Online shipping to Canada

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Noob@40

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Messages
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Location
Halifax, NS Canada
# of dives
50 - 99
Hi All

Just wondering if anyone around here has ordered gear from the US. The point is to find out how much extra tax and duties were paid on these items. So far I have purchased a $50 Rx mask and a $10 Knife through ebay stores and paid nothing extra at the boarder. I have however heard horror stories (usually from dive shops) about people ordering BCs wetsuits etc and getting charged a huge amount of duty upon delivery.

I would also be interested in hearing about any online stores within our boarders that have dive gear at reasonable prices.

Thanks
 
You will not find many stores, if any, who are willing to put their names on something and then try to ship it across borders without claiming the value. Ebay stores will do it, or individual people will do it because the the items are small or enough or do not have as much value for anyone to worry about. Ebay sellers will often mark items on customs forms as gifts and then there is no tax for the buyer. If you change the value on a customs form to lower the tax then insurance is only going to pay what you marked it as value.
 
Divetank Scuba Gear Supply: Store Home ships from Canada

Generally avoid shipping anything to Canada with UPS their customs broker will rob you...USPS, Fedex and DHL are better choices.

Cheers.

-J.-
 
I have ordered numerous times from dirers direct and scuba toys. I have yet to have huge duty charges or shipping charges. Many times I have ordered large ticket items or just a large amount.
 
My experience is that it is pretty much random re duty. Unless you ship UPS and then you will pay duty if required and in any event you will pay a minimum of $50 for their "brokerage fee".
 
My experience is that it is pretty much random re duty. Unless you ship UPS and then you will pay duty if required and in any event you will pay a minimum of $50 for their "brokerage fee".

Actually, UPS has changed a bit.

If you go with Expedited or Express. You don't hit with the $50 charge. I ordered a camera from B and H....plus some more dive gear from Leisure Pro in the last month.
 
Good to know, but you don't always have control. Bought a carb for the boat in July. No duty, but $50 "brokerage fee". Still half the price for the same unit at my local uto parts store or marina, but it was a surprise as there is no duty on auto parts.
 
Thanks for all the info.
Even with shipping charges there are some amazing deals to be had south of the boarder. Especially with our dollar being so strong. Scuba Toys looks great and seems to come highly recomended.
Does anyone have thoughts on Joe Diver America? Their prices look great but I have not seen anyone pushing them on this board.
 
I ordered 2 regs with DIN conversions from LP last year and paid over $100 duty/brokerage fees to UPS.
 
I think people are confusing "duty" with "GST/PST". Generally if one orders from the States all you pay (besides the carrier's brokerage charge) is the GST (and possibly PST but since Alberta doesn't have that I can't say for sure). Duty is a separate charge that is applied in addition to the GSTand thanks to NAFTA is not charged on items manufactured in the US or Mexico. There is probably a schedule that CCRA has that spells out what items and what countries duty is applied to so if one is so inclined they could check that out.

I've only had to pay duty once and that was on some bolt snaps that came from the US but were manufactured in Thailand.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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