Re: Buying Macs outside Canada
The secret, unfortunately, is to not use UPS. They offer great service shipping rates, but anything coming in to Canada seems to get their special Customs Clearance Paperwork/Admin charge of about $30 on top of whatever the 15% GST/PST (in Ontario) taxes on the landed Canadian value of the purchase price is. I've had occasion to use UPS several times, not by choice, but due to the fact that many US sellers like using UPS. I've not used any other services, beyond US Postal Service and Canada Post, so, can't speak to how they assess administrative charges. You are right in stating that the bill could leave you shocked. I have purchased hundreds of items from the USA and typically try to use US Postal Service. They really are pretty good, timing wise, especially with air shipments (ground shipments can take a month). These items always get cleared by Canada Customs and are always assessed about a $5 paperwork prep charge + the GST PST. The only difference is you usually get a postcard from Canada Post alerting you to pick up the goods and pay the charges at the local postal outlet. It appears as well that packages shipped with a declared value of approx. $10, or less, get cleared without any charges. It's buyer beware when it comes to shipping of goods from the USA. If you do it right you can still save a few bucks over purchasing from a local Canadian retailer. Regards, Albert On 6/14/02 9:35 AM, Jim Freeman [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: While we're on the subject I'll tell you how screwed I got one time. Before we moved to Montreal my Canadian girlfriend and I lived in California. We were going to Quebec to her parents for Christmas. I found some nice jewelry to get her for Christmas in a mail order catalog. There wasn't enough time to have it delivered in California before we left so I asked them if they could deliver it in Canada. No problem. When UPS showed up at my in-laws house they wanted something like 60% of the value of the item in tax before they would hand it over. I was shocked and refused to pay. They UPS guy went away with the package, I had my credit card block the charges and my girlfriend didn't get a Christmas present that year. That was back when I had the illusion that the US/Canada border was just a formality. Jim On Friday, June 14, 2002, at 05:48 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: There is no sure way to avoid duty and taxes. Even if the item is used, you will still be liable for duty and taxes. Occasionally (as in Blue Moon and/or Hell Freezing Over time) the overworked boys and girls down at the customs office might be on their donut/doughnut break and overlook a chance to gouge you, but that is rare. If you receive it by mail, especially if you insure it, you will almost certainly pay tax on it. The US expatriates who go home to visit now and then are the only ones with a good way of beating the system. For everyone else, this it'd be a good time to reach across the border and make an American friend, a GST Pal if you will. Enduring friendships have been built on less solid ground than the hope of saving money. And how 'bout that nafta... Chris H -- G-Books is sponsored by http://lowendmac.com/ and... Small Dog Electronicshttp://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Check our web site for refurbished PowerBooks | CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html G-Books list info: http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-books.html -- AOL users, remove mailto:; Send list messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] For digest mode, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscription questions: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/g-books%40mail.maclaunch.com/ Using a Mac? Free email more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
Re: Buying Macs outside Canada
There is no sure way to avoid duty and taxes. Even if the item is used, you will still be liable for duty and taxes. Occasionally (as in Blue Moon and/or Hell Freezing Over time) the overworked boys and girls down at the customs office might be on their donut/doughnut break and overlook a chance to gouge you, but that is rare. If you receive it by mail, especially if you insure it, you will almost certainly pay tax on it. The US expatriates who go home to visit now and then are the only ones with a good way of beating the system. For everyone else, this it'd be a good time to reach across the border and make an American friend, a GST Pal if you will. Enduring friendships have been built on less solid ground than the hope of saving money. And how 'bout that nafta... Chris H on 6/13/02 7:52 PM, (G-Books) at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: How do you claim that it is used? Do you just pay the taxes when the package arrives? For instance what if you bought a used item from ebay and had it shipped to you? Mark The only way to avoid such taxes is to have a friend in the US open up the box and take it out so you can claim that it's used. This way you don't have to pay as much in taxes. Justin -- G-Books is sponsored by http://lowendmac.com/ and... Small Dog Electronicshttp://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Check our web site for refurbished PowerBooks | CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html G-Books list info: http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-books.html -- AOL users, remove mailto:; Send list messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] For digest mode, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscription questions: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/g-books%40mail.maclaunch.com/ Using a Mac? Free email more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
Re: Buying macs outside Canada
On Tuesday, June 11, 2002, at 09:54 PM, Mark Humphries wrote: Can anyone tell me what the deal is with buying new macs from US sellers to Canada. I have been told they don't ship to Canada and those that do say the warranty is not valid. Anybody else buying from the US in Canada? Any machine bought in the US or Canada has a valid warranty in either country. -- G-Books is sponsored by http://lowendmac.com/ and... Small Dog Electronicshttp://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Check our web site for refurbished PowerBooks | CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html G-Books list info: http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-books.html -- AOL users, remove mailto:; Send list messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] For digest mode, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscription questions: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/g-books%40mail.maclaunch.com/ Using a Mac? Free email more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
Re: Buying macs outside Canada
I moved to Canada from the US six months ago and have gotten warrenty service from Apple on an iBook, a Pismo, an ABS and an iPod -- all purchased in the US. But what about mailordering stuff from the US? Is there a way to avoid big taxes? Jim On Tuesday, June 11, 2002, at 10:54 PM, Mark Humphries wrote: Can anyone tell me what the deal is with buying new macs from US sellers to Canada. I have been told they don't ship to Canada and those that do say the warranty is not valid. Anybody else buying from the US in Canada? Mark -- G-Books is sponsored by http://lowendmac.com/ and... Small Dog Electronicshttp://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Check our web site for refurbished PowerBooks | CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html G-Books list info: http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-books.html -- AOL users, remove mailto:; Send list messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] For digest mode, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscription questions: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/g-books%40mail.maclaunch.com/ Using a Mac? Free email more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
Re: Buying macs outside Canada
The only way to avoid such taxes is to have a friend in the US open up the box and take it out so you can claim that it's used. This way you don't have to pay as much in taxes. Justin On Wednesday, June 12, 2002, at 01:40 PM, Jim Freeman wrote: I moved to Canada from the US six months ago and have gotten warrenty service from Apple on an iBook, a Pismo, an ABS and an iPod -- all purchased in the US. But what about mailordering stuff from the US? Is there a way to avoid big taxes? Jim On Tuesday, June 11, 2002, at 10:54 PM, Mark Humphries wrote: Can anyone tell me what the deal is with buying new macs from US sellers to Canada. I have been told they don't ship to Canada and those that do say the warranty is not valid. Anybody else buying from the US in Canada? Mark -- G-Books is sponsored by http://lowendmac.com/ and... Small Dog Electronicshttp://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Check our web site for refurbished PowerBooks | CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html G-Books list info: http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-books.html -- AOL users, remove mailto:; Send list messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] For digest mode, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscription questions: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/g-books%40mail.maclaunch.com/ Using a Mac? Free email more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com -- G-Books is sponsored by http://lowendmac.com/ and... Small Dog Electronicshttp://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Check our web site for refurbished PowerBooks | CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html G-Books list info: http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-books.html -- AOL users, remove mailto:; Send list messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] For digest mode, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscription questions: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/g-books%40mail.maclaunch.com/ Using a Mac? Free email more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
Re: Buying macs outside Canada
That's what I've been doing. I buy stuff and have it shipped to my parents. Then I get it when I visit or have someone bring it. I wish there were a better way. I got spoiled in California shopping on line. On Wednesday, June 12, 2002, at 01:44 PM, Justin Ramirez wrote: The only way to avoid such taxes is to have a friend in the US open up the box and take it out so you can claim that it's used. This way you don't have to pay as much in taxes. Justin -- G-Books is sponsored by http://lowendmac.com/ and... Small Dog Electronicshttp://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Check our web site for refurbished PowerBooks | CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html G-Books list info: http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-books.html -- AOL users, remove mailto:; Send list messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] For digest mode, email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscription questions: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/g-books%40mail.maclaunch.com/ Using a Mac? Free email more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
