Ordering USB-UIRTs from Canada?

[psiborg]

Has anyone ordered a USB-UIRT from Canada and if so what was your experience as far as Taxes and Duties are concerned?
I'd like to order 1 of these guys but I've been burned before on Duty/Tax when it crossed the border. Right now I'm expecting $55 + $8Shipping = $73 CDN + some unknown amount of tax and some unknown amount of Duty.
If you've already gone through this process, please share your experience/suggestions.
Thanks

[kanman]

Yep I got mine in mid Feb. 2004. I got the 56KHz option and it cost $63USD..the only extra cost I received was about $17CDN from Purolator for processing and the GST.

I also got burned pretty good when I ordered my SnapStream and PVR-250 around Christmas....the price was bad enough with the exchange but then I had another $80 or so in duties and taxes that I (I mean my wife) wasn't expecting....oh well.

Kevin

[psiborg]

I went ahead with the order and just wanted to post the results for fellow Canadians wondering about the answer to this question..
Shipping didn't take very long. It came by USPS to the border then switched over to Purolator.
Mine came in at (with the current exchage rates) $72.93 and then about a week later the customs invoice arrived with an additional $10.46 in brokerage fee/GST. So the total cost wound up at $83.39.
Also I'm quite impressed with the quality of construction of this unit. I'm using SnapStream BeyondTV with it and i basically had to plug it in and it worked Now I can control my Rogers Digital Cable (Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3200) and record all the digital channels I want.

[Berg]

Well I placed my order a couple of days ago and will be happy to report when it arrives.

Looking forward to getting mine !!!

[Berg]

Well I have received mine - four business days from date shipped to received by Purolator !

Great unit - amazing size.

Got to go play ...

Thank you Jon

[froompy]

Got mine today and paid around $75 CND. Haven't tried it yet, but will let know. Looking forward to trying it thought!!!!!

[mdacre]

Yes, it works ok... not much to it really.. a little disappointed by the fact I paid $69 US through Snapstream and now see that I could have got it direct for $50 top that by adding $11 gst/pst (which is a joke considering it was not made in my province or even in my country.. sure there was no duty thanks to free trade agreement but what gives on the GOODS AND SERVICES TAX and PROVINCIAL TAX when both these governments didn't do a thing. To top it off, it took a month to the day to receive it. I actually was going to cancel the order since it said it was shipped over two weeks ago through United States Parcel Service. Total bill was pretty close to $100... something you can pick up at Fry's (not the same but will do the trick) for about 1/3 the cost.. but no Fry's in Canada unfortunately. Oh well, everything works and so I should just be happy and not complain.. thanks for letting me vent though.. just remember to buy direct and give your money to the creator of the unit instead of the snapstream middlemen!

[jrhees]

All,

We're working on trying to find a better solution for Canada deliveries because it really is a concern!

-Jon

[Berg]

Jon,

I am glad to see you concerned about service to Canadian customers, but I have to say, you have one of the best services for a US supplier.

USPS Global Express handing over the package to Purolator (the largest or one of the largest courriers in Canada) works very well. But that's not the only point - the most important aspect of that arrangement is that USPS/Purolator is using Peace Bridge as a custom broker and their fees are extremely reasonable. When I ordered my USB-UIRT earlier this year, I was billed for the GST and a $5 brokerage fee.

This compares very favourably over UPS which is used by many US suppliers to ship to Canada. UPS's brokerage fee is in somewhere around $25, plus payable duties and taxes. For a product such as yours, this would add a very significant amount to the total price.

My two cents ... Canadian

[BaD KaRmA]

I just ordered mine. I believe with some shipping companies, you can refuse it at your door and tell them you'll pick it up to clear customs yourself. I have a friend that does that all the time I should ask him what the process is exactly.