Piff Poff

Hi everybody,

I have a package at customs, that EZCLEAR has done whatever they need to do, however the dollar amount they have worked to is about $100 more than I paid for the goods. I have sent them a copy of the proforma invoice, sent from the shipper and it seems as though it has been incorrectly filled in. I have also sent them a copy of my invoice. They will not take those things into account and adjust the bill, saying the retailer gave them the costs that they worked to. The retailer, OCS and EZCLEAR have all admitted it's a mess.

EZCLEAR have sent a form out for me to fill in. https://payment.ezclear.ca/selfclear.php This paragraph concerns me

• Once completed you must provide Ezclear with legible copies of the Import Details document we provided you, a copy of the sales receipt showing the amount
  paid and stamped copy of B15 or other CBSA form prepared at CBSA.

so it sounds like they provide me with an import document, but where does the B15 come from, do I have to collect it from somewhere (the border). Am I getting myself into a world of hurt trying to do this?

OR do I pay the EZCLEAR invoice and try and claim the extra money back? This started of as an easy question, that should have been simple to sort out but has escalated to me trying to deal with 3 different companies and getting nowhere all for a bloody handbag and purse.

thanks in advance

Siouxie

This article might be of help
https://borderbee.com/2014/01/13/how...-with-customs/


on EZClear's website it says this https://ezclear.ca/faq.html

The unit value on indicated on my invoice is more than what I paid for these items. What should I do?

If the dollar value indicated in your invoice does not match the amount you paid for your order, please contact us. This means that the retailer has declared the wrong amount on the packaging of your parcel. This most often occurs when the contents of the parcel are sale items, where the retailer has displayed before-sale price to the CBSA. In this event, your fees will have been calculated at a higher rate than you owe.
Please contact EzClear, and a representative will walk you through your options to file for an adjustment.

Piff Poff

Souxie, as ever thank you. So it looks like I have to go to a customs office, which is too far away. I have copied the paragraph from EZCLEAR lets see if they want to help a little more now!

Siouxie

You are very welcome

There's lots of info on their faq if you pan down the page towards the bottom From what I was reading you also have the option to pay the extra taxes / import duty then use the Informal Adjustment request to get a refund of the extra taxes/duty from CBSA..

Ezclear can also return the item to the retailer for you .... and reading further on their website they say this.. might be worth contacting the retailer and seeing if they can re-issue your order.

Piff Poff

Thank you, I have spoken to EZClear today, 1st time I've had a chance to actually speat to a human and I got the lady who has been dealing with me via email, she was amazingly helpful, unknown to me she had been trying to get the retailer to pay the extra fees but was having zero luck, because of the time differences mountain, eastern and british it was all taking so much longer to sort out. So what happend now is, I've paid the fees, and EZClear are going to send me the necessary to claim the excesses back, she was leaving this a final option because it takes so long to get any money back. I wish she had been as she said more transparent with what she was trying to do. BLIMEY!

Thanks again Souxie - one day I'll take you for a bevvy!

MillieF

Former Lancastrian

Sorry but will have to disagree.
Customs only charges the appropriate duties and taxes on the Canadian value of the goods. Where you do get dinged for the extra costs is by buying from retailers that ship only by courier services and using their brokerage charges for clearing the goods.

So for example you end up purchasing an item for $100 Canadian that doesn't include shipping. Now dependent on how shipped to Canada this is where the difference is in extra costs. Lets say the item is Duty Free so no Duty will be charged. Depending where you live lets say the item is subject to 15% HST or a combination of 15% PST & GST so that will attract $15 in those taxes. Lets not even talk about alcohol or tobacco add ins or the new surtax on certain US made goods because of the trade spat over steel and aluminum.
Customs only collects $15 in fees. Thats it all of the other fees are charged by the courier, broker or other provider.
If this item was sent by US postal service it would go to a Customs Mail Processing Centre and then be delivered with a Canada Post Handling Fee of $9.95 added onto the $15 Customs duties and taxes.

Some shippers incorporate the Customs Duties and Taxes via a 3rd party who will collect all taxes at import and it will be delivered with no additional costs. I just did this with a pair of sunglasses I ordered. Now some say this happens and you still end up paying more fees as they are not legitimate 3rd party shippers. The onus is on you to find out what is involved and for you to do your due diligence but of course its easier to blame someone else especially Customs when you realize the item costs you a lot more than you thought.

My advice is stay away from FedEx or UPS etc unless you self clear the item yourself. Their brokerage fees can be quite high.

MillieF

caretaker

Former Lancastrian

Any item over $20 Canadian sent via mail or courier is subject to Duties and Taxes regardless if it is new or used and purchased (not a gift). I am betting many have received packages containing items they have bought for over $20 and been charged nothing. It is a legal requirement to collect these fees and if CBSA elect not to collect then you have nothing to complain about and should be thankful. Do you realize that for over 20 years this amount has not changed and neither has the gift allowance of $60 for an individual item. The Govt sets these rates not CBSA.

caretaker

Why, I had no idea! It's been so long since I had to pay duty that the handling fee Canada Post collects was only $5.

Former Lancastrian

As Mary Hopkins would say "Those Were The Days My Friend". With exchange rates today and fees unless the item cannot be bought in Canada then use a 40% differential in price.

Piff Poff

Well I decided to pay the amount EZCLEAR has asked for and claim back the overcharge, their charge for duty and taxes is just over $43. Unbeknownst to myself, the retailer had contacted EZCLEAR to get that package returned and they would send a second with the correct billing. I had a e mail from UPS asking for just under $19 with no brokerage charges added on. It's not really made me any happier, as I have to try and claim money back, I needn't have paid brokerage on top of the shipping I have already paid, had the parcel been sent UPS in the 1st place. Grr.

CanadaJimmy

Not sure I completely follow the current status, but with any shipment once you get the tracking # you can tell the courier (in this case UPS) that you will clear the item through customs yourself instead. They will email you all the customs forms and documents, and you can go to a CBSA office and use the Courier Low Value Shipment Program to clear it yourself. No brokerage fees involved, just the sales taxes (if applicable). You show the CBSA official at the office the documents, and once everything is processed, they give you a clearance form which you scan in and send to the courier which lets them release it to you.
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/c.../menu-eng.html

Piff Poff

yeah, the customs office is too far away to make that economical lo.