KVR Audio

Glooper · Post by **Glooper** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:32 pm

I sent a CD via post today to america and it suddenly made me realise something I hadn't thought of before, when she asked me for the value of the mechandise.

In the next couple of days I have to send aprox 80 CD's and 80 envelopes to canada. However I don't want the recipient to have to pay Tax on them? The CD's are for charity (see thread above)? What can I do, and what do I say to the nice lady at the post office to ensure that as little tax as possible is charged?

Ben

Sicklecell666 · Post by **Sicklecell666** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:33 pm

Gift, and don't insure.

Glooper · Post by **Glooper** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:35 pm

Sicklecell666 wrote:Gift, and don't insure.

I was thinking of this... But surely the Customs and Execise open a lot of packages... when they see 80 CD's in they are going to think.. "hmm, what a strange gift?"..

Ben

Sicklecell666 · Post by **Sicklecell666** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:40 pm

So what? What are they gonna do, send you to Guantanamo over it?

They're in individual envelopes, right?

I'd tell the Post Office your a philanthropist & hand em a f**king dictionary..

Ixox · Post by **Ixox** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:42 pm

Has someone ever payed tax for one CD ????
I think that will cost them toom much time/money to process that compared to the money they will earn. Below 50$ that should not worth it !

Write 5$ on the package and every thing will be OK...

OK... I admit i'm not too sure about this...

vtx · Post by **vtx** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:45 pm

very rare they'd open the box,unless somethings ticking inside it,
I do it all the time, gift or commercial sample, value under $10
don't worry, us Canucks aren't that smart, I'm of course the exception

Glooper · Post by **Glooper** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:47 pm

The original plan was to send 80 to a distributor in canada, who will send individual CD's to any purchasers from the states and canada. However... I've also just noticed that you cannot send packages that are heavier than 2kg's by airmail. I imagine a box with 80cd's (+jewel cases) is heavier than 2kgs...

I guess it just means we will have to send individual CD's to customers in north america from the UK...

unless anyone knows of another way of sending packages?

Ben

Sicklecell666 · Post by **Sicklecell666** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:52 pm

hmm..sorry, no advice there. I'm sure there's some kind of mail geek forum on the net somewhere though..

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 5:00 pm

At 80 CDs, Customs will definitely process. I've had them check even one CD. They don't open the packages usually, but they add $5 surcharge just for inspecting it. On books, they'll add federal sales tax, which amounts to usually about $1.50, then add $5 on top. On gifts, they will charge duty on the insured value. I've gotten 3 CDs at once from the US as a gift without them being stopped however.

No real rhyme or reason to how it works. They move in mysterious ways.

dystonia_ek · Post by **dystonia_ek** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 5:42 pm

It tends to be totally unpredictable (as shamann pointed out) - I've gotten crates of vinyl from overseas with no customs charges, and single cd's that I have been charged for. Go figure.

Bruce Bartlett · Post by **Bruce Bartlett** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 5:47 pm

Similar experiences here. A single CD or LP is *usually* not charged, but occasionally is. Anything of higher value almost always is.

Tax Laws to Canada and Sending packages.