Canada Customs can blow me Options

[grantsfo]

QUOTE (Mark Henry @ Mar 24 2005, 04:51 AM)

This is what the customs guy said to do…he’s telling me to cheat. A little cheat but still a cheat WTF. He even told me to have the packages sent on different days or they would catch on and do the same thing. Thats $1600 Canadian, so what about $1300US per package...thats a PITA. This is not Charles' fault, I've had many a package sent to "Mark Henry" no problems. Yes I'm PST exempt, but if I pay it I can claim it back, so what's the big deal. QUOTE A "business" is supost to be part of the "system" I.E. ship commercial carrier, hire a broker, pay, pay, pay...... not use the cheapest route (Canada Post's $5 charge for doing the paperwork and their cheap shipping). And Canadians wonder why shit is so expensive here...I'm just a little guy with a couple of boxes that are made in the USA.

Customs authorities in the US and Canada dont really discriminate between little and big guys. In fact little guys can usually get away with more. Customs is pretty much a pain in the A$$ for all of us. I've run into similar issues with US Customs.

And if you think waiting for a part is bad just think what its like for a company who sends a full truck of product worth $$$$$$ without proper preclearence, etc. Stuff sits, customers in Canada are freaking out asking where stuff is, The truck driver is getting paid overtime and hotel cost etc while some customs official is waiting to rubbber stamp the import.

Here is Canadian Customs commercial import page if you dont already have it.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4041...1/rc4041-e.html

And after reading it importing anything over $1600 by mail sucks. It would always be cheaper to use a commercial carrier who can broker goods for you. Unless your time is free and you live next to a Customs office. And the more I think about this issue probably has more to do with the Canadain Postal Authority not wanting to adminster customs brokerage and less to do with Customs.

[Mark Henry]

QUOTE (freezing14 @ Mar 24 2005, 11:31 AM)

by the way Mark you are close to the gananoque bridge..

Not close enough...about a 5hr round trip.

If I get bigger and start selling more import parts (not just bug/Porsche stuff) I'll look in to it. But thats only if I'm doing enough sales (when I get a shopping cart up later this year) to hire a kid. Not worth it if I could be at the shop doing work.

[freezing14]

yeah , it is a bit far,, in my case I live by the bridge and it is still a hassle to go get stuff

[balljoint]

There are a bazillion companies shipping product both ways over the border every day with improperly declared values. I know, I have worked for some of them in the past. Once you get caught, then you are flagged by the system and they look harder at everything you do.

I am not sure if it can work the same with USPS, but when a UPS shipment is sent to my business they have instructions in their system to contact our Canadian customs broker to clear the package. Cost is GST on the value plus the brokerage fee ($30 or so) per shipment. GST you have input credits to adjust against GST collected. That way your product is not delayed, and the GST and clearing invoice is settled with your broker after the fact.

[Mark Henry]

The person at customs didn't know how to fill out the form (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif)

She got her supervisor....she didn't know as well (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif)

They had to read the manual (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif)

Paid the GST (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif)

They had to fax it to Toronto (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif)

No way around this...but what do they know...clueless (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif)

Oh well, I've got my P&C's out of jail. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool.gif)

Should be here in a couple of days (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

What a load of (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/bs.gif)