Buying from reverb seller in Canada

hoofhearted

Hi guys, 

Anyone ever buy a guitar from Canada? the price is around 1300 plus 150 quid for shipping but it still works out really cheap compared with the same guitar here. Will I have to pay duty? Anyone know how much roughly it would be?

Thanks!

fields5069

Approximately add on 25% I think.

John_A

Yep VAT is 20% of the price and they charge that on postage too, duty is another 4-5% or something. 

Dodge

I think duty is paid on the total price (i.e. including shipping), plus VAT.

Also remember some couriers charge you a customs clearing fee.

John_A

You could ask the seller to declare a low value when shipping. That's obviously illegal;)

impmann

Beware of CITES though...

adamm82

hoofhearted said:

Hi guys, 

Anyone ever buy a guitar from Canada? the price is around 1300 plus 150 quid for shipping but it still works out really cheap compared with the same guitar here. Will I have to pay duty? Anyone know how much roughly it would be?

Thanks!

they will charge you on the guitar value and the postage can be pricey. 

I was looking at some great deals in Japan last night but with the tax they are not so great deals  

gavin_axecaster

^And it will only be insured for the declared value.
Duty on an electric guitar is 3.7%. VAT is paid on the sum of guitar plus shipping plus duty. You'll pay £13.50 handling with Parcelforce if shipped by regular carrier and potentially as much or more if shipped by DHL/FedEx (this is an administration fee for the company processing the customs payment for you - some carriers charge a flat fee, some a percentage).

Does it have rosewood anywhere on it? if so, add another £75 ish for your import license plus a 2 week wait for processing before shipping.

hoofhearted

some quick maths:

= bugger that

Guitar	1317
Shipping	141
Duty	53
Total before vat	1511
vat	302.2
Total	1813.2
Guitar - Costs	496

Its a 2013 Luke III anyone selling one cheaper than 1813?  

rico

What you should really do is spend the difference on a holiday to Canada, it's a wonderful place.

adamm82

rico said:

What you should really do is spend the difference on a holiday to Canada, it's a wonderful place.

I do wonder why I don't move there. 

guitars4you

John_A said:

You could ask the seller to declare a low value when shipping. That's obviously illegal;)

impmann said:

Beware of CITES though...

Does it have a rosewood fingerboard - if yes then you'll need the seller to obtain an ppropriate CITES Certificate

If you false declare/under declare then that also becomes the value you are insured to as well - so just be careful and aware

hoofhearted

Yes it does have a rosewood fingerboard so id need to add that on top of it I think ill pass!

guitars4you

hoofhearted said:

Yes it does have a rosewood fingerboard so id need to add that on top of it I think ill pass!

It is a pain for all I'm afraid - seller needs to sort it out at his end and can take 4-8 weeks - don't know fees at his end, but such a pain that some will just refuse to sell outside their customs jurisdiction - I'm not sure if you then need a EU import CITES as well

By the way if it only had rosewood bridge pins or tuning buttons, the same crap law applies - granted you can take them of for the sale and post them separately - but you get the jist

Limehouse_Blues

You would need a CITES import permit too. Imperative to have it before the exporter ships. A guy on MLP had his guitar seized by UK customs when it arrived with correct US CITES export docs but without the UK import ones. The whole thing is a complete ball ache.

guitars4you

Limehouse_Blues said:

You would need a CITES import permit too. Imperative to have it before the exporter ships. A guy on MLP had his guitar seized by UK customs when it arrived with correct US CITES export docs but without the UK import ones. The whole thing is a complete ball ache.

thanks for update and edit on this - I know suppliers need 2 CITES docs - export from wherever and import to the EU but wasn't sure for private sales as I don't buy from the USA any longer

Neil

adamm82 said:

rico said:

What you should really do is spend the difference on a holiday to Canada, it's a wonderful place.

I do wonder why I don't move there. 

The cold?