vandal

I've just bought a board and bindings had had them shipped to a location in US thats close to the border, so that I can pick it up without having shipping fees, taxes, brockage fees and customs fees.

My question is once on your way back, do you simply mention that you went to pick stuff up, and declare the price of the goods??

I just dont feel like getting a cavity search

edmontonsara

Even though you already paid, you haven't paid duty on them. You will have to declare them at the border, and pay duty. I don't think there is anyway around it.

vandal

yeah paying duty is fine....i dont mind it as it is still cheaper
but there's no problem doing this...right, going to a UPS store picking up my stuff, and return back??

legallyillegal

BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.
BRING YOUR RECEIPT.

Show it to the Customs clerk along with your ID. He'll stamp it and probably let you go without making you pay any duty/taxes/etc.

I get more hassle from US Customs than Canadian Customs.

__________________

vandal

Oh man that sounds awsome!!!....dont get my hopes all high ...lol
cant wait....should be able to pick up on the weekend or early next week

statuie

unwrap everything ..attach the bindings to the board...blow some dust on them (not to much, but enough to be visible, like it stood for some time in someone basement/garage) ..put your fingers to leave some marks on the dust..and finally throw it in your car trunk.at the border declare that you visit a friend..you didn't bought anything ..but you friend gave you his old board (probably is worth 50 bucks).i have friends that came back in canada with big lcd tvs.

vandal

funnily enough that was my first idea....lol
who knows ...i might have to resort to it

Bones

I used to do this all the time and did it last year for a new board.

1) All you have to pay is GST and PST. If the stuff is made in North America then there's no duty under NAFTA. Even if it wasn't made in US, Can or Mexico, there are all kinds of various agreements with other countries and it might still be duty free. Generally, they just look at the "country of origin", if it was sold by a US company and is of lower $$ value, they just accept that.

2) If you're out of the country for 48 hours, there is a $400CDN personal limit. IE, after 48 hrs, you don't pay anything on personal goods that accompany you up to $400. The 7 day limit is more. Might be a good idea to stay overnight and maybe get a day in on your new board before crossing back over, the tax saving will cover your lift ticket.

3) Be honest, it's just not worth it. Bringing a $600 board into Ontario will cost you 13% (5% GSt and 8%PST) or about $78. You're saving so much in brokerage, extra shipping, etc. anyway, do you really want to cheat to save an extra $78?

4) You never know but some companies may actually put a lower $$ price on the invoice for you and mail it to you in advance.

5) You're way ahead of the game anyway. You saved on the price by buying off the web, you've saved brokerage, shipping by clearing it yourself. The taxes aren't a lot of money in the big scheme of things.

6) You may never get asked if you bought anything. Don't volunteer the info., but don't lie. If they don't ask, drive on.

BTW there is no issue with doing this, it's just normal. If you get a 3rd party to do this for you, then you pay brokerage fees to them and their company policy may be to charge you a flat rate and a % of the invoice, etc. That's where it gets pricey. I live 45 minutes from the border and I do this all the time for business products, personal stuff, etc. There's all kinds of various limits on things (booze and smokes), but they're generally the limits on what you can bring back without paying tax. Over those limits, you pay tax but it's not illegal to bring back more than your limit.

vandal

Bones, do you think its a good idea to attach the bindings to the board and say that it was sold as a package (board+bindings)....and just show them the receipt from the board??

also, is Atomic American??

Bones

I have no idea if some or all Atomic boards are made in the US. It's where they were made, not where the company's head office. If it's made in the US by a french company, for example, it's american made. Just ask you supplier. Last time, I brought back Ride product. I suspect that they're actually made in China, but it didn't say anything on the invoice and I bought from a US company, so Customs didn't care.

If you're being honest, you have to pay on both the board and the bindings. If you want to pull a fast one and get one or the other thru for free, then yeah, I'd attach them. Or throw an old board without bindings in the trunk and throw the new bindings on that in the UPS parking lot. If they ask, just say "oh that's my old setup"

I don't know how much you've paid for them, but you're just saving 13%. So if you paid $200 for the bindings, then you're only scamming $26. If it's worth it to you, then make 'em look old.

Last time, I went thru, they asked if I bought anything. I said yes...I have the invoice, how do I pay? They said to pull over there and bring the invoice into the office. I did...they did the paperwork, I forked over $50 and drove away. Didn't realize that I actually had two invoices (one for the board, one for the bindings) and only took one into the office. They never looked in my car after I said yes, I owe you money.

All I can say is....if you stay out for 48 hours, you're not even paying the 13% on the first $400. If it's really worth it for the $$ saving, why don't you just find a place to crash for the weekend, save your self all the hassle, the money and the risk. I mean it's not like you're trying to bring in a $10,000 Rolex on the sly and saving $1300, you're talking about $26.

Bear in mind, that I had a business to run and weekly or bi-weekly cross border trips were a necessity. I couldn't take the chance that I'd get caught and put on a list just to save a couple of $$ here and there.