Taxes and duties on PedalPCB orders shipped to Canada...

MGB

MGB

Member
Hello guys, just a quick question that I guess could only be best answered by the PedalPCB's Canucks members.

So, is it just me or other fellow Canadians are now paying taxes/duties on their shipments coming from PedalPCB ?

I am just outside Montreal (Québec) and since 2020, I have placed 18 orders with PedalPCB and none were taxed before the last 2.
- 1st one was in november 2022 ($ 114.86 USD) and was taxed $ 32.51 CDN
- 2nd, just today, I was informed that duty and taxes on ($ 85.51 USD) was taxed $ 26.51 CDN.

That is close to 30% of the value in CDN $ added to the cost of the orders. I am not even considering currency exchange rate that adds another 30-33% on top.

So, let me tell you that those 15% off deal are gladly welcomed at PedalPCB.

On the other hand, with Small Bear (been ordering there or ages) it's hit or miss. I paid duties for the first time in september 2022, but the last two orders went by as usual. Got another one coming by the end of this week and we'll see for that one.

What's even more weird, is that orders coming from other PCB supplier like: AionFx, Madbean, SushiBox (got another one last week) & UK's FuzzDogs were never taxed either in 2022 or 2023... :confused:

So, did PedalPCB change it's shipping procedures or our Just!n stepped up the game at the borders... or not quite... yet ?

Sorry for the rant.
 
Nothing has changed as far as shipping procedures.

Were the total values including shipping higher on the orders you were taxed compared to the orders where you weren't?

I know there is (or was) a threshold where taxes/duties kick in but I'm not sure what that value is.
 
I got hammered on my last order from here too but I think it was my biggest (value) wise too. It was still a shock though.
I think keeping it under about $100 seems to be the sweet spot but then you just end up paying more with all the shipping. So it’s a lose lose really.
I’m also about an hour away from Montreal. So maybe it’s being in Quebec!?
 
Phil hodson said:
I got hammered on my last order from here too but I think it was my biggest (value) wise too. It was still a shock though.
I think keeping it under about $100 seems to be the sweet spot but then you just end up paying more with all the shipping. So it’s a lose lose really.
I’m also about an hour away from Montreal. So maybe it’s being in Quebec!?
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I dunno. I’m in Toronto and FedEx just invoiced me about $50 on top of about $25 shipping on an order of about $60-worth of products from LMS. So, yeah. I’m done. Feather. Camel. I’m out.

edit to add: Also, I think it’s adorable that they invoiced me.
 
Tax free/customs limit is 20 bucks importing into Canada (it’s 800 into the US, nifty!) It’s really whether they decide to bother or not. I’ve never been dinged on pedalpcb orders going through the regular mail service, but always with couriers because they ding you brokerage.
 
I feel your pain. Customs in Europe really affects my building since all the best PCBs (for me) are coming from across the pond. Even taking advantage of discounts, it's usually a 50% increase on face value by the time I get it in my greedy little hands.

When your best alternative is PCB Guitar Mania.. you just take the hit and pay the tax!
 
szukalski said:
I feel your pain. Customs in Europe really affects my building since all the best PCBs (for me) are coming from across the pond. Even taking advantage of discounts, it's usually a 50% increase on face value by the time I get it in my greedy little hands.

When your best alternative is PCB Guitar Mania.. you just take the hit and pay the tax!
Click to expand...

It's all in your countries laws. As speaking for Germany it's basically 19% VAT and some money that the carriers want to proceed it thru the Customs, if it's under 150 Euro. If it's under 5.30 Euro including P&P it's free of charge.
 
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hamerfan said:
It's all in your countries laws. As speaking for Germany it's basically 19% VAT and some money that the carriers want to proceed it thru the Customs, if it's under 150 Euro. If it's under 5.30 Euro including P&P it's free of charge.
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Yup 19% plus minimum €6 for a handling fee. If you’re going through DHL Express (Tayda for example) then you end up paying €4 per line item type as determined by the customs categories. It’s not per line item, but the category (ie. resistors, or film caps, or pots, etc). It makes ordering unique items quite expensive. A 50c LDR will end up being nearly €5 if you only need one, so it pushes you to buy in bulk.
 
hamerfan said:
Look up your Canadian Import Laws and you will know.....
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Except that humans handling the shipments have some discretion.

This is why I appreciate @StompBoxParts so much. They offer customs prepaid shipping to Canada. I’d rather know exactly how much I’m spending up front, so I use them and Digi-Key or Mouser. I made an exception for a powder coat drop from LMS and got nailed. No more!
 
MGB said:
Hello guys, just a quick question that I guess could only be best answered by the PedalPCB's Canucks members.

So, is it just me or other fellow Canadians are now paying taxes/duties on their shipments coming from PedalPCB ?

I am just outside Montreal (Québec) and since 2020, I have placed 18 orders with PedalPCB and none were taxed before the last 2.
- 1st one was in november 2022 ($ 114.86 USD) and was taxed $ 32.51 CDN
- 2nd, just today, I was informed that duty and taxes on ($ 85.51 USD) was taxed $ 26.51 CDN.

That is close to 30% of the value in CDN $ added to the cost of the orders. I am not even considering currency exchange rate that adds another 30-33% on top.

So, let me tell you that those 15% off deal are gladly welcomed at PedalPCB.

On the other hand, with Small Bear (been ordering there or ages) it's hit or miss. I paid duties for the first time in september 2022, but the last two orders went by as usual. Got another one coming by the end of this week and we'll see for that one.

What's even more weird, is that orders coming from other PCB supplier like: AionFx, Madbean, SushiBox (got another one last week) & UK's FuzzDogs were never taxed either in 2022 or 2023... :confused:

So, did PedalPCB change it's shipping procedures or our Just!n stepped up the game at the borders... or not quite... yet ?

Sorry for the rant.
Click to expand...
The duty-free limit in Canada is C$20. It hasn't been indexed in decades, so with all the inflation, it amounts to peanuts now (write to your local MP to complain! I did). Your best bet (if you're not in a big hurry) is to choose shipping by USPS/Canada Post. They often can't be bothered to charge you for smaller amounts (even if it's over $20), or if they do, at least you'll (mostly) just pay GST plus a maybe few bucks in customs clearance fees.

The couriers tend to charge a lot more for customs clearance, in addition to GST (which is unavoidable). If you're close to a Canada Customs location, you can ask the courier (early on, before it gets delivered) to NOT do the clearance for you and hold the item at customs, and you can go there and do your own clearance paperwork for free. It's your call if it's worth the hassle.

In my experience, UPS is the worst offender for clearance fees. FedEx is a bit better, and DHL the least bad of the bunch.

For more details, read this.
 
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Ok, just to be more clear.

Well I am not questioning if I must pay taxes/duty on a package coming into Canada from abroad, I expect it.

I am only questioning why some packages delivered though USPS and then Canada Post for the rest of the journey in Canada get taxed while others don't. I received from the US 23 deliveries in 2022 and so far in 2023. For instance:

1. I received a somewhat large shipping envelope containing 3x LovePedal's (valued at $ 430.00 USD) bought as recently as november 2022 passed Canadian customs no question asked... I have also ordered more pedals in 2022 twice from Chase Tone & once from Snouse... still untaxed. ???

2. Got (2x) small boxes from the UK containing PCB's (got one 2 week ago valued at 96£) also passed Canadian customs no question asked.

3. Why would a box coming from SushiBox as recently as last week containing 2 enclosures and PCB's passed the Canadian customs no question asked... It's a box not an envelope and the enclosures were even rattling inside. Untaxed.

4. PCB's and parts coming from Madbean, Aion FX, GuitarPCB, that is a total 9 deliveries in the last year, all untaxed and delivered to the same address in similar shipping envelope used by PedalPCB...

So I just find it strange/odd that my last 2 packages (november 2022 and february 2023) coming from PedalPCB shipped to the same address in similar envelopes and value got dinged. And by the way none of the 20 previous orders from PedalPCB were ever taxed.

Just questioning... that's all.

Thanks for your comments and input so far.
 
Great news about the Sushi Box order not getting hammered with taxes! I have those on my list to order...

As I said above I have never been hit before with any duty on a pedal PCB order until my last one.

All other companies, Stompbox, Amplified parts, Small bear etc have been hit and miss it.
 
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