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Allen Dreadmon

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Where do you fellows get your shoe trees? I need four pairs at the moment, but I'd rather not pay $30 a pair ..

Jos A. Banks just had them on sale for $10 each. $15 for us Canucks, but with currency conversion, shipping, taxes and duties (all calculated at checkout), it's not such a great deal anymore.

I'm headed to NY next month, so I chose to ship to a store and paid with my US Dollar Visa. I bought six pairs. I haven't used their trees, but IMO, I haven't noticed any difference between AE, Rochester, BB, etc. I think they're all in the same ball park quality wise. If you want to spend money, then obviously the next step up should be lasted/hollowed trees.
 
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jokb

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7_rocket

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I think Novelty charges about $25 for a pair? I can't remember exactly what he told me when I went in for some laces
 

scatterbrain

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Just got the belts. The value was stated at US$100 and the customs/tax bill was C$58.
ffffuuuu.gif


One of the belts was also shipped in the wrong size.
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Brutality. At least meermin belts are very nice, so hopefully still worth $158?

The conversion from USD to CAD was 1.33. Then there's HST, a customs fee, HST on the customs fee, the Fedex "ROD Fee", and of course HST on the ROD Fee. So just the five additional charges.

Odds on any/all of the following as part of the exchange process?
  • Return fee
  • Return shipping fee
  • HST on exchanged belt
  • Customs on exchange belt
  • HST on customs on exchange belt
  • Miscellaneous Fedex fee on exchanged belt
  • HST on miscellaneous Fedex fee

I'm pretty sure Meermin won't charge a return fee since the mistake was theirs. Hopefully they cover shipping both ways, too.
I think you'll have to eat the FedEx fee and HST on that fee, which sucks. That fee is basically a "**** you we have your stuff so give us money" fee, which is why Fedex (and UPS) have been fighting class actions across the country for forever. They're charged by the companies (arguably in violation of consumer protection laws), rather than the government.

Fun fact: usually if you read the fine print, you can request to clear customs yourself and not pay the **** you fee. I haven't tried it. For most of the people on the board, your time is worth more than the customs clearance fee that you pay to the shipping company. For students it might be worth it.

You might be able to request a refund on part or all of the duties paid by filling out this form: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/b2g.pdf. I think the worst case is they say no and you spent 10 minutes filling out and mailing a form.

I think this is also how you dispute the value that they assessed the items to be worth, if you bought something used for $100 and they assessed it as being worth $1000.00.

Edit: there's also a formal objection and appeal process for proceeding to Tax Court, but that doesn't make any sense at all for $58. That's something that real importers like @spiermackay or @LeatherFoot would consider when they get hit with serious duties that will substantially mess with their bottom line or the viability of their businesses. The objection requirements are onerous and the timelines are tight to file the notice of objection. It's easy to mess up.
 
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kasper007

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Fun fact: usually if you read the fine print, you can request to clear customs yourself and not pay the **** you fee. I haven't tried it. For most of the people on the board, your time is worth more than the customs clearance fee that you pay to the shipping company. For students it might be worth it.


Funnily enough, when I was a student, I would do this all the time. Excluding the drive to the airport (which in my case in Montreal was about 15 min without traffic), it's only a matter of filing out a form and takes less than 5 minutes. Now that I am working, I don't have time for this (or driving to Missisauga)....
 

rwtc

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Thank you everyone for your replies. I'll look into the stores this weekend
 

Jaackytung

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Just got dinged by Fedex for $400 for my package from Carmina. Be careful out there gents, and may you not face the same fate as me...
 

rwtc

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Just got dinged by Fedex for $400 for my package from Carmina. Be careful out there gents, and may you not face the same fate as me...

That's insane! I'm pretty happy about my $70 duty for my Vass order now haha
 

Nik Telford

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That's insane! I'm pretty happy about my $70 duty for my Vass order now haha
I think thats what I like most about buying from Vass. I know what to expect when it hits my door. Which reminds me I should place my order soon...
 

tricky

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400!? Now I'm worried about my Trickers order.
 

Steel28

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I'm still not over about $426 punch when my Edward Green came in last week.

F@&$
 

jokb

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ouch. those are some hefty fines.

Different topic, anyone here going to the Gentlemen's expo on the 25th-27th?
 

BrooksLauren77

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Just got dinged by Fedex for $400 for my package from Carmina. Be careful out there gents, and may you not face the same fate as me...

Total assfucking ripoff. I would definitely dispute that; was it a shell model?
 
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