Buying Used Gear From Canada

Say I buy a $1,000 used amp and have it shipped from Canada to US. Will I pay any import due or fees? Any Canadian export costs? Tariffs??? US fees for import?

 

Yes, yes & yes....

 

Ha ha. Welcome to the pain us Canadians have felt for decades.

 

Estimates on a $1,000 amp?

 

Help yourself a bit. Go here to start:

Customs Duty Information

After all, you’re an American. Querying your own government’s web sites is liable to uncover more accurate information than you’ll get by querying a bunch of Canucks.

 

Said something about stereos are household goods and are free to import to USA?

 

Whatever. Maybe. If that’s what the site says. Read. Take your time. You have an annual duty-free exemption (if you haven’t travelled anywhere outside the country and already brought some things back with you this year).

 

Don't forget the maple syrup.

 

Just be aware that any audio gear you buy from the Great White North will probably sound a little on the cool side of neutral.

 

50 years ago I bought a Stanton 681eee cart in Buffalo and brought it back to Ontario. I declared it and before I could describe what it was the customs agent looked up Stanton and charged me $1.00 duty for a needle and $20 for our records. I'm sure they are better informed now but playing stupid helped me save my summer job money.
We went back again in a week and bought a 200wpc Heathkit amp that we payed duty for a radio on. What's the statute of limitations on this? If it is 55 years, then the preceeding was a false memory brought on by age and my pecunious nature.

 

Negative. I've made 3 purchases from Canada over the years. There were fees due each time.
Fortunately, the favorable exchange rates helped offset that.

 

Generally, if the item is under $800 USD, you won't have to pay import duty into the US. Above that, it depends on what the item is and its specific import regulations (for example, manual turntables made in Japan are exempt from duty, as far as I understand). We definitely have it better than people in most countries when it comes to this.

 

Yes, pay attention to where the item is manufactured as this may have an impact on how much you pay.

When I was in my teens in Vancouver it was popular for us Canadians to cross border shop to get gas and certain groceries. Back then I wanted a good 3 head cassette deck - a Pioneer 3 head deck - the CTS-709 and it was a whopping $699 Canadian. In Bellingham, it was $219. So I got my parents to drag me there and I bought it. Brought it back across the border and the officer asked where it was made. I don't know - sounds American right Pioneer? If it was American-made - there was no problem but he noted that if you bring back stuff made in Japan there was a hefty duty. Turned out Pioneer was Japanese so I got lucky - the Tariff I think was 25% or 50%. Still would have been dramatically less than what the Canadian dealer was charging.

 

My experience is the same as @seacliffe301. I've purchased used gear from Canada numerous times and never had to pay any fees or taxes. Most expensive purchase was $1500US.

 

But seacliffe paid fees. You did not?

 

Put it in the cart, press continue and see what happens !

 

it can help if they will write lower value on the customs form. sometimes places will.

 

It's a used Croft Integrated from an individual in Canada.

 

My biggest issue buying from Canada on two previous occasions was how stinking long it took. Its like the RCMP must have delivered it to the border on horseback !

 

yes

 

Pay is your Pal !

 

Long time ago when I use to see what I like in the classified ads I just send a check to the seller. after 2 weeks bingo. They don't do that anymore.

 

Yes... when I bought my last amp in Canada, it sat in the custom for 6 days maybe due to the holidays too.

 

On Canuck? If so, I almost bought it but it had some age on it so I decided to order new (long wait). I recall using UPS online to estimate the shipping fees to VA which was under a $100.

 

Did you pay any customs fees or duty or ????