Canadians sending cameras to Eric H for servicing - did you pay duty?

gabriel_bc · 03-31-2011, 08:35 PM

Any fellow canucks who have sent film bodies to Eric for servicing - did you get charged duty when Eric shipped it back to you? How do you insure it without it appearing like you're selling it to him?

Thanks for any advice and/or stories of how it worked for you.

SteveM · 03-31-2011, 08:52 PM

There is no guarantee but so far I've never had an issue and have sent a number of cameras to him. I mark the package as "Camera being sent for servicing" and ship to his company and not to his name. He includes an invoice for work done inside the top of the package.

gabriel_bc · 03-31-2011, 08:56 PM

thanks smc - appreciate it.

turns out that cheap LX I snagged the other day does indeed have a slight case of the dreaded sticky mirror - so off to Eric it will go.

SteveM · 03-31-2011, 09:08 PM

Yes, mine had the same and Eric fixed it. Should be good for the next 20 years when you get it back!

WiseOx · 03-31-2011, 10:04 PM

I didn't get hit, but I was sure to make note on the customs declaration that it was being sent for repair. Eric made the same note on the way back, I believe.

stevebrot · 03-31-2011, 10:06 PM

Duty is paid by the importer for goods purchased from abroad. No purchase, no duty. No import, no duty.

Steve

P.S. Cameras pass duty free from Canada to the U.S....not sure about the other way around...

**gofour3** · 03-31-2011, 10:35 PM

Originally posted by gabriel_bc

Any fellow canucks who have sent film bodies to Eric for servicing - did you get charged duty when Eric shipped it back to you? How do you insure it without it appearing like you're selling it to him?

Thanks for any advice and/or stories of how it worked for you.

I send my items to Eric via Expedited Parcel which has a tracking number. I mark the value as zero and indicate it is camera items to be serviced. I have never paid any duty on anything Eric has sent back, he usually marks down the value as under $50.00.

Phil

**Lowell Goudge** · 04-01-2011, 04:33 AM

How ever you send the item out of the country, record on the shipping papers the serial number. That is sufficient to ensure no in kind duty as you have traceability to country of origin. BUT be careful how Eric returns it to you. US parcel post is best because even if there is no duty, many couriers, UPS for certain will charge a brokerage fee even if there is no actual duty to be paid

**jac** · 04-01-2011, 04:43 AM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

How ever you send the item out of the country, record on the shipping papers the serial number. That is sufficient to ensure no in kind duty as you have traceability to country of origin. BUT be careful how Eric returns it to you. US parcel post is best because even if there is no duty, many couriers, UPS for certain will charge a brokerage fee even if there is no actual duty to be paid

Agreed. Both Canada Post and the USPS have undeserved reputations regarding service. I use them both frequently, without problems. A bit slower sometimes but if a day or so is really all that important ...

stevebrot · 04-01-2011, 07:02 AM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

UPS for certain will charge a brokerage fee even if there is no actual duty to be paid

YES!!! UPS will charge for customs brokerage. It is part of their business model. It is much better to use the postal system both ways.

Steve

eddie1960 · 04-01-2011, 07:16 AM

+1 on usps and ccanada post. When i buy from abroad i now only do so if it ships usps.
the couriers are nasty on the brokerage. I deal with couriers when purchasing for work, but i have my own broker for that so have it referred to them and avoid the courier charges

dgaies · 04-01-2011, 07:27 AM

Originally posted by eddie1960

+1 on usps and ccanada post. When i buy from abroad i now only do so if it ships usps.

Agreed. I've had a lot of success using USPS/Canada Post when shipping lenses from the US to Canada. No issues, no extra fees. Plus, it's generally pretty quick in terms of shipping time and the cost is pretty reasonable.

Blue · 04-01-2011, 07:46 AM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

How ever you send the item out of the country, record on the shipping papers the serial number. That is sufficient to ensure no in kind duty as you have traceability to country of origin. BUT be careful how Eric returns it to you. US parcel post is best because even if there is no duty, many couriers, UPS for certain will charge a brokerage fee even if there is no actual duty to be paid

That is because UPS are money grubbing ass-holes. They should be sued for collecting duty on camera gear from Canada to the U.S. and vice versa because there are supposed to be none. That means they are shaking people down.

gabriel_bc · 04-01-2011, 10:35 AM

Originally posted by gofour3

I send my items to Eric via Expedited Parcel which has a tracking number. I mark the value as zero and indicate it is camera items to be serviced. I have never paid any duty on anything Eric has sent back, he usually marks down the value as under $50.00.

Phil

If you mark the value as zero and it gets lost, how do you make a claim?

Also, if Eric marks the value as $50 or somesuch, then that's all you'd get for insurance if it's lost on the way back, right?

eddie1960 · 04-01-2011, 11:14 AM

If you send it with an export certificate for service and it is returned with that you should be able to insure for value of the unit AFAIK

03-31-2011, 08:35 PM	#1
gabriel_bc Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Langley, BC Photos: Gallery Posts: 550	Canadians sending cameras to Eric H for servicing - did you pay duty? Any fellow canucks who have sent film bodies to Eric for servicing - did you get charged duty when Eric shipped it back to you? How do you insure it without it appearing like you're selling it to him? Thanks for any advice and/or stories of how it worked for you.

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03-31-2011, 08:52 PM	#2
SteveM Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,294	There is no guarantee but so far I've never had an issue and have sent a number of cameras to him. I mark the package as "Camera being sent for servicing" and ship to his company and not to his name. He includes an invoice for work done inside the top of the package.

03-31-2011, 08:56 PM	#3
gabriel_bc Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Langley, BC Photos: Gallery Posts: 550 Original Poster	thanks smc - appreciate it. turns out that cheap LX I snagged the other day does indeed have a slight case of the dreaded sticky mirror - so off to Eric it will go.

03-31-2011, 09:08 PM	#4
SteveM Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,294	Yes, mine had the same and Eric fixed it. Should be good for the next 20 years when you get it back!

03-31-2011, 10:04 PM	#5
WiseOx Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Whitby (near Toronto), Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 433	I didn't get hit, but I was sure to make note on the customs declaration that it was being sent for repair. Eric made the same note on the way back, I believe.

03-31-2011, 10:06 PM	#6
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Duty is paid by the importer for goods purchased from abroad. No purchase, no duty. No import, no duty. Steve P.S. Cameras pass duty free from Canada to the U.S....not sure about the other way around...

03-31-2011, 10:35 PM	#7
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,089	Originally posted by gabriel_bc Any fellow canucks who have sent film bodies to Eric for servicing - did you get charged duty when Eric shipped it back to you? How do you insure it without it appearing like you're selling it to him? Thanks for any advice and/or stories of how it worked for you. I send my items to Eric via Expedited Parcel which has a tracking number. I mark the value as zero and indicate it is camera items to be serviced. I have never paid any duty on anything Eric has sent back, he usually marks down the value as under $50.00. Phil

04-01-2011, 04:33 AM	#8
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,886	How ever you send the item out of the country, record on the shipping papers the serial number. That is sufficient to ensure no in kind duty as you have traceability to country of origin. BUT be careful how Eric returns it to you. US parcel post is best because even if there is no duty, many couriers, UPS for certain will charge a brokerage fee even if there is no actual duty to be paid

04-01-2011, 04:43 AM	#9
jac Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Clyde River, Nunavut, Canada Posts: 2,364	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge How ever you send the item out of the country, record on the shipping papers the serial number. That is sufficient to ensure no in kind duty as you have traceability to country of origin. BUT be careful how Eric returns it to you. US parcel post is best because even if there is no duty, many couriers, UPS for certain will charge a brokerage fee even if there is no actual duty to be paid Agreed. Both Canada Post and the USPS have undeserved reputations regarding service. I use them both frequently, without problems. A bit slower sometimes but if a day or so is really all that important ...

04-01-2011, 07:02 AM	#10
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge UPS for certain will charge a brokerage fee even if there is no actual duty to be paid YES!!! UPS will charge for customs brokerage. It is part of their business model. It is much better to use the postal system both ways. Steve

04-01-2011, 07:16 AM	#11
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	+1 on usps and ccanada post. When i buy from abroad i now only do so if it ships usps. the couriers are nasty on the brokerage. I deal with couriers when purchasing for work, but i have my own broker for that so have it referred to them and avoid the courier charges

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04-01-2011, 07:27 AM	#12
dgaies Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Maryland / Washington DC Posts: 3,917	Originally posted by eddie1960 +1 on usps and ccanada post. When i buy from abroad i now only do so if it ships usps. Agreed. I've had a lot of success using USPS/Canada Post when shipping lenses from the US to Canada. No issues, no extra fees. Plus, it's generally pretty quick in terms of shipping time and the cost is pretty reasonable.

04-01-2011, 07:46 AM	#13
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge How ever you send the item out of the country, record on the shipping papers the serial number. That is sufficient to ensure no in kind duty as you have traceability to country of origin. BUT be careful how Eric returns it to you. US parcel post is best because even if there is no duty, many couriers, UPS for certain will charge a brokerage fee even if there is no actual duty to be paid That is because UPS are money grubbing ass-holes. They should be sued for collecting duty on camera gear from Canada to the U.S. and vice versa because there are supposed to be none. That means they are shaking people down.

04-01-2011, 10:35 AM	#14
gabriel_bc Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Langley, BC Photos: Gallery Posts: 550 Original Poster	Originally posted by gofour3 I send my items to Eric via Expedited Parcel which has a tracking number. I mark the value as zero and indicate it is camera items to be serviced. I have never paid any duty on anything Eric has sent back, he usually marks down the value as under $50.00. Phil If you mark the value as zero and it gets lost, how do you make a claim? Also, if Eric marks the value as $50 or somesuch, then that's all you'd get for insurance if it's lost on the way back, right?

04-01-2011, 11:14 AM	#15
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	If you send it with an export certificate for service and it is returned with that you should be able to insure for value of the unit AFAIK