Hit by Canada Customs on shipment via USPS

Bought something from the US and had it shipped via USPS.
Got a knock on the door from the mailman, asked me for $$$ I was like what the heck!! She showed me a bill from Canada customs and I had to pay $5 handling fee, and GST PST!!!!!! Anyone else get hit by this before? I'm not sure if it's the same as the UPS brokerage fee that we are well aware of.

Never been hit when using USPS. Mind you, all items shipped up from the US to me have had a low declared value.

3 times now for me. thats the risk you take when trading across the border

I've been dinged with the fee 5 times, of which 3 of them were appealed successfully.

The CPC $5 fee is NOTHING compared to what UPS would hit you with on transborder goods.

it's freaking crazy

what the **** happened to free trade and all the other ********

...*calms down*

i wish we could buy from the US without customs fees.

i used to get stuff from ebay all the time, all marked "gift" and i got some great deals that way - then a few months back, someone sent a package via USPS marked "merchandise" and i got the package without any extra fees, but a couple months later, BAM a letter from PBB Logistics demanded payment for the cash they coughed up to get my package across the border, but this fee worked out to be about 15% of the purchase value (so i figured it was tax).

and UPS demanded money up front when i got my last package from eBay - now i'm alot more picky about where i buy my stuff from!

I've been dinged with the fee 5 times, of which 3 of them were appealed successfully.

The CPC $5 fee is NOTHING compared to what UPS would hit you with on transborder goods.

Hey, do you remember how long it took for the refund to arrive? I sent in a refund request back in September and haven't heard back since. The silly thing is that the form doesn't provide a phone number for the refund centres, just the addresses (I sent mine to London).

Ive heard from the post office that disputes with Canada Customs can take up to 90 days for resolution. ive got a dispute of my own that im waiting word on as well.

Hey, do you remember how long it took for the refund to arrive? I sent in a refund request back in September and haven't heard back since. The silly thing is that the form doesn't provide a phone number for the refund centres, just the addresses (I sent mine to London).

The quickest was 2 months, longest 3 1/2. Write them another letter to inquire about the status, stating the reference number and when you sent it.

whats the worst amount youve been hit for?

for me, $75.00 for a Plextor burner I ordered a few years ago

Always been hit up, but I claim it at the end of the year, via business and good accountant.

I generally ship the expensive stuff to an Amerifriend and declare it myself when I bring it back.

Worst by mail: $49 appealed, $15 not appealed
Worst at airport customs (YYZ): $32

I've got a USPS postal box in Pembina, North dakota for just such a situation. I claim everything, and pay my 14%. most things are still cheaper than here.

Free trade just means there are no tarifs on items traveling between the countries, it doesn't mean that you won't get taxed.

Ha! Free trade in my opinion is equal to Canada dropping it's drawers, bending over and ROYALLY getting f****d by the US. Just look at the Wheat Board or the issues on soft lumber, among many other things. Free trade is one of the contributors to a downward spiralling Canadian dollar. I can remember when our dollar had close to the same purchase value as the US$, and I am not old.

I got hit with about $50 for a portable CDR burner that I won from Comdex. Naturally, it was UPS that delivered it to my door. At the time, I didn't know that they charged a handling fee on top of GST/PST.

As for Canada Post, I've been charged the $5 and tax before on a DVD that I bought from the states. After all was said and done, I only saved about $2 CDN!!