This was my 7th order from PBR but, this time, the mailman demanded $22.35 - GST/HST +$5 'handling fee'. So I ended up paying over $50 for delivery of $130 worth of parts. That stings.

Consider yourself lucky, out of about 20 orders over the years, I think I MISSED the charges 1 time.

The $5 handling fee is their brokerage charge. If it was sent through UPS or FedEx, that charge would be $30+, so be thankful it's only $5.

As for the taxes, technically anything over $20 is supposed to be assessed and charged tax by Canada Customs, so if you haven't had to pay in the past, you got lucky.

1 out of 7 ain't bad.

Geez, I guess I have been lucky ... but I'm still annoyed.

Quoted from cooke

As for the taxes, technically anything over $20 is supposed to be assessed and charged tax by Canada Customs, so if you haven't had to pay in the past, you got lucky.

1 out of 7 ain't bad.

Exactly.  When people clear these types of shipments at the border themselves, there is a decent chance they will have to pay taxes.  Getting it through the mail should be no different.  

If you compare the cost to order from say, Pinballife to Canada vs ordering from them to ship to another state, there is a huge difference.

You have 13% + $5 + about $26 shipping average vs about $10, and also the banks service charge on the currency conversion. An order that cost me about $180.00 probably was about $136.00 to a US customer buying out of state (in CDN$)

For people that travel cross border frequently or live near the border, it could actually pay to get a US mailbox if they spend enough. I doubt customs would sieze unpackaged pinball parts sitting is a toolbox in your trunk.

It's happened to me twice. Boxes were all cut up.

I will be taking RAB's offer from now on and going through Starburst for PBR orders.

Quoted from OTTOgd

Geez, I guess I have been lucky ... but I'm still annoyed.

You must be really lucky, because I have been charged everytime I have ordered from the US. As stated unless it is under $20, you should be charged.

Quoted from Sparky

It's happened to me twice. Boxes were all cut up.

I will be taking RAB's offer from now on and going through Starburst for PBR orders.

I am considering the same thing

Quoted from wbradley

If you compare the cost to order from say, Pinballife to Canada vs ordering from them to ship to another state, there is a huge difference.

You have 13% + $5 + about $26 shipping average vs about $10, and also the banks service charge on the currency conversion. An order that cost me about $180.00 probably was about $136.00 to a US customer buying out of state (in CDN$)

For people that travel cross border frequently or live near the border, it could actually pay to get a US mailbox if they spend enough. I doubt customs would sieze unpackaged pinball parts sitting is a toolbox in your trunk.

I agree with everything here except maybe the last sentence.  CCRA is getting a little more stringent in collecting taxes / duties and it wouldn't surprise me one bit to find out that someone got there car seized at the border for undeclared pinball parts.   Rusty old parts thrown into a box or sitting inside a machine is one thing, but a bag full of new bumper caps, rubbers and targets is quite another.  For the 15% tax, I wouldn't even risk not declaring something.  And that's without even entering into the ethical debate over whether the government deserves the taxes.  It's strictly to avoid being detained at the border for an hour or worse.

I've been pretty lucky myself.. that being said, we all get nailed once in a while.  It's unfortunate, but it happens to all of us.  Death and Taxes.. both random, both inevitable.  

quote]  And that's without even entering into the ethical debate over whether the government deserves the taxes. [/quote]

Then there's the issue that we are taxed on used, American made pinball machines crossing the border despite NAFTA or anything else.

Don't get me wrong, I am self employed and I pay tax on every dollar I earn, without exception. Obviously it costs money to run a clean, civilized country. It just sucks when Joe Blow over the border ends up paying about 1/3 less than I do for the same stuff.