Attn. Canadian Quilters - Buying fabric from the US
 

Not too long ago someone here asked about paying duties when buying
fabric from the US. I said I've never paid. I now stand corrected.
Today I got a bill for $28 (GST & PST) for some fabrics that cost
a grand total of USD 144.98. Just so you are aware.

I realize that Canadian quilters pay much higher per yard than us who live in the states. OUCH, that is almost a 20% tax. So sorry.

When I lived in Canada I found that duty on online purchases was hit or miss. I never could figure out why some things went through and others didn't. I didn't buy as much online then as I do now, but I sometimes had purchases mailed to my son in California and picked them up when visiting. Both shipping and taxes were lower.

As dunster said, duty is totally hit or miss. Mostly, I never get him for anything I order from the US. In fact, I received a fabric order last week with no duty owing.

However, my husband's order of my Christmas present from ENGLAND, got nailed for $50 of duty/taxes. It's really hit and miss.

While this is painful to pay, it isn't actually duty - its taxes on the sale- provincial and federal. Duty is over/above that, if it's charged.

Yes, I agree hit and miss......I usually pick up my order at a US po box. When I cross the border it is hit and miss if I pay taxes or not. Last time I had around $100.00 US. The customs officer took the US total and changed it into Canadian currency which was about .25 on the dollar then added the GST (5%) and the PST (7%) to the total Canadian $. That was what I paid. I don't shop stateside a lot anymore because of the low Canadian dollar. Just as well, because I have a lot of UFO's to finish. lol The border cities are really feeling the loss of the Canadian shoppers.

Yes..agree...it's totally hit or miss.

Every time I buy from the US I go to the very last page of the order and check the total with all the charges. Then I divide it by my purchase to see the actually cost per yard. Only then do I decide to purchase. I have to really really want something to pay over $10 yd. in "US $. Some companies seem to absorb some of the shipping and other don't.
I does seem hit or miss.

Perhaps you need to find someone in the states who would be willing to purchase yardage for you and then send it to you. Would that help or would you still have to pay duty?