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You can apply to get that money back.
This is a discussion on My disaster with Canadian Customs within the Equipment Chat forums, part of the The Gear category; So, some of you may have read my review I wrote of my custom dillon I got last month. After ...
My disaster with Canadian Customs
So, some of you may have read my review I wrote of my custom dillon I got last month. After receiving the mask, obviously I needed it to get painted. I decided to go with a painter in Canada. Unfortunately, I screwed up when filling out the customs documents.
I pretty much didn't fill out any special info, all I did was list the contents. My painter requested I simply include a certified check in the box with the mask when I ship it, so I just entered the mask and the check on the customs form. The total value of the package came out to over $2,000 USD. Apparently I either did something wrong, or this is just the business of reaming people in brokerage fees. The total fees for the delivery came out around $200.
My predicament was pretty much:
1) pay the extra money so the painter could paint it
2) have the mask returned hopefully in one piece in however many weeks it took, and start from square one
Honestly, the more frugal and responsible option would have been option #2, but honestly $200 isn't a big deal and I am so impatient I went ahead and took it on the chin. I still feel really bad that I didn't check with some experts on how to ship the mask the best way. It was pretty naive of me to just blindly fill out the form and assume it would be all good.
So, let this be a lesson learned to any of you people state-side who are planning on using a canadian mask painter. Ask some experts first on the best way to ship your mask to avoid getting nailed with some ridiculous customs fees. Feel free to laugh in my general direction. :(
You can apply to get that money back.
How? Do you have a link for more information?
Who took the money? Canadian government or US government? They'd be different links, look it up on google. If it's Canada it's Canada Revenue Agency.
Thanks for the info.. I'll be sure to stick with a U.S. painter for my sons masks.. he was a customer of Head Strong Grafx before they did Halak's and Elliott's mask and are in fact in the process of doing the rendering for his second mask now.
Last edited by papawaynelowe; 01-11-2012 at 06:34 PM.
I wouldn't say steer clear of international painters, just research the proper way to fill out the paperwork first. :)
Always mark that the product is USED, and MADE IN NORTH AMERICA if it is due to the N.A.F.T.A. agreement they can't charge duty on something made in NA.
Also you can mark gift but that can't be done if there's a cheque in there.
Yeah, going across the border for paint is perfectly fine. The thing in this case is that while the contents of the mask does have a value, you're actually paying for a service, which isn't applicable to customs fees. In these cases you're better off marking it as a gift. To be honest, you should fire your shipper. My shipper is fantastic and always helps me out with these things.
Last edited by synesthete; 01-12-2012 at 06:16 AM.
Hehe, well in this case, "my shipper" was an old lady at the post office counter. In all my experiences, postal employees are largely apathetic. It's funny, I was going to use UPS but I remember hearing canadians always say "NO UPS THEY CHARGE BROKERAGE" so I went with USPS instead.
UPS charges the highest brokerage fees of any shipper I've dealt with. But that's been when receiving items from the US. I've never shipped anything across the border though.
"I am the game, you don't want to play me. I am control, no way you can shake me. I am your debt, no way you can pay me. I am your pain and I know you can't take me." - The Game, Motorhead.
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