I've just ordered a couple of DVD's from Amazon.co.uk because they were so much cheaper than over here and not available on the Canadian Amazon site. I know they'll be Region 2 but that's okay.

I was surprised that I was able to complete the order and at the low cost of shipping via airmail so we'll see what happens. It all seemed too easy.

Anyway no VAT was applied but I'm assuming that there must be some method somehow of Canadian taxes being applied. So can anyone tell me how that works? Am I missing something because it all seemed so easy and cheap?

I haven't bought from amazon.co.uk in a while but I think I paid 13 or 20 CAD for the boxset of the "new" Dr Who when it came out a few years ago. It was probably about 35/40 quid value declared back then. That was collected by Canada Post/Customs on delivery. The miserable pigs. I mainly smuggle now

JC, no wonder we're about to go into a recession. Just joshing!

That surprises me.
I used to buy CDs on the amazon USA site when I was still in England because they were about half the UK price even with delivery costs.
Even now I have bought dvds/cds from the US site for less than the Canadian one.

You may get hit for import taxes on delivery. Sometimes the mailman/woman will collect as well as an admin charge.

I used to buy DVDs from Canada because they were cheaper and better than from the UK; today there's not much difference, and UK TV shows in particular tend to be cheaper in the UK. I get them mailed to my parents' house and then pick them up when I visit.

Used UK books can also be substantially cheaper; one I just bought was selling for 30 pounds in the UK vs $300 over here...

We just ordered a bunch of stuff from F&M for Christmas, so I'm waiting to see whether we get hit with import duty on that lot. Some American online stores seem to collect Canadian tax when you pay, so you avoid the hassle of having to pay the post-people, but F&M's US store didn't seem to.

It surprises me too but it looks like on this occasion it's a lot cheaper to buy from the UK.

To show my complete ignorance on these things what kind of rate are we talking for import duties? Just in case this wipes out any advantage from completing this buy.

7% duty, 5 CAD Canada Post handling fee, GST and PST - all at a random exchange rate.

Does that tally with what I remembered above? Someone else'll have to do the maths

I bought a couple of DVDs off amazon.co.uk earlier this year. From what I remember I am sure they did not take off the VAT, I just paid whatever the price on the site was - and when they got here, the postie had just put them in our mail box. I didn't have to pay any extra taxes or charges. Maybe I was just lucky?

That's cool. Maybe I'll have the same luck!