Canada Customs

[Geranyl]

Canada customs will never make sense to me. Up your ladder was delivered with no customs fee. Today I received Missing links, also classified the exact same way with the same declared value, and they charged me to pick it up. *sigh*

[gkg]

the book is slightly thicker, therefore heavier - perhaps there is a weight restriction that triggers a fee?

[Geranyl]

no, it\'s based on value...go figure  

[gkg]

that\'s just dumb... did you call them on it?  of course, they\'re likely to tell you to pay up for the free ride of last time, eh?

sigh... oh well.  it was worth a thought.  at least you got the ultra fun book!!!  

[snubnog]

If it\'s anything like Customs here in the UK, a lot of the time it\'s just down to luck.

Our price limit is £18 which is about $30 US and I go over it practically every time, but I only get caught about 1 in every 10 orders I place. I suppose they just don\'t have the man power to check every single package.

I used to work in bank and it was the same with processing cheques. If it was under £1,000 they don\'t bother checking the signature because it would just take too long - they\'d rather risk it and just suffer the loss if it was fraudulent. Was that relevant? Not really.

[oldfolkie]

Geranyl, I have had similar experiences with Canada Customs. They are totally arbitrary! I\'ve found myself paying double the value for a (clearly marked) USED book, and having other purchases of greater dollar value come in scot-free. The only trend I noticed is that purchases from some companies (thinks amazon, cafepress) are almost always charged duty, but others like TDRS or Perceval Press or used book dealers are only occasionally charged, despite the documented value. Go figure -- I guess it\'s the luck of the draw.

[gkg]

sounds like subliminal support for indie companies... that\'s not a bad thing.

[DragonSon]

oh canada oh canada what a beautiful site

[snubnog]

Ok, this is hilarious. I had to open my big mouth. Having being lucky enough to avoid customs charges on all of my orders over the last six months, what happens to get caught? My latest TDRS order!!! Heh heh...

Click to enlarge:

 


Like I said before, our limit over here in the UK is £18 ($30.60 by today\'s rate). BUT, I\'d totally forgotten that this limit is increased to £36.00 ($61.20) if the "Gift" box is ticked.

Look at the charges on the back of the box, only £3.77 ($6.41) is actually legitimate tax - I got charged another £4.00 ($6.80) clearance fee for all their hard work (i.e. Stamping my package with a big red CHARGE stamp).


So Travis, would you have any objection to bending the rules a little on my future orders by ticking the "Gift" box? They should get through every time then!



p.s. Hey gkg - I think this payment is just tax that goes straight to your resident goverment (less the £4.00 the postal crew get for working that rubber stamp), I don\'t think the seller benefits if their packages don\'t get caught by customs. Travis\'ll have to correct me if I\'m wrong.

[gkg]

you\'re absolutely correct, the customs fees go to the government you\'re having things shipped to.  i think you misunderstood me snubdog - i meant only that by Canada not enforcing it on some of the indie stuff that comes through it helps give a break to people buying indie stuff - nothing to do with the indie producers getting any kind of direct compensation or remuneration for it.  sorry if i confused you.  i just think that subliminally if i knew that i got zapped less often buying indie stuff than when i bought big brand stuff, i\'d tend to buy more indie stuff and that in turn would be good for indie biz.  that\'s all.

[oldfolkie]

... by Canada not enforcing it on some of the indie stuff that comes through it helps give a break to people buying indie stuff ...subliminally if i knew that i got zapped less often buying indie stuff than when i bought big brand stuff, i\'d tend to buy more indie stuff and that in turn would be good for indie biz.  that\'s all.

LOL I jinxed myself by mentioning it, just like snubnog did. This week\'s package, containing lovely "Missing Links in the Food Chain" & Thanatopsis "Anatomize", got charged duty.    pfffffft!

psst, Travis -- I\'m still going to buy from your list, Canada Customs notwithstanding  

[snubnog]

you\'re absolutely correct, the customs fees go to the government you\'re having things shipped to.  i think you misunderstood me snubdog - i meant only that by Canada not enforcing it on some of the indie stuff that comes through it helps give a break to people buying indie stuff - nothing to do with the indie producers getting any kind of direct compensation or remuneration for it.  sorry if i confused you.  i just think that subliminally if i knew that i got zapped less often buying indie stuff than when i bought big brand stuff, i\'d tend to buy more indie stuff and that in turn would be good for indie biz.  that\'s all.

Aaah I\'m with you, sorry I misunderstood.  

You\'ve a good point too - it\'s another incentive to buy independantly.

[Change]

whenever I ship overseas or to Canada I always say the item is worth like $9, and mark it as a gift so customs will pass it by.  Obviously only if it is of relatively little value.  The only country that Ive ever had delays with is Hungary.  For some reason the Hungarians take their sweet time with customs...

[gkg]

snubdog said:

Aaah I\'m with you, sorry I misunderstood.

hey, we all misunderstand from time to time, no big deal.  smoches!! ;o)

[Geranyl]

whenever I ship overseas or to Canada I always say the item is worth like $9, and mark it as a gift so customs will pass it by.  Obviously only if it is of relatively little value.  The only country that Ive ever had delays with is Hungary.  For some reason the Hungarians take their sweet time with customs...

But they make a really good chicken paprikash! mmmm