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View Full Version : Shipping to Canada from US stores online - taxes & duties?


canuck grower
01-03-2007, 06:13 PM
Hey all,

In my experience buying computer supplies from online stores in the US can be costly as shit. Sometimes you get taxed by the gov't and UPS charges you a brokerage fee to clear the package through customs. Once you factor those in with the cost of shipping you rarely save anything and often end up paying more. I would clear packages myself but it's too far of a trip; it would cost me the same amount to travel to Richmond, BC or wherever you have to go.

For that reason I hesitate to order things from the USA for growing. A cool tube at the local hydro shop costs CAD$200 (http://www.google.ca/search?q=200+cad+in+usd), but you can find them online for as low as US$100 (http://www.google.ca/search?q=100+usd+in+cad). I'm just thinking that once I add $25 for shipping, customs/tax + UPS' brokerage fee I will probably end up paying at least $200 anyway.

Does anyone have experience with this? Should I bother trying to save a buck by buying from our southern friends or will I get burned like before?

Anyway to all you Americans, you lucky bastards better appreciate the deals you can get down there! Trust me it's just not fair. ;)

Oh and if you know of a good Canadian online store I'm all ears! The only one I know of is progressive growth, the place with $200 cool tubes IF you buy the complete light package. I don't have $400+ for a light kit so I'm researching cheaper options. Building my own is one of those options but if I have to order parts off eBay (Bake A Round) for $30+shipping I may as well try and just buy one for a little more.

-canuck :jointsmile:
harris7
01-03-2007, 11:10 PM
ya man gotta watch out for duties. I dont know how to see them b4 you get charged. I ordered 6 lights from 1000bulbs. fuck that, got hit with a duty of 37 on a 50$ purchace. Hmm it sucked. and once you buy it from the company it's not their problem.
kdspecial
01-03-2007, 11:29 PM
Brokerage fees. are very costly espically with UPS, I ordered a paintball part and It cost me 50 CAD brokerage fee, For somthing that had a value of 65US

The more its valued at the higher your fee will be.

Best bet is to buy from somone in Canada. And your safest bet is to buy from a store close to your home. So if there is a problem you take it back right away. If you light burns out mid way through grow, or whatever fan etc. YOu go to the store tell them and if they are decent they will replace for decent price if not for free.

PLANTS DON't GROW WITHOUT LIGHT.

so if somthing happens you don't want to lose 2 weeks of grow time cuz your waiting for an email. And your gonna want to keep growing so chances our if somthing does go wrong with you Ebay item or online item. Your gonna geta replacement at you local store. cuz you can't stand to watch your plants suffer. So you pay twice...

I prefer piece of mind, over saving 50 bucks... If you will evensave that.

My 2 cents

kd
canuck grower
01-03-2007, 11:47 PM
Good advice, thanks guys. I had bought things that were about $500, saving $100 from the prices in BC, but then I got fucked in the ass by UPS and had to shell out like $120. I wasn't sure if it was the same for $100 orders, but I guess it is.

I'll just get one at the local shop, or more likely build one. I was only going to order the cool tube.
crazywill
01-04-2007, 02:14 PM
:twocents: Hi canuck grower
If you had a frend in the usa who could buy it for you and ship it to you,I dont know if you would pay a duty or not.But its just a thought.if you get it from say the UK and not the usa do you still pay a duty?:Thats mytwocents:
Peace
canuck grower
01-04-2007, 05:20 PM
Yeah, it's not a duty (thanks NAFTA, even though NAFTA sucks) but UPS actually charging a brokerage fee to clear it through customs. Very rarely do you get hit with customs duty as well, well maybe that's because most of what I order online is < $500.

But to me I don't care if UPS or the gov't takes it, it's bullshit either way.
kdspecial
01-04-2007, 06:13 PM
Yeah, it's not a duty (thanks NAFTA, even though NAFTA sucks) but UPS actually charging a brokerage fee to clear it through customs. Very rarely do you get hit with customs duty as well, well maybe that's because most of what I order online is < $500.

But to me I don't care if UPS or the gov't takes it, it's bullshit either way.

the worst part is it is actully a Lawer or Brokerage Lawer on the US side hands the package to a Brokerage Lawer on the CAD side. and thats it,,, thats what your being charged for, I imagine they maybe scan it to log it into a computer.. Then they come up with a number based on the price. or the boxes value..

dang im in the wrong business...

kd