Mr Lee

What's the score with getting things from UK suppliers? Am I likely to get hit with all kinds of customs charges?

Example - I'm just in the process of ordering a couple of DVDs. Am I okay to get them sent straight to my address here, or shall I get them posted to my parents' house back in England and get them to send them, labelling the package as "Gifts" or something?

Any help appreciated.

Atlantic Xpat

Yes you will get clobbered with duties and HST (which is the painful bit) plus a service charge from Canada post for taking your money!

So, buy online and get sent to family and friends in UK. Then get them to send on to you with 'unsolicited gift' in the description box on the customs sticker and all should be well. I learned the lesson the hardway as one sister bought me DVD's for Christmas that cost me almost as much in taxes as to buy them here!

Biiiiink

I get hit if I order from somewhere like Amazon, but eBay sellers etc are usually willing to write "NCV" on the package although of course customs could open it and charge me anyway

Last thing I got charged on was the Dr Who new series 1 DVD boxset, I forget the selling price but I got charged 20 CAD for duty/fees at this end. Having said that, there's no VAT on items going outside Europe so that's a saving.

Biiiiink

When we cleared our container, a women was getting a roasting in the customs office - she'd received a package from the US, a catalogue order I think, and a watch had come with her order as a gift. The customs people were making her pay tax and duty not only on the order but on the unsolicited gift, and having a right go at her because she (understandably!) had no idea how much this gift was worth. Probably safer to get "No Commercial Value/NCV" on stuff if it's over the threshold - what is the threshold anyway, anyone know?

Jerseygirl

My daughter's lap top broke so I sent her mine to use...she's a student at U or T...until she got her's repaired. Although I wrote on the label it was a used computer....she had to pay tax on the amount it was insured for. The tax was approx $200!!! BTW I'm in the US.