Will I have to pay duty?

[Darth Cylon]

I think all most of my orders are labelled as scaled model.

To be honestly, custom can see everything in the box through X-ray...

[predahank]

For me its a crapshoot. Have had high declare values get exempt and mid range $70-$150 get taxed. I honestly think it just depends on how that cbsa agent feels at that moment

[elburrito]

It is a crap shoot. But there are mechanisms for reclaiming overpayments. These can be found using the links below.

It strikes me that anyone who is willing to collect coupons and rain checks (many of us), that same person should have the time to apply for a duty overpayment reimbursement.

@Darth Cylon - Statues/scale models should also be duty free (particularly if they are less than 1:85 scale).

[chaingunsofdoom]

As was already mentioned above, I think most people just say "Duty" when it's really only the GST on the item value + the delivery handling fee Canada Post tacks-on.

If you pay GST before-hand, that means they company is collecting it for the Canadian government, so you should never be charged when the box arrives at your door.

I know HTS and Barnes & Noble charge GST and I've never paid anything on their shipments. HTS ships FedEx (and charges $40 USD) but at least they have had items unlike the stores up here.

[herooftheday316]

As a note to all, I got nailed for taxes today from Anime Export for MP Shockwave.
This is the first time ordering from them has left me with fees to pay. I am hoping this does not become the norm.

-Mike

[elburrito]

Can you post a pic of the bill of lading? What description was offered?

My comments are not directed at GST. I have been hit with $50+ on $300 (or less) purchases. Although described (by UPS) as "duty", there was no combination of 5% GST and 8% duty I could figure to account for those deliveries.

But if there are bona fide duty charges in the mix, I hope to identify them and the basis for them. Honestly, I have not been hit since 2011 (the year I discovered Japanese e-tailers) but it sounds as if people are getting dinged there too.

[herooftheday316]

It was declared at the full value (around 530$, it was an order for 4). i got charged pst and gst and a 10$ handling fee. So it's no duty per say, just tax.

-Mike

[QuadESL63]

With packages sent via postal services (Japan Post/China Post/USPS and then CanadaPost), I have been charged for $9.95 brokerage fees only + sales tax (HST, PST + GST, & GST only in AB) for anything more than roughly $100 Cadn. There are, of course, a few exceptions, e.g. I picked up my MP Shockwave today and I don't have to pay a cent. I have never been charged for duty or tariff on TFs. I think that is what the CBSA guidelines said (I could be wrong).

There are times where you have to use a courier such as UPS, FedEx, etc. (e.g. over sized/weight packages) but our TFs should not apply so stay away from courier, or at least chose a more expensive tier of service from one of these couriers where brokerage fees are included. I have had UPS sent me a big bill with a ridiculously unreasonable custom brokerage charge along with sales tax on the items for a couple of packages that were shipped with their cheapest "ground" service. And, even if you avoided the brokerage fees all couriers will charge you sales tax on the declared values of the shipment regardless of how much it is, i.e. sales tax are collected for anything under $100 Cadn., too. It is better to avoid courier service and stick with postal services.

CBSA do examine the shipment randomly if the agent suspected there is something fishy with the declare value or the description of the items inside. They will rip it open (or use X-Ray?) for the examination. This will not only delay the delivery of the shipment - CBSA may return it to the sender or confiscate some of the items inside. These are very rare but they happened to me a couple of times (were not on TFs but something else).

Some people here put the blame on US stores like BBTS for the sales tax and brokerage charges that they have to pay. These stores have nothing to do with it. They followed the rules and declared full values of the shipments. No one like to pay sales taxes but think about it for a moment: you have to pay for the taxes if you got the TFs locally anyway.

[GotBot]

I have wondered about this. I only ever had to pay a duty once, it was a package from BBTS and the charge was pricey, another 45 bucks!!

[RedCell]

I order a lot of Gundam and Transformers toys from Japan and here is my personal experience:

If you use SAL (registered or not), you are very unlikely to pay duties as long as the package is less than $150.

If you use EMS, you are likely to pay duties unless the package is less than $70.

If you use FedEx, UPS, or DHL, you are guaranteed to pay duties. They like to make that sweet cash on service fees.

If the package looks big even if it is less than $150 or the package is more than $150, you are very likely to pay duties regardless of shipping method.

The lesson here: split your orders so each one is less than $150 and always use SAL if you don't want to pay duties when you are ordering from Japan.