Posted by: RAHrider
Posted by: rnayel
Posted by: Poz
Posted by: RAHrider
Anyone here ever buy from Merlin cycles? Wondering about shipping and duties on a bike?
Got a Magura brake set late last year from them. Great price and they shipped PakTrack which is Royal Mail and Canada post. Shipping was about 2 weeks but that was just before Christmas. I paid the expected taxes. I would use them again if they have what I need but they don’t have the best selection
Bike will incur duty and they may ship DHL for a larger item like a complete bike.
I just got some drop bars and grip tape from CRC, DHL wanted $100 for tax/customs/processing fee, I self cleared customs at the CBSA on main st., $12 in GST. So it's worth taking the time to self clear (it's easy), if you plan on importing a high cost item.
Can you explain how you did this? The brokerage fees can be insane!
So, if I order something and it's shipped by FedEx and they ask me for $150 tax, duties etc, can I go somewhere and just pay the taxes and duties myself rather than paying them a brokerage fee to do it?
Yes.
As soon as you receive the carrier's customs charge, you contact the carrier and tell them that you want to self-clear customs and settle your own taxes. Easiest is to call the 1-800 number and ask for contact info for the duties/brokerage office.
The self-clearance process can only be initiated after the package has arrived in Canada. The carrier will send you something called a commercial invoice (shipper is required to provide the carrier this document, it's a summary of the order with the tariff codes) with a clearance slip (from the carrier). You take the commercial invoice and clearance slip along with a printed copy of your confirmation email/invoice to your nearest CBSA/Canada Customs office. The two that I know of in Vancouver are at Main St. & Terminal and at the airport.
You give the clerk at the front desk your ID and paperwork and tell them that you want to process the clearance for an online order for personal use.
Then you stand in line and wait for a customs agent. The agent goes through the paperwork, and drafts you a duties invoice. At this point they will ask you what it is, it's beneficial to have looked up the tariff codes that you think apply (available in a huge PDF on the CBSA's website) as they may ask (only asked once in the 3 times I've done it).
You take the duties invoice for payment at the cashier, then the agent stamps your clearance slip which you scan and email back to the carrier. Usually the package is released for delivery the day after the carrier receives the stamped form.
When I did it last week, I was done in under 10 minutes since the office was empty at 10AM on a Thursday.
Let me know if you want more details.