Import duties for buying outside Canada?

[stang106]

I am having a difficult time to figure out how the customs duties is applied to a large purchase from either the USA or Totalcycling in Ireland. I know I'll be responcible for shipping, GST, but has anyone experience form purchases they can share?
THanks,
Dave

 

[EnigManiac]

I am having a difficult time to figure out how the customs duties is applied to a large purchase from either the USA or Totalcycling in Ireland. I know I'll be responcible for shipping, GST, but has anyone experience form purchases they can share?
THanks,
Dave

I ordered a number of accesories from a location in the US and found my customs fees and duty more than tripled the amount of the accesories themselves, making them more expensive than a domestic dealer would have been. Contact the shipping company for full details before proceeding.

 

[Sam Mcgee]

I ordered a number of accesories from a location in the US and found my customs fees and duty more than tripled the amount of the accesories themselves, making them more expensive than a domestic dealer would have been. Contact the shipping company for full details before proceeding.

Be very careful about having anything shipped with UPS, they'll add easily a $30 brokerage fee for importing even small items into Canada. I would check at your local bicycle dealer, show him what you're looking at and see if they can supply it for a comparable price.

 

[crewman]

I am having a difficult time to figure out how the customs duties is applied to a large purchase from either the USA or Totalcycling in Ireland. I know I'll be responcible for shipping, GST, but has anyone experience form purchases they can share?
THanks,
Dave

I have bought numerous items from shops and E-bay through the States. The main thing is you have to have patients. Packages can take up to 4-6 weeks to arrive and to always us USPS for shipping. It comes through Canada Post and there brokerage fee is only $5.00. Must of the time I have payed no or little to none in the way of duties and taxes.

 

[Sam Mcgee]

I have bought numerous items from shops and E-bay through the States. The main thing is you have to have patients. Packages can take up to 4-6 weeks to arrive and to always us USPS for shipping. It comes through Canada Post and there brokerage fee is only $5.00. Must of the time I have payed no or little to none in the way of duties and taxes.

I agree, there are a lot of nice accessories available on Ebay. I also always make sure that it's shipped with USPS and most things come across without even incurring a $5 charge from Canada Post. If I need two $30 items, I'll buy them separately even though I'll pay a little more in shipping I avoid the brokerage fee and taxes.

You have to be careful about what the sellers write on Ebay, I bought this bag on Ebay where he said it retails for $49:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7295&item=7125067281&rd=1

When it arrived I found that it was a Bike Nashbar bag that actually only retails for $18.99:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=66&subcategory=1002&brand=&sku=6803&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

I gave negative feedback for the seller complaining specifically about this lie but later had to withdraw it when he threatened me with false negative feedback. The seller still lies about many of the items he sells.

Mountain Equipment Coop is good Canadian source for accessories:
www.mec.ca

 

[GTIDXC]

Try bikeroom I have ordered a few items usually they are reasonable it took about 4 weeks to get around christmas if you have issues just e-mail them though if it is a small problem he will fix it but won't e-mail back. I'm satisfied with there service, MEC is good too.

 

[stang106]

I use BIKEROOM.COM alot and will continue to do so. They have the best prices in Canada. I ask for 'Dave' as he races MTN X-C and so do I but sometimes I need help with the tech stuff.

I just bought a Leader frame and aero fork from e-bay and these are the added on costs: Frame and fork: $268.01USD shipping $30.00 USD. GST: $22.79
Broker fee: $45.65. Tarif Treatment $10.00 for a total of $397.26 Canadian. Still a deal and I don't know how Leader can sell their frames and forks so cheap but I have more cash to put Campy Chorus and Eurus wheelset on!
Dave

 

[limerickman]

I am having a difficult time to figure out how the customs duties is applied to a large purchase from either the USA or Totalcycling in Ireland. I know I'll be responcible for shipping, GST, but has anyone experience form purchases they can share?
THanks,
Dave

The authorites in countries have cottoned on to the fact that people are now purchasing stuff abroad because it's cheaper and thus they have decided to clamp down and to impose duty and tax where-ever they can.

Little anecdote - I bought a bike over the internet from a guy in Minnesota last year.
The bike cost $2,000 or €1200.
Great bike - great deal.

Got the bike fowarded to here - had to pay nearly €400.00 in taxes and import duties.
That was a surcharge of nearly 33% - all to pay some goverment employee.

Now there is a way round this and I would be prepared to help you if you want to get that product from TotalCycling (I am here in Ireland) to your location.
My way - you won't be subject to tax/duty.
The only cost you will incur will be the postal from here.

I want to get one over on all goverment - who rob their citizens.

Send me a private message if you're interested.
I'll try to help you.

 

[Daker]

Hi, I found this chain thru a search engine so dont know if any of you guys can advise me -

I am considering the posibility of buying a Rocky Mountain MTB from Canada, as they appear to be significantly cheaper than in the UK. Obviously I want to minimise the import duties etc, so can anyone advise of a good way of doing so ?

Thanks.

 

[Bikeophile]

hey Folks!


Just to add to the conversation. I run a Canadian online bike site
(http://www.bikeophile.com)

One of the main reasons I started the site, was because of exactly what we're talking about. The duties are insane sometimes.

You always pay GST and PST on your purchase (you can get PST back at tax time if you have a company and PST exemption number though).

You will also get the handling fee / brokerage fee. I got hit with $77 last week on a shipment from Arizona (on top of customs fees). I basically got fed up with buying from online shops in the States and in the UK and paying double or more once the currency conversion, duties, fees and taxes got added.

Cheers
RoB