How do i avoid duty when ordering from B&H??

I want to order a Canon EF-S 10-22 from B&H...which shipping method do i use to avoid all the extra fees??? TIA

There is no duty on lenses but there is GST and almost certainly PST. Brokerage fees. I believe, as long as you don't ship ground, they are included in the shipping costs.

And as a bit of self promotion... I have one available purchased in Nov/2008

I've never been charged duty when ordering from B&H but as bohdank pointed out there will be GST and PST to pay.

Try this site to check for the best deals for photo stuff for Canadians. The price includes all taxes, shipping and even the exchange is factored in.

http://www.photoprice.​ca/

It happens that Helen Oster, Adorama's rep, just posted some useful information:
https://photography-on-the.net …php?p=8022555&p​ostcount=5

-js

I'm located in CA and did my first time ordering from BH, total cost from BH directly was like 1350 CAD, shipping is included think I chose the cheapest way which cost me around $35. By the time I received the package, I had to pay for about 150 CAD which is more than 10% of the total cost for dutiy or tax I cant remember.... heck I was excited and didnt even ask but handed out my cradit card....

Now I'm thinking.... So, how much EXTRA do I need to pay if I do an online ordering again?

I bought a lens from B&H a few months ago. It was just under $1000US which at the time was about $1250CA. I had to pay an additional $58CA to UPS, but that was just the GST. Even with a lousy conversion rate (it's better now) and taxes the lens cost $300 less than listed in Canada...

Kasrielle wrote in post #8029248
I bought a lens from B&H a few months ago. It was just under $1000US which at the time was about $1250CA. I had to pay an additional $58CA to UPS, but that was just the GST. Even with a lousy conversion rate (it's better now) and taxes the lens cost $300 less than listed in Canada...

Yep I figured even I had to pay for the extra fees it still cost less if I'm buying it from my local shop.

bohdank wrote in post #8022839
There is no duty on lenses but there is GST and almost certainly PST. Brokerage fees. I believe, as long as you don't ship ground, they are included in the shipping costs.

FWIW, B&H doesn't offer UPS ground as an option to Canada, so this shouldn't be a problem,

Ship USPS rather than UPS if you can. No hidden fees or charges.

I believe there is a slight brokerage charge of about $8. Plus, you have to pay GST/PST or HST on the invoiced American purchase price converted to Canadian dollars. You pay those fees when you pick up the item at the post office.

I've previously bought two lenses from B&H ( 50/1.4 and 85/1.8 ). At the time, our dollar was at or above par. I ended up saving $400 on the two lenses after all costs and charges were factored in. In effect, I ended up getting two lenses for the price of one when compared to the purchase price here in Canada. With our dollar up a little bit again, I just broke down and ordered an EF 1.4x II from B&H. Depending on exactly where the exchange rate was when the order was processed, I should end up saving $90-$120 over purchasing it here.

In all three cases, the costs of the items plus shipping from B&H, converted to Canadian dollars, was below my local dealers' Canadian cost. I love my local pro shop, and really want to support them, but it's tough when you do the math. I just don't understand why Canon Canada continues to keep their dealer prices so high compared to the US prices. I can understand it with a 75 cent dollar, but not with a 90 cent dollar or parity.

Do you have any friends just over the border?

Scott

How about India ?

Brikwall wrote in post #8056663
Ship USPS rather than UPS if you can.

Two problems with USPS vs UPS are:
terrible online package tracking, and
much more difficult to work with if a parcel is mislaid en route.

For these reasons I urge you to consider UPS for all purchases from B&H.

mangaloreaviators wrote in post #8064423
How about India ?

See our India-specific site.

USPS/Canada Post charges a $5 brokerage fee here in Canada. UPS charges $45 and more.

UPS has terrible tracking to Canada. Terrible... USPS/Canada Post has never lost an item of mine. UPS has lost 3.

UPS and USPS/Canada Post have their strengths and weaknesses. Know when to use either.

cosworth wrote in post #8066233
USPS/Canada Post charges a $5 brokerage fee here in Canada. UPS charges $45 and more.

UPS has terrible tracking to Canada. Terrible... USPS/Canada Post has never lost an item of mine. UPS has lost 3.

UPS and USPS/Canada Post have their strengths and weaknesses. Know when to use either.

There are ZERO brokerage fees for the UPS Expedited option that Henry is referring to. I'm in Alberta and have never had a problem with them, and tracking is fine.

Maybe using other options that UPS Expedited give poor results, but I wouldn't know because this is the one B&H recommended when I first started purchasing from them and it's the only one I've used ever since.

+1 to Cosworth.

I stand by what I said earlier.

I order paper from Red River in Dallas and the only option they offer for Canadians is UPS Ground. Tracking is good but shipping takes about 2 weeks and I'm usually hit with another $10-$15 in brokerage fees on top of the $25-$30 I initially pay for the shipping.

My shipments from B&H come USPS International Priority. Tracking is good, I get them within 5-7 business days, never have a problem, and I'm only hit with an $8 brokerage fee (Cosworth, I'm pretty sure that fee jumped from $5 to $8 sometime last year but I'd have to dig out my receipts to confirm it).

I don't mind paying the brokerage fees, but what pisses me off is that UPS charges $10-$15 on a $150 item, while Canada Post only charges $8 on a $400 item. Not to mention that it takes twice as long to get it. And, I pay nearly the same cost for shipping. Plus, the buggers (UPS) charge my credit card separately for the brokerage fees but I have to fight tooth-and-nail to get an actual, Revenue Canada acceptable receipt from them. Now it may be different using UPS Expedited, but if I get service that crummy with the cheapest option, I'm not going to risk paying more. I'll stick with USPS, even if B&H themselves recommend UPS.

Just my 2 cents (1.8 cents US).