Shipping to Canada from U.S. - Filling out the custom form

[codfish]

I don't recommend that you call it a gift. Canada Post may be inefficient. They may even be stupid. But they see enough of this so that the scam is not worth trying. Though it works most of the time you are buying a huge headache when it doesn't.

 

To be honest it doesn't really matter. It is all a matter of what the value and contained objects are declared as. I almost guarantee that Canada Post will inspect or just flat out charge the tax and service charge on anything with a declared value of $50 or coming from a identifiable business.

 

I have been charge tax and service fees regardless of whether or not "gift" is checked or not. I have not been charge tax or service charges any more on packages that were marked otherwise.

 

It really doesn't matter what box you check these days.

 

Call the comics "collectable magazines". It seems there is no specific catagory for comic books. They may be like stamps and coins, they may be like magazines. Collectable magazines covers both.

 

Collectibles in the declaration box is a great way to get the tax and service charge on your item. Printed matter is both correct and ambiguous unless the value is high ... but with a high value it really doesn't matter what you put they will probably tax you.

 

Note that they are "Traded between collectors". The word "traded" refers to trade between our countries, not two Little Lulu's for one Donald Duck.

 

And note that they are "Not for Resale". Collectables are duty free under most circumstances but not when they are to be flipped.

 

Sigh. It doesn't matter if an item is "duty free" it is GST that is applied to the item not a duty.

 

Do NOT put down "ebay transaction". They will charge duties.

 

Right but it is not duty they charge it is tax and a service charge.

 

Comics should fall under our free trade agreement.

 

Maybe if this was a large commercial transaction involving items that fall under free trade but transactions among individuals do not fall under the free trade agreement.

[thirdgreenham]

Maybe if this was a large commercial transaction involving items that fall under free trade but transactions among individuals do not fall under the free trade agreement.

 

Oh...isn't this nice news to hear about. I always wondered that. This "free trade agreement" never seemed to be free trade at all (to me).

 

Ah, back to declaring the item, I've seen "printed matter" before.

 

On yet another note, here's a short story about an "oopsie" that I made. I bought an item from the States and wanted to send cash to the seller. I don't remember where I heard it or read it, but I was under the impression that it's illegal to send cash in the mail. I don't know for sure. Anyway, I bought an xpresspost envelope (Canada's equivalent to the US's Global Priority envelopes) and put the cash ($100.00) in there with a letter to the seller. I had piece of mind shipping cash this way as the envelopes have those "tracking numbers". Two weeks went by and the seller asked if I'd sent payment. I said I had and I'll check the status as the envelope is trackable. Canada Post showed that the item crossed into the States, went to the correct state and then no info. I talked to a representative of Canada Post and she said that it should have arrived by then as those are guaranteed for 5 business days. She asked if I wanted to open up a case to try and locate the envelope and I said sure. She asked for the contents and the value of the item I sent. I didn't want to lie and I didn't want to tell her I mailed cash (in case it was illegal), so I told her that I sent documents worth $100.00. She asked what kind of documents, and I said (nervously and thinking quickly) they were stock certificates. Well, here I am lying now, and I can't backtrack and change my story. I told the seller what I've just told you and asked if he minded waiting another week. A week went by and payment still hadn't arrived so I sent a second payment (money order this time). He got that and sent the comics. Canada Post contacted me and said they've had no luck with their enquiry, and they'll need to reimburse me for the contents of the envelope. I was asked again what was in there. I replied documents. What kind of documents, what do you mean? Ahhhh, old stock certificates worth $100 USD. "Oh, I'm sorry sir" I was told, "We are unable to attribute any value for documents, therefore we can't give you any kind of reimbursement". But, this is a guaranteed service that didn't make it to the destination. My items are lost and you won't reimburse me for this loss? No sir, we can't on documents. I believe they're going to give me another one of their envelopes to replace the missing one. Hindsight tells me that I should have said it was $100 in the envelope, but I was unsure of the laws regarding mailing money. So, in the end, it cost me $200 for the books, and chalk up another reason to hate Canada Post. Sorry to put you all through my rant...had to tell someone.

Andy