Test Kits in Canada

[cschnurr]

Warning of hidden charges.

I had the Taylor 2005C test kit and most of the reagants were very low and/or old. I thought I would just buy myself a new kit with the FAS/DPD test.

Based on a previous thread,
https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/114919-Test-kits-in-Canada

I ordered my Taylor 2006C kit from Amazon.com, Epool Supply for $US 89.95
The ad states Free Shipping, and Ships to Guelph, Canada. At checkout I was charged $27.11 for shipping, at the time I figured that was likely for duty or shipping outside of US, totalling $US 117.06 and my Visa was charged $CDN 151.48 to account for the exchange rate.

Today I received my kit, and was charged an additional $56.38 Cdn for Importer charges that I had to pay directly to UPS. The shipping and importer charges were not clear, and I feel misled by the pricing. The kit cost me $Cdn 208.

Should I feel misled?

 

[Alwayswantedapool]

That sounds like a scam to me. Not free shipping, that's for sure

 

[JoyfulNoise]

There is no easy, cheap or free way to get US made Taylor test chemicals overseas or across the boarder. They have to be shipped in via special couriers and I bet they have to pay special fees. In Canada, Lowry & Associates has a complete monopoly on the sale and distribution of all Taylor products (there’s a reason for that if you do a little research ). So the only low cost method of getting Taylor stuff in Canada is to have it shipped to a US based drop-off point (like a postal collection store) and then drive across the boarder to pick it up. That’s the best you can do unfortunately.

Sorry to hear about your shipping troubles BUT I think the final price you paid in CND’s is still less than what you would have paid by directly ordering it from Lowry & Associates.

 

[jeffchap]

I think I need to take a road trip to Canada in a vehicle with a large cargo capacity.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I think I need to take a road trip to Canada in a vehicle with a large cargo capacity.

Just make sure you hide all the test kits and reagent bottles under Christmas trees and claim you’re returning from the US after the holiday season with “leftovers”.

 

[Thorvald]

Not a scam, unfortunately you just experienced life in Canada. Welcome to the worlds largest undefended border but the the world’s highest taxed border...

Any package coming into Canada from the USA is subject to brokerage fees (better to have your own Broker, it’s cheaper), if you do not expressly tell UPS, Purolator or FedEx that you have your own broker they will use their own... and the prices are crazy. UPS is the absolute WORST.

Any package over a certain dollar amount gets flagged. Typically stuff under $50 CDN (can’t recall the exact amount) makes it through without getting hit but it’s pretty random I find. Then once the broker gets it they will add the import duties and HST onto the package.

It’s nuts. I’ve had $80 items come in at over $150 due to that extra stuff UPS puts on.

——

There are two “secrets” around this:

1. Always ship from the USA via mail (USPS) and NEVER use a courier. Then you are only subject to random spot checks by CBSA and Canada Post to get hit with HST at worst. Never any brokerage fees. Never ever ever ever ever use UPS or FedEx for anything personal from the USA that is over $100 CDN unless you are in a rush and are willing to pay the extras. I’ve had items over $500 USD come through without anything extra. Though you still may have to argue with CBSA/Canada Post if it’s a duty free item and they assess it differently. You’ll always get HST either way.

2. Don’t buy from the USA. Everything else abroad comes in via courier WITHOUT any extra brokerage fees and typically no HST. I get packages from HK, Germany, Japan, Australia, you name it ... they come in typically FASTER as there is no extra inspections and much cheaper. I can get computer parts from Germany overnight without even HST getting slapped on. I can’t understand why USA shipments get all the extra attention (and taxes and duties and fees)... they are supposed to be our “NAFTA” trading partner... weird.

Also no idea why the courier companies have this brokerage “tax” going on with the USA but it’s bloody annoying. They don’t do this with packages from the rest of the world (that I have been caught with at least).

—-

Cheers

 

[cschnurr]

Thanks for the sympathetic responses.
My beef is that there was no visibility to the Import Fees.

 

[Brick81]

I got my K-2006 test kit last year from amazon.ca for a total of $167 CDN all in --- Was still cheaper the buying from the local rep (which apprently is in my neighborhood of Newmarket). Looking to get the K-1766 now, but man almost the same cost....

Wife is heading down this weekend, maybe should see if she could stop by a pool store on the way back....

*sigh*

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I got my K-2006 test kit last year from amazon.ca for a total of $167 CDN all in --- Was still cheaper the buying from the local rep (which apprently is in my neighborhood of Newmarket). Looking to get the K-1766 now, but man almost the same cost....

Wife is heading down this weekend, maybe should see if she could stop by a pool store on the way back....

*sigh*

Yeah, that K-2006 cost you about 2X the price of what it goes for on the US.

In the US, a K-1766 goes for about $20-$25 USD ($32 CAN). Are you saying the K-1766 retails for $130 CAN