zoran_bozic Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 I am looking to order the Speedlite 550 from the B&H in USA and have it shipped in Canada. Does anybody have any experiences ordering and shipping equipment across the border? Am I going to be charged any Canadian custom fees in addition to shipping and Canadian taxes? Thanks for all comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brainbubba_motornapkins Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 I just had some gear shipped to Canada by B&H. This was before they switched to UPS from FedEx. The shipping time was one week. The only additional charge was for HST, and a nominal (~Can.$5) brokerage fee (there is no duty charged on photo gear, just sales taxes). B&H claims that UPS no longer charges the exhorbitant, ~Can.$50 'customs handling' fee they once did. I'll be very interested if you can confirm this claim... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgo Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 I would also be interested in the current UPS fees days as they hit me twice for outrageous brokerage fees a few years ago. I have since not made cross border purchases unless shipping was via USPS & Canada Post ... Besides, courier shipments to consumers really suck! Since couriers will not deliver when I'm home, I end up driving 30 miles to pick things up due to the fact that courier depots are usually in very remote locations with limited open hours - I have two Canada Post parcel pick-ups locations less than 5 minutes from my house with much better business hours ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 When my business ships items in the USA; we always use UPS. When we ship to Canada; we always use the US postal service. If the items I sell are made in the USA; there are NO brokerage fees.; But UPS many times adds brokerage fees; which are not really required allowed law. The Canadian customs offical says this is a UPS racket; and used even harser words; not repeatable.........I was shocked; since UPS gives us excellent service; but we got major league flak from a Canadian customer; who had to pay extra fees; when we sent their items by UPS.......This ticks off the Canadian buyers; who are made to pay extra fees; that are not required according to NAFTA rules........The brokerage fees depend on where the item was made; what type of goods they are; and their price..............The CANADIAN CUSTOMS people are the ones that set the rules; not the US postoffice; which knows very little about NAFTA rules..........Maybe UPS have changed; but I'm not so sure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 As a seller; the NAFTA forms to prevent duties are a chore......Lets say I want to sell Airgun BB's Basketballs; and Hockeypucks to a fellow in Canada..........Each item sold must have a certificate of origin; where it was made. Then each item then has to be looked up in a giant chart; to give the code number......It took us 1 hour of calls to get the correct Canadian office; ie customs offical......A local "expert" sent us on a goose chase; that envolved the US post office; who ended up not being the ones that mattered....The canadian customs office gave us the several different codes; for our specific products.............In the fictional items above; the airgun BB's might be from India; and have a 7% tax; the Basketballs from the USA with NO tax; and the Hockeypucks from Germany a 8%? tax..........Items made in Mexico and the USA are not taxed<BR><BR>The Nafta customs form; the quanity; and prices; and Customs code numbers; are placed in a "packing list" envelope; for the Canadian Customs officals to use.........The US postal employees no nothing about this; and will say it is not necessary; and or rip the customs envelope off the package....After 3 years; we have them trained; after showing them the FAX from the Canadian customs.......<BR><BR>I believe many products are just taxed at crossing; when the papers are not there..........UPS brokers are doing some labor; and thus charge for it; because lazy USA sellers dont know the rules; or probably it is more work; that they dont get a dime for.......Thus the monkey is one the buyers back.........<BR><BR>We were importing a VERY specialized paper; only made in Canada; 3 to 5 years ago. We were paying 75 to 100 dollars brokerage fees;on top of shipping; on 500 dollars worth of product; that I found should have been duty free............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brainbubba_motornapkins Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Interesting, Kelly. Why does FedEx not need to charge the exhorbitant 'customs brokerage' fees that UPS does (/did)? Why aren't these fees charged on USPS shipments? As far as I know, with the advent of NAFTA, there are no duties chargeable on camera gear. This smells to me (and others, apparently) like a UPS scam... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael R Freeman Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 I have ordered from B&H to Canada several times and have used both Fedex and USPS/Canada Post. Fedex charged $0.00 (it was included in the S&H fee) to clear customs via Fedex International Economy. USPS/Canada Post will charge $5.00 to clear customs. If you are in Atlantic Canada you will be charged 15% HST, elsewhere I think you will only have to pay the 7% GST. There is no duty on photo equipment. AVOID UPS like the plague. I have been burned before like so many others. There is no rhyme, reason or logic behind their outrageous "brokerage fee". They are ripping off Canadian customers - plain and simple. If they have changed their ways it is a very recent change (although B&H does indicate on their site that the two UPS options they offer to Canada DO include customs clearance in the S&H charges). I simply don't trust the bast@#*s (UPS, not B&H)!! Fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me! Unless you need your gear in a BIG hurry and choose the Express option, or need to track it every step of the way, there is not a very significant difference in delivery time between economy courier services and Airmail. I have been very satisfied with B&H deliveries by Airmail. And it's cheaper to boot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew_hall1 Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Do MiniDV camcorders fall in the same category as "camera gear", thus exempt from duty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoran_bozic Posted July 5, 2003 Author Share Posted July 5, 2003 Thanks for all answers�º. This was quick!!! Since I am not in hurry, I can ship via AIR PARCEL POST and avoid any UPS surprises. If I understood properly, in order to avoid any additional charges, I would have to purchase product made in USA ¡V not GREY MARKET import. Is this right or it does not meter where the product is made? Thanks again to everybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 See if B&H can tell you what the Customs fees will be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgo Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 USA vs Grey has nothing to do with whether it's made in the USA or not. It's a question of how it got to the US - the manufacturer's channels or directly by B&H. It's basically a warranty thing in the US. B&H have more on the USA vs Grey question on their website. Warranty ... Just so you know, Canon Canada may not honour the warranty of a Canon USA or Grey product ... I'm not saying don't do it but if you do it, do it knowing all you should know ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_knight Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Insist on any form of shipping that won't get you dinged with a huge customs fee. UPS is attrocious. Some articles I've posted on my site cover a recent "hosing" by UPS. http://www.lowendmac.com/misc/03/0623.htmlhttp://www.lowendmac.com/misc/03/0630.html UPS is more interested in your money than your satisfaction. Avoid them for any commercial shipments into Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael R Freeman Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 <P>You will <B><U>NOT</U></B> be charged duty on grey market photo gear. CCRA does not know, or care, if your flash is an official Canon USA import or if it is a grey market import (they both have the same country of origin).</P> <P>I believe a miniDVD camcorder would also fall under the "photographic equipment" category and be duty free. I ordered a lens (grey market) and a slide projector on two seperate occasions and they were both listed on the customs forms under the same classification.</P> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoran_bozic Posted July 6, 2003 Author Share Posted July 6, 2003 Thanks to everybody� I have placed order for the Speedlite 550 (gray market) and it will be shipped using regular post service (not UPS). It looks like a saving of over 200 CAD ordering it this way instead going to local dealer in Toronto. I hope it arrives without problems. Once again thanks for all help !!! Zoran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimvanson Posted July 9, 2003 Share Posted July 9, 2003 I live in Canada. I just received a Domke jacket I ordered from B&H. It was $80. B&H added $23 shipping. I paid an additional $23 cdn on my end for tax and God knows what. The jacket ended up costing me $165 cdn. If I bought it from Vistek in Canada it would have been $275 cdn plus shipping... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimvanson Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 I should have mentioned that B&H shipped the 4 pound package via USPS international AirMail. It took 6 days to get to me in Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolf_lockwood Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 I live in Toronto and I've bought a lot of gear from U.S. sources over the last few years, from private sellers here on photo.net, KEH, Adorama, B&H, and Cameta, and can say with conviction that the USPS is as good as the couriers unless you want to track your new toy. And it's just about as fast -- a week or so. I avoid UPS too when I can but have yet to be hit with anything worse than a $5 charge. I don't believe there's actually anything complicated about it for a private seller on the U.S. end, so I'm always mighty annoyed when I see that "Will only ship to U.S. address" note at the bottom of an FS notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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