I have on many occasions ordered from the US. Usually have to pay a large amount in customs fees. This however is not exactly true as Agent fees would me a more appropriate term. Of course some of the cost is in fact customs and PST but the carriers often get a good chunk of your money. I got to the point that I wouldn't order less than $300. at a time to keep the charges down to an acceptable percentage. I travel to the US regulary on business so when I am going to be somewhere for a week or more I almost always have an order shipped to my hotel. I then claim it as a personal exemption when I come back. I also live less than an hour from Port Huron MI. I found out about a parcel service for Canadians there. Now I simply have everything shipped to Port Huron. This service costs me $4.00 per package and they notify me by telephone when a package comes in. Since my shipments are usually parts or tools I try to keep the orders down to under $200. I always declare the true value of my goods as to get caught doing otherwise is just not worth the consequences. However, I have never been asked to pay any duty when bringing the package back. I just tell the Customs Agent that I make guitars as a hobby and that I have some parts/ tools valued at the actual amount. They always say have a nice day and wave me on. Since I drive a pickup truck with a 128 liter tank, I usually go across the border with less than a quarter of a tank. Gasoline is considerably cheaper on the other side of the border so I fill up. The savings on gas usually covers the cost of gas there & back $5.00 in bridge tolls and the $4.00 package fee. I'm usually back home within two hours of leaving and it is all very convienient. Especially if you have included in your order a substance that cannot be shipped into Canada i.e. glues or finishing products.
Another point to be aware of is if you order any of the fine products from Carvin they will ship it to Canada and cover all of the customs & duty for double the normal shipping fee. This is very cost effective unless you want to overnight something from them then it gets expensive as it is double the overnight fee. BTW I think that Carvin has great products both guitars & good selection of parts at reasonable prices. I have also noticed unless you are just ordering a single item that it usually worth the cost to have them shipped from the states as prices are much lower. I would love to buy every item I purchase in Canada but to be honest we just get too badly gouged on most items ( if you can even get them). You can get many items online for close to half the price from the US as you will find them in Canada (online or otherwise) I have a friend who owns a couple of music stores. When I can I try to buy parts through him. The truth of the matter is that I can usually get guitar parts on line for less than his dealer cost. :smilie_flagge17:
Another point to be aware of is if you order any of the fine products from Carvin they will ship it to Canada and cover all of the customs & duty for double the normal shipping fee. This is very cost effective unless you want to overnight something from them then it gets expensive as it is double the overnight fee. BTW I think that Carvin has great products both guitars & good selection of parts at reasonable prices. I have also noticed unless you are just ordering a single item that it usually worth the cost to have them shipped from the states as prices are much lower. I would love to buy every item I purchase in Canada but to be honest we just get too badly gouged on most items ( if you can even get them). You can get many items online for close to half the price from the US as you will find them in Canada (online or otherwise) I have a friend who owns a couple of music stores. When I can I try to buy parts through him. The truth of the matter is that I can usually get guitar parts on line for less than his dealer cost. :smilie_flagge17:
