2. amps-preamps
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25 customs/tax fee to ship audio to Canada ??

Hi folks:
I sold my Sonic Frontiers Line 3 to a buyer in Canada about three weeks ago. I'm located in California and the buyer is in Ontario, Canada. I find that Canadian customs are holding the preamp, and want about $700CDN in customs/fees/tax before relinquishing the used preamp, which was declared and insured for $2,500USD. To me this excessive charge has been very surprising. Have others had the same experience? Are there ways to contest or overcome this problem? It would seem to make prohibitive any Canadian purchase of gear from the US. The whole problem is particularly disturbing given that one would think that there is such a thing as NAFTA. Also, the Line 3 is manufactured in Canada, and marked clearly as such on the paperwork. FedEx Ground was the shipper in this instance. Anyway, any advice would be welcome. Thanks!!!
outlier
fyneplace
40 posts
 
I agree with the above. I have had many items sent from the U.S. to Ontario. No duty ... but PST and GST are unavoidable. FedEx and UPS then add their own brokerage fees.
Therefore, the $700 sounds about right. Mind you, if I bought the same used item from an Audiogoner in Canada, there would be no PST/GST or brokerage fees.
Go figure!

Jeff
unsound
7,341 posts
 
I won't do international trades. Just imagine if you had a dispute! Years ago I invested in a Canadian company that provided equipment to the mining trade. I made a quick fortune. That is until I tried to collect. The Canadian goverment decide to nationalize the firm and sized their assests. I ended up with less than I started with. This is Canada, not some third world South American regime victim to a coupd'e'tat. Or so I thought. Not to get too political, but I was against NAFTA then, and I still am.
dogpile
118 posts
 
If you think 15% tax is crazy, we are now being charged $7.00 for a pack of smokes...and now our government is seriously considering LEGALIZING the selling and use of marijuana! So to all our neighbours to the south...we're not low-balling you, our own government is.

How much are you taxed for goods shipped into the US?
jeffloistarca
1,004 posts
 
Canadian buyers would be better off buying used gear within Canada. Failing that, Fed Ex is a much better carrier than UPS (who rob you blind on customs paperwork charges). If you don't already frequent Canuck Audiomart it's worth a look:

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/
plugged
28 posts
 
Be very careful when you ship to any other country with a lower declared value! If there should be damage, it is the perfect excuse for the shipping company to pay you only the value of what has been declared. Plus, Customs will sometimes check the insured value to see if it jives (they are not that dumb, they've seen it all). It should be very clear between buyer and seller that the seller takes responsibility for any excess value should there be damage.
Also, don't assume that damage can be fixed for a low amount. Speakers are the good example here. Try getting a replacement cost on a pair of cracked B&W Nautilus 801 cabinets and you'll find out what I mean (yes, this happened to us, the cabinets come from Germany and cost more $$ than the speakers sell for on the used market!).
Same thing with chassis metalwork, often more expensive to rebuild the amp than the amp sold for used.

Kevin
The Sound Broker
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