# Buying a BOW SET from US (from INTERNET) & delivering it in Canada by Post?



## SuphanXP (Jan 1, 2010)

I have purchased a few bows from the U.S.A. via AT and other sights like ebay. My suggestion to you is to ask the seller to ship your item via Fedex!! Insure it for no more than $300 (its already in the hands of a courier service so it should be safe) this will help to keep your duties low (or null). Then all you pay is like $30 on top of your shipping price which in my opinion is much cheaper than duty.


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## NockOn (Feb 24, 2003)

There is no Duty on Archery Products. Never had to pay any over the years. HST and Brokerage fees, that's it. 

The only fee you will pay with USPS, is the HST (same as if you use FEDEX or UPS) and the Small brokerage fee ($5 or $10).

If you use FEDEX or UPS, you will pay the HST plus an exorbitant Brokerage fee that could brake the bank.

Both ways you can get insurance so why go FEDEX or UPS? Everyone I know do it USPS to save big bucks.

Cheers,


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

Definitely USPS Priority *INSURED* is the best way. As NockOn said, you will pay on delivery the GST/PST (or HST) on the value of the bow depending on your province, plus a small service charge. No duties.

If you use a courier like UPS or Fedex, they charge a huge service fee, in some cases half the value of the item.


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## shakyshot (Dec 21, 2007)

last one i bought from us came in the mail in 5 days and no fees at all.
send it as a gift if you can


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## Toxophile (Sep 17, 2007)

shakyshot said:


> last one i bought from us came in the mail in 5 days and no fees at all.
> send it as a gift if you can


Gifts are tax exempt, but you have no power over whether or not the sender declares the item as a gift. And the item value (including shipping costs) is really important since that sets the fees you pay. Again you have no control over that.

But if the package has commercial stuff all over it, CBSA will rightly smell a rat. However, they will be fair with the charges. Duty (0% for archery goods apparently, but you can check the tariffs) and tax (depending on the Province).

I once had a scope delivered from Hong Kong. The thing cost me $60 including shipping, but the shipper tried to help by declaring in the Customs declaration that the thing was a "lens" worth $10. CBSA opened it, did the research, and decided that the scope was worth $100, so they charged me duty and taxes based on that. Fair enough.

USPS do not in my experience add a service fee. UPS will take your firstborn as collateral against collection of their ridiculous fees for delivering your stuff in a crappy 1950s van. They call it brokerage - as in, you're going broke, son!

I never deal with companies who use UPS as their only shipping method to Canada.


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## Jennings (Aug 17, 2005)

I recently purchased a bow for my daughter off AT Classifieds and had it shipped to Winnipeg via USPS. No additional cost/GST/Duties to me. Only paid $25 for shipping.


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree a bit with Tox's advice. These people aren't stupid and thay know you're not getting $500 "gifts" from people in the States. The shipper should declare and insure the bow for its full value, in case of loss. Try explaining why you're claiming a loss of $500 for something you declared a value of $100 for. 

And you can expect to pay the GST/PST on that declared value, plus a small service charge, although it's possible that this payment might be waived. Doesn't happen often on items more than $100 or so.

There is no duty or tariffs on imports of archery equipment from the US to Canada. Hong Kong or other places is a different story.

Tox is 100% right on UPS. Friggin' criminals when it comes to cross-border shipping.


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## bigHUN (Feb 5, 2006)

I got burned by UPS and Fedex as well, so finally for many years USPS accross border shipping, or the alternative: 
MyUSaddress, in my case Buffalo, the warehouse accross the border is about 250 Km one way, what is not on issue for my Golf diesel and they work over weekend as well. 
Many of the AT members willing to send items tyd in US, many other resellers can't send accross the border but shipping for free in US,
the rest is up to your imagination.


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## Toxophile (Sep 17, 2007)

Stash said:


> I'm going to have to respectfully disagree a bit with Tox's advice. These people aren't stupid and thay know you're not getting $500 "gifts" from people in the States.


Thanks for the respect :shade: but I didn't actually give that advice. As my post said, I was quoting shakyshot. It was his advice. :teeth:

What I said was that as a buyer you have no control over what the seller declares in the customs slip.


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## HyperFlow (Jul 25, 2009)

Sending it as gift somtimes works but most of the time dosnt. What i been doing for a while now making the sending mark it as warrenty repair. Its worked every time now, Just dont get it sent ups or fedex, Even if its a warrenty repair they will still charge you brokers fees. USPS will charge you nothing.


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## thunderbolt (Oct 11, 2002)

Best method is USPS/Can Post for shipping. With canada Post/Customs there is a $5 handling fee as well as the applicable taxes.
If you use a courier, they drain your funds quickly.:thumbs_do


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

If you mark something as a "gift" and it's not, or you mark it "warranty repair" and it's not, you're basically smuggling, breaking a federal law, and it's a felony.

Sure, the chances of being caught are slim, but if you do get caught you're in a heap of trouble. I don't think it's worth it for a few $$$ of sales tax.

I'd strongly suggest you do things legitimately when trans-border shipping.


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## Toxophile (Sep 17, 2007)

Stash said:


> If you mark something as a "gift" and it's not, or you mark it "warranty repair" and it's not, you're basically smuggling, breaking a federal law, and it's a felony.
> 
> Sure, the chances of being caught are slim, but if you do get caught you're in a heap of trouble. I don't think it's worth it for a few $$$ of sales tax.
> 
> I'd strongly suggest you do things legitimately when trans-border shipping.


In the case I quoted above, I assume that CBSA would chase the shipper, if they wanted to. I assume as the buyer I am bulletproof, since I had nothing to do with the decision to mark down the value of the item.


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

It depends on the situation. They can be very tenacious if they set their minds to it, and they would go after the Canadian who received the item, not the American shipper. It's the responsibility of the importer to handle all the legalities of an imported shipment.

I have a friend who got into a big mess with some high-end golf clubs he bought through the US about 12 years ago. Same type of deal - he had the shipper reduce the valuation by a considerable amount. Shortly after getting them he went golfing in South Carolina. They still looked new, and when he came home he couldn't prove he'd bought them legitimately in Canada. Long story short, they investigated, and dinged him for the full duty and taxes, plus a huge fine (in the area of $5000).


Bottom line is this: I would simply suggest that people buying expensive things from the US do it legally. It isn't worth the risk.


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