[tpm] OT: Buying via ebay.ca from a seller in the U.S.

[Liam R E Quin]

On Sun, 3 Aug 2014 21:35:17 -0400
Alex Beamish <talexb at gmail.com> wrote:

> If I buy something from the U.S., am I liable for duty?

Yes.

Make sure the seller does not use the "global shiping program".

Make sure the seller does nto use UPS to ship, as UPS will typically charge an additional $40 to clear customs. USPS (the US postal service) is OK but make sure you get a tracking number.

Remind the seller that on the customs form they must put the price you paid *not including shipping*. Duty will be a percentage of that figure, unless it's under $60 and marked as a gift, but if the gov't gets suspicious that it's not really a gift they can and likely will) simply confiscate it and make you prove it was a gift (or just confiscate it and not tell you for a year or longer, you have to write to them), so it's best not to ask someone else to mark it as a gift.

Customs charges sometimes appear weeks after the item has arrived.

An alternative:
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-printers-scanners-fax/city-of-toronto/canon-pixma-ip100-mobile-inkjet-printer-with-battery/1008837709?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-printers-scanners-fax/city-of-toronto/canon-pixma-ip100-mobile-photo-printer/549764846?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-printers-scanners-fax/city-of-toronto/canon-ip100-printer/1001665283?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true


I've used Kijiji a lot in the past without problems, but buyer beware etc.


-- 
Liam Quin - XML Activity Lead, W3C, http://www.w3.org/People/Quin/
Pictures from old books: http://fromoldbooks.org/