Cross border shoping

[Ceiling Cat]

TeasePlease - In order to save a few thousand, you'd have to be spending many thousands which may be difficult getting all that stuff through Customs without having to pay duty and taxes on it.

If you're going to the US to simply save money on purchases you have to factor in a few other things
- Gas - Gas up on the other side before you come back it is cheaper in the US.
- Road Tolls - I do not go that far that the tolls matter much.
- Hotel - I have access to a camper van in the family, no hotel/motel bills.
- Meals - One or two restaurant meals, the rest camper or picnik meals
- Misc. Expenses

You should also know how much you're eligible to bring back.

Less than 24 hours: Personal exemptions do not apply to same-day cross-border shoppers.

24 hours or more: Up to CAN$200 Alcohol and tobacco cannot be claimed.



48 hours or more: Up to CAN$800 This includes alcohol and tobacco.

Goods must be in your possession at time of entry to Canada. All travellers absent from Canada from between 24 and 48 hours, that if the value of the goods you have purchased abroad exceeds $200 after a 24 hour absence, duty and taxes are applicable on the entire amount of the imported goods. Travellers who are absent for periods of 48 hours or more will have the applicable exemption level credited against the total value of goods.

So after you factor everything in, the savings aren't as big as you'd expect.

Shop, see the sights, have a pleasant week end and return with cheap stuff. I generally go in the late spring or early fall when the weather is cooler. Two people can rack up $1600 duty free in 48 hrs. and booze is 33-50% cheaper in the USA. They do not charge duty on groceries you buy.

I have done same day runs returning with $400 of groceries and they wave me through.

 

[DanJ]

The tolls on the NY section of 90W from Buffalo aren't that much, and there aren't tolls in PA on 90 or 79. There are tolls at Grand Island if you cross at Lewiston and take the 190, but one should compare the bridge tolls as well.

This company is the same one building the new outlet mall out near Milton at Trafalgar and 401, opening next spring/summer. No doubt, they won't have near the selection or low prices, but they might still be worth a check to see if the long drive is still worth it.

 

[Spacealien2]

Wow... Everything there is 50% cheaper??? Examples???

I call bullshit

If you drive a little farther, Oregon does not have sales tax

Pretty ballsy to call bullshit when you don't know what you're talking about.

The fact about Oregon is correct. Too bad that piece of info is no help to the OP.

 

[wildone99]

Is it worth the trip to Bufalo outlet malls and if so any recamends to which malls and where to stay for a cuople of days Thanks

I live across from Buffalo and head over about once or twice a month. Yes some stores near the border are worth the drive, Big Lots, and Target stores are with 20 minutes of the border. Galleria Mall is ok JCpenny is good store to buy goods but a bit of drive from the bridge. Kmart is close to the other stores i mentioned above. Beer is cheaper at the grocery stores and you can get 30 cans for $19.99 and have variety of brands. Food wise Wegmans are good for taking the money at par. Tops stores have lots of deals on milk eggs etc, but no deals on produce. ALDI store are good for dry goods lots off brand names but reasonable prices if you are camping or want some snacks they have lots. Well hope this gives you some idea of border shopping don't have go miles for deals , use the internet and find some what stores are in the Buffalo area before your trip ( gas is cheaper also so fill up lol)

 

[shack]

Is it worth the trip to Bufalo outlet malls and if so any recamends to which malls and where to stay for a cuople of days Thanks

You might get a good price on a Rosetta Stone program for English.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I live across from Buffalo and head over about once or twice a month. Yes some stores near the border are worth the drive....

Galleria Mall is only 10 minutes from the Peace Bridge. The same for most of those other stores you mentioned. And 10 minutes from Galleria is Eastern Hills Mall that Canadians are beginning to discover has better pricing than Galleria. Us Yanks avoid Galleria on weekends because it's too packed and ~⅓ of the vehicles have Canadian plates. We shop there during the week when it's not that busy.....

 

[TeasePlease]

TeasePlease - In order to save a few thousand, you'd have to be spending many thousands which may be difficult getting all that stuff through Customs without having to pay duty and taxes on it.

If you're going to the US to simply save money on purchases you have to factor in a few other things.

- Gas
- Road Tolls
- Hotel
- Meals
- Misc. Expenses

You should also know how much you're eligible to bring back.

Less than 24 hours: Personal exemptions do not apply to same-day cross-border shoppers.

24 hours or more: Up to CAN$200 Alcohol and tobacco cannot be claimed.

48 hours or more: Up to CAN$800 This includes alcohol and tobacco.

Goods must be in your possession at time of entry to Canada. All travellers absent from Canada from between 24 and 48 hours, that if the value of the goods you have purchased abroad exceeds $200 after a 24 hour absence, duty and taxes are applicable on the entire amount of the imported goods. Travellers who are absent for periods of 48 hours or more will have the applicable exemption level credited against the total value of goods.

So after you factor everything in, the savings aren't as big as you'd expect.

Of course.

I declare my goods, simply because of my profession. I do work for the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance. So, I wouldn't jeopardize my practice for a few bucks. BUT, as we all know, not everyone does. Avoidance is an art. I have seen friends haul back several thousand dollars worth of goods from a 3 day weekend and declare value of $500.

Also, as you point out, the requirement is to declare and pay taxes on the "Value" of the goods brought back. Value is not price.

As a matter of practice, the CBA simply charges HST on the value of the goods. I've never had to pay duty in addition. I would expect that I would if I were importing a car, or a Rolex.

Wow... Everything there is 50% cheaper??? Examples???

I call bullshit


If you drive a little farther, Oregon does not have sales tax

The last trip I took down south (July long weekend), it was a minimum of 50% off (with some stores advertising 70% off). On top of that, many were offering to take another 20% to 30% off the sale price. Among other things, I bought a Coach briefcase for $100 (regularly $500). It happens.

 

[GameBoy27]

I agree that some things are cheaper but we're not the type of people that go shopping for the sake of shopping. We only buy things we need. We get great deals on food, clothing, footwear cleaning/laundry supplies etc. at Costco. If you're smart and not an impulse shopper you can find deals on all sorts of things at other stores too. We also shop on eBay, some great deals to be had there.

For us, we'd rather do all our shopping at Costco and other discount stores during the week and head up to the cottage for the weekend than drive to the Buffalo to save a negligible amount of money. My time is too valuable to drive to Buffalo to go shopping and potentially spend an a couple hours just trying to get across the border. Besides, the QEW/Golden Horseshoe drive sucks.

 

[simon482]

10 km on the I 190 thru Buffalo
151k on the west I 90 to Erie.
104k on the south I 79 to Pittsburgh
another 8 k mucking your way to Grove City.

Im gettin closer to 300 k than anything.

And that's after an hour at the border. No thanks man!

what border are you crossing that takes an hour. damn.

 

[WoodPeckr]

what border are you crossing that takes an hour. damn.

Probably uses the Queenston Bridge which is usually the worst one to use....:biggrin1:

However after checking here:
http://maps.nittec.org/CctvList.aspx
They all look plugged up for those heading to the USA....:frown:

 

[simon482]

Probably uses the Queenston Bridge which is usually the worst one to use....:biggrin1:

i cross borders every week. coming and going and hit the busiest borders at the busiest times and never once had to wait an hour.

 

[TeasePlease]

I waited 98 minutes to cross Queenston on the Canada Day long weekend in 2010, Saturday at about 10am.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Bridges are most congested on weekends and holidays.
Weekdays are usually a breeze.
I always check here before crossing:
http://maps.nittec.org/CctvList.aspx

 

[sasemohan123]

Funny no Providers has appeared in this thread so far...

Are't we all Hobbyists trying to save a bit going the distance, just so we can "donate" to our ladies of the trade in order that they can do their shopping at home, somewhere in Hazelton Lanes? I applaud all Terbies for a noble gesture...

 

[TeasePlease]

Bridges are most congested on weekends and holidays.
Weekdays are usually a breeze.
I always check here before crossing:
http://maps.nittec.org/CctvList.aspx

Thanks. This is good to know.

I expect to be flying out of Buffalo regularly from now on so this will be handy!

 

[Ceiling Cat]

I brought back ( two trips ) 4 bottles of Chivas Regal from the US $30 ea. Over here it is $45.

 

[afterhours]

if you intend to buy an expensive item overseas and not declare it, here is something to think about:

Ottawa woman pays over $80,000 in penalties for the return of undeclared designer jewellery
Ottawa, Ontario, January 12, 2012 — The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that an Ottawa woman has been fined over $23,000 for failing to declare a watch and other jewellery when returning to Canada in 2010.
On December 22, 2011, Meredithe Rechan, a 48-year-old Ottawa resident, pled guilty in an Ottawa courtroom to failing to declare goods under Section 12 of the Customs Act and was fined $23,869.19 (the amount she would have paid had she properly declared the items).
Rechan had purchased a Harry Winston ‘Semira Twirl' watch, cuff links and earrings valued at $125,300 while on a trip to Singapore in September 2010 and failed to declare the goods upon her return to Canada. A follow-up investigation and search warrant located the undeclared watch, cuff links and earrings. The CBSA seized the items at the Rechan residence.
In addition to the fine, Rechan had to pay a penalty of $56,805.57 for the return of the goods.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/prosecutions-poursuites/nor/2012-01-12-eng.html

I bet you that she mailed the boxes/receipts to herself and CBSA intercepted it and got a search warrant for the house. It's pretty fucking scary if you ask me.

 

[Lustology]

Go to Detroit instead..

 

[good to go]

Going to a nfl game in dec and will make a trip thru philly and do some shopping. Makes the trip all that more worth it.

 

[GameBoy27]

I brought back ( two trips ) 4 bottles of Chivas Regal from the US $30 ea. Over here it is $45.

If you're in the US then sure, buy some booze. But so what, you saved $60 on the Chivas. How much does two trips to the US cost in gas? Savings $0.00.