I live in Calgary and do most of my fabric shopping on-line. I have ordered many many times through the US quilt shops and only once have had to pay duty and it was minimal and I still saved. I have even ordered a box of quilt batting, never paid duty and still came out about $80 in the black. When I figure in the shipping and exchange, I'm still ahead of the game. I have some favorite shops that I frequently check on line.

I was in Montana doing a shop hop of my own a couple of weekends ago. I was slightly over my limit, claimed it coming across the border..."Thank, have a good day." The prices in the US are at least 1/2 of what is charged here. I now have a account set up with a shipping outlet near the border and can have my fabrics etc. shipped there for a very minimal fee. This takes advantage of some of the "free shipping" offered by some shops. I still go occasionally to my LQSs (though one shop is higher priced that the others in town)but usually keep my purchases to a minimum, or something I need right away, or if they are having a big sale. When I visit family in Ontario, I usually check out the shops there, but the prices are pretyy much the same.

Tell me about it. We pay double for almost everything here in Canada. I shop till I drop when in the States and rarely buy any fabric or quilting supplies here in Ontario, unless in a real bind. Oh and lets not forget our 13 % sales tax. Yeah Canada!

If sent by a private party with no claimed value on the package, can they really charge duty?

I've only paid duty once and that was on a purchase through a store. No I don't think there would be a problem with a private party no that you say that!
So any of you US quiltiers willing to buy and ship for us Canadian Quilters?!!

When I lived in Newfoundland I was making mohair bears and a friend in NJ and I decided to do an exchange .. I sent her a bear I made that was valued at about $100. thru Canada Post .. she got it fine and paid no duty .. when hers came, she put a value of $40.00 on it and sent it UPS not realizing that UPS is much better used within the US but sending to Canada UPS is awful ... they tried to charge me $80.00 "brokerage fees" plus some kind of tax .. I refused it and it was sent back to her ... she sent it back to me and I received it (two months later) via USPS .. when that came to the door I was met with a $70.00 duty bill even though she had "gift" on it and it was still $40.00 .. why? Because she had "Charlene's Bears" in her address label so they classified it as a business .. I sent it back again.

If you receive anything from an individual, it is fine and can be called a "gift" but "Charlene's Bears" even though it was a sewing machine in her living room, they call a business and it could not be a "gift" .. she returned it to me again with just her name on it and I was charged NOTHING ... hence I don't order anything anymore from any business or stores in the US ..

Toby

Hi Guys,

Here in the UK the minimum price for a meter of fabric is £10 that is about US $15..! I was looking for some moda marbles yesterday and in the US they range from $7 - $8.60. Here in the UK Moda Marble range from £9.50 - £11.00, that is more than double the price in the US. I have ordered fabric from the US, but by the time I have paid postage and then Customs and VAT and the £9.00 the Post Office charge to collect the customs and VAT it makes is more expensive than buying it here.

You US ladies are so lucky! If I ever get to the US I am not bringing any clothes... just empty suitcases for fabby!

Hugs

Caroline

Thank goodness for the online shopping. All you need to consider is the shipping costs.

Shipping is costly when it's coming to Canada ... it isn't even worth it for me to order from the US ... if I pay $30.00 a meter for fabric here (which I do because I very seldom buy cotton, only upholstery, tapestry), getting it from the US for the same quality may cost me $20.00 but tax and shipping plus the dollar conversion brings me up to about $29.00 .. I prefer to feel the stuff in person, not get it here and realize it's not near what I want in quality then having to ship it back at my own expense.

Toby

I grew up in Delta in B.C. and still have extended family there on the lower mainland and on Vancouver Island, so I keep in touch. My sister (who does not make quilts) has a terrible time both finding ready-made clothing (to fit her and her taste and her budget) and dealing with the shock of the fabric prices.

First of all ...we have free trade....there is no such thing as DUTY on fabric....all you pay if anything is the tax....13% in Ontario. I buy once a year in Lancaster PA and 90% of everything is else is on line shopping... 8 yds quilters cotton can be fit into a flat rate envelope..$12.00...that makes each yd ..$1.50 more per yd with free shipping (just converting my cost)..., I never pay the Tax(duty as some call it) on a package that size. Only if I buy a large package over..with costs much higher have I ever paid...still a HUGE bargain!!