% on all three. I didn't pay any taxes on the other two because my friend brought one over as his own and the other I just caught a break. I told him about it but the Customs guy just let me off. Actually, the real kicker is if you buy it in person in, say, NY State, you pay NY sales tax, right? If you show the receipt at the border, you pay Canadian sales tax for the entire amount...US tax included. WTF??

I've also said this several times - the PRS I had shipped was sent via UPS. I paid $100 and had it shipped over night. I didn't have to pay any brokerage fees. UPS, themselves, told me there are no brokerage fees if you ship an item via air. If it crosses the border by land, you pay a brokerage fee. I'm sure many of you have experienced otherwise but that's what they told me directly and again, I didn't pay any such fee. I'm having another guitar shipped to me from the US tomorrow via air. I'll let you know if I have to pay any brokerage fees.


----------



## Lemonhand (Oct 18, 2009)

I have a lot of experience with shipping, and I worked for FedEx for 5 years. My advice for anyone buying any kind of guitar is to shop online and compare prices with US dealers. They tend to have more stock and are more willing to move on prices. With the exchange, buying from the US is a real bargain right now. The taxes are a wash out because you pay those here anyways - PST and GST. You can sometimes save 30% over a Canadian dealer's price (especially on a PRS), and the only added cost is shipping. As far as that goes, what everyone has said is right - get it shipped USPS and there are no brokerage fees, or spend a few extra dollars up front to upgrade from ground to air service. You'll get your guitar faster and there are no brokerage fees.


----------



## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

OK...so i get home from work and the box is sitting inside, in the front entrance. I open the shipping box and immediately forgot about all fees and taxes and found this...

The pics aren't the best but this thing is awesome!

http://www.guitarscanada.com/electric-guitar/33156-ngd-prs-sc245.html


----------



## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

Ya...hindsight is 20/20!! What's worse is a buddy has a shipping address there too.... Oh well...live and learn I guess.


----------



## Hired Goon (Mar 4, 2008)

I too got burned by UPS and had to learn the lesson the hard way. I complained on a forum about these UPS fees, and was told it was a "Dumb F*ck Tax (DFT)" because I didn't do my research, which ticked me off at the time, but ultimately gave me a good chuckle.

So yeah, in future avoid the DFT and insist on USPS or Fedex. Really UPS takes advantage of the consumer, as it is not at all made clear to first timers that such a fee exists. You get a nice surprise when it arrives.


----------



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

UPS' brokerage fees are for the paperwork and to collect the tax,... and to maintain a healthy profit margin.


----------



## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Samsquantch said:


> You sure that applies to guitars coming over the border? I only paid the GST on the guitar I just got a couple months ago from the US.


As of May 1, we have HST :|


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

keeperofthegood said:


> As of May 1, we have HST :|


The Horse Shit Tax?


----------



## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

that is one sweeeeeeet lookin guitar!


----------



## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

Hired Goon said:


> So yeah, in future avoid the DFT and insist on USPS or Fedex. Really UPS takes advantage of the consumer, as it is not at all made clear to first timers that such a fee exists. You get a nice surprise when it arrives.


Just wanted to note that FEDEX is JUST AS BAD. The only difference being that Fedex will hand you your package and they wave goodbye. You'll think, "Wow, they didn't charge me anything!" Then, two weeks later you'll get a bill in the mail from them for taxes and brokerage. I bought a $40 item from the USA and it shipped Fedex. The bill that showed up wanted over $20 brokerage on top of the fees I'd already paid to ship it.

And yeah, UPS will rape you. I've gotten burned, but I've also gotten out of their fees before. I'll never buy anything across border unless the seller will ship USPS. If they refuse and insist on one of the private courier companies then I don't buy the item. Not worth it.


----------



## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

sometimes they won't ship USPS so you're stuck. Just add the cost to the item to see if it's still worth it. May or may not be.

I ordered some Dunlop copper picks direct from Dunlop as they've been discontinued. They still charge full retail (about $2 a pick), I ordered 30 of them, so $60. They shipped UPS, freight and brokerage were something like $45, damn near doubled the cost. BUT, I didn't really care. I'll never be able to find these picks again.

The worst was when I ordered a new drive belt for my Pro3 spinning horn. The factory supplied a new one for free - bonus - I forgot to specify shipping, they shipped rush UPS, that belt cost me $75.


----------



## Tim Plains (Apr 14, 2009)

I just got the guitar. No brokerage fees.


----------



## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

*Bastard*! Joking of course..


----------



## hag99 (Mar 2, 2009)

mrmatt1972 said:


> TheFinalCost.com - Canadian total shipping fees calculator (brokerage, duty, customs)
> 
> always refer to this site to see what you're going to end up spending. Even with the $ at par, shipping, duty and taxes make life difficult for us...


A neat website, however, when I put in Newfoundland as the destination, it only showed a tax of 6%. However, I thought we would have to pay the HST, which is 13%. That's a significant difference that would make the difference in many purchase decisions. What gives?


----------



## Stevo (Apr 3, 2008)

I always make sure sellers ship USPS or sometimes I just pass on the item. The only problem with USPS is I think they will only insure up to $800 on international deliveries. (not sure on the $$ amount but around there). So it is a risk with them but if it gets to you safe and sound, you are home free.


----------



## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Another problem with USPS is the weight limit, I'm not sure what it is but 80 pounds was too much the last time I checked.


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

zurn said:


> Another problem with USPS is the weight limit, I'm not sure what it is but 80 pounds was too much the last time I checked.


I wouldn't be buying too many guitars that weigh that much anyway...I mean DAMN...you see people complaining about 10 pound Les Pauls so with a case and packing material adding up to likely no more than 20 pounds, a 60 pound guitar would be a real back-breaker!


----------



## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Well I was refering to other stuff like amps.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Rideski said:


> I paid the fees over the phone, with UPS, as soon as I saw the guitar was out for delivery.
> 
> I shipped the Fender via UPS Standard for $117 including insurance to cover 1900cad.


I know it'a about a 2 hour drive for you, but you, or anyone in your situation would be better to have it shipped to a town just on the other side of the border and have it held for pick up at the shippers warehouse and bring it across yourself. UPS and their charges are absolutely immoral.


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

zurn said:


> Well I was refering to other stuff like amps.


I thought so but it was the perfect opportunity for me to put in an absurd post!


----------



## Guest (Apr 21, 2010)

It's been a while since i've had something shipped to me via UPS but last week I won a Drobo on The Bay for $178 and didn't have a choice. $68 at the door. Taxes were 1/3 of that, so ~$43 in brokerage fees. That's on top of the $25 shipping fee already charged.

Yea, that's nuts. I understand why they do it. Because they can and they're a publically traded company and ever increasing profits are what they're all about. But I make a conscious effort to bypass them and yesterday was a good reminder why.


----------



## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

<off topic>That's still a hell of a deal for a drobo ... I'd consider picking a couple up at that price.</off topic>


----------



## Guest (Apr 21, 2010)

Brennan said:


> <off topic>That's still a hell of a deal for a drobo ... I'd consider picking a couple up at that price.</off topic>


 Oh yea. But it was an even BETTER deal when it was only $178 + $25 shipping. 

Can't wait to fire it up tonight. My external USB drive that houses all my Logic projects has been clicking lately...makes me nervous. The Drobo is replacing a ReadyNAS I had in the house, which was overkill and slow with it's 100 Mb ethernet port. This should be screaming fast with FWire to the Mac!


----------



## Peter (Mar 25, 2008)

UPS brokerage charged me almost the cost of my Fulltone GT500 in brokerage fees. Extortion.

This guy tried to file a class action lawsuit against them for it - Poyner Baxter - Class Action Lawyers in Vancouver British Columbia Canada - but he failed. That sucks.


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

iaresee said:


> I understand why they do it. Because they can and they're a publically traded company and ever increasing profits are what they're all about. *But I make a conscious effort to bypass them *and yesterday was a good reminder why.


I'm with you man...100%


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Just a note to help with the brokerage fees. FedEx now provides custom forms so you can act as your own broker. This will save quite a bit on shipping but especially you'll end up paying extra shipping to Canada from the USA border. They are all extortionists. I live 15 minutes from the border and I could have a taxi deliver my goods cheaper than UPS and FedEx.


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

That's why you go with USPS. No brokerage fees.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Samsquantch said:


> That's why you go with USPS. No brokerage fees.


Well, the smart and informed people do.


----------



## Maverick (Oct 21, 2009)

UPS are thieves at best. You know UPS acutally means "OOPS !"


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Maverick said:


> You know UPS acutally means "OOPS !"


HA! I never heard that one before. Good for a chuckle!


----------



## Todd68 (Mar 7, 2008)

I bought some used aged Throbak Limited pickups on ebay for $425. I've bought and sold used stuff on ebay tons of times. I always ship or receive US/Canada Post. That way you pay only for the item and shipping on ebay. Well, the pickups came UPS. Guess what? $120 in brokerage and tax fees!!!!! They were used and listed as a gift. The value was put at $400. You can only freely claim about $60 as a gift. Pure Bull***t! So at the end of the day, the pickups cost me almost $550. Thankfully they are amazing sounding.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

iaresee said:


> It's been a while since i've had something shipped to me via UPS but last week I won a Drobo on The Bay for $178 and didn't have a choice. $68 at the door. Taxes were 1/3 of that, so ~$43 in brokerage fees. That's on top of the $25 shipping fee already charged.
> 
> Yea, that's nuts. I understand why they do it. Because they can and they're a publically traded company and ever increasing profits are what they're all about. But I make a conscious effort to bypass them and yesterday was a good reminder why.


I know it's too late now but if that happens again, have it shipped to the closest US town to you, have it held for pick up at the UPS depot and go pick it up. You're only a two hour drive to Vermont, so you could save a lot more than the gas to go and pick it up. Plus you thwart the thieves at UPS.


----------



## Guest (Apr 25, 2010)

FlipFlopFly said:


> I know it's too late now but if that happens again, have it shipped to the closest US town to you, have it held for pick up at the UPS depot and go pick it up. You're only a two hour drive to Vermont, so you could save a lot more than the gas to go and pick it up. Plus you thwart the thieves at UPS.


Unfortunately the 3 hour round trip is more expensive than $46 (the brokerage fees) when it comes to my time.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

iaresee said:


> Unfortunately the 3 hour round trip is more expensive than $46 (the brokerage fees) when it comes to my time.


Wasn't there an additional freight charge from the US border as well? I bought a pair of winter boots for my wife a few years ago that were around $100.00. They ended up costing me $185.00. That was the last time for UPS for me.


----------



## Guest (Apr 27, 2010)

FlipFlopFly said:


> Wasn't there an additional freight charge from the US border as well? I bought a pair of winter boots for my wife a few years ago that were around $100.00. They ended up costing me $185.00. That was the last time for UPS for me.


I paid an upfront $25. That's a sunk cost. USPS would have been the same. Then $68 at the door: $46 in brokerage fees + $22 in taxes.

It's high enough to make me grumble, but low enough that doing something like acting as my own broker isn't worth it.


----------



## GammyBird (Apr 4, 2010)

I had a guitar shipped from Japan a couple of months ago and cost me nothing...I was quite suprised!


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Keep talking, Japan has some damn nice guitars you won't find in north america.

Vermon is only an hour and change from Ottawa? Well then.


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

iaresee said:


> I paid an upfront $25. That's a sunk cost. USPS would have been the same. Then $68 at the door: $46 in brokerage fees + $22 in taxes.


Unless I am missing something USPS wouldn't have been the same. The 'brokerage fee' wouldn't exist (it is replaced by a $5 Canada Customs handling fee at the border) and there is always that chance that they are busy in Customs and just push it through without processing it - that has happened to me on anything from something small to a $750 guitar but it NEVER happens with UPS of FedEx. If it gets processede then you're still on the hook for $22 in taxes but $41 ahead.


----------



## did291 (Jun 30, 2009)

I learn that lesson once, will get stuff only using USPS. I order something small once, about 80$ can , final cost was 130$ cna after UPS , not worth it, and the box look like it came from WW3.
It reminded me the start of the movie ACE VENTURA Pet detective.


----------



## Guest (Apr 28, 2010)

smorgdonkey said:


> Unless I am missing something USPS wouldn't have been the same. The 'brokerage fee' wouldn't exist (it is replaced by a $5 Canada Customs handling fee at the border) and there is always that chance that they are busy in Customs and just push it through without processing it - that has happened to me on anything from something small to a $750 guitar but it NEVER happens with UPS of FedEx. If it gets processede then you're still on the hook for $22 in taxes but $41 ahead.


You're missing lots. Re-read our conversation. The question isn't would USPS have been, in the end, less -- we _know_ that it would have been. That was a fact established long before I ever commented in this thread. However it was not a shipping option that was made available to me by the seller.

The issue FlipFlopFly and I were discussing is: would it have been worth my while to have him ship it, via _UPS_, to a depot near the boarder and then driven down to pick it up?

I say: no. The nearest boarder down to me is about an hour an half away. So 3 hours round trip, in an SUV. That's an hourly rate of 46/3 = ~$15.33 + gas + wear and tear on my vehicle. For that price, I'll just pay someone to bring it to my door. And I did. But I'm still going to complain about.


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Oh yes, I missed the "I didn't have a choice" part.


iaresee said:


> I say: no. The nearest boarder down to me is about an hour an half away. So 3 hours round trip, in an SUV. That's an hourly rate of 46/3 = ~$15.33 + gas + wear and tear on my vehicle. For that price, I'll just pay someone to bring it to my door. And I did. But I'm still going to complain about.


No doubt...even just the time to do it wouldn't make it worth it to me.


----------



## pickslide (May 9, 2006)

USPS only...its the only way to go.


----------



## six-string (Oct 7, 2009)

USPS has limitations. basically they only insure up to $800 which is fine but if the guitar (or other item) is worth considerably more than that you would be completely screwed if it gets damaged in shipping. although FedEx and UPS do charge "brokerage" fees on ground shipping, you can avoid these by either a) agreeing to go to the nearest Canada Custom office and broker the item yourself. or b) pay the higher cost for air freight and then there is no additional fees because the brokerage is included.
of course you almost always pay the GST & PST unless you get very lucky and some Canada Customs guy is too tired, lazy or going on break and can't be bothered to do the paperwork.

however the whole issue of what method to use for shipping and how much it should cost, is all relative to the cost of the item.
i would never bother shipping an item i can buy locally, even if the price was slightly cheaper.
however in the case of some guitars, they are either unavailable locally or the price difference is so great that it is still worth it to pay shipping fees.
a couple years ago i bought a guitar from a fellow in Florida and paid for shipping and Canadian taxes. that particular type of guitar are virtually unavailable in Canada so it was well worth it to me. i have also imported several Gibson Historic reissues that were thousands of dollars less than the Canadian price, so again well worth a few extra bucks for shipping. 
and i would pay the same taxes if i bought them locally anyway...even more taxes actually because of the higher sticker price.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

six-string said:


> . i have also imported several Gibson Historic reissues that were thousands of dollars less than the Canadian price, so again well worth a few extra bucks for shipping.
> and i would pay the same taxes if i bought them locally anyway...even more taxes actually because of the higher sticker price.


The problem is, is that it is often not just a few bucks and the tax is not the problem. UPS sticks on a ridiculously high brokerage fee plus an additional shipping charge (again ridiculously high) from the US border to the CDN. destination.


----------



## six-string (Oct 7, 2009)

FlipFlopFly said:


> The problem is, is that it is often not just a few bucks and the tax is not the problem. UPS sticks on a ridiculously high brokerage fee plus an additional shipping charge (again ridiculously high) from the US border to the CDN. destination.


that is not my experience. i have used UPS to ship guitars at least twice and never been charged any additional shipping fee from US border to CDN destination. in fact, in one instance UPS did not even collect the GST & PST or any additional brokerage fee at all. i paid a flat $100 to ship a Custom shop guitar unavailable in Canada, from California to my home by UPS- no extra fees, no Canadian or USA taxes, no brokerage fees. i have also used FedEx airfreight numerous times, which i admit is more expensive than ground freight (but worth it to me) and not paid any additional fees or brokerage beyond the upfront shipping cost. i know others on these boards have had similar experiences.


----------



## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

UPS's shipping and brokerage fees are based on the value of the item being shipped (though they are quite high, I agree) and are all printed right on their website. If you do your research, there should really be no surprises. At least with UPS, you have the option of rejecting the package if the fees are too high ... FedEx just drop off the package and send you a bill after the fact leaving you no choice but to pay it. I do use USPS whenever possible, but for anything valued over $800, I use UPS air (brokerage charges are included in the shipping price). 



FlipFlopFly said:


> plus an additional shipping charge (again ridiculously high) from the US border to the CDN. destination.


This is completely untrue (and would be an illegal practice if it was).


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Brennan said:


> UPS's shipping and brokerage fees are based on the value of the item being shipped (though they are quite high, I agree) and are all printed right on their website. If you do your research, there should really be no surprises. At least with UPS, you have the option of rejecting the package if the fees are too high ... FedEx just drop off the package and send you a bill after the fact leaving you no choice but to pay it. I do use USPS whenever possible, but for anything valued over $800, I use UPS air (brokerage charges are included in the shipping price).
> 
> 
> 
> This is completely untrue (and would be an illegal practice if it was).


Believe me, it is true. I had to pay it a few times and it is not illegal. Many people just don't check their bill close enough to see it. Regards, Flip.


----------



## hag99 (Mar 2, 2009)

Ok, so I would like to buy a $1300 acoustic from the US. I have calculated USPS shipping costs to be around $75. I could possibly pay the taxes depending on the customs official. This should be it right?

Would shipping via air freight be a better (i.e. cheaper and safer) option for this particular purchase??


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

With USPS there is no brokerage fee ($5 handling fee). The shipping sounds about right but I would count on paying the tax on the entire declared amount which will be the same amount that they are insuring it for. I bought a new one a few years ago and the seller put $300 as declared value when it was over $1000...it saved me a tonne of tax but it would have been terrible had the parcel become lost.

They can't insure at one value and declare another.

Cheers.


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

UPS sucks hard.

I'm fortunate in that I travel to the States often. We have a plant in Tennessee and if I buy anything from E-bay or similar I have it shipped there. I pick it up and hand carry it back or in some cases arrange to have it sent to me on a regular "milkrun" truck we have once a week between our plants.

It saves a lot of trouble and money.


----------



## Guest (May 4, 2010)

Milkman said:


> UPS sucks hard.
> 
> I'm fortunate in that I travel to the States often. We have a plant in Tennessee and if I buy anything from E-bay or similar I have it shipped there. I pick it up and hand carry it back or in some cases arrange to have it sent to me on a regular "milkrun" truck we have once a week between our plants.
> 
> It saves a lot of trouble and money.


 Tennessee? Ever stop by the PRS factory?


----------



## hag99 (Mar 2, 2009)

Doesn't USPS only insure items to Canada for $650 or something like that? I know some sellers are willing to declare a lesser value but some will not. The tax is the issue for me; most deals are no longer deals with the 13% I'll have to pay to get something sent to NL. Have you guys ever had a customs agent charge you taxes on the full value of the guitar i.e. not declared price but a new price listing??


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

hag99 said:


> Ok, so I would like to buy a $1300 acoustic from the US. I have calculated USPS shipping costs to be around $75. I could possibly pay the taxes depending on the customs official. This should be it right?
> 
> Would shipping via air freight be a better (i.e. cheaper and safer) option for this particular purchase??


Honestly, I think ground shipping is way safer than air shipping. Stick with USPS. Your guitar will make it just fine.


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

hag99 said:


> Doesn't USPS only insure items to Canada for $650 or something like that?


$675, but if your guitar is damaged, I seriously doubt more than that amount of damage could be incurred unless you are shipping an original 52 Goldtop or something of that value range, or if the seller packs the guitar in aluminum foil. USPS are the most reliable service. Don't worry about it.



hag99 said:


> I know some sellers are willing to declare a lesser value but some will not.


Don't ever ask the seller to do that. Always declare the full value despite what the maximum insurable amount is.



hag99 said:


> The tax is the issue for me; most deals are no longer deals with the 13% I'll have to pay to get something sent to NL.


I only had the GST charged to me when I had my guitar come in from California. The HST doesn't take hold for a couple of months, and it might not apply to used gear purchases from the US.



hag99 said:


> Have you guys ever had a customs agent charge you taxes on the full value of the guitar i.e. not declared price but a new price listing??


Nope. They can't do that.


----------



## hag99 (Mar 2, 2009)

Thanks for the great info. I think I'll give it go even if it means I don't get a great deal; I'll still be saving a few bucks and I'll be a bit more educated about the system.

Samsquanch, I'd have to agree with you about the declared value as I'd feel uncomfortable asking a seller to lie so I could save some money. I wouldn't want to put anyone in an awkward position, though I know some people do this.


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

hag99 said:


> Thanks for the great info. I think I'll give it go even if it means I don't get a great deal; I'll still be saving a few bucks and I'll be a bit more educated about the system.
> 
> Samsquanch, I'd have to agree with you about the declared value as I'd feel uncomfortable asking a seller to lie so I could save some money. I wouldn't want to put anyone in an awkward position, though I know some people do this.


Yeah, when you ask someone to do that, first of all, you're asking them to do something illegal, secondly, some guys might cancel the deal with you or not trust you, and they may not want to be a reference for you for future deals. If they declare full value, then at least if it gets lost you can file a claim for the full amount. The $675 only covers damage, not loss. I've had nothing but good experiences using USPS and Canada Post. One thing you could ask the seller to do to put your mind at ease a bit is to send you a couple pics of his packing job, and make sure to check out at least 2 references, especially when buying internationally. Make sure to get the tracking number too. You can track it easily online. Let us know when your guitar arrives. Good luck!


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

iaresee said:


> Tennessee? Ever stop by the PRS factory?



No. I didn't know there was one in Tennessee, but truthfully I don't even bother with the Gibson factory. I've never been able to rationalize the huge price gap between the big names and their much more cost effective competitors.

I've also never visited the Jack Daniels plant. Tennessee IS a beautiful state though. I'm there about once a month.


----------



## six-string (Oct 7, 2009)

hag99 said:


> Doesn't USPS only insure items to Canada for $650 or something like that? I know some sellers are willing to declare a lesser value but some will not. The tax is the issue for me; most deals are no longer deals with the 13% I'll have to pay to get something sent to NL. Have you guys ever had a customs agent charge you taxes on the full value of the guitar i.e. not declared price but a new price listing??


Canada Customs can ask you to produce the actual receipt to show how much you paid for the instrument. They don't necessarily go by what the shipper declares in his paperwork. They also DO charge both GST and PST on new and used instruments. They can assess taxes on the full price of the guitar (after converting US dollars to Canadian) PLUS tax the cost of the shipping too. 
It is possible sometimes that Canada Customs let things slide, but don't count on it. Better to be prepared for the extra costs.


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

six-string said:


> Canada Customs can ask you to produce the actual receipt to show how much you paid for the instrument.


And you can tell them you lost it or you just don't have it.



six-string said:


> They don't necessarily go by what the shipper declares in his paperwork.


Yeah, they do.



six-string said:


> They also DO charge both GST and PST on new and used instruments.


That wasn't my experience. I only got charged the GST on my guitar.



six-string said:


> They can assess taxes on the full price of the guitar (after converting US dollars to Canadian) PLUS tax the cost of the shipping too.


No, they cannot tax the shipping cost AFAIK.


----------



## Guest (May 6, 2010)

Milkman said:


> No. I didn't know there was one in Tennessee, but truthfully I don't even bother with the Gibson factory. I've never been able to rationalize the huge price gap between the big names and their much more cost effective competitors.


That's because I'm mistaken. They're in Maryland.  Meh. It's all the same place, right? the US...


----------



## six-string (Oct 7, 2009)

i have imported numerous guitars from the USA in the past year alone, and others before that.
Canada Customs can refuse to release the guitar to you if you cannot produce a reciept if they want to, and they have done it.
They can also require a NAFTA form completed by the shipper declaring the guitar was built in Canada/USA/Mexico to be free from duty.
They can and do charge tax on the shipping if they want to.
And here in Ontario, they can and do charge GST and PST on imports if they want to.
Of course anyone can confirm this for themselves by contacting their local Canada Customs office directly.

all that said, everyone seems to have different experiences when it coms to this stuff.
i have had times when Canada Customs have been very difficult and demanding and other times the Canada Customs folks don't seem to care and didn't charge any taxes or even ask to see the paperwork. it is the luck of the draw. but i would still recommend, to be prepared. don't assume that Canada Customs are going to make it easy on you.


----------



## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

six-string said:


> i have imported numerous guitars from the USA in the past year alone, and others before that.
> Canada Customs can refuse to release the guitar to you if you cannot produce a reciept if they want to, and they have done it.
> They can also require a NAFTA form completed by the shipper declaring the guitar was built in Canada/USA/Mexico to be free from duty.
> They can and do charge tax on the shipping if they want to.
> ...


Fair enough. Too bad there aren't better rules regulating their behaviour.


----------

