Online purchase shipping charges

[NorthernRedneck]

I do a fair bit of online shopping in the interest of saving time and money. One thing I've noticed is the outrageous shipping and import charges for items coming from the states. I can order the same item for the same price coming from both the states and from china. The item from the states would cost me $12 shipping and another $13 for import charges. The same exact thing coming from china would be free shipping and no import charges.

Just an observation.

[Bamby]

Does Canada have a free trade agreement with China?

[Doc]

Amazon prime might save you a few bucks if offered in the great white north.

[Bamby]

For the record:

Thanks to NAFTA there is NO DUTY assessed on goods made in the US or Canada (or Mexico); or on used goods, generally. Most eBay transactions do NOT involve duty. (Yippee!) But duty may be assessed on NEW or high-end used items made ('originating') outside of North America.

Considering the US actually makes very few products.. You are likely purchasing imported goods that can be Canadian taxable.

[Melensdad]

Originally Posted by NorthernRedneck

I do a fair bit of online shopping in the interest of saving time and money. One thing I've noticed is the outrageous shipping and import charges for items coming from the states. I can order the same item for the same price coming from both the states and from china. The item from the states would cost me $12 shipping and another $13 for import charges. The same exact thing coming from china would be free shipping and no import charges.

Just an observation.

I think shipping charges are often inflated as a way to insure the sellers make profit.

I just ordered a $17.20 grip for a new saber I'm building for one of my students, the shipping charge is $18.00

The grip is soft rubber about 6" long and would safely ship in a padded shipping envelope for about $2.50. Or in a small Flat Rate "priority" box for a bit over $6. I think part of the shipping charge is to drive a truck to the post office to throw the grip into the mailbox.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Doc

Amazon prime might save you a few bucks if offered in the great white north.

Got that right, Doc. Amazon handles every product in the world, offered at the best price. Enroll in Amazon Prime and get free two-day shipping for most every purchase. Free two-day shipping. Amazing savings for frequent shoppers. Amazing. Try paying for second day Fed X or UPS anywhere else.

On top of that, get free streaming video movies and tee vee series on the flat screen.

Amazon Prime. Just do it.

[TiredRetired]

What Kane said. The Video service is worth the 99 bucks a year alone. The two day free shipping is icing on the cake for us. Great service we use in one way or the other every day of the week.

[NorthernRedneck]

Amazon doesn't do a lick of good when you are looking for hard to find parts for a 1983 Honda goldwing. Personally I have hardly ever used amazon. One time I ordered something from there was last November. I had ordered a Christmas present for one of the kiddies. It didn't arrive in time. Understandable. It's Christmas. So I figured it would be a good birthday present. After all. His birthday was at the end of January. It came and went and still no order. It finally arrived in the middle of February with the packaging all crushed only days after I complained to amazon and was issued a refund. I know it's not 100% amazons fault. I just haven't found any good deals on there on items I know I can find here for the same price.

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[Doc]

I would think or hope Canada has an Amazon equivalent ....if not you should consider starting one. As for parts for your Goldwing, no clue. Ebay has a lot of car parts ....maybe Goldwing too.

[NorthernRedneck]

Oh. There's a Canadian amazon too. Same thing as yours. I prefer ebay since I can generally find what I need for way cheaper than amazon. As for the shipping and import charges, I avoid those by having stuff shipped to the border store that handles packages. I'll usually order 3 or more different things to make the trip worthwhile. It's a 45 minute drive to the border so not a huge deal. That's the point though. It's free shipping to the border per item usually vs average of $25 to the door. So if I have everything shipped to the border and drive down I save 75. Then I fill up there and save another 50 even with the crappie exchange right now.

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[NorthernRedneck]

Just to give you an idea on pricing. I recently purchased an instrument locally at a music shop brand new. As I always do, I compared the same thing on ebay vs amazon as well. Ebay was 120 US plus 35 shipping and import. Factor in the exchance as well. Amazon.ca was 180 Canadian plus 19.95 shipping. I got it locally for 139.

For most new stuff I prefer to shop local. But for the hard to find replacement parts and most automotive parts ebay is still way cheaper.

The coils are a problem with the Ford 5.4l. So I began pricing them. Locally, the cheapest I found was 65 per coil xs 8. I ended up ordering all 8 brand new on ebay for 55. Another example is the wife's envoy. I already know the gmcs are hard on wheel bearings. You have to change the complete front hub. Here, they cost 275 plus tax. I picked up a brand new ac Delco hub for 65. It's sitting in the garage as a spare. I also just did a complete brake job on it including all four rotors and pads for less than 150. Here they want 89 per rotor.

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[ITSME]

I think that postage from China is subsidized by the Chinese government, it's VERY cheap