Customs / Import Value?

[TheMightyOb]

So, being new to the sport I'm gradually building my supplies, but I read on the border services site that imports under 20 are tax and duty free, 50 and under if its a 'gift'.

Because of this I have been breaking up my shipments to keep them in the 20 to 30 dollar range.

But I am wondering if I need to? RSOV valued my 1st shipment at 7 bucks (was actually 20) and airsoft club's prices are so low I could really add alot and be under 50 bucks...do they count the shipping value as part of the taxable / duty cost? Shoudl I ask them to mark it as gift?

Thoughts?

[Rooster]

You can ask them to mark it as a gift, and they likely will, but just so you know, if the CBSA sees a pattern in you recieving a lot of parcels now matter what the value, they can start taxing you.

[coach]

doesn't matter. if custom's opens the package, they can re-evaluate what the value of the item is. say if you ordered an item that is normally $50 and it's declared as only $12, it's possible that you will pay tax on $50. most times then not, they don't care and just inspect it to make sure all items are legal for import. sure you can fight it but it's just easier to not have your product de-valued and pay the tax. marking an item as gift rarely makes any difference.

problem with devaluing your product is that if it gets lost or damaged, you'll only be reimbursed for what it is declared at. this is more so important for private sales. retail sales 'should' be declaring the amount it would cost them to replace the item. rsov placing a lower value without consulting you is at their own risk but more than likely that's what it cost them.

at work we ship product worldwide and declare the value of an item at our stores cost. so if something cost us $50 and we sell it for $80, it's shipped value is $50 since it would only cost us $50 to get a new one. if we were to declare it at $80 and there was a damaged or lost item, it would be mail fraud by making that $30 profit.

shipping cost is not included in the declared value.

[redzaku]

are you trying to save money or some thing?

[pusangani]

Originally Posted by redzaku

are you trying to save money or some thing?

now where would you get an idea like that from?

Typically, from the packages I've gotten (and there's been tons) the HK companies will always undervalue and mark as gift, the CBSA people are not likely to check what the proper value should be, they are (as Coach mentioned) mostly concerned with the legality of the items shipped.

US sites, different story, they don't like to underestimate the declared value.

[Darklen]

There's an entire thread devoted to CBSA Importation and collection of duty here.


Shipping is never calculated into the value fo the shipment. CBSA isn't stupid, they know what our stuff is worth and the whole "gift" thing is just a way around duty fees if it's from a company. They know the game very well. It doesn't matter what you tell whoever to declare the value at, if CBSA think it's worth more, they'll just bill you more for it.

For the record, after importing goods for the better part of a decade (not just airsoft goods either), I have never, ever, been charged duty. GST yes, duty, never. And don't forget CBSA's $5 fee (I've occassionally been charged $8) if they decide to "look" at your parcel, on top of GST if they decide to charge you for that.

[BobbyDangerous]

The only thing you can import is C4 which has a high value on the market. Thats the only thing the rest you can just grab and K-mart or Zellers. They're the largest distributors....


K i go..

[VooDooPeteK]

also keep in mind that they "insurance" if any is based the the declared value of the package .

if you buy a $100 worth of stuff and the value is marked at $50 this is all you will get back if needed

[cjboi]

weird I never get tax from the customs whenever I bought stuff. Only if its UPS, then I pay custom duty tax (brokerage fee) I dont know if its the same.

[CJay]

just for thwe record - the business i work for has a brokerage company as well that deals with customs import from the US and a number of the outsource companies we in turn deal with ship using UPS - now when u have a brokerage company does everything and bills u directly including brokerage, the shippershouldn't ever charge u brokerage fee's or any GST etc. UPS does and largely as it turns out has no legal justification to do so.

UPS are complete scam artists so make sure u 100% check every shipment u get from UPS.

[tofino]

Besides the value of goods try to get shipped via USPS/Canada Post. never use UPS because they have "extra" fees.

[Pyred]

Originally Posted by cjboi

weird I never get tax from the customs whenever I bought stuff. Only if its UPS, then I pay custom duty tax (brokerage fee) I dont know if its the same.

Fact is that UPS act like the Brokerage company, BUT they charge enormous price, i actually dont use them at all cost they charge Wayyyyy to much. Always talk with the sellers before and see if they can use USPS for exemple instead.