Shipping question?!?!?

A question to all you club hos out there. When you cross border ship, what do you do for declared value? Do you declare the retail value even though the club is used? Or do you declare the current "street" value, or what you sold it for?

I only ask because I recently picked up a wedge from a guy in the states. It is used, but in real good condition. He put the new retail value on the box of $150US. So when it arrived today I had to shell out $30 extra for it. Which needless to say is more than half of what I paid for it. Am I ever **** **** **** **** mad at him. And did I told him in an email.

I for one when I ship to the US put the value of what I sold the club for. Its no longer new, so why put the new retail value on it? Anyone in their right mind would know if they had to open the box for any reason.

What are your experiences?

Try having that happen when someone ships you an entire set!!!! Buddy from the US did that same thing to me when I got all those Titleist clubs shipped up here. I feel ya...........****ing pissed!

He should have marked what you paid for it.
The guys i have dealt with usually mark it even less.
You just dealt with an idiot looks like.
There should be forms with the package from customs Canada that you can fill out
for a refund.

Good to know. Thanks covanant.

Someone had a great idea. Why don't we frequent shoppers just rent a box at the border? Border security has a hell of a lot more to worry about then a putter or wedge here and there. I think the money we'd save would more then make up for the cost.

We should all just stop ho'in(problem solved):-)

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Originally Posted by Geoff Johnston

Good to know. Thanks covanant.

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Be carefull!The form is on the back side of the tax bill,hard to remove without ripping,go figure:thumbsdow

It will never happen :-) :-)

And just an update, sent an email to the shipper and going on day 3 without a response. :irked: :irked:

It's what you paid for it, what don't these sellers understand. Sorry Geoff that this happened at least you might have some recourse, was it a Titleist wedge.:thumbsup

Yup, Raw 54* GW. Nice shape, but not worth the $80+ it has now cost me, with the exchange and duty. Live and learn I guess. Nothing much I can do, but would at least appreciate an answer or explanation from him.

Send it back to him and claim a chargeback for......................i don't know must be something in there to protect us from stupid shipping?

I wasn't home when it arrived. I got the call at work. I told them they should have refused it and have it sent back. I would have just gotten my cash back then. But funny how people tend to dissappear when you confront them on stupidity. :scratchch :laughing:

I absolutely agree that the customs form should display the price paid. There is no need to get hit for more than that. In fact, for personal shipping, I find there is often no charge. Of course, it also depends on what the shipper enters for the contents too. Even better is to get a nominal amount entered instead, but I can understand that not everyone will participate in that!

Most people I have dealt with are doing this as a way to feed their own 'desperate' habit so are not experts in dealing with this sort of issue.
Cheers,
Tim

Well I just got my reply. Apparently he didn't ship it was his wife. Puhlease! Either way, someone told her to put $150 on the form. I'm sure she didn't come up with that number on the spot.

Anyways, I replied saying I expected a little better explanation than my wife did it. And said it would have been nice of him to offer some sort of compensation. Not that I'd necesarily accept it, but if it was an honest mistake (perhaps shipping many things at once and got a little confused) I would understand. Having to pay duty on the value of a new club when it is obviously used is just not right. Instead all I got was "My wife shipped it, not sure what she did." I guess I expect too much from people nowadays. :thumbsdow :rolleyes I know how I would've handled the situation. I would have made sure the other person was completely happy with the transaction. As I'm sure all of you here know, that's just the way I am. :-)

You have to remember Geoff, that most of the U.S. guys are not aware of our taxes.
If he got his wife to ship it the reason she declared it at $150 was because the shipping probably included up to $150 insurance so she took the whole thing. It has happened to me several times.
Sorry for your bad break, but those types of things are one of the reasons I now mostly deal with people I have dealt with before for cross border shipping... who know the drill.
Chalk it up to a learning experience. The seller probably just did not realize.

True Reid. I think I'm just more miffed at his reply. I just wished he would have said "Let me see what happened". Instead of just shrugging it off to "The wife did it". Chalk it up to experience for sure, just souring me on the idea of doing further border buying. But like we discussed, we're done with hoing right???;) :scratchch Do you accept my offer for the Hogans?????:laughing: :laughing:

Bought a used wedge last week for $79US + $15 shipping. Had seller ship it to the U.P.S. store in Ogdensburg NY (45 min. from Bell's Corners). The store charges a $5 US fee for storing it for you. My wife's mother was down there today and picked it up, no ID required or anything. Told the person at the desk it was sent there with my name on it and they just gave it to her. She put it in her trunk with some loose balls and a glove and drove back to Canada without declaring it. SWEET. The address if anyone else wants to save on the crazy shipping, duties, taxes and brokerage fees that I find totally ridiculous is:

The UPS Store
2981 Ford Street Extension
Ogdensburg N.Y.
13669-3474
(315) 393-1188

Hope that helps some of you Ho!Ho!Ho!'s

Thanks buddy. I know you mentioned that to me before. I'll think about for future deals, if there is anymore. ;) :scratchch :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reid Masson

You have to remember Geoff, that most of the U.S. guys are not aware of our taxes.
If he got his wife to ship it the reason she declared it at $150 was because the shipping probably included up to $150 insurance so she took the whole thing. It has happened to me several times.
Sorry for your bad break, but those types of things are one of the reasons I now mostly deal with people I have dealt with before for cross border shipping... who know the drill.
Chalk it up to a learning experience. The seller probably just did not realize.

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Reid, I agree that most of the U.S. guys are not familiar with shipping to Canada but I take a different approach.

I like to give the seller VERY DETAILED instructions on how to ship, including what description and value to use on the customs form. For example, I'll say "Please ship via USPS Global Express (or Air Parcel Post) and mark used golf club on the customs form with $$ as the declared value", where $$ = actual cost. I've found that sellers are very appreciative of the fact that you have spelled out all the steps for them, because it is all rocket science for many of them. The fact is that we know this stuff better than anyone in the US, and whenever they make an honest mistake we end up paying for it.

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Originally Posted by el tigre

Reid, I agree that most of the U.S. guys are not familiar with shipping to Canada but I take a different approach.

I like to give the seller VERY DETAILED instructions on how to ship, including what description and value to use on the customs form. For example, I'll say "Please ship via USPS Global Express (or Air Parcel Post) and mark used golf club on the customs form with $$ as the declared value", where $$ = actual cost. I've found that sellers are very appreciative of the fact that you have spelled out all the steps for them, because it is all rocket science for many of them. The fact is that we know this stuff better than anyone in the US, and whenever they make an honest mistake we end up paying for it.

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Actually Terry, we take the same approach. I always provide detailed instructions. However I have had some guys who just didn't get it. After all, when WE ship to the U.S. they don't get stung for duties or taxes. I don't want to have to give everyone a lesson in "Welcome to Canada, Land of Sales Taxes and Silly Fees 101".
It's a crapshoot. Sometimes in cross border shipping you get stung.

Good points el tigre. I should have done that but this guy has been around the forum I bought the wedge off from day one. Figured he knew better. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reid Masson

It's a crapshoot. Sometimes in cross border shipping you get stung.

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So true. But then, if there were no screwups I would never learn anything!:-)

A suggestion had been brought to me on another forum. What if the guy puts ebay return on the shipping package? This way, they wouldn't tax you on what was already yours. Well, I tried it, and while it could have worked, I guess they called my bluff. First of all, the package was opened by customs. Then they taxed me to the fullest and wrote that I would have to send in a claim with full proof of sale and a previous shipping receipt. OUCH. Lesson learned.

If you really wanted to, you could go to the trouble of doing all of this, but unless it's a handmade Cameron, I doubt it's worth it. Here's how it would go:

1. Find a seller willing to participate in this sketchy ordeal, just to save you $100 bucks
2. Pay the seller double what you are paying him via paypal.
3. Have the seller pay you your half back.
4. Ship the seller a box of equal size and weight.
5. Wait a week.
6. Have the seller send you your actual package with "Golf club return - item not as described" written on the customs form.
7. When you do get taxed, simply send customs your received payment receipt, along with your original shipment receipt to the seller.

Et voila!!! Tax-free clubs!

Please refer to the man below trying out his tax-free clubs for the first time!

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Originally Posted by ondadl

A suggestion had been brought to me on another forum. What if the guy puts ebay return on the shipping package? This way, they wouldn't tax you on what was already yours. Well, I tried it, and while it could have worked, I guess they called my bluff. First of all, the package was opened by customs. Then they taxed me to the fullest and wrote that I would have to send in a claim with full proof of sale and a previous shipping receipt. OUCH. Lesson learned.

If you really wanted to, you could go to the trouble of doing all of this, but unless it's a handmade Cameron, I doubt it's worth it. Here's how it would go:

1. Find a seller willing to participate in this sketchy ordeal, just to save you $100 bucks
2. Pay the seller double what you are paying him via paypal.
3. Have the seller pay you your half back.
4. Ship the seller a box of equal size and weight.
5. Wait a week.
6. Have the seller send you your actual package with "Golf club return - item not as described" written on the customs form.
7. When you do get taxed, simply send customs your received payment receipt, along with your original shipment receipt to the seller.

Et voila!!! Tax-free clubs!

Please refer to the man below trying out his tax-free clubs for the first time!

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Great pic! :thumbsup :laughing: And a devious plan if I ever saw one. Oh how the sick and twisted mind of a club ho works. :-)

I've had success with two things:

1) Marking it as "Gift" usually gets it right thru any customs check.

2) Asking the seller to show the price to under $18US gets it under the check-line of about $20 Can.

All of my requests have been cheerfully done.

Two Cents Worth

Quote:

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Originally Posted by faldo

I've had success with two things:

1) Marking it as "Gift" usually gets it right thru any customs check.

2) Asking the seller to show the price to under $18US gets it under the check-line of about $20 Can.

All of my requests have been cheerfully done.

Two Cents Worth

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Last time an item was shipped to me marked gift,it was opened instantly!
I filled out the forms for a refund.
Was sent a letter back asking for a birthday card from the sender!I couldnt believe it!
Was still hit with taxes:thumbsdow

I no longer ask the gift thing. Two things in a row, a pair of shoes, and a club, were assessed as being produced in asia, so I had to pay a high duty charge as it was not us/cdn made. Without it, would have just paid Txs.

One thing to remember is that most purchases from states are sold within states. Nice sellers will typically list clubs at the brand new value or highest insurance value so that in event its lost, the buyer gets well compensated.
For them to know cdns will be hit is not their responsibility, I always direct them whether I want high ins coverage, or lower duty by declaring price paid. This complication is part of the reason so many US sellers will not sell to us. even simple problems like this, make them say why 'bother?'.