mailing something to Canada

[Katie12]

I sold something on ebay and the buyer asked me to state that it was used and to lower the price. Is this normal and have something to do with their tax? Never had this happen.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I would think it is similar to coming into here- if it is new you pay tax, if it is used you do not- at one time you could get round it by dumping the saddle on a horses back the one time but they are wise to that now- if it is shipped from a company it is new as far as they are concerned if it is shipped from a private address it is or can be "used"

I would decline, personally, it is not a good precedent to set.

Do you sell often on e-bay or is this a one off??

If the former I would definitely decline- they are in point of fact asking you to lie in order to evade a tax- not your problem, basically!!

 

[anoki]

It has to do with duty charges crossing the border.

~kathryn

 

[Miniv]

My husband is often selling astronomy stuff for the Observatory over the internet to Canada and Europe and has been asked to mark it Used. He flat out declines to do it.

MA

 

[justanothercowgirl]

They are trying to get out of paying some of the duty they will have to pay when it crosses the border but I would decline their request. As a Canadian I know when I purchase something from another country I will have to pay the duty on it when it comes into Canada, when you purchase something on Ebay it is a binding contract, you don't start dickering with the seller after the fact about the price or what is marked on the box. If it is new then that is what you mark on your shipping slip. If they give you any problems about it then you report then to Ebay simple as that.

: If they didn't want to pay duty on the item they shouldn't have purchased it from the US!!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I agree completely!!!

 

[Reble]

Duty can be pretty expensive, I had something from Jeffers, to Canada and had to pay more than what the article was worth, Jeffers was great to pay me back... It stop me from buying from them......

Also some blades from another company again more than the article... Rediculious.......

They do and will open it, and if they think it is worth more than what you paid, will charge what they think it is worth. :new_shocked:

 

[Sonya]

I have shipped things from ebay to other countries and I have had people ask to put "gift" on the shipping form...so what's up with that? If it's a gift, do you not have to pay tax on it regardless of the item?

they do and will open it, and if they think it is worth more than what you paid, will charge what they think it is worth.

Wow..that would tick me off if they opened my package!

 

[justanothercowgirl]

I have shipped things from ebay to other countries and I have had people ask to put "gift" on the shipping form...so what's up with that? If it's a gift, do you not have to pay tax on it regardless of the item?

that's the deal, if it is a gift there is not duty... that is why folks ask you to do that.

To be honest lots of times when I get stuff in the border folks are to lazy to do the customs forms and I don't end up paying duty on stuff they just shuffle it on through. I ordered almost $300.00 worth of clipper blades and it came through without being assessed any duty so I never worry about it,sometimes they get you and sometimes they don't. :lol: Bottom line is, your bidder knew when they purchased your item that it was coming across the border and they would have to pay duty so it is their problem not yours.

:

 

[Minimor]

Actually marking a package "gift" works only up to a value of $40. If you send an item valued at $100 and marked "gift" the Canadian recipient still pays taxes on the $100 value--actually if that $100 is US funds then it is converted into Canadian funds ($115 right now) and taxes are charged on that. We pay 6% GST and 7% PST here in Manitoba, plus there is a $5 handling fee for any package (sent by mail) up to a value of something like $1400. If it was over $1400 that handling fee would be more--or possibly brokerage fees kick in for items valued over $1400, I'm not sure as I haven't ordered anything that big.

If the item is shipped to Canada via UPS then import fees are much higher. On a $400 US item, for instance, there would be UPS fees of $45 + $52--one is a brokerage fee and the other a handling/paperwork fee, plus there is a $4.75 delivery charge if you don't prepay with a credit card. On an $800 item, UPS fees are $56 + $63 + $4.75 (yes, I just checked last week

: ) so if something has to be shipped up via UPS it may as well be something big & very expensive--makes it a better deal!!

 

[Beccy]

I agree with the others that it is something you don't want to start. There is not really any honest way around paying those taxes. Doesn't mean we have to like it, but that's the way it is.