Anyone from Canada ordered directly from Fotoimpex?

[kristopher_lawrence]

Hi All,

I was considergin ordering some MCC paper and some film from Fotoimpex in Berlin.

The exchange rate/prices are a bit better than ordering from freestyle.

Does anyone has experience with that? Customs fee if any?

Thanks!

J

 

[thebanana]

Never ordered from them but in my experience anything under $100 usually gets through CSBA without charges.

 

[PhotoJim]

No duty, 5% GST plus provincial tax, if any, and a $5 fee from Canada Post (if it's sent by mail). Strictly speaking anything over $25 Canadian is subject to tax. I haven't had the good luck that thebanana has - I just ordered some fountain pen stuff from the UK and it was taxed, even though the purchase was only 26 UK pounds.

 

[thebanana]

It's definitely hit and miss.

 

[mooseontheloose]

No duty, 5% GST plus provincial tax, if any, and a $5 fee from Canada Post (if it's sent by mail). Strictly speaking anything over $25 Canadian is subject to tax.

And it doesn't matter where it's coming from, really. I've ordered photo stuff from all over the world (UK, Germany, US, Japan, etc) and most times I have to pay something, but once in a while, I don't. Just assume that you'll have to, and be grateful if you don't.

 

[sly]

I ordered $300 worth of film from Germany once and paid $80 in duty and taxes. Quite a shock!

 

[kristopher_lawrence]

I ordered $300 worth of film from Germany once and paid $80 in duty and taxes. Quite a shock!

Were you using Post or UPS ?

That worries me a little bit...

K

 

[Colin Corneau]

Use post, not couriers - they ding you on charges.

 

[sly]

Post. Always avoid UPS.

 

[PhotoJim]

I ordered $300 worth of film from Germany once and paid $80 in duty and taxes. Quite a shock!

If they charged you duty, it would have been wise to appeal the assessment. Film is not dutiable.

 

[kristopher_lawrence]

If they charged you duty, it would have been wise to appeal the assessment. Film is not dutiable.

Great to know!

Is it the same with paper?

But I doubt it is with Cameras, is it?


K

 

[MattKing]

For Film, and based on a cursory internet searches:

If the country of origin for the film is one of the countries that attracts a "Most Favoured Nation" ("MFN") tariff, the film will be subject to a 6.5% tariff.

If the country of origin for the film is a country that attracts another, preferential tariff, then that tariff would apply.

The US and Mexico attract a tariff arising from the North American Free Trade agreement. As such, US/Mexican film (Kodak) is imported duty free.

IIRC, Japan and Germany are MFN countries, so the 6.5% in duty would be charged.

The "Country of Origin" is the country where the film is manufactured - not the country where you may have purchased the film.

The preferential tariff agreements are long, complex, dense and very boring documents.

There are similar complexities involved in importing cameras - I just wasn't as successful in my cursory searches .

Matt

 

[sly]

If they charged you duty, it would have been wise to appeal the assessment. Film is not dutiable.

I DID query it and was told I was lucky I wasn't charged more! Left me with the impression that you are totally at the mercy of the person who processes your package. Gotta hope whoever it was didn't start the day with a marital spat, or being cut off in traffic.

The country of origin was Germany - I ordered from the manufacturer to "save money".

 

[Uncle Bill]

For Film, and based on a cursory internet searches:

If the country of origin for the film is one of the countries that attracts a "Most Favoured Nation" ("MFN") tariff, the film will be subject to a 6.5% tariff.

If the country of origin for the film is a country that attracts another, preferential tariff, then that tariff would apply.

The US and Mexico attract a tariff arising from the North American Free Trade agreement. As such, US/Mexican film (Kodak) is imported duty free.

IIRC, Japan and Germany are MFN countries, so the 6.5% in duty would be charged.

The "Country of Origin" is the country where the film is manufactured - not the country where you may have purchased the film.

The preferential tariff agreements are long, complex, dense and very boring documents.

There are similar complexities involved in importing cameras - I just wasn't as successful in my cursory searches .

Matt

Why are we still paying a 6.5% tariff considering the Kodak Plant in Toronto was torn down a few years ago?

 

[MattKing]

Why are we still paying a 6.5% tariff considering the Kodak Plant in Toronto was torn down a few years ago?

I don't know Bill - it's not my fault !

The main purpose of tariffs is to raise revenues.

In addition, tariffs also serve to protect certain industries.

I expect (and it is just a guess) that one of the reasons we still have a tariff on non-US film is that it maintains the benefit of NAFTA.

Matt

 

[Uncle Bill]

I read somewhere all the tariffs raised on consumer goods and I am talking everything from photographic supplies to clothing do not amount to much in terms of revenue. The Canadian Treasury's main sources of funds are income tax and the GST.

I don't have an issue paying the sales taxes. I do however have a big issue paying tariffs to protect either an industry that does not exist anymore or has hardly any impact on the Canadian economy.

 

[urals]

Yeah, whenever I order anything via UPS or FedEx I get saddled with the most outrageous "brokerage fees," sometimes equal to like half the value of the item.