Can You Tell If Your Parcel is Dinged by Customs

[CanadianPipesmanSean]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

I have a parcel incoming. I have tracking which I've attached. My question is would it state in tracking if Customs has added taxes to the parcel??

 

[olkofri]

Go to canadapost.ca, punch in your guide number and it'll tell you on the sidebar to the right.

 

[mso489]

When I worked for a biomedical organization in the U.S., we would sometimes attend scientific meetings in Toronto and take publications, like educational brochures and grant application solicitations. In order to get them there in time for the meeting, or at all, we were instructed to hire a customs agent, or nothing would arrive. It surprised me it was so complex to get mundane material over the border, but we hired the agent, and the boxes got there. Lots of fuss at the border in both directions, it seems. I loved the city, and also Montreal where I visited on vacation.

 

[CanadianPipesmanSean]

When I worked for a biomedical organization in the U.S., we would sometimes attend scientific meetings in Toronto and take publications, like educational brochures and grant application solicitations. In order to get them there in time for the meeting, or at all, we were instructed to hire a customs agent, or nothing would arrive. It surprised me it was so complex to get mundane material over the border, but we hired the agent, and the boxes got there. Lots of fuss at the border in both directions, it seems. I loved the city, and also Montreal where I visited on vacation.

I'm from the west coast, British Columbia. Definitely slot of red tape, well for everything really!

 

[CanadianPipesmanSean]

Go to canadapost.ca, punch in your guide number and it'll tell you on the sidebar to the right.

Hmmm I didnt see anything on the right so heres hoping!!

 

[gervais]

Hmmm I didnt see anything on the right so heres hoping!!

Looks good. I'm pretty sure it passed through

 

[upnorth1]

It's never told me on any of my orders. If they catch it they nail me at my front door.

 

[CanadianPipesmanSean]

It's never told me on any of my orders. If they catch it they nail me at my front door.

I gotta say Id hate to be a postie because of that!

 

[mikethompson]

Ordering tobacco from the states and then sweating bullets until it arrives is just part of the experience. Can you imagine how boring it would be if you just ordered tins and you knew they would come to your door with no extra charges?

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

During the past few years here no parcel or even letter from outside of the EU region would go thorough uninspected,at least they'll check em'visually if there is a change to get some taxes &duties out of it

 

[CanadianPipesmanSean]

Ordering tobacco from the states and then sweating bullets until it arrives is just part of the experience. Can you imagine how boring it would be if you just ordered tins and you knew they would come to your door with no extra charges?

Let's up this a little. Imagine ordering and it arrives and your wife answers the door and sees how much you got dinged for.

 

[augiebd]

Let's up this a little. Imagine ordering and it arrives and your wife answers the door and sees how much you got dinged for.

Exactly, when I place an online order I tell my wife the cost of the order and the potential duty and taxes. There are never any surprises for her. If I’m not prepared to pay full price including all fees at a given time, I don’t order. My last order for 4 tins ended up costing about $200 CAN after shipping, duty, taxes and handling fees. If that had been a surprise I’m sure my wife would not be as supportive of my pipe smoking as she is. I like that my wife is on-board and will buy me pipes, tobacco and accessories as gifts and discuss pipe related matters with me. We always keep each other up to date on spending, it works both ways.

 

[CanadianPipesmanSean]

Exactly, when I place an online order I tell my wife the cost of the order and the potential duty and taxes. There are never any surprises for her. If I’m not prepared to pay full price including all fees at a given time, I don’t order. My last order for 4 tins ended up costing about $200 CAN after shipping, duty, taxes and handling fees. If that had been a surprise I’m sure my wife would not be as supportive of my pipe smoking as she is. I like that my wife is on-board and will buy me pipes, tobacco and accessories as gifts and discuss pipe related matters with me. We always keep each other up to date on spending, it works both ways.

That's wise. Mind you some other halves are more understanding than others.

 

[mau1]

That looks to have gone though Customs as soon as it got there. They didn't spend any time on it at all. Very fast so I expect it didn't merit an inspection or fees application. How big was your order?

 

[mau1]

That's wise. Mind you some other halves are more understanding than others.

Tobacco purchases and pipe purchase are the number one topic of disagreement in my household so, ya, it's a sensitive topic.

 

[mikethompson]

All of my pipe related purchases are made through a fund that is replenished by kijiji sales or by other sources than the family account. That way I don't feel like I'm taking food out of my kids mouths to buy a pipe.

I just bought a new shortwave radio through the same method.

 

[CanadianPipesmanSean]

That looks to have gone though Customs as soon as it got there. They didn't spend any time on it at all. Very fast so I expect it didn't merit an inspection or fees application. How big was your order?

20 ounces of bulk total.

 

[Lyon0oq]

I love your country, they gave the world ice hockey, peanut butter, insulin and so much more. That said, I have never understood why your Postal Service is such a cluster fuck when it comes to getting items in and out of Canada. Honestly, if an item is in Canada on EBay, I won't even bid on it, just not worth the hassle. I was working in Vancouver for a few months, years ago, and ordered a sweatshirt off my buddy's swag page for his band. Over a decade later, and I still get mail from Canada sating I owe them $14 and change for some kind of import tax. Half of the content US film studios produce is shot in Canada gentlemen, you are welcome to take my $14 out of the profits from one of those as I search for my next job on set ;]

 

[CanadianPipesmanSean]

I love your country, they gave the world ice hockey, peanut butter, insulin and so much more. That said, I have never understood why your Postal Service is such a cluster fuck when it comes to getting items in and out of Canada. Honestly, if an item is in Canada on EBay, I won't even bid on it, just not worth the hassle. I was working in Vancouver for a few months, years ago, and ordered a sweatshirt off my buddy's swag page for his band. Over a decade later, and I still get mail from Canada sating I owe them $14 and change for some kind of import tax. Half of the content US film studios produce is shot in Canada gentlemen, you are welcome to take my $14 out of the profits from one of those as I search for my next job on set ;]

Here in Victoria and the mainland of Vancouver we have a large film industry. Hope to see you here for the next one soon.But bring your 14 bucks eh!!!
Well stated my friend and yes major clusterfuck indeed.

 

[olkofri]

Well, recently, the problem is the US post. Getting parcels from there to here is taking geological time.