Claiming customs marked as gift

[devilsknight]

I got my BBTS shipment today and I got nailed for customs. Now it is marked as a gift, I am trying to remember someone here mentioned when it's marked as a gift you can claim it back.

How do I do this ? If someone who has done before can help that would be great.

Thanks !

[Tech Spec]

I would like to know too, everytime I get a package from them the same thing happens :(

[jourdo]

I'd love to know as well.

As far as I know customs is totally random in when they charge (this is from a Canada Post employee). It does not really matter if it is a gift or not. Excluding the BS "Handling Charge" of $5, they are basically only charging the GST that you would have been nailed on anyway.

[Team Jetfire]

I think that customs are on to the 'gift' thing from BBTS. The last 3 packages that I have recived from them have been picked...

[pandaprime]

I received three(3) packages from BBTS last month and the fee I had to pay was okay. Just the "handling charge plus gst" for me. no additional costs...

I guess the packages/labelling look too commercial/professional?

[rid]

This is a very common misconception that keeps getting passed on from people to people.

As stated by the Canada Border Service Agency (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/postal/ind_duty_free-e.html#gift) website, a gift is only excempt of duty only if it is below $60cad. Anything above that amount is subject to duty regardless if it is a gift or not. Not to mention that a "gift" from a store is highly suspicious...

I wish people would stop getting false expectations of not getting dutied because the package is marked a "gift"...

[Dark Rage]

This is a very common misconception that keeps getting passed on from people to people.

As stated by the Canada Border Service Agency (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/postal/ind_duty_free-e.html#gift) website, a gift is only excempt of duty only if it is below $60cad. Anything above that amount is subject to duty regardless if it is a gift or not. Not to mention that a "gift" from a store is highly suspicious...

I wish people would stop getting false expectations of not getting dutied because the package is marked a "gift"...

Ok, I've goten a gift from another member on TFW declared at $40 US and I was charged taxes, am I elgible for a reimbursement?

What if you've got a large amount of items that's totaled over $60 Cdn funds? Are you subject to taxes of the total value of the items minus the $60 Cdn? I am curious because of my own BBTS pile of loot. Thanks rid.

[soundwaveCA]

Well for reimbursement usually you would just mail back the slip they give you off the customs form when you go to pay it off. Honestly though customs charges are not worth fighting because there really is no way to fight these people. I tried doing it a couple of times and unless the charges seem really outrageous (as far beyond GST & PST) they will deny it every time.

It also does not matter if it's declared as a gift or not, in reality it has nothing to do with a package getting hit up for charges or not. From what I hear, and this is on very good authority from both Canada Post and Customs, is that all they look at is the declared value of the package. I don't know what the exact "official" amount that is exempt, like rid pointed out there site says $60 but I find this number will vary considerably with every person you talk to. For example I've heard from customs directly $60 and $35, and also a couple of times that toys should be exempt completely from charges. At any rate the magic mark I've been told is $25 CAD. Anything over this apparently is fair game, but 99.9% of the time anything declared $25 or under is automatically passed over, wile anything above is just picked out at random (again gift or no gift). It will also vary on were you live as people in the West seem to get hit up a heck of a lot more then people in the East.

Anyway the short version is if your hit up you just have to bite the bullet, but the best advice is get the person on the other end to mark it under $25 as from what people have told me and from experience this is the closest way of beating the system.

[Team Jetfire]

Thanks for the info guys!

Now to see if we can get the online toy stores on board...

[rid]

What if you've got a large amount of items that's totaled over $60 Cdn funds? Are you subject to taxes of the total value of the items minus the $60 Cdn?
That's correct. If your package is worth, say, $150 then you will have to pay GST+PST for $90. That is $150-$60.

The link I provided above talks about this as well.

[jourdo]

Thanks for the info guys!

Now to see if we can get the online toy stores on board...

The only problems I see with that are:

1. If the package is insured, they would only be able to recoupe the declared value, if (when) it gets lost.
2. As a business, I would think they would want to avoid the whole fraud thing, and not risk getting into trouble on that kind of thing. It is one thing for average joe US-American to cheat on the customs... another thing entirely for a business to pull the same thing.

I would love it if they would, but I don't see it happening.

rid: Here's a question for you (or anyone else for that matter)... Say you win an auction for $1 (eBay price). The seller marks the declared value as $30(retail price). You get nailed on the customs for the $30, even though you only paid $1. Can you go back to Canada Customs with your Paypal receipt and say they over charged you, or that the form was filled out incorrectly?

[Vagabond Elf]

rid: Here's a question for you (or anyone else for that matter)... Say you win an auction for $1 (eBay price). The seller marks the declared value as $30(retail price). You get nailed on the customs for the $30, even though you only paid $1. Can you go back to Canada Customs with your Paypal receipt and say they over charged you, or that the form was filled out incorrectly?

I don't know, but consider this: GST on $30 is a $1.80. You aren't likely to get back the $5 handling fee (that goes to Canada Post, not Revenue Canada.) How much time is a $1.80 worth to you? Or even $6.80? Even at minimum wage in Alberta, that's about 40 minutes. Is it really worth the bother?

[jourdo]

I don't know, but consider this: GST on $30 is a $1.80. You aren't likely to get back the $5 handling fee (that goes to Canada Post, not Revenue Canada.) How much time is a $1.80 worth to you? Or even $6.80? Even at minimum wage in Alberta, that's about 40 minutes. Is it really worth the bother?

It's not always about the money... sometimes it is worth it to prove a point. In my case, when it happened... I just said screw it and went on with my day. I just wondered how it actually worked.

[devilsknight]

Found this link when i emailed them about getting a refund

Thought i'd share it...looks like for example like Jourdo said if you win it for a buck and he declares $30 as long as you have proof (eBay auction form and Paypal receipt) you can submit it.

Here's the link and the form is there for download as well.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/postal/ind_reassess-e.html

[Scrapper6]

Canada Customs is the Devil we all must deal with. Sadly you can't cheat the system, and if you try you'll just get slapped with a year long jail sentence or something. *Shrugs*

[darthrage]

To avoid paying taxes/duties follow these guidelines:

1) Request not to be shipped via UPS
2) Declare as gift
3) Ask for a low value
4) Ask for NO invoice
5) Ask not to include any visible evidence that it is from a business, thus asking the store to put their personal address instead of their business address

You would be lucky if you got the business to do all 5 of these for you. If they do, you should be good.

Businesses can get a strike too if they falsely declare commercial goods being sent as a gift as well.

If you get dinged by customs after following these guidelines, then it was entirely random and they put their own value based on the item at their own discretion.

If you are picking up merchandise across the border which you claim are picking up as an eBay transaction, NEVER EVER show them a "forged" printout of the eBay invoice to lower and change the values, they have computers with the internet too, you know.

[sgw1]

There are no customs charges on toys shipped into Canada, You are only resposible to pay GST and PST + $5 handling fee. If duty is charged to you, Simply fill out the back of the customs label and write in for the reason of appeal "Toys are not dutible Item".
You will have a refund cheque within 3 weeks.
I know because I file at least 6 appeals per month to CBSA.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/co...eassess-e.html (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/postal/ind_reassess-e.html)

[rid]

There are no customs charges on toys shipped into Canada, You are only resposible to pay GST and PST + $5 handling fee. If duty is charged to you, Simply fill out the back of the customs label and write in for the reason of appeal "Toys are not dutible Item".
You will have a refund cheque within 3 weeks.
I know because I file at least 6 appeals per month to CBSA.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/co...eassess-e.html (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/postal/ind_reassess-e.html)

The link you provide is the same as devilknights. It explains what to do when you disagree with the charges. It says nothing about toys being dutiable or not. Where did you get that information?

[Dangard Ace]

rid: Here's a question for you (or anyone else for that matter)... Say you win an auction for $1 (eBay price). The seller marks the declared value as $30(retail price). You get nailed on the customs for the $30, even though you only paid $1. Can you go back to Canada Customs with your Paypal receipt and say they over charged you, or that the form was filled out incorrectly?


Yes you can because I've fought something like that. Paid $10 for an item, forgot whether it was eBay or elsewhere and got a confirmation/tracking # from Paypal letter with the price. Seller declared the item for $120 and I got nailed by customs. I got pissed took the shipping label that's used by CanPost/Revenue and printouts of my correspondence with the seller and receipt/tracking # with the sellers address and told them I wanted my money back(mailed them). A week or so later I got a check in the mail....minus the bullshit $5 handling fee.

[rid]

rid: Here's a question for you (or anyone else for that matter)... Say you win an auction for $1 (eBay price). The seller marks the declared value as $30(retail price). You get nailed on the customs for the $30, even though you only paid $1. Can you go back to Canada Customs with your Paypal receipt and say they over charged you, or that the form was filled out incorrectly?

OMG, I totally didn't see this post when it was posted. Sorry jourdo. Like Dangard Ace said, you can come back with the proof and calim readjustment.

Mind you, they "reserve the right" to re-evaluate the prices you paid. Even with proof. It's BS but they have done it in the past. It was on a bunch of DVD bought from China for $1 each (obviously bootlegs). And they argue that it was too cheap. So they "re-evaluated" all the DVDs to an arbitrary value and dutied on that amount. It's total BS but there was no point in arguing. It's easier to pay at that point. Is this reevaluation something within their right? I don't know. Maybe it was just an overzealous officer

[Dark Rage]

Ok, I'm trying to fill out the form, but the only thing I have left is the USPS customs declaration form the package.

I'm not sure if the CBSA import receipt number is on this sheet, or an additional sheet that I may have lost.

I'm quite sure that I would not be subject to taxes, since this was at a value of $50 US on September 10th.

Although I'm not sure if these gifts exemptions make a big difference whether the item is declared in US or CDN dollars on the customs form.

EDIT
We're not charged taxes on gifts being sent within Canada, are we? Especially if they're of a high value?

[Dark Rage]

I'm really freaking pissed now, I just got charged tax for a value of $50, even though the item was marked as a gift at $25 US, and they claim all Express items are charged an additional fee.

Are there any other documents that I can provide (other than ebay/paypal sheets) to prove that it's a gift and that I should be taxed that value MINUS $60 Canadian?

Any help, please?

These customs guys are really pissing me off.

[Hook]

I've stopped using the gift workaround and have been using an alternative method as of late. So far, it's worked well.

Mark the parcel as "Goods returned" as if the sender of the parcel was sending you back something for a refund.


So far this has proven to work well and have not been charged returned fees.

I've been using this methind mostly to get paintball equipment, which has a habit of getting seized by customs due to its realistic looks.

If G1 Megs is a bitch to get in the country, imagine the hassle of getting airsoft/paintball guns! Crazy stuff, I tell ya.