AZGamer
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posted on February 23, 2001 11:43:59 AM
Recently, I sold an item to Canada, and sent it via Global Priority Mail. I marked it honestly, $35 of used computer equipment. Now that my buyer heard this he says he will have to pay $33 in duties on this and he will refuse the package. Is this true?
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dnbtoyz
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posted on February 23, 2001 11:50:58 AM
In my opinion that is the buyers problem. Why should you not tell the truth on the form? If he refuses it....he is out of a product. I have refused to take it back in the past and it was resent back to the buyer.
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AZGamer
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posted on February 23, 2001 11:55:46 AM
I guess what I'm saying is, are customs fees really that high?
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RB
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posted on February 23, 2001 12:02:57 PM
I doubt if these are duty charges. Probably the 7% GST, whatever the buyer's PST is (both based on the amount converted to Canadian dollars), plus a $5.00 graft charge levied by Canada Post for "handling" the item.
At any rate, $33.00 extra on an item that was marked $35.00 (you did mark the customs sticker with that value, right) is a little excessive. In the worst case (10% PST), the most he would have to pay on picking up this item would be around $14.00 CDN.
Sounds like buyer's remorse - he is trying to get out of his committment.
Please let us know how this turns out. If, in fact, duty is being charged (in addition to the taxes and post office graft), that would be the first time I have heard this in many years.
I also agree 100% with dnbtoyz - the buyer is responsible to know what extra charges s/he may incur. All you need to do as the seller is indicate the correct value (what he actually paid for the item, less your shipping charge) on the customs sticker.
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purrfectlycatz
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posted on February 23, 2001 12:04:33 PM
I'm a Canadian and have bought things from US sellers. Canadians have to pay duty on the value of the goods, depending on what the goods are. Customs determines the value when they open the package, so if you undervalue something, the buyer will still get "dinged" for the actual value. If a bill of sale is included, then the buyer will be protected from extra charges. Customs also charges a $5 fee just for opening a package and they tend to open EVERYTHING unless it states "gift". That's why Canadians will often ask the seller to mark the package as a "gift". I doubt the buyer in this case will be charged as much as he says.
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AZGamer
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posted on February 23, 2001 12:16:54 PM
The goods are a CPU.
The buyer is in British Columbia.
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shaani
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posted on February 23, 2001 12:23:46 PM
Your customer may have to pay a $5.00 fee plus 7% GST and 7% PST. Or he may get lucky like I do at times and never have to pay anything.
I have had hundreds of parcels come through Customs and I think they have only opened one. I guess I must be buying really boring stuff.
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Zazzie
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posted on February 23, 2001 02:12:13 PM
How did they pay you??? I don't think you should issue a refund--or at least only a partial refund....as a Canadian I know that out of country purchases may have taxes added on by customs and some items may have duty added too---but it's not the seller's problem unless they over-inflated the value on the customs sticker.
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AZGamer
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posted on February 23, 2001 02:15:13 PM
Let me clear this up.
This is a transaction with a friend of a friend, not on ebay. They originally decided they would pay when the item got there, mainly because I trust them. Refunds are not an issue.
The issue is are duties and taxes, etc, really that high?
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RB
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posted on February 23, 2001 02:59:09 PM
So you've kinda wasted everyone's time here then. This is a place to discuss auctions.
As to your question about duties, etc., it appears that this has been answered by at least two different posters, including me 
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shaani
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posted on February 23, 2001 03:34:02 PM
If the value of the goods are actually about $35 there should be no problem. If the gov't thinks the value should be higher then they may ask for proof of cost of sale. Or they may try to determine the actual value?
It also depends where the item was manufactured. If it was made in the USA there may be no duty at all.
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AZGamer
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posted on February 23, 2001 04:46:32 PM
No, I sell to canada on ebay.
I did not waste your time, I wanted to know if this was true, as I have sent GPM to Canada before, and would be more willing to mark "gift" if it is true.
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shaani
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posted on February 23, 2001 04:59:32 PM
Hi again,
I really don't think it makes a difference if it is marked as a gift or not. They can still charge duty on it.
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sweetlady1010
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posted on February 23, 2001 05:03:24 PM
Hey, if this is computer related goods then there is no duty on the product. In British Columbia they charge GST 7% and PST 7% at the border. What I suspect the charge for is brokerage fees, which are so rediculous sometimes that it's wonder that we Canadians even bother to buy anything in US. My son, for example, bough sun glasses on Ebay for $35 US and paid $38 in all related fees on arraval.
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shaani
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posted on February 23, 2001 05:15:10 PM
I don't think there are any duties on computer parts either. Brokerage fees are if the item is being sent by a courier service such as UPS. I do not think that there are brokerage fees for items sent by mail.
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ehansen
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posted on February 23, 2001 08:25:09 PM
I'm Canadian and have often bought from U.S. sellers. I belive that cross border sales should be honest and up front with the value (purchase price)of the item and a bidder from a country other than that of the seller should expect to pay the charges for duty and taxes. I don't mind paying the taxes and duty.
What burns me is UPS and their "brokerage" fees. A few months ago, I purchased a collection of items and, on top of the $20.00 delivery fee that the seller charged (reasonable given the weight and the fact they used a courier company to get it to me quicker), I was billed $412.00 at my door which included paying $45.00 to UPS to act as customs broker. They didn't do anything in their role as broker (maybe play acting). The seller filled out the forms and payed delivery on my behalf. I received the package...big deal. I wouldn't reject an item sent this way but UPS sure wouldn't be my first choice.
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transfans
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posted on February 24, 2001 07:41:54 AM
I agree. Canada Post will levy a $5.00 charge plus 7% GST of the value of the item (and I believe add provincial tax if applicable in your area) on items where the value is more than $20Canadian. Couriers like UPS can get really high on their brokerage fees, which is why unless it's a VERY fragile/expensive item, I just have it sent USPS airmail from the States.
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