Hi,
Well here in Ontario you pay a flat $5 customs charge plus Ontario
sales tax on the declared value, or invoice value, if it looks like
a commercial transaction. If the package does not have a company name
on if the sender declares it as a gift then it will be considered
non-commercial and there should be no charge. They may occasionally
open a package to check the value or look for an invoice.
Ben Poels
Kingston, Ontario
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Arnab Kumar Banerjee
Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 1999 10:56 AM
To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [OM] Customs Duties-Another question
Having never ordered any photo equipment in the mail before, I am not sure
how these things work. Suppose if I buy a $400 (say) zuiko lens from B&H,do
I have any way of knowing in advance how much duty would be charged at
customs? As some of the list members have written, it depends on the
declared value. Who would declare this value? B&H ?
how would the process be different if i were to buy a $400 zuiko from a list
member?
Arnab.
ON, Canada.
>From: Olaf Greve <Ogreve@xxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: "'olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: [OM] OT: Customs Duties
>Date: Wed, 5 May 1999 10:23:20 +0200
>
>Hi,
>
>[...]
>
> >Does anyone have an explanation for this customs free treatment? Is it
>because
> >the lens is used? My brother did not identify the lens as used, but
>while
>the
> >lens looks really good overall, it has a few brassing marks on the metal
>rim
> >above the mounting ring, which makes it obvious to the inspector that it
>is
>a
> >used lens.
>
>Hmmm, maybe they dropped the lens and then decided they didn't dare to
>charge you additional taxes on it ;) Just kidding of course.
>
> >Perhaps there are others who can tell us about their experience with the
> >US/other countries Customs with respect to photo equipment.
>
>This is where I get serious again, the way it works in The Netherlands is
>as
>follows:
>If you buy new or used gear the declared value will be evaluated. The first
>f 65,- (USD $32) is tax-free, anything above that will be taxed with a
>hefty
>25%. There are two ways of getting around this. The first way is to declare
>a lower value than the actual purchase value, say e.g. $100 instead of an
>actual $400, you will still be charged some taxes then, but since you
>didn't
>declare an unreasonably low amount, the customs officers will probably not
>double-check the value with a camera store. The second way, which I'm
>hardly
>familiar with but which seems to work too, is to have it sent with the
>regular value declaration, but with the addendum "purchased as a gift".
>
>Maybe someone can elaborate a bit on the second approach?
>
>Also, according to Dutch customs, items will only be taxed if they're
>shipped in from out of the EU. I'm expecting a parcel full of lots of
>goodies from Germany, so I hope this info is correct :)
>
>Hope this is of any help to anyone.
>
>Cheers!
>Olaf
>
>
>
>< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
>< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
>< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
>
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|