With the
exchange rate with the US Dollar, many shoppers are looking at buying goods
from America as a viable and cost effective option. However, there are a number
of things to consider before you import goods into Canada.
Any goods
brought into the country need to be declared. The Customs service will inspect
the goods and assess them for taxes or duties to be paid before they will be
released. This can be a complex procedure. There are over thirty different
legislations of Canadian customs which individuals or companies need to comply
with when importing goods into the country. These can be difficult to assess
and complex to understand.
Over one
fifth of products need to comply with certain types of special rule. These
groups include foods, appliances, electrical motors, vehicles and lumber. This
is not necessarily straight forward for a novice to understand. For example
does a laptop computer classify as an appliance? Making a simple mistake in
declaring your goods can result in costly custom fees or charges, or result in
your item being held until the correct paperwork is filed.
The amount
of duty to be paid depends on the type of goods and their value in Canadian
Dollars. Although certain retailers will ship directly to Canada from the
United States and will handle the paperwork, customs declaration and fees, this
can be a costly service making your purchases not particularly economical.
There are
also certain conditions which allow for reduced duty for certain goods under
the value of 1600 Canadian Dollars, but there are certain certifications and
declarations needed. All in all, this complex process has made many Canadians
reluctant to import goods from the United States.
However,
many savvy shoppers are now taking advantage of package forwarding services.
These offer shoppers a domestic address for U.S companies to qualify for
cheaper shipping. These packages are then forwarded to your Canadian address.
Since the package forwarding company has a great deal of expertise with the
export and import of goods, they are able to handle the necessary paperwork and
ensure that your package is completely compliant with all the rules and
regulations. The skills and knowledge of the company also means that you can
make savings on custom charges and fees since the package will be optimised to
reduce the amount of fees that it will incur. They are focused on ensuring that
you receive your parcel safely and at the cheapest possible rate.
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