Shipping Strategies to Canada?

[Michael Gyori]

Does anyone in Canada that ordered Red equipment have advice on the best (cheapest) way to get Red equipment into Canada.

We're a production company in Vancouver, Canada. We have a US address in Washington state, just a 45 minute drive away. While Red informs us that they are forced with Washington state orders to add 8.5% to the order, it still might be cheaper than shipping our Scarlet directly to Vancouver as customs/brokerage fees are unknown and seemingly random... and with something worth $14,000, those fees could be in the thousands. Plus, I'm sure we'll be forced to pay the 12% sales tax in BC when it's shipped here directly.

Any info from other Canadians that have gone through the process would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bob Gundu]

Hey, we all gotta pay the tax man....

 

[Glen Powell]

The service that RED ships FedEx has no extra brokerage fees - you just pay H.S.T. (I'm in Ontario with HST 13% = G.S.T. + provincial tax). The camera is made in the USA so it falls under NAFTA and RED has meticulous paperwork that they send with the packages… Nothing Random about it, you pay the tax based on value of goods shipped.
Every once in a while I've gotten lucky and the shipment has slipped through with no tax assessed, but those were small $ amounts (like the shipment I rec'd today with the REDMOTE).

So the tax you pay on the camera will be the same as if you could just walk down to Vistek and buy it. No Brokerage, no duties.

If you take delivery in the States, you may end up paying the tax twice when you try to cross the border - even with your U.S. address, because the address on your drivers license is the one that CBSA will be interested in. So 8.5% in Washington and 12% (B.C. tax ??) when you cross the border.

 

[Joseph Kh]

What Glen says is accurate. Just to clarify about Fedex, as long as you have an account with Fedex and from my experience, you would have to provide your business number and incorporation number to Fedex so they can clear on your company's behalf. I did get a nominal charge from Fedex, not sure if it was a handling fee but it was under $30 for 2 base production packs.

You may want to check out the Canada Border Services Agency site for up to date details...http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/menu-eng.html

 

[Michael Dalton]

because the camera is built in NA means that you don't pay provincial tax or duty, just GST. I can't remember how much exactly I paid, but it was less then I thought (around 500$), and cheaper then 8.5%. I think you can also get it back if your a registered company.

 

[Michael Gyori]

Ok, it sounds like it would be best to just ship it directly to Vancouver. I didn't realize that products made in the USA were exempt from duty. But those thinking that duty is easy to predict on non-USA made products shipped to Canada must have more information than I do. I've shipped many products to Canada, and duty charges vary greatly on products of similar value based on which courier one uses. UPS seemed to be the best, while Fedex and others have charged me significantly more.

Good to hear that Red products are exempt from duty. I'll bite the bullet and pay 'the man' his 12% cut.... eventhough we recently voted out the HST in BC and will be going back to a more complicated PST/GST combo again.... but that won't return until the BC gov follows through with changing it back.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

 

[Glen Powell]

If you don't have a POA (Power Of Attorney) on file with FedEx - you should call / email and get the forms now to fill them out and get them on file. This will save time and hassle on the clearance process.

G.

 

[Michael Gyori]

@Glen... Unfortunately, I didn't read your reply until now.... after our equipment was shipped. FedEx did need a power of attorney (required on anything valued over $2000). As well, I recommend that anyone shipping to Canada open a FedEx account so they have a credit card on record to charge the taxes.

Others should note that not all items shipped from RED are made in the USA. The Redvolt batteries are made in Japan, and the travel charger is made in China. These items will get duty charges... although I don't yet have the documentation from FedEx showing the amounts.

 

[Jean Déraps]

Michael, you may still be charged duty on certain items that were "made in the USA" because the CBSA requires a certificate of origin for those items, a piece of paper that guarantees they were indeed made in the USA. Sometimes the CBSA accepts the country of origin indicated on the default paperwork RED produces, sometimes not. If you should be charged duty on any goods produced in the US, contact RED for a certificate of origin for your order and contact FedEx and tell them you were charged for NAFTA goods and that you'll send them the COO for them to submit a form for you to be reimbursed.
Also, if you're not already registered for sales taxes you should in order to get a refund for the HST you'll be paying for the camera....unless you really enjoy paying "the man" 12% in sales taxes...

 

[Glen Powell]

Michael, you may still be charged duty on certain items that were "made in the USA" because the CBSA requires a certificate of origin for those items, a piece of paper that guarantees they were indeed made in the USA. Sometimes the CBSA accepts the country of origin indicated on the default paperwork RED produces, sometimes not. If you should be charged duty on any goods produced in the US, contact RED for a certificate of origin for your order and contact FedEx and tell them you were charged for NAFTA goods and that you'll send them the COO for them to submit a form for you to be reimbursed.
Also, if you're not already registered for sales taxes you should in order to get a refund for the HST you'll be paying for the camera....unless you really enjoy paying "the man" 12% in sales taxes...

Anything that I have rec'd from RED has included all of the correct paperwork with Harmonised tax codes and cert's of origin - I've never had a problem with duty and products covered under NAFTA.