Canada Customs question

[Mike Spencer]

Ordered something from the US, shipped by USPS/Canada Post.

Arrived in my mailbox with an invoice asessing over $100 in duty, tax
and fees. It was rubber-stamped in red with "PAID" and gummed to the
carton in a plastic sleeve printed with "PAID No Action Required".

Since I didn't pay anything and I'm quite sure the sending party
didn't do so, what explains the assessed liability followed by the
very clear PAID status?

Nothing that I've received from the US in the last 40 years has
received attention from Canada Border Services Agency. Not strange
that they might do a spot check but don't understand the "PAID" part.

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

[florence.it]

On 05 Dec 2022 01:04:44 -0400, Mike Spencer

I used to order most of my clothes from Lands End in the US until they
joined some US sellers on ebay with an additional charge for Customs.
I wrote to Lands End and told them I had never paid a cent so unless
they would ship without the charge, I was leaving and I did. About two
years ago now they emailed me to say they were no longer doing that,
so I do order a few things again.

Our Super was telling me about the hassle she had with USPS the other
day over Customs Duty, they were charging it on a kilt she ordered
from Scotland. USPS were hassling her over paying, she was okay with
that, expected it, but needed to know how much and where to pay!

Just be happy you received your parcel and didn't have to pay :)

[axemen99]

It is in the news...
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/important-thing-to-remember-to-avoid-surprise-fees-when-shopping-online-1.5676847
Canadians can also benefit from recent changes under the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA), which raises Canada’s duty-free level from $20 to $150. Anyone ordering eligible items online shipped by courier from the U.S. or Mexico with a total combined cost above $40 and up to $150 will be duty free, but taxes will still apply.

Eligible items total value under $40 shipped by courier will be duty and tax free. Shipments above $150 both duties and taxes will apply.

[florence.it]

On Mon, 5 Dec 2022 05:22:28 -0800 (PST), axemen99 <axem...@gmail.com>
wrote:

I've often wondered when they apply GST etc whether it is actually
sent to the right place, or goes into their pocket :(

[Mike Spencer]

axemen99 <axem...@gmail.com> writes:

> Anyone ordering eligible items online shipped by courier from the
> U.S. or Mexico with a total combined cost above $40 and up to $150
> will be duty free, but taxes will still apply.

There has long been a difference beyween the way courier-shipped items
and USPS-shipped items are handled. Couriers appear to have a
built-in border protocol that includes a brokerage fee. A friend in
BC was the recipient of a laptop computer sent frrom the US as a gift
that was evenntually returned by the courier to the sender due to
prolonged confusion and contention over a brokerage fee.

The USPS and Canada Post have worked differently due to details of
the Universal Postal Union.