can someone briefly explain how import taxes are assessed/imposed? i'm a bit confused why there is such inconsistency in people's experiences (and i would like to learn how to avoid them, if possible). i have purchased several expensive things from the UK and Italy and never had to pay any import taxes.
import taxes
- Thread starter esc_510
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^^^In Canada, there's a straight 10% duty on these items, plus PST and GST (provincial sales tax and goods & services tax), and then whatever broker fee is being imposed by the carrier. I noticed that on a couple of my DHL items, they were charging 18% duty, which I'm in the process of investigating. Sometimes duties aren't imposed - when I get certain items from the U.S., they just charge PST and GST. The border officer said that the rules and regs are completely out of control and showed us a yellow pages-sized book that contained the info.
He said it's insane, and that it differs depending on the item and not only the shipping origin, but the country of origin of the item itself. An Hermes scarf, made in France, was charged at a higher rate several months ago, despite its U.S. shipping origin. I don't know if that helps, since you're in the U.S., but it might give an idea of how they work it.
He said it's insane, and that it differs depending on the item and not only the shipping origin, but the country of origin of the item itself. An Hermes scarf, made in France, was charged at a higher rate several months ago, despite its U.S. shipping origin. I don't know if that helps, since you're in the U.S., but it might give an idea of how they work it.
thank you bete noir. a couple more questions: how does the recipient get charged these taxes? are they built in to the cost of item, do you get a bill from customes? and how would you explain the fact that i have never seen these charges on items i received from abroad? were they hidden in there and i missed it?
Curiously, any items that are sent here from Asia slide right on through without duties or even taxes, for some reason. Even the high-ticket ones that are made in Europe. I have no idea why this is, and have never questioned them on it because I don't want them to realize their mistake and start charging me!
NAP has a deal with DHL (ugh) and they build the duties and taxes right into the cost of the item, so when they drop it off, there's nothing to pay. Other than that, the post office will hold the package hostage until whatever is due (deemed by the customs officer that checks it when it hits Toronto or Vancouver) is paid. We get a notice at the post office with the charge, and then it's itemized on the customs doc. they slap onto the package itself. Most companies don't factor it in as NAP does.
Many times I really should have been charged big-time for certain items, and wasn't. Either they were really busy that day or just failed to notice what the item was.
On a culinary note, I ordered some cheeses from France last year, and was stunned to discover that any dairy items over $20 per person were subject to a 300% duty! That was one expensive cheese plate.
hey, i just bought something too from matchesfashion.com, it's a limo sloane
, how long does yours took to deliver? and you didn't pay any taxes for it?