Boarder Crossing

[oldjones]

Yeah, but that doesn't explain why a USD 400 pair of Zegna shoes at NM is CAD 630(after tax) at David's in Toronto. The government isn't doing the markup, retailers are.

What do you suppose the CAD was at when the retailer ordered and paid to stock the shoes?

 

[Serpent]

What do you suppose the CAD was at when the retailer ordered and paid to stock the shoes?

It's got to be a really old stock since the CAD's been doing quite well for about an year now.

 

[tboy]

What do you suppose the CAD was at when the retailer ordered and paid to stock the shoes?

That's a really good question and if the retailers were like the gas supply companies, the price would not only be 1.5 x as much, it'd be 2.5 x as much.

And, the price would go up by 3 x when school starts.....

 

[goodtime]

As for North American (including Mexico) made or not. Even if an item is "made in America" not all the components necessarily are. For eg: While a Viewsonic LCD Monitor may be American, I bet a lot of the chips etc that go into it are made overseas and are taxed as such.

Another thing that the US is very strict on is what types of items get into their county. I remember a few years ago when I was in the Trade Show biz a customer of mine wanted to give away canvas bags with their logo on it. Well the entire shipment (booth included) got held up at US customs because it just happened that the US had hit it's limit on imported textiles. We had a choice: unload the bags and send the booth on it's way, or pay a fee equal to what it would have cost to have the bags produced in the US.

I have to assume that Canada has similar restrictions.

If you read fine print labels, just the labels are "made in America". ie: Stitch on in U.S. to get around some of the import rules/taxes.

Most countries have similiar import restrictions. Enforcement is subject to custom official or grease $$$.

 

[MeJack]

What I like to do when smuggling stuff back is cross on a Sunday after a Bills game and say I was at the game. (Listen to the radio to hear the score.) I also like to cross at Rainbow Bridge and tell them I was trying out the US Casino and have nothing to declare.

So far its worked.

It would seem there are some very dishonest, lying, cheating, people here.

I'd recommend you conduct yourself in accordance with Canadian laws at all times. I just can't imagine "smuggling" stuff across the border.

 

[oldjones]

It's got to be a really old stock since the CAD's been doing quite well for about an year now.

US dollar bought over $1.18 CAD just six months ago, the retailer may have put the shoes on the shelf in January, but quite likely ordered them a good while earlier than that.

 

[goodtime]

It would seem there are some very dishonest, lying, cheating, people here.

I'd recommend you conduct yourself in accordance with Canadian laws at all times. I just can't imagine "smuggling" stuff across the border.

There's difference between smuggle vs. not declaring all goods carried across border.

ATTENTION Cross-border shoppers: No Sales taxes on shoes & clothes in PA. 4.5hrs to a worthy Outlet.

 

[agentman]

Crossed over to the US with a friend to checkout some outlet stores. Me and my buddy bought about $40US each worth of stuff (shirts, food and 3 packs of cigarettes). There was no wait at Canada Customs, pretty dead cuz of the Stanley Cup Playoffs most likely. We declared our items, including the cigs. I figured since it was so quiet they would ding us on the tobacco just to keep busy, but the agent just smiled and waved us thru. Pretty cool.

 

[goodtime]

True, always declare something. Show receipts to save yourself grief of being flagged for life.

Now how much you declare or not is the more important. Typically they won't bother to get you to pay the duty unless you're over by a lot.