can any other canadians tell me what they’ve experienced when buying chips besides the brutal exchange rate as far as duties or other unexpected fees when buying chips? private vs vendors? hold ups? i haven’t bought chips for years, but i recall chips held ransom by canada post for a particular purchase and not for another. might have been a chiproom purchase?? anyway, any tips would be appreciated.
shipping US to canada. duties/tax etc?? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter saskbull
- Start date
For smaller purchases (20 chips or less) I have had them shipped direct to Canada via USPS with no issue (I avoid UPS, Fedex, etc as they seem to add big time duty etc). For anything larger I maintain a shipping address in the US and drive over to pickup chips. I declare what I have at the border and haven't had any issues (in my experience they only care if it is $300+).
Grant
Grant
yes, now that you say that it might have been fedex. i do remember the amount was rediculous vs the selling price
Quicksilver-75
4 of a Kind
Never had any. The only time I have on any parcel was a guitar the UPS delivered.
I've never paid duty on any package from the US delivered to Canada. Of course, I've never had a declared value of over a few hundred dollars, either.
I use a parcel receiving service for US deliveries just across the border not far away from where I live. Shipping is cheap to there, costs are cheap to pick up, and if I can declare under $300 value I usually get waved through the border. Not worth the paperwork to get me to cough up 12% tax for small amounts. The chips themselves should be duty free because of NAFTA (US or Mexico produced product for most clay chips).
I use a parcel receiving service for US deliveries just across the border not far away from where I live. Shipping is cheap to there, costs are cheap to pick up, and if I can declare under $300 value I usually get waved through the border. Not worth the paperwork to get me to cough up 12% tax for small amounts. The chips themselves should be duty free because of NAFTA (US or Mexico produced product for most clay chips).
CdnBeerLover
Full House
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/menu-eng.html
USPS / Canada Post charge a flat $10 brokerage fee. Sales tax may apply, and is separate from duties and tariffs (playing cards may now have a tariff applied).
UPS and others charge significantly higher brokerage fees and add other fees (eg UPS adds a bond fee of approx 3% if they have to.pay sales tax to Customs on your behalf).
I have not had any issues with USPS / Canada Post, and tracking works to your door.
USPS / Canada Post charge a flat $10 brokerage fee. Sales tax may apply, and is separate from duties and tariffs (playing cards may now have a tariff applied).
UPS and others charge significantly higher brokerage fees and add other fees (eg UPS adds a bond fee of approx 3% if they have to.pay sales tax to Customs on your behalf).
I have not had any issues with USPS / Canada Post, and tracking works to your door.
We get shipments into our business from the US all the time. If you can have them ship USPS as apposed to Fedex or UPS you usually will avoid headaches. UPS will often charge 20 dollars extra for brokerage fees just so they can bill GST and duties. It's ridiculous
xxmurrxx
Two Pair
My experience with chip buying:
Small packages (~100 chips and less) - Don't recall every having a charge.
Large packages (Sets, or multiple racks) - Almost always come with a tax / processing fee charge.
UPS / FedEx you'll probably be looking at a fee guaranteed, USPS - Canada post is probably the best option to not pay extra.
People mentioning having them shipped lower value will help with the fee's but you're screwed if the pack is lost / damaged or whatnot...
Never really had any major hold ups / delays though.
Small packages (~100 chips and less) - Don't recall every having a charge.
Large packages (Sets, or multiple racks) - Almost always come with a tax / processing fee charge.
UPS / FedEx you'll probably be looking at a fee guaranteed, USPS - Canada post is probably the best option to not pay extra.
People mentioning having them shipped lower value will help with the fee's but you're screwed if the pack is lost / damaged or whatnot...
Never really had any major hold ups / delays though.
Mathieu
Two Pair
Ordered from cpc. They insisted on putting the full value on the waybill. My duties were over $400. UPS I get dinged for the 15% value plus 10$ fee every time. FedEx never got me and usps gets me 1 out of every 3 times. but never for much.
WedgeRock
Royal Flush
GenghisKhan
Full House
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USPS from an individual, they hit me with duties probably 1 out of 5 times. Last time paid like $45 on $200 US declared value in chips.
USPS from a business (Chiproom/Apache/CPC), they hit me with duties once every 2 or 3 times. More often, but still totally random and have never found a pattern to it either way.
Each time they put the chips in a different duties category too. Proving CBSA has no friggin clue how to process chips. I should take out all my duty slips to compare.
I once scoured the CBSA site and thought under "gambling supplies" or something similar I had found a category that the chips could maybe fall under if we fought it, where the amount was very low compared to other categories of product I'd gotten before.
$45 extra for a rack of chips sucks.
USPS from a business (Chiproom/Apache/CPC), they hit me with duties once every 2 or 3 times. More often, but still totally random and have never found a pattern to it either way.
Each time they put the chips in a different duties category too. Proving CBSA has no friggin clue how to process chips. I should take out all my duty slips to compare.
I once scoured the CBSA site and thought under "gambling supplies" or something similar I had found a category that the chips could maybe fall under if we fought it, where the amount was very low compared to other categories of product I'd gotten before.
$45 extra for a rack of chips sucks.
WedgeRock
Royal Flush
We need an underground railroad, to get chips to freedom...
I once drove to Windsor and dropped a 500 set of NJ Skulls off with Canada Post for a Canadian...
I once drove to Windsor and dropped a 500 set of NJ Skulls off with Canada Post for a Canadian...
I think you might be onto a profitable business venture there, and save fellow chippers some significant coin in the process. They can even route CPC orders to you for forwarding....
Squibyboom
Pair
I guess I've gotten really lucky never had to pay any duty at all. Most things I've bought are private sale from Europe and the U.S. only small stuff like racks cards and dealer buttons from Europe. I participated in the mountain group buy got a 350 chip set no duty. I've gotten a 500 chip set from a member no duty. Countless buttons and sample sets from individuals in the U.S. All with USPS. No duty no issues. I hope my luck continues.
jhelik
Pair
I think the equation is "declared value over...$200??" + weight of box (500 bud joins CICs weigh a lot) + size of box (keep it as small as possible...no racks) = box being stopped, opened, and duty + hst+ fees
Lash
Straight
Put low value on the package and you shouldn’t pay duty. I dont mind UPS because they have their own port and building at the airport. I arrange to pick up there and Avoid more hands touching my package than needed.
Lash
Straight
May i ask what site you are ordering from? My advice is never click add to cart and pay what it asks. Every time ive ordered chips from a business i email them directly for a quote and it is always cheaper than what the shopping cart says
chip exchange
Lash
Straight
If its a link from this site its probably their bottom line. Wouldnt hurt to chat tho
LinkyBabe
Flush
Canada Post charges a $9.95 handling fee only for items imported into Canada that the CBSA flags for duties and/or taxes... USPS/CBSA do not receive any of the money charged for this handling fee. Merchandise (something you've purchased) imported into Canada, valued at <= $20, is exempt from duties/taxes. Gifts (something given to you by friends or family) imported into Canada, valued at <= $60, are exempt from duties/taxes.
In my experience, the CBSA rarely enforces these amounts, except when country leaders get into pissing matches. I've imported lots of items (excluding liquor/tobacco products) into Canada from various countries and rarely do I pay for duties/taxes when these items go through the regular postal system and are valued at <= $150... YMMV. As for private couriers... all bets are off.
Edit: The last time I paid taxes was for 550 CPS chips from Apache... valued at approx $220 USD and I think I paid approx $35 CAD total (taxes + handling fee).
In my experience, the CBSA rarely enforces these amounts, except when country leaders get into pissing matches. I've imported lots of items (excluding liquor/tobacco products) into Canada from various countries and rarely do I pay for duties/taxes when these items go through the regular postal system and are valued at <= $150... YMMV. As for private couriers... all bets are off.
Edit: The last time I paid taxes was for 550 CPS chips from Apache... valued at approx $220 USD and I think I paid approx $35 CAD total (taxes + handling fee).
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yeah, just the horseshoes link from the multi casino sale page. i did shoot todd a msg re:shipping but i’m guessing .69 a chip is bottom line these days. i was looking at some really used bemmertons for .65, 1000 chips but the breakdown is strange, and i still need fracs, so leaning towards 600 horseshoes, which look to be decent shape after cleaning. then hunt for fracs
wish i had that option lol. 5+ hrs to the border for me.
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