Potential buyer asked me to put a lower value on customs form...would you do it?

[mschmidt]

I've sold to Canadian board members and I put a lower MV for them....doesn't matter for insurance claims (if there was one).

 

Are you sure about that? My understanding is that if you put a declared value on a package that's lower than the insured value, the declared value is what you'll be getting back in case of a claim ...

 

Of course it is. You think insurance companies operate on the honor system? If you declare the value of a item to a Foreign government, you think the insurance company will pay you a different dollar amount. Unequivocally not.

 

The carrier will cover up to the declared value. If no value is declared they will set a cap of what they are willing to pay. You may think your doing a nice thing, in reality you are limiting your coverage to whatever amount that you are illegally declaring.

 

 

Yeah, that's what I thought as well ...

[N/A]

I wouldn't suggest it and for $120 he likely won't even be charged. I do mark gift often because in my case I paid duty when I bought them. I paid brokerage when I CGC'd them and if I kept every tracking number I could theoretically mark them as US goods returned.

 

This... 9 times out of 10, Canada Customs doesn't bother with duty on comics. I've had books declared at $1000 and more come from the US without duty.

 

Worst case, your buyer is looking at 5% GST on $120 plus a $5 customs fee, which is $11. If he can't handle a small risk of paying an extra $11, he shouldn't be buying from out of the country.

 

Actually the 5% is now 13%.

[N/A]

I've sold to Canadian board members and I put a lower MV for them....doesn't matter for insurance claims (if there was one).

 

Are you sure about that? My understanding is that if you put a declared value on a package that's lower than the insured value, the declared value is what you'll be getting back in case of a claim ...

 

Of course it is. You think insurance companies operate on the honor system? If you declare the value of a item to a Foreign government, you think the insurance company will pay you a different dollar amount. Unequivocally not.

 

The carrier will cover up to the declared value. If no value is declared they will set a cap of what they are willing to pay. You may think your doing a nice thing, in reality you are limiting your coverage to whatever amount that you are illegally declaring.

 

 

Yeah, that's what I thought as well ...

 

Canada Post's program will not even let you continue if the insured value is greater than the declared value. This changed a few years ago.

[TupennyConan]

I've been to Canada.

 

I've gotten laid in Canada.

 

Then you've improved upon Canada.

[DiceX]

I heart Canada.

 

I pheart Canada.

 

 

[Loki]

I wouldn't suggest it and for $120 he likely won't even be charged. I do mark gift often because in my case I paid duty when I bought them. I paid brokerage when I CGC'd them and if I kept every tracking number I could theoretically mark them as US goods returned.

 

This... 9 times out of 10, Canada Customs doesn't bother with duty on comics. I've had books declared at $1000 and more come from the US without duty.

 

Worst case, your buyer is looking at 5% GST on $120 plus a $5 customs fee, which is $11. If he can't handle a small risk of paying an extra $11, he shouldn't be buying from out of the country.

 

Actually the 5% is now 13%.

 

Really? When did that happen? I was paying 5% as recently as December.

 

Or are you in a province that went to HST? Maybe it's related to that...

 

EDIT - I might have to check the declared value on that December parcel. I did a quick check on-line and I only paid $16 duty for a $900 book... That doesn't even make sense at the 5% rate. Only thing I can think of is that CLink didn't declare the full value, but I'd have to dig through my desk at home to see if I still have the paperwork...

[Chespirito]

I heart Canada.

 

I pheart Canada.

 

 

I heard Kanara

[N/A]

I wouldn't suggest it and for $120 he likely won't even be charged. I do mark gift often because in my case I paid duty when I bought them. I paid brokerage when I CGC'd them and if I kept every tracking number I could theoretically mark them as US goods returned.

 

This... 9 times out of 10, Canada Customs doesn't bother with duty on comics. I've had books declared at $1000 and more come from the US without duty.

 

Worst case, your buyer is looking at 5% GST on $120 plus a $5 customs fee, which is $11. If he can't handle a small risk of paying an extra $11, he shouldn't be buying from out of the country.

 

Actually the 5% is now 13%.

 

Really? When did that happen? I was paying 5% as recently as December.

 

Or are you in a province that went to HST? Maybe it's related to that...

 

EDIT - I might have to check the declared value on that December parcel. I did a quick check on-line and I only paid $16 duty for a $900 book... That doesn't even make sense at the 5% rate. Only thing I can think of is that CLink didn't declare the full value, but I'd have to dig through my desk at home to see if I still have the paperwork...

 

Just started recently. What provinces aren't on HST?

[Loki]

Just started recently. What provinces aren't on HST?

 

We're still using PST + GST here in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan (I have the "privilege" of living in a border community...) Alberta doesn't have a HST for the obvious reason of having no PST. Beyond that, I can't say for sure who else is still using the PST + GST combination.

[chromium]

I would declare a lower value for my good friends here on the boards (you blitches know who you are) but ebay is a vast waste of douchebaggery amped up on steroids and whiskey and would not do it for the random jerkwad that asked.

 

This.

[bababooey]

Just started recently. What provinces aren't on HST?

 

We're still using PST + GST here in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan (I have the "privilege" of living in a border community...) Alberta doesn't have a HST for the obvious reason of having no PST. Beyond that, I can't say for sure who else is still using the PST + GST combination.

HST, GST and PST rates by province BC & Ontario went to the HST in July of 2010. CBSA often applies the 'point of sale' book rebate at time of import reducing the HST rate down to the lower GST rate (5%)

 

There's no duty on books or comics however Canada's tax people differentiate "books - 5%" from "periodicals/magazines - HST rate" - I'd argue that an old comic is a book if I got charged the HST rate on an import because I think the higher applies to 'new' issues only but that's just my opinion on it & I might be wrong.

[Silver Surfer]

If the declared value is under $100 it usually gets sent through customs without any hassle and no VAT. For a $120 purchase you should have just sent it in as $90 and let the buyer know that any shortfall on an insurance claim is his problem. There are major dealers in the US that ship books worth thousands of dollars with a nonimal declared value and to be honest I love it, makes the shipment fast and no hassles [insurance is not an issue because they likely have a blanket CIS policy that covers it]. The invoice is mailed separately, now that's customer service baby.

[bababooey]

If the declared value is under $100 it usually gets sent through customs without any hassle and no VAT. For a $120 purchase you should have just sent it in as $90 and let the buyer know that any shortfall on an insurance claim is his problem. There are major dealers in the US that ship books worth thousands of dollars with a nonimal declared value and to be honest I love it, makes the shipment fast and no hassles [insurance is not an issue because they likely have a blanket CIS policy that covers it]. The invoice is mailed separately, now that's customer service baby.

If they are only applying the 5% then they likely have unwritten thresholds based on the volume of shipments they are processing in the postal system, Customs processes the entries for the post office so they have that advantage. You'd never get someone there to admit that & Customs raising the 'taxable value threshold' above the value established by law ($20 CAD threshold) IS an unfair competitive advantage the postal authority has over the couriers (Fed/UPS) - that's why the big couriers cheat the system too.

 

Realistically, FedEx has to do an entry on something valued at $25.00 CAD; the tax due is $1.05 & then Fed Ex charges a fee of $5 or $10 bucks (that's likely to go unpaid if not done as COD at door) & when they mail out an invoice....guess who gets the first $0.61 for the postage cost of mailing out that invoice that probably won't be paid? You guessed it, the post office.

 

[alonzo mosely]

I am in Alberta. I have two customs import forms in front of me for comics I recently bought - Dec 27/11 and Jan 09/12. Values are 167.23 and 411.39. Duty on both are zero dollars. Total payable on both is GST (5%) and "handling fee" of $8.50.

 

Important for Canada Customs is the "Classification Number" used for determining tariffs.

mine were:

 

4911999000 - Printed Matter

4901990091 - Books

 

So, basically, declare whatever value you feel comfortable with, but if the guy can't afford 5% on a book worth less than $200.00, then maybe he should buy food and pay rent before buying comics.

[Inhuman Fiend]

I am in Alberta. I have two customs import forms in front of me for comics I recently bought - Dec 27/11 and Jan 09/12. Values are 167.23 and 411.39. Duty on both are zero dollars. Total payable on both is GST (5%) and "handling fee" of $8.50.

 

Important for Canada Customs is the "Classification Number" used for determining tariffs.

mine were:

 

4911999000 - Printed Matter

4901990091 - Books

 

So, basically, declare whatever value you feel comfortable with, but if the guy can't afford 5% on a book worth less than $200.00, then maybe he should buy food and pay rent before buying comics.

 

[alonzo mosely]

I am in Alberta. I have two customs import forms in front of me for comics I recently bought - Dec 27/11 and Jan 09/12. Values are 167.23 and 411.39. Duty on both are zero dollars. Total payable on both is GST (5%) and "handling fee" of $8.50.

 

Important for Canada Customs is the "Classification Number" used for determining tariffs.

mine were:

 

4911999000 - Printed Matter

4901990091 - Books

 

So, basically, declare whatever value you feel comfortable with, but if the guy can't afford 5% on a book worth less than $200.00, then maybe he should buy food and pay rent before buying comics.

 

 

There can only be one

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9QS0q3mGPGg