Shipping to Canada

[phat_mats]

Hi;

Looking at buying through Bill and I am just trying to figure out my shipping costs. I went to Fed-ex and got a cost using a random area code in palm city shipped to my door. With a declared value of 3300 US I got a charge of 28.75 for ground shipping and 87.50 for fed-ex express.

My question is are there any additional charges that I have to pay besides paying Bill and paying the shipping charge above. Is there a brokerage fee? Do I have to pay GST?

If nobody has an answer is there any place where I might be able to find this inofrmation. Thanks.

[hausman]

My question is are there any additional charges that I have to pay besides paying Bill and paying the shipping charge above. Is there a brokerage fee? Do I have to pay GST?

You will have to pay GST and PST (ex AB, et al). You will also have to pay a brokerage fee to FedEx. That may be included in the Express pricing but will be extra for Ground. Call 1-800-463-3339 and ask them for the specific amounts.

[Txiasaeia]

You will only have to pay PST if you live in BC, Ontario, Quebec or Manitoba.

I think the cheapest way to get your notebook shipped from the US to Canada is USPS Global Express - a notebook should cost about $50 USD which includes insurance, it will take 3-5 days, and there's only a handling fee of $8 CAD when it enters the country. You'll have to pay GST, of course, but it's the cheapest method by far. Once it's in the country it gets transferred to Purolator.

UPS Ground will be the worst in the long run because they have a lot of hidden charges, but UPS Express or Expedited isn't too bad - expensive up front, but no such brokerage or hidden charges once it's in Canada.

[hausman]

You will only have to pay PST if you live in BC, Ontario, Quebec or Manitoba.

Please explain. I know SK doesn't have DST but when did you get rid of PST?

As for the Atlantic provinces, they have HST, which is essentially GST+PST bundled into a single, easy-to-pay tax.

I think the cheapest way to get your notebook shipped from the US to Canada is USPS Global Express - a notebook should cost about $50 USD which includes insurance, it will take 3-5 days, and there's only a handling fee of $8 CAD when it enters the country. You'll have to pay GST, of course, but it's the cheapest method by far. Once it's in the country it gets transferred to Purolator.

That's why I prefer FedEx. They may charge a bit more, but they're responsible from end-to-end. With USPS <---> CanPost(Purolator), once you cross the border, the sender's post office no longer tracks the shipment.

UPS Ground will be the worst in the long run because they have a lot of hidden charges, but UPS Express or Expedited isn't too bad - expensive up front, but no such brokerage or hidden charges once it's in Canada.

I avoid cross-border UPS at all costs as a matter of principle. They're extortionists.

[Txiasaeia]

Well, we've still got PST here in SK, but Canada Border Services/CCRA doesn't collect PST on shipped orders from the US. Go figure

[atlacatl]

...My question is are there any additional charges that I have to pay besides paying Bill and paying the shipping charge above. Is there a brokerage fee? Do I have to pay GST? ...

I say travel to the US, buy it and bring it over - After all, it is a computer for personal use

With the Canadian and US exchange rate, you'll save almost half the cost.

[Leon]

and pay for your trip

[Txiasaeia]

...My question is are there any additional charges that I have to pay besides paying Bill and paying the shipping charge above. Is there a brokerage fee? Do I have to pay GST? ...

I say travel to the US, buy it and bring it over - After all, it is a computer for personal use

With the Canadian and US exchange rate, you'll save almost half the cost.

If you get caught, though, you'll have it confiscated, and at worst charged with smuggling, I kid you not. It's a pretty low risk, but something to be aware of.

[atlacatl]

I say travel to the US, buy it and bring it over - After all, it is a computer for personal use

With the Canadian and US exchange rate, you'll save almost half the cost.

If you get caught, though, you'll have it confiscated, and at worst charged with smuggling, I kid you not. It's a pretty low risk, but something to be aware of.

Indeed it is considered smuggling and it is illegal - I said it half joking as you see the at the end - I don't recomend it to be done - And I appologize if it was taken as the way to go to save on $...

Please don't do it - Custom's laws are there for a reason and are very strict when applied - I buy things from the US and I pay for the GST on the US price...Right now because of the high price of the Canadian dollar, ordering from the US (From Billl or other vendor) you still save a heck of a lot of money...A top of the line t42p is almost $8,000 CDN - Compare that to $3,000 US...

[hausman]

Please don't do it - Custom's laws are there for a reason and are very strict when applied

I've been told that after you've been caught, convicted, confiscated, fined, etc. -- even for relatively minor offenses -- a record goes into the computer to ensure that you get the "full treatment" at border crossings for at least 5 years.

Also, if you take new merchandise that you bought in Canada out of the country, it's best to show it to Customs on the way out, along with the receipt, so that they have a record of it when you come back. They give you a card that shows the make, model and serial numbers. Otherwise the onus will be on you to prove you didn't buy it outside Canada when you return.

[atlacatl]

Please don't do it - Custom's laws are there for a reason and are very strict when applied

...Also, if you take new merchandise that you bought in Canada out of the country, it's best to show it to Customs on the way out, along with the receipt, so that they have a record of it when you come back. They give you a card that shows the make, model and serial numbers. Otherwise the onus will be on you to prove you didn't buy it outside Canada when you return.

Well, I would think this doesn't apply to everything. Plus you get excemption of duty free items relative to your stay out of the country of origin. The value of electronics is > than the excemption allowed, so you do the math...

I travel to the US (from Canada) from time to time and you only need to declare gifts and things you buy outside of the US (Or Canada, if you are from the US). I mean, why do I need a card for new underwear I bring along the trip - Also, I bring a laptop with me at all times and this "personal" item doesn't require any type of card (Even if it's brand new). Of course it goes in the X-ray belt for checking, but that's about it...

Mind you that if you are bringing merchandise into the coutnry for business purposes (US or Canada - Due to the NAFTA agreenment things are pretty similar both ways) then you MUST declare what you are bringing in/taking out. I.e. demo products, samples, etc, etc.

[Txiasaeia]

Also, if you take new merchandise that you bought in Canada out of the country, it's best to show it to Customs on the way out, along with the receipt, so that they have a record of it when you come back. They give you a card that shows the make, model and serial numbers. Otherwise the onus will be on you to prove you didn't buy it outside Canada when you return.

This is an *awesome* idea - I've been wondering what to do if I were to bring merchandise out of Canada and back in if I didn't have a receipt. Thank you very much!

[hausman]

From http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4 ... #P149_4825

Before travelling abroad with valuable items, you can take advantage of a free identification procedure at any of our customs offices. This service is available for items that have serial numbers or other unique markings. For items that do not have such markings, we can apply a sticker to give them a serial number.

When you show your valuables to the customs officer and state that you got them in Canada or lawfully imported them, the officer will list your valuables and their serial numbers on a wallet-sized card. If you are questioned about your goods when you return to Canada, simply show your card to the customs officer. This will help identify the valuables that were in your possession before leaving the country.

[Jeremy31]

I'm in the US right now but am about to move back to Canada. I'm about to buy a T42 for work - I was planning on buying it in Canada when I get there from ibm.ca - but this thread got me thinking. I'm concerned about service - if I buy a Thinkpad in the US (say from Bill) and I move to Canada, is there anyway to get the warranties to work in Canada (including accidental and onsite?)

Jeremy

[atlacatl]

I'm in the US right now but am about to move back to Canada. I'm about to buy a T42 for work - I was planning on buying it in Canada when I get there from ibm.ca - but this thread got me thinking. I'm concerned about service - if I buy a Thinkpad in the US (say from Bill) and I move to Canada, is there anyway to get the warranties to work in Canada (including accidental and onsite?)

Jeremy

You should buy it now that you are in the US. The value of the CDN dollar is a bit high right now, and you'll be paying much more in Canada than you would right now. You'll be saving in the likes of $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 depending on the model.

As per the guarantee, I know for a fact that it is valid "worldwide" and Canada is part of the world As per next day, service call the IBM tech support number and ask them regarding this. I only have the ship to depot 3 year guarantee.

[hausman]

if I buy a Thinkpad in the US (say from Bill) and I move to Canada, is there anyway to get the warranties to work in Canada (including accidental and onsite?)

The standard 1 or 3 year ThinkPad warranty is International, so you'll have no trouble getting service in Canada. As for the accidental damage option, call IBM and ask. I'd be surprised if it wasn't International too, especially if it's sold by IBM rather than a third party.