Ordering from Canada? (Page 1/1)
blackrams OCT 25, 12:14 PM
This topic recently came up on my Valkyrie forum. I honestly have no idea what the truth is, thought I'd ask here.


quote
I just ordered an item from Ontario (CANADA) who, in the past, I've purchased from before.

Before filling the order, he kindly informed me that I may incur a 35% duty fee plus a $15 - $20 brokerage fee - and that he'd understand if I wanted to cancel my order.

However, I recently purchased a pair of Honda OEM timing belt tensioners from a vendor in Japan (~$140 USD) and was similarly told to expect an additional charge to be collected by DHL upon delivery. It never happened - so the whole tariff thing has me confused. Perhaps it relates to items over a certain value? Or can I expect to be billed at a later date?

Anyone have an insights or experiences? Granted, a leather tank bib isn't exactly a high-dollar item . . . . I just want to know what to expect.



quote
I insist when ordering out of the states, that shipping HAS to be done via usps only. That way it gets delivered to me via Canada post. When shipped this way, especially with items that are used, there is no duty or tax but if shipping happens with fedex/ups or others, there is always a fee at the door even on used items hence my insistence that usps gets used. I have turned away deliveries due to the wrong shipping company being used.



Obviously, the first quote is by the person who is asking, the second is a reply. Is the second quote correct?
Just curioius..................

Rams
Raydar OCT 25, 04:45 PM
A few years back, I ordered a set of wheels and tires from a vendor in.. B.C.?

They arrived pretty much as expected. No problem. DHL was the carrier, according to the waybill.

A couple of weeks later, I received a bill for a brokerage fee. It wasn't crushing, but it was not insignificant, either.
I thought about ignoring it, but decided not to. (What are they going to do? Re-po my wheels?)
But I also haven't ordered much of anything else from Canada.

I have heard that the Postal Service does not charge the brokerage fee, but I'm not sure of all the "ins and outs".
(The whole brokerage fee thing smells like a money grab.)

Considering how many people there are here, who buy and sell "across the border", one way or the other, you ought to get some more concise answers.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 10-25-2025).]

blackrams OCT 25, 04:47 PM
Appreciate the response.

Rams
Patrick OCT 25, 05:21 PM

quote
Originally posted by blackrams:

Is the second quote correct?



Yes... although I suspect that post might be old, as the situation has changed somewhat over the years.

Cross-border shopping/shipping (from the US to Canada) is something that I've dealt with for decades, always on the receiving end. (I've never shipped anything across the border to the States.) I had expressed some of my frustrations in this 13 year old PFF thread Here.

Yes, it used to be the case that using the postal service was always the best way to minimize duty charges and brokerage fees. The postal service didn't charge a brokerage fee, and duty wouldn't be collected at all if the value of the shipment was less than 20 dollars. That may or may not be the same situation when the shipment is going the other way (from Canada to the US).

In the last few years, another option has become available, where the vendor themself collects the duty prior to shipping (the amount is added to the original bill), and the shipping company is then not involved in collecting the duty... therefore no outrageous brokerage fees. So in this situation, it's fine if a private carrier (as opposed to the postal service) is used for shipping. RockAuto now ships in this manner, and it's worked out great.

Of course, the whole situation has now become a lot more complicated with Donald Trump wishing to apply variable tariffs on various items... and it seems to change week to week. So... it's difficult to give a definitive answer on the best way to now ship across the border with the way things currently stand.
blackrams OCT 25, 06:43 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

Yes... although I suspect that post might be old, as the situation has changed somewhat over the years.

Cross-border shopping/shipping (from the US to Canada) is something that I've dealt with for decades, always on the receiving end. (I've never shipped anything across the border to the States.) I had expressed some of my frustrations in this 13 year old PFF thread Here.

Yes, it used to be the case that using the postal service was always the best way to minimize duty charges and brokerage fees. The postal service didn't charge a brokerage fee, and duty wouldn't be collected at all if the value of the shipment was less than 20 dollars. That may or may not be the same situation when the shipment is going the other way (from Canada to the US).

In the last few years, another option has become available, where the vendor themself collects the duty prior to shipping (the amount is added to the original bill), and the shipping company is then not involved in collecting the duty... therefore no outrageous brokerage fees. So in this situation, it's fine if a private carrier (as opposed to the postal service) is used for shipping. RockAuto now ships in this manner, and it's worked out great.

Of course, the whole situation has now become a lot more complicated with Donald Trump wishing to apply variable tariffs on various items... and it seems to change week to week. So... it's difficult to give a definitive answer on the best way to now ship across the border with the way things currently stand.



Thanks, will pass this on. Not sure if the question is answered but, it is, what it is.

Rams