Shipping from US to Canada


Hi everyone,

I've never bought anything over the net before, but would like to know how the US-CAN shipping works. Let's say I buy a headphone amp for 200 USD used ... will they charge me tax on this (even though it's used)? If I ship with UPS, which is the cheapest, can I tell the seller to fix the value at say, 50 USD (and hence, pay less tax), but still have UPS insure it for 200 USD? I figure this is not too outrageous since the purchase could be something with zero market value, but worth a lot for the individual.

Thank You.
monkeyking

Showing 1 response by hellosimplymusic

You can not have an insured value that is greater than the declared value.
You can have a declared value that is greater than the insured value.

Customs people aren't stupid. Lets see, it's insured for $200 and declared for $50. Hmm...
You are asking for serious problems.
U.S. & Canadian customs got wise to that game around 1991.

BTW, if you falsify your customs declarations, U.S. or Canadian customs has absolutely NO problem
with seizing your items and destroying them (and good luck fighting them on that).
Also, keep in mind, we have found that many of these customs personal have the attitude of an angry postal employee, and they are happy to flex their one ounce of power against you, if you give them the chance.

"UPS, which is the cheapest,"
That statement is simply incorrect and very vague.
Fed EX, DHL, AirBorne, UPS etc, all have about the same rates for
the same services between the U.S & Canada.
We have found UPS to be the least cooperative if you happen to have any customs problems.
USPS is probably the best for smaller items, but they have insured limits that seem to vary for no explainable reason. Also, if you have to file a claim you will really be in for a nightmare
(and USPS is infamous for losing items, where as UPS is infamous for breaking them).
We rarely use USPS, and have not shipped anything with UPS since 1998.

Yes, on used non Canadian made items from the U.S. to Canada you will pay tax on them.

Brian@Hello.lt

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