Did any other Canadians get charged Duty for their Matty purchases?

[samurainoir]

So I finally get my big box from Matty Collector, and I open it up and sure enough, the distribution centre is in Canada according to my receipt. Yet my box had the big yellow sticker and it and I was charged $25 for Duty.

Anybody have any insights into this?

[haggis]

I believe the distribution centre is in Ontario, CA(California!) A bit confusing. According to the box mine came in, they came from California via Minnesota with a stop in Illinois. Long way for a short cut.
How many figures did you order? Did you choose the cheap shipping option? That seems like a pretty serious customs charge...almost of UPS proportions!? Sorry to hear that, man. I've been down that road before.
On a positive note: I sent you some Wacky Packages today!

[samurainoir]

Ah! Looking at the stickers on my box, you are right, mine went through Minnesota as well. I think it my Zod and Doom Patrol guys that put me over the top.

Ontario, CA is California, not Canada! *duh*

Thanks for the Wackys!

[Brown Bear]

I'll let you know if my Green Arrows ever arrive.

[alex]

Well I got my two in Poland literally today, I ordered them on the day, and looking on the box the nice people had put value down at $20, I also paid for the cheap shipping $10. I know all the hype has gone down a bit, Im no action figure expert, but these figures look amazing, I wouldnt change a single thing, the legs look ok to me, really cant wait for the next batch WOW!!!

[samurainoir]

So here is the funny thing about how these Re-Megos travel.

MADE IN CHINA. The Card the figure is blistered on, as well as the white box says Mississauga, Ontario, Mattel Canada Inc. This is TWENTY MINUTES AWAY FROM ME! A Toronto suburb!

So can we assume it went to California by way of Canada from China?

From there, it gets shipped BACK TO CANADA to me via Minnesota and Illinois.

I guess there is less room for error if MattyCollector has a centralized distribution hub in the USA to get it out to the rest of the world, but that is a heck of a way to travel to get to my front doorstep!

[Captain]

Just got mine this morning. No duty charges of any kind.

[Mikey]

Forgive me for being ignorant, but what's a duty charge ?

Shouldn't all shipping fees be paid before the package even moves through the mail ?

I never understood how them extra charges work.

[alex]

Forgive me for being ignorant, but what's a duty charge ?

Shouldn't all shipping fees be paid before the package even moves through the mail ?

I never understood how them extra charges work.

Mike, I get stung at customs, I cant quite remember the percentage of the total, but its like 17% of the value of the product, because its coming from the states, the maximum the value of the product can be is $25 without paying "duty". Me now living in Poland, which is part of the EU, I dont pay duty on anything within these countries. I dont know if this happens in other countries, but they also add on the cost of the shipping, to calculate the customs, which I think is crazy, what the hell has shipping got to do with the value of something!!!

[rodkeith]

I got charged $10.55 total, for my three that arrived today. Seems almost arbitrary sometimes.

[palitoy]

No Duty but I also didn't get my Animal Man/Bwana Beast set.

[boynightwing]

No duty here either. I guess the way to avoid that is to order light. I only got one Green Arrow.

Last time I ordered from Big Bad Toy Store for a GIJOE set I got hit with $18 Duty charge. Which was pretty close to the price of the set! *sigh*

[samurainoir]

That seems like a pretty serious customs charge...almost of UPS proportions!?

I got a UPS package of comic books today, again with customs charge, PLUS the ridiculous UPS Service Charge (Brokerage fee?) on top of that.

Finally got around to unpacking my Matty package and it's worth it. The Zod is amazing. I can't wait for the Christopher Reeve figure... anyone have any idea when that is going to be posted?

Great to have a Doom Patrol at last too. I'll have to work on getting the Walmart exclusive Robotman. Crossing my fingers that the rumour of a Giant Elastigirl Build-a-Figure are true.

I was greatly dissappointed when the Teen Titans Bandai line was cancelled before they produced the DP.

THAT was the set I REALLY wanted.



Check out that Beast Boy! These are way better than the JLU's.

[ctc]

>PLUS the ridiculous UPS Service Charge (Brokerage fee?)

Oh yeah! NEVER get stuff from the US UPS. Their fee is HUGE! I've done the paperwork myself a few times to avoid the charge, but it's a pain. USPS works just fine.

Don C.

[cjefferys]

Whether you get charged duty, taxes, etc. is usually hit or miss. Canada Customs does not have the manpower to check every parcel entering the country, they have a list of criteria that makes a package more susceptable for inspection, other than that it is just random luck (or bad luck). I've been pretty lucky, considering the amount of parcels that my wife receives from Japan, we've only got dinged once or twice.

PLUS the ridiculous UPS Service Charge (Brokerage fee?) on top of that.

Unfortunately someone always has to pay a brokerage fee if Customs demands an entry be made on a shipment and wants to collect taxes/duty on it, and they aren't going to do it themselves so a Customs brokerage has to do it, and that brokerage doing the work has to get paid to clear a shipment through Customs (that's how the company I work for makes money ). But fees are all over the map, and UPS (which uses their own brokerage department unless the shipper or consignee specifically requests that a brokerage of their choice clear the shipment) is known for rather high rates (and crappy service).

I've done the paperwork myself a few times to avoid the charge, but it's a pain.

Yep, this is certainly possible if you are attempting to import a personal shipment. But it's probably not worth the time and effort for most people.