Beware crooked, large American camera stores

[RichA]

I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
clearance" for everything, no matter how they ship it.
Used to be, outside of inevitable Canadian taxes, all you might have
to pay in addition to shipping would be a brokerage charge and that
only applied if you used cheap ground service from UPS or Fedex.
IMO, these people are slimy crooks, padding charges to make-up for
artificially low prices. B&H and Adorama both have these charges.

[Savageduck]

Rest your neck Rich!
This is one of your chronic rants. You write as if this is news to you,
and you only just discovered how B&H ship to Canada and deal with
Canadian customs clearing, by including those fees in the shipping
charges.
I am sure that B&H and Adorama make their entire profit on sales to
unwitting Canadian customers.

So my suggestion is don't buy anything from them. Keep your Canadian$$$
North of the border, patronize Canadian vendors and just bitch about
their prices and Canadian taxes.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[RichA]

On Feb 27, 1:32 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:

Adorama sells on Ebay and won't ship to Canada from there. Know
why? Because Ebay doesn't allow SCAM shipping charges.
I ended up getting it from another AMERICAN seller who didn't charge
ANY fake brokerage fees.

[Michael Black]

Come on, US companies use what's convenient. And that ends up being some
of those shipping firms that charge a "customs brokerage fee".

This is not new, I don't know whether it was a sudden thing that changed
at some point or we suddenly started hearing about it because more people
were ordering from the US, but I can go back at least 20 years, more than
that, and the issue was there.

It meant people here had to read the fine print, skip the companies that
used the shipping companies that had the brokerage fee.

One issue is that with all the "security" issues it does seem harder to
ship from the US to Canada. One small electronic parts place, really
useful because it carried exotic parts but enough that you could get them
all in one place, he stopped shipping to Canada because of some new rule
requiring a very detailed customs form. Maybe he's exaggerating, but
there have been new layers added when shipping across the border.

So some places won't ship to Canada at all. SOme places have fussy
requirements, some may just put a premium on it. And others are clueless
so they use what's simplest for them, which results in the customer
getting a surprise when they try to collect the item, a fee so high that
it isnt' worth it on small items.

I don't like it, but it happens, and it's just a matter of being careful.

It's always been that way, we look at the US and the lwoer prices and
drool over that, but even when the dollar is at par, there's the shipping
and the duty and whatever else, so looking at bare US prices is an
illusion, you need to do the math before you think things in Canada are
too outrageous.

Michael

[Savageduck]

Well, good for you, finally exercising the right to select the vendor
of your choice.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Usenet Account]

I guess RichA will have to start buying locally, rumour is he drops into
Henry`s in Toronto has a sales associate take the time to demo some toy,
and then Rich orders it from B&H. Wasted a lot of the local
salesperson`s time, and cheated them out of their commission.

--
This space intentionally left blank.

[R. Mark Clayton]

"RichA" <rande...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:621b0ed4-e300-4399...@d11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...

Stop moaning about Canadian taxes and campaign for your state to join the
union.

[Savageduck]

Rich has been playing this game for years.
He will browse through the B&H site, find something with a temptingly
low price where US customers would get free shipping, if not NY
residents, not be charged sales tax. Then he would bitch on the photo
groups that he was being reamed by "those people" in NYC, and they
should give him the same consideration as a US customer in the lower 48
States.

I guess many times he would suck it up, and still order the item, as he
had been unable to find it in the "Frozen North" at a price acceptable
to him.

I remember one or two such "Rich Rants" over camera batteries and/or
filters where he was "shocked to discover the shipping and Canadian
customs brokerage fees exceeded the list price of the items being sold.


--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Savageduck]

On 2013-02-27 13:15:44 -0800, "R. Mark Clayton"

They had their chance in 1776.
...and that would be Province, not state.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[George Kerby]

On 2/27/13 12:32 PM, in article
2013022710325224115-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom, "Savageduck"

Like the famous cliff swallows of San Juan Capistrano, RichA has this
memorable rant. Alongside, the predictable Apple-bashing, you could almost
set your timepiece by it, LOL!

[George Kerby]

On 2/27/13 1:26 PM, in article
8534b622-3a45-408f...@k4g2000yqn.googlegroups.com, "RichA"

The definition of insanity is repeating the same action, each time desiring
a different result than the last time. WHY do you keep banging your head
against the same unyielding concrete wall?

[George Kerby]

On 2/27/13 2:32 PM, in article kglqeo$afd$1...@dont-email.me, "Usenet Account"

I used to get the same thing when I managed a locally-owned Camera business
in the 70's, except it was then called "mail order".

I counseled a good 'friend' for hours upon hours about the various Super-8
cameras that we offered in store, resulting in him just suddenly dropping
the interest.

About a month later, I encountered him at a mutual friend's wedding with a
Canon 518 in his hands. We didn't speak much after that...

[Alan Browne]

On 2013.02.27 12:17 , RichA wrote:
> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs

RichA is full of shit as usual.

When you checkout you are offered the option to let B&H do the
processing, or to handle customs yourself (eg: UPS, FedEx, etc. broker).

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHScreenshot.jpg

To avoid high fees (esp. UPS) you "self broker".



--
"There were, unfortunately, no great principles on which parties
were divided – politics became a mere struggle for office."
-Sir John A. Macdonald

[Alan Browne]

On 2013.02.27 12:17 , RichA wrote:

My first post:

RichA is full of shit as usual.

When you checkout you are offered the option to let B&H do the
processing, or to handle customs yourself (eg: UPS, FedEx, etc. broker).

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHScreenshot.jpg

To avoid high fees (esp. UPS) you "self broker".

This post

BUT What really makes RichA look esp. STUPID and a total IDIOT is the
next screenshot:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHSS-2.jpg

In other words, most of the "Duty" charges are GST that you LEGALLY HAVE
TO PAY NO MATTER HOW YOU LAND THE ITEM!

The rest, brokerage, disbursement, security and handling amounts to a
few dollars or about 16% of the brokerage charge and all in all a measly
0.8% of the item+shipping (for the case I tried).

RichA: biggest horse's patootie on the internet. And that's an, er,
achievement.

[RichA]

On Feb 27, 3:32 pm, Usenet Account <nos...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> On 27/02/2013 2:36 PM, Savageduck wrote:
>

> > On 2013-02-27 11:26:52 -0800, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> said:
>
> > Well, good for you, finally exercising the right to select the vendor of
> > your choice.
>
> I guess RichA will have to start buying locally, rumour is he drops into
> Henry`s in Toronto has a sales associate take the time to demo some toy,
> and then Rich orders it from B&H.

Ypu moron. I've spend $16,000 locally at camera stores over the last
six years, almost nothing in the U.S. Would be nice if you knew what
the F--- you were talking about.

[RichA]

On Feb 27, 4:25 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:
> On 2013-02-27 13:15:44 -0800, "R. Mark Clayton"

> <nospamclay...@btinternet.com> said:
>
>
>
> > "RichA" <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote in message

> >news:621b0ed4-e300-4399...@d11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
> >> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
> >> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
> >> clearance" for everything, no matter how they ship it.
> >> Used to be, outside of inevitable Canadian taxes, all you might have
> >> to pay in addition to shipping would be a brokerage charge and that
> >> only applied if you used cheap ground service from UPS or Fedex.
> >> IMO, these people are slimy crooks, padding charges to make-up for
> >> artificially low prices.  B&H and Adorama both have these charges.
>
> > Stop moaning about Canadian taxes and campaign for your state to join the
> > union.
>
> They had their chance in 1776.
> ...and that would be Province, not state.
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Savageduck

And you people had your "chance" in 1812.

[RichA]

On Feb 27, 5:58 pm, Alan Browne <alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>
wrote:

> On 2013.02.27 12:17 , RichA wrote:
>
> > I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
> > into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
>
> RichA is full of shit as usual.
>
> When you checkout you are offered the option to let B&H do the
> processing, or to handle customs yourself (eg: UPS, FedEx, etc. broker).
>
> https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHScreenshot.jpg
>
> To avoid high fees (esp. UPS) you "self broker".
>

Sigh. UPS does not CHARGE brokerage fees on any SERVICE above GROUND
SHIPMENT. If you are stupid enough to go with ground shipment cross
border, you will pay a brokerage fee of anywhere from $20 to about
$60. With services above this, all you pay is the SHIPPING FEE as
stated. Which is why the services above it most often make more sense
(economically) to use.
The customs clearance fees being charged by places like B&H and
Adorama are "creations" on their part designed to shore-up profits.

[Savageduck]

Apparently you do not read. Either that or you do not comprehend the
options offered by B&H. They offer several UPS/FedEx shipping options
which DO NOT include VAT, or brokerage fees. Then they offer an option
for shipment via Purolator Freight which includes a brokerage fee and
application of Canadian VAT. In the example posted by Alan the
unavoidable Canadian VAT is applied along with a reasonable, and
non-punitive brokerage and security fee, which would probably be less
than the cost of gas and time to drive to and from a customs clearing
house/bond warehouse to pay that VAT and retrieve your item.

Note: Purolator Freight is not UPS, FedEx, or B&H.
< http://www.purolatorfreight.com/ >

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Savageduck]

...and you still bitch about your current situation.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[RichA]

On Feb 27, 9:18 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:

An example of bringing a camera over the border.

B&H/Adorama

Cost: $340
Shipping (Fedex/UPS): $34.00
CUSTOMS CLEARANCE: $50-$70
Exchange rate: zero today
Canadian tax in Ontario $44.00
Total landed cost: $478.00

If you go Fedex or UPS ground any difference is a wash because
although the shipping is a little lower, you get hit with THEIR
brokerage fee in addition.

Competition:
Cost: $380.00
Shipping (USPS Express): $41.00
Post office processing: $5.00
Canadian tax in Ontario: $49.53
Total Landed Cost: $475.53

[Bo...@somewhere.com]

Funny everyone's talking about shipping from USA to CANADA these days... I just
imported two shipments. One was replacement speakers from a company in Florida,
I of course shipped by US post ground. (spks is HEAVY!) The package came by
mail, the extra bill was about $32, which was PST and GST taxes - NO DUTY or
other fees! ZERO!

Then I imported a Telecaster guitar from Massatoosits and again it came by
ground mail and again a bill for about $35 and again it was PST and SHIT oops I
mean GST - NO duty or fees or anything! Shipping was a lot but I paid that up
front. (Still got a bargain!)

Sure beats the good-ole-days when I had to go down to Mc Gill St. and line up at
customs and pay taxes plus 12% duty on electronics. Plus pay parking or take the
train... now the mailman takes Mastercard!!

[Savageduck]

However you are misstating the breakdown, as in the example Alan posted
the Canadian GST is INCLUDED in that total customs clearance fee.
< https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHSS-2.jpg >

Why not show us where B&H quoted you adding the Canadian tax in
addition to the Purolator Freight brokerage fee, rather than your
contrived break down.

> If you go Fedex or UPS ground any difference is a wash because
> although the shipping is a little lower, you get hit with THEIR
> brokerage fee in addition.
>
> Competition:
> Cost: $380.00
> Shipping (USPS Express): $41.00
> Post office processing: $5.00
> Canadian tax in Ontario: $49.53
> Total Landed Cost: $475.53

...and therein lies the beauty of the market place. There is nothing
stopping you from giving your business to the vendor of your choice.
That said, I suggest you take a closer look at the reality of the
various charges before you fabricate numbers to justify your bitch. A
closer look at real world figures suggest you paid some $40-$44 more
than you would have ordering from "those people" in NYC.


--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Usenet Account]

Yes he opted for B&H to supply a Customs Broker, a bitchs that the
service has a fee.

[George Kerby]

On 2/27/13 7:55 PM, in article
817d418d-f7aa-410d...@k4g2000yqn.googlegroups.com, "RichA"

And yet...

[Eric Stevens]

My 1931 Minerva had a Purolator oil cleaning system added to it. What
a transformation!
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

[RichA]

There hasn't been duty on most consumer goods coming in from the U.S.
to Canada in YEARS.
In 1978, you'd pay FST tax which was about 11% and then 12% duty.
Today, you just pay 13% GST tax, or whatever your provincial tax is.

[RichA]

On Feb 27, 9:49 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:

Hijacking subject lines is a pansy-assed thing to do.

[RichA]

Are you stupid enough to believe custom's processing cost is $50-$70?
What planet are you from? It's a tacked-on, for-profit FEE used by
them in-place of an HONEST retail price.

[RichA]

On Feb 27, 11:04 pm, Eric Stevens <eric.stev...@sum.co.nz> wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:18:30 -0800, Savageduck
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:

Hopefully, Purolator products are better than FRAM, a formerly great
company who sold its soul to the devil (shifted production to China
and cut quality) in order to get into Walmart's demanded price-point.

[Savageduck]

If you check back through this thread, you will discover that I have
done no such thing.
Perhaps you should check with Alan Browne as to where the change to the
subject line came from.




--
Regards,

Savageduck

[philo]

On 02/27/2013 01:26 PM, RichA wrote:

> On Feb 27, 1:32 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:
>> On 2013-02-27 09:17:37 -0800, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> said:
>>

>>> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
>>> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs

>>> clearance" for everything, no matter how they ship it.
>>> Used to be, outside of inevitable Canadian taxes, all you might have
>>> to pay in addition to shipping would be a brokerage charge and that
>>> only applied if you used cheap ground service from UPS or Fedex.
>>> IMO, these people are slimy crooks, padding charges to make-up for
>>> artificially low prices. B&H and Adorama both have these charges.
>>

>> Rest your neck Rich!
>> This is one of your chronic rants. You write as if this is news to you,
>> and you only just discovered how B&H ship to Canada and deal with
>> Canadian customs clearing, by including those fees in the shipping
>> charges.
>> I am sure that B&H and Adorama make their entire profit on sales to
>> unwitting Canadian customers.
>>
>> So my suggestion is don't buy anything from them. Keep your Canadian$$$
>> North of the border, patronize Canadian vendors and just bitch about
>> their prices and Canadian taxes.
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>>
>> Savageduck
>
> Adorama sells on Ebay and won't ship to Canada from there. Know
> why? Because Ebay doesn't allow SCAM shipping charges.
> I ended up getting it from another AMERICAN seller who didn't charge
> ANY fake brokerage fees.
>

I don't know about that.

I see plenty of things on eBay with *outrageous* shipping fees.

If people are willing to pay it, I guess they will get away with it...
but I think most people do the sensible thing and shop elsewhere.

--
https://www.createspace.com/3707686

[Rob]

On 28/02/2013 3:04 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:
> My 1931 Minerva had a Purolator oil cleaning system added to it. What
> a transformation!
> -- Regards, Eric Stevens

Eric that must make you very old :) but then again they never let new
cars into NZ for quite a few years. I remember in about 1970 they were
still running around in 1930 cars.

[Chris Malcolm]

It's not just a few big camera stores. Living in the UK I used to buy
quite a lot of new small gadgety things from US vendors on Ebay
because they had innovative manufacturers and good prices. A year or
few ago pretty much all of them started asking for *ridiculously*
large postal charges.

So I now get the same kind of stuff from China. Even cheaper prices,
often free shipping which includes tracking, just takes a bit longer
to arrive. I know lots of people here who've made the same switch.

Since the huge hike in shipping charges happened to pretty much all
vendors at the same time I get the impression that it was the shipping
companies rather than the vendors who were doing it, although it
wouldn't be surprising if some greedy vendors had taken advantage of
the situaition to camouflage their own price hikes.

--
Chris Malcolm

[Usenet Account]

Hire Peace Bridge, or any other Customs Broker in Canada. Do they work
for free? The simple fact of the matter is hundreds of people buy from
B&H and clear the item themselves with no PROBLEMS.

[Michael Black]

The only time I've asked for help (if then) when in a store is when I'm
about to buy something. One last close up look, when the reality is I've
already decided to buy it.

There's a hardware chain here where some items are locked in cabinets. If
it's locked up, most of the time I won't bother buying, because it means
trying to find someone who can open it. Meanwhile, the staff is being
barraged by people who don't know what they are doing but expect the sales
staff to help them. It's not just about finding an item, but they want
detailed help.

So as a customer, I'd be annoyed by someone using up endless time from the
staff when all I want to to is have them get something that's not on the
shelf, or actually pay for the thing.

Michael

[Michael Black]

On Thu, 28 Feb 2013, Eric Stevens wrote:

>> Note: Purolator Freight is not UPS, FedEx, or B&H.
>> < http://www.purolatorfreight.com/ >
>
> My 1931 Minerva had a Purolator oil cleaning system added to it. What
> a transformation!

I always thought it was an odd name for a shipping company.

Michael

[Usenet Account]

Why not knowing what you are talking about has NEVER stopped Richard
Anderson from ranting and railing in this group! You just said you
bought almost nothing in the USA, so it's not an issue.

Clear the item yourself, it really isn't rocket science. You pay the
HST, and you pay $5.00 to Canada Post, I have never had any other
charges of photo equipment.

--
X-No-Archive: Yes

[Eric Stevens]

It wasn't a new car. :-)

By the time I found it in about 1961, it had had the original engine
replaced with one from a Buick. I found the proper engine which had
been set aside by a printing plant as a spare for another engine which
had been used to power a standby power generator through WW2. I
started to restore the car but the4 task got too much for me and much
to my regret I had to sell it.
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

[Savageduck]

Then this should bring back some memories.
It would have been nice if you were able to persevere to restore it to
the Concours state of this car.
< http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/default.aspx?carID=13370&i=4#menu >

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[R. Mark Clayton]

"Rob" <mesa...@google.com> wrote in message
news:kgndi8$55k$1...@dont-email.me...

Sounds like Cuba, except that there it is 1050's cars.

[Eric Stevens]

Aah yes, the AL, the little brother. Mine was the AK with a 6 litre
engine and a 12' - 5.5" wheelbase. Engine and chassis weight 35cwt.
Then you add the body. You only need to fit the heavier rear springs
(Whoops! there goes a Spitfire!) if the gross weight exceeded 3 tons.
http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/Minerva/28-Minerva-AK_Weymann_Sport-Sedan_DV-08_GMG_01.jpg
I was going to build a replica of one fitted with a Murphy twin-cowl
phaeton body as per my daughters sketch
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/31088803/Catherine%27s.jpg
It would have been _very_ nice if I was able to persist with it.
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

[Alan Browne]

On 2013.02.28 01:02 , RichA wrote:
> There hasn't been duty on most consumer goods coming in from the U.S.
> to Canada in YEARS.

False. If the product is not scheduled as tax free (NAFTA and others)
there is still duty, the amount of which varies according to the commodity.

eg: I recently imported some receiver parts from Taiwan that were for a
particular frequency range that fell into a duty (6%). Had the same
parts been below 1.5 GHz, there would have been no duty.

--
"There were, unfortunately, no great principles on which parties
were divided – politics became a mere struggle for office."
-Sir John A. Macdonald

[Alan Browne]

On 2013.02.28 01:04 , RichA wrote:
> On Feb 27, 10:03 pm, Usenet Account <nos...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> On 27/02/2013 6:05 PM, Alan Browne wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On 2013.02.27 12:17 , RichA wrote:
>>>> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
>>>> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
>>>> clearance" for everything, no matter how they ship it.
>>>> Used to be, outside of inevitable Canadian taxes, all you might have
>>>> to pay in addition to shipping would be a brokerage charge and that
>>>> only applied if you used cheap ground service from UPS or Fedex.
>>>> IMO, these people are slimy crooks, padding charges to make-up for
>>>> artificially low prices. B&H and Adorama both have these charges.
>>
>>> My first post:
>>
>>> RichA is full of shit as usual.
>>
>>> When you checkout you are offered the option to let B&H do the
>>> processing, or to handle customs yourself (eg: UPS, FedEx, etc. broker).
>>
>>> https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHScreenshot.jpg
>>
>>> To avoid high fees (esp. UPS) you "self broker".
>>
>>> This post
>>
>>> BUT What really makes RichA look esp. STUPID and a total IDIOT is the
>>> next screenshot:
>>
>>> https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHSS-2.jpg
>>
>

> Are you stupid enough to believe custom's processing cost is $50-$70?
> What planet are you from? It's a tacked-on, for-profit FEE used by
> them in-place of an HONEST retail price.

The fee, as you see in the image above is mostly GST and nothing else.
For the whole item I processed (about $680), the amount of the brokerage
fees in the overall "Brokerage fee" added up to a measly 0.8% of the
product price and shipping.

You HAVE to pay GST (and likely HST/PST in your province but seem to be
getting out of that in their system).

Before posting inanely stupid titles, you should research, think and for
that matter _ask_.

[Alan Browne]

On 2013.02.28 01:03 , RichA wrote:

> Hijacking subject lines is a pansy-assed thing to do.

Starting threads with abjectly false and misleading information is far
worse.

[Usenet Account]

> Sounds like Cuba, except that there it is 1950's cars.
>
>

Some of those Cuban cars are interesting, many have the original motors
long since packed in replaced with things like PAL tractor motors,
whatever the mechanic can find to power them.

[Rob]

I didn't mind this one :)

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/288623,13370/1930-Minerva-AL_photo.aspx

[Rob]

Would you have put the hand railing on the front and back? :)

[Savageduck]

I know, a fine set of headlights. ;-)

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Eric Stevens]

Of course. You have to give pedestrians and cyclists something to help
themselves back on their feet.
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

[Eric Stevens]

I was thinking of hooters.
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

[otter]

On Feb 27, 7:55 pm, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 27, 4:25 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 2013-02-27 13:15:44 -0800, "R. Mark Clayton"
> > <nospamclay...@btinternet.com> said:
>
> > > "RichA" <rander3...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> > >news:621b0ed4-e300-4399...@d11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...

> > >> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
> > >> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
> > >> clearance" for everything, no matter how they ship it.
> > >> Used to be, outside of inevitable Canadian taxes, all you might have
> > >> to pay in addition to shipping would be a brokerage charge and that
> > >> only applied if you used cheap ground service from UPS or Fedex.
> > >> IMO, these people are slimy crooks, padding charges to make-up for
> > >> artificially low prices.  B&H and Adorama both have these charges.
>

> > > Stop moaning about Canadian taxes and campaign for your state to join the
> > > union.
>
> > They had their chance in 1776.
> > ...and that would be Province, not state.
>
> > --
> > Regards,
>
> > Savageduck
>
> And you people had your "chance" in 1812.

Our schools don't dwell on that too much.

[Neil Ellwood]

I hadn't realised cars had been around so long! King Harold should have
got a few so he could have beaten William of Normandy.



--
Neil
Reverse ‘a’ and ‘r’
Remove ‘l’ to get address.

[PeterN]

On 2/27/2013 12:17 PM, RichA wrote:
> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
> clearance" for everything, no matter how they ship it.
> Used to be, outside of inevitable Canadian taxes, all you might have
> to pay in addition to shipping would be a brokerage charge and that
> only applied if you used cheap ground service from UPS or Fedex.
> IMO, these people are slimy crooks, padding charges to make-up for
> artificially low prices. B&H and Adorama both have these charges.
>

Yawn!.
IIRC This is not the first time you have bitched about this,
specifically naming B&H and Adorama. Compare the price with Amazon, or
any other vendor. I wonder why you name only those two highly reliable
and respectable stores, without naming others.
Since you are on a mission, tell us who you deal with for lower prices.
How about Henry's?

--
PeterN

[PeterN]

On 2/27/2013 5:02 PM, George Kerby wrote:
>
>
>
> On 2/27/13 2:32 PM, in article kglqeo$afd$1...@dont-email.me, "Usenet Account"

> <nos...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On 27/02/2013 2:36 PM, Savageduck wrote:

>>> On 2013-02-27 11:26:52 -0800, RichA <rande...@gmail.com> said:
>>>
>>> Well, good for you, finally exercising the right to select the vendor of
>>> your choice.
>>>
>>
>> I guess RichA will have to start buying locally, rumour is he drops into
>> Henry`s in Toronto has a sales associate take the time to demo some toy,

>> and then Rich orders it from B&H. Wasted a lot of the local
>> salesperson`s time, and cheated them out of their commission.
>
> I used to get the same thing when I managed a locally-owned Camera business
> in the 70's, except it was then called "mail order".
>
> I counseled a good 'friend' for hours upon hours about the various Super-8
> cameras that we offered in store, resulting in him just suddenly dropping
> the interest.
>
> About a month later, I encountered him at a mutual friend's wedding with a
> Canon 518 in his hands. We didn't speak much after that...
>

Business methods are changing. I have an acquaintance who retired from
the retail business when a few people would try on items for size, scan
the labels with a smart phone, and apparently purchase on the Net.
Rich fails to recognize that all businesses incur costs and in order to
survive, their price must exceed the costs.
Candidly, if I was in charge of thngs at B&H, I might very well instruct
all my people to charge Rich more than anyone else. That way his
bitching owuld give my store a lot of free publicity.


--
PeterN

[Robert Coe]

On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:26:52 -0800 (PST), RichA <rande...@gmail.com> wrote:
: On Feb 27, 1:32 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:
: > On 2013-02-27 09:17:37 -0800, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> said:

: >

: > > I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
: > > into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
: > > clearance" for everything, no matter how they ship it.
: > > Used to be, outside of inevitable Canadian taxes, all you might have
: > > to pay in addition to shipping would be a brokerage charge and that
: > > only applied if you used cheap ground service from UPS or Fedex.
: > > IMO, these people are slimy crooks, padding charges to make-up for
: > > artificially low prices.  B&H and Adorama both have these charges.

: >
: > Rest your neck Rich!

: > This is one of your chronic rants. You write as if this is news to you,
: > and you only just discovered how B&H ship to Canada and deal with
: > Canadian customs clearing, by including those fees in the shipping
: > charges.
: > I am sure that B&H and Adorama make their entire profit on sales to
: > unwitting Canadian customers.
: >
: > So my suggestion is don't buy anything from them. Keep your Canadian$$$
: > North of the border, patronize Canadian vendors and just bitch about
: > their prices and Canadian taxes.
: >
: > --
: > Regards,
: >
: > Savageduck
:
: Adorama sells on Ebay and won't ship to Canada from there. Know
: why? Because Ebay doesn't allow SCAM shipping charges.
: I ended up getting it from another AMERICAN seller who didn't charge
: ANY fake brokerage fees.

And when the Canadian Customs Authorities stop their van in front of your
house and point their bullhorn up your driveway, don't come looking for help
from Ebay or Adorama or B&H. Or us. ;^)

Bob

[PeterN]

On 2/28/2013 5:39 PM, Alan Browne wrote:



<snip>

> The fee, as you see in the image above is mostly GST and nothing else.
> For the whole item I processed (about $680), the amount of the brokerage
> fees in the overall "Brokerage fee" added up to a measly 0.8% of the
> product price and shipping.
>
> You HAVE to pay GST (and likely HST/PST in your province but seem to be
> getting out of that in their system).
>
> Before posting inanely stupid titles, you should research, think and for
> that matter _ask_.
>
>

When it comes to B&H and Adorama, Rich prefers to rant and slander.
I wonder why.
--
PeterN

[PeterN]

On 2/28/2013 6:56 PM, Rob wrote:

<snip>

>
> I didn't mind this one :)
>
> http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/288623,13370/1930-Minerva-AL_photo.aspx
>

Both are great mameries, Er! memories.

--
<>PeterN

[PeterN]

I would like to play windshield wiper with either one.

--
PeterN

[Savageduck]

I think it has something to do with not being able to place orders from
noon on fridays until 7:15 PM on Saturdays, and on certain holidays.
...also, you know what "those" people from NYC are like.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Savageduck]

If it was a 1954-56 Cadillac we would be talking bumper bullets, which
might, or might not need polishing.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Robert Coe]

On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:29:08 -0800 (PST), RichA <rande...@gmail.com> wrote:
: On Feb 27, 9:18 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:
: > On 2013-02-27 18:01:11 -0800, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> said:
: >
: >
: >
: >
: >
: >
: >
: >
: >
: > > On Feb 27, 5:58 pm, Alan Browne <alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>

: > > wrote:
: > >> On 2013.02.27 12:17 , RichA wrote:

: >
: > >>> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
: > >>> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
: >

: > >> RichA is full of shit as usual.
: >
: > >> When you checkout you are offered the option to let B&H do the
: > >> processing, or to handle customs yourself (eg: UPS, FedEx, etc. broker).
: >
: > >>https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHScreenshot.jpg
: >
: > >> To avoid high fees (esp. UPS) you "self broker".

: >
: > > Sigh.  UPS does not CHARGE brokerage fees on any SERVICE above GROUND
: > > SHIPMENT.  If you are stupid enough to go with ground shipment cross
: > > border, you will pay a brokerage fee of anywhere from $20 to about
: > > $60.  With services above this, all you pay is the SHIPPING FEE as
: > > stated.  Which is why the services above it most often make more sense
: > > (economically) to use.
: > > The customs clearance fees being charged by places like B&H and
: > > Adorama are "creations" on their part designed to shore-up profits.
: >
: > Apparently you do not read. Either that or you do not comprehend the
: > options offered by B&H. They offer several UPS/FedEx shipping options
: > which DO NOT include VAT, or brokerage fees. Then they offer an option
: > for shipment via Purolator Freight which includes a brokerage fee and
: > application of Canadian VAT. In the example posted by Alan the
: > unavoidable Canadian VAT is applied along with a reasonable, and
: > non-punitive brokerage and security fee, which would probably be less
: > than the cost of gas and time to drive to and from a customs clearing
: > house/bond warehouse to pay that VAT and retrieve your item.
: >

: > Note: Purolator Freight is not UPS, FedEx, or B&H.
: > <http://www.purolatorfreight.com/>

: >
: > --
: > Regards,
: >
: > Savageduck
:
: An example of bringing a camera over the border.
:
: B&H/Adorama
:
: Cost: $340
: Shipping (Fedex/UPS): $34.00
: CUSTOMS CLEARANCE: $50-$70
: Exchange rate: zero today
: Canadian tax in Ontario $44.00
: Total landed cost: $478.00
:
: If you go Fedex or UPS ground any difference is a wash because
: although the shipping is a little lower, you get hit with THEIR
: brokerage fee in addition.
:
: Competition:
: Cost: $380.00
: Shipping (USPS Express): $41.00
: Post office processing: $5.00
: Canadian tax in Ontario: $49.53
: Total Landed Cost: $475.53

So this whole rant is because B&H made you pay $2.47 more than the other guys
would have? The price of a glass of Merlot at any five randomly chosen
downtown restaurants varies by more than that.

Bob

[George Kerby]

On 3/1/13 2:38 PM, in article
513111ce$0$10759$8f2e...@news.shared-secrets.com, "PeterN"

What Highbeams!

[PeterN]

She wanted to keep them high.

<http://dl.dropbox.com/u/97242118/shtopem%20from%20floppin.jpg>




--
PeterN
From my South Beach collection

[Robert Coe]

On Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:17:30 -0500, Alan Browne
<alan....@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote:

: On 2013.02.28 01:02 , RichA wrote:
: > There hasn't been duty on most consumer goods coming in from the U.S.
: > to Canada in YEARS.
:
: False. If the product is not scheduled as tax free (NAFTA and others)
: there is still duty, the amount of which varies according to the commodity.
:
: eg: I recently imported some receiver parts from Taiwan that were for a
: particular frequency range that fell into a duty (6%). Had the same
: parts been below 1.5 GHz, there would have been no duty.

Rich's assertion referred to goods imported from the U.S. If your parts came
from Taiwan, isn't that an entirely different situation?

Bob

[Alan Browne]

Cameras "imported" from the US but made in Asia are subject to duties,
though they are not much.

Secondly, I imported the receiver parts from several US sources and went
to pick them up at a mail consolidator in Plattsburgh, NY. But the
parts were made in Taiwan. Nonetheless had these parts been 1.5 GHz or
lower, there would have been 0 duty.

[George Kerby]

On 3/2/13 1:55 PM, in article
51325940$0$10762$8f2e...@news.shared-secrets.com, "PeterN"

I'd like to lend her a hand in doing that very thing...

[Mort]

Hi,

He is getting what he wants, namely attention. Replying to his silly
rants feeds his fire, so perhaps the best way to deal with him is very
simple: just ignore him.

Mort Linder

[PeterN]

That may be true, but I do not tolerate prejudicial conduct. there are
many lurkers here, some of whom may believe his crap.

--
PeterN

[R. Mark Clayton]

"Neil Ellwood" <cral.el...@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:GfWdnS9eHuzu-q3M...@bt.com...

William had the Mk II's.

[J. Clarke]

In article <kgnb1n$ohd$1...@dont-email.me>, philo@priv cy.not says...
>
> On 02/27/2013 01:26 PM, RichA wrote:

> > On Feb 27, 1:32 pm, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:
> >> On 2013-02-27 09:17:37 -0800, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> said:
> >>

> >>> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
> >>> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
> >>> clearance" for everything, no matter how they ship it.
> >>> Used to be, outside of inevitable Canadian taxes, all you might have
> >>> to pay in addition to shipping would be a brokerage charge and that
> >>> only applied if you used cheap ground service from UPS or Fedex.
> >>> IMO, these people are slimy crooks, padding charges to make-up for
> >>> artificially low prices. B&H and Adorama both have these charges.
> >>

> >> Rest your neck Rich!
> >> This is one of your chronic rants. You write as if this is news to you,
> >> and you only just discovered how B&H ship to Canada and deal with
> >> Canadian customs clearing, by including those fees in the shipping
> >> charges.
> >> I am sure that B&H and Adorama make their entire profit on sales to
> >> unwitting Canadian customers.
> >>
> >> So my suggestion is don't buy anything from them. Keep your Canadian$$$
> >> North of the border, patronize Canadian vendors and just bitch about
> >> their prices and Canadian taxes.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Regards,
> >>
> >> Savageduck
> >
> > Adorama sells on Ebay and won't ship to Canada from there. Know
> > why? Because Ebay doesn't allow SCAM shipping charges.
> > I ended up getting it from another AMERICAN seller who didn't charge
> > ANY fake brokerage fees.
> >
>
>

> I don't know about that.
>
> I see plenty of things on eBay with *outrageous* shipping fees.
>
> If people are willing to pay it, I guess they will get away with it...
> but I think most people do the sensible thing and shop elsewhere.

Shipping can be surprisingly expensive for a small seller. A 6x6x6 inch
box costs 75 cents at the local box factory--you can buy them online
cheaper but when you add in the shipping they end up costing the same or
more. Add in some bubble wrap (15 cents a square foot) and peanuts
($1/cubic ft) and you're around a buck for packing materials on even a
small box. Now, take something that has to be double-boxed with each
box being composed of two or three regular boxes and it can add up
pretty fast. There is the option of using USPS free priority mail boxes
but that only works if priority mail is an attractive way to ship the
particular item, and the Postal Service has the rates so screwed up that
there's no way to tell until the thing is boxed and weighed.

[J. Clarke]

In article <2f8c9672-0b21-4640-929a-c0bcec519688
@d11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com>, rande...@gmail.com says...
>
> On Feb 27, 11:04ï¿œpm, Eric Stevens <eric.stev...@sum.co.nz> wrote:
> > On Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:18:30 -0800, Savageduck

> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:
> > >On 2013-02-27 18:01:11 -0800, RichA <rander3...@gmail.com> said:
> >

> > >> On Feb 27, 5:58ï¿œpm, Alan Browne <alan.bro...@FreelunchVideotron.ca>

> > >> wrote:
> > >>> On 2013.02.27 12:17 , RichA wrote:
> >

> > >>>> I was going to order something from B&H and I found out that to ship
> > >>>> into Canada (or wherever) they now charge between $50-$70 "customs
> >

> > >>> RichA is full of shit as usual.
> >
> > >>> When you checkout you are offered the option to let B&H do the
> > >>> processing, or to handle customs yourself (eg: UPS, FedEx, etc. broker).
> >
> > >>>https://dl.dropbox.com/u/62816810/BandHScreenshot.jpg
> >
> > >>> To avoid high fees (esp. UPS) you "self broker".
> >

> > >> Sigh. ï¿œUPS does not CHARGE brokerage fees on any SERVICE above GROUND
> > >> SHIPMENT. ï¿œIf you are stupid enough to go with ground shipment cross

> > >> border, you will pay a brokerage fee of anywhere from $20 to about

> > >> $60. ï¿œWith services above this, all you pay is the SHIPPING FEE as
> > >> stated. ï¿œWhich is why the services above it most often make more sense

> > >> (economically) to use.
> > >> The customs clearance fees being charged by places like B&H and
> > >> Adorama are "creations" on their part designed to shore-up profits.
> >
> > >Apparently you do not read. Either that or you do not comprehend the
> > >options offered by B&H. They offer several UPS/FedEx shipping options
> > >which DO NOT include VAT, or brokerage fees. Then they offer an option
> > >for shipment via Purolator Freight which includes a brokerage fee and
> > >application of Canadian VAT. In the example posted by Alan the
> > >unavoidable Canadian VAT is applied along with a reasonable, and
> > >non-punitive brokerage and security fee, which would probably be less
> > >than the cost of gas and time to drive to and from a customs clearing
> > >house/bond warehouse to pay that VAT and retrieve your item.
> >
> > >Note: Purolator Freight is not UPS, FedEx, or B&H.
> > ><http://www.purolatorfreight.com/>
> >

> > My 1931 Minerva had a Purolator oil cleaning system added to it. What
> > a transformation!
> > --
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Eric Stevens
>

> Hopefully, Purolator products are better than FRAM, a formerly great
> company who sold its soul to the devil (shifted production to China
> and cut quality) in order to get into Walmart's demanded price-point.

You really need to take that up with Canada Post.