Held up in customs

Hi, I bough a amp and pre-amp from canada. The UPS delivery had a bill for me to pay $50 for each item for duty and UPS processing fee. The processing fee was $35 by itself. If it's a item made in the USA, there is no duty, but if item is from Canada or Europe the duty applies. This also applies when items get shipped to Canada from the US.

I already know about duty and fees. I've been told it will be 3% of the declared value plus a brokerage fee of $30-50. It is a Copland CDA 289 from Denmark, I believe the brand is imported inotn the US so the laser should be in compliance. I hope!

Paulg805: There is no US duty on Canadian goods (and vice versa). But you have to fill out a declaration that the goods are of Canadian (or US) manufacture and list the maker. No declaration, then you pay.

I had a package held up going >>TO<< Canada for, get this, TWO MONTHS!!! Shipping was via USPS & in fact I'd shipped to the same place a few times before. Something to do with the value.

Customs can do anything they want.

There is no duty between Canada or the US if they are manufactured there due to NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). The only fee the government could charge is sales tax. Canadians pay sales tax on items every time they receive an item from the US.
UPS charges a fee to take the package to customs. Usually they do not take the package. Not only do they rip off Canadians getting packages from the US, but they rip off Americans getting packages from Canada.
The total fees end up costing the customer close to what the cost would be if we paid for Air Service. UPS etc. do not charge this fee if we select air service. Think of it-for an example pay 100 for next day air and pay no other fees. Instead pay 65 for 5 day ground service and then pay another 35 for brokerage. Your total cost is 90 and you had to wait an additional 4 business days. Including weekends, this could be an additional 6 days and pay the same amount. Clever marketing on UPS part. Charge less for an inferior service and then charge and end user fee which ends up costing the customer almost the same fee for this service. They must love ground shipping between countries. If they charge a fee outside a brokerage or sales tax, it is not payable. In the future, try Fed-Ex two day service. It is cheaper than next day air and is cheaper than ground + brokerage. They do not charge a brokerage fee on the 2 day service.