I'm buying a game from a guy in Alberta and STI says I need a broker. I have a few phone numbers but how does this work? Does the broker pick up the game and take it across the border or what? I naively bought the game before checking, I assumed it was like any other delivery. "North America" and all that.
I told the seller it was no big deal and nothing to do on his part. I hope I'm not wrong. I'd have to ship him apology beers and I'd probably need a broker for that too.
Thanks!
'Customs broking or Customs brokerage is a profession that involves the "clearing" of goods through customs barriers for importers and exporters (usually businesses). This involves the preparation of documents and/or electronic submissions, the calculation and payment of taxes, duties and excises, and facilitating communication between government authorities and importers and exporters.
Custom brokers may be employed by or affiliated with freight forwarders, independent businesses, or shipping lines, importers, exporters, trade authorities, and customs brokerage firms.'
We use a company called Livingston at work here, they are good from my experience. I've never shipped a pin across the border though. Check with "smokedog" on Pinside, I think he sent one to Vegas before and may be able to offer some advice...
Someone rang?
Yes, you will need a broker. If the pin is being shipped from Canada to the US, it is way easier if the seller sets up the brokerage/shipping.
It's not really that hard, I did the majority of it online and a couple of phone calls. It was just over $100.
I used www.dilas.ca
Quoted from NM:For educational purposes: what does it cost to ship a game from Canada these days back to the USA?
Guessing it ran you about $650 plus the $100 for the Customs Broker?
So about $750 total, or roughly twice as much as domestic shipping?
I would put it closer to $1K, but that is a guess as the buyer of my pin paid the shipping end of it.
Mind you, I'm in the middle of nowhere, and it went to Vegas. And this is not white glove service, it is packed and palleted just like any other shipment.
Coming the other way is more expensive, as I would have to add 10% tax onto anything coming in.
Did you look into brokering it yourself? The first 4 pins bought in the late 90s came from Phil at Pinball heaven. I brokered them myself but to be honest..don't remember the process.
Sucks you can get it close to the boarder and pick it up..they just wave ya through if the item was originally made in the US
Quoted from tomdotcom:'Customs broking or Customs brokerage is a profession that involves the "clearing" of goods through customs barriers for importers and exporters (usually businesses). This involves the preparation of documents and/or electronic submissions, the calculation and payment of taxes, duties and excises, and facilitating communication between government authorities and importers and exporters.
Custom brokers may be employed by or affiliated with freight forwarders, independent businesses, or shipping lines, importers, exporters, trade authorities, and customs brokerage firms.'
We use a company called Livingston at work here, they are good from my experience. I've never shipped a pin across the border though. Check with "smokedog" on Pinside, I think he sent one to Vegas before and may be able to offer some advice...
Well said and Livingston is an excellent choice.
Quoted from smokedog:I would put it closer to $1K, but that is a guess as the buyer of my pin paid the shipping end of it.
$1000: wow--somebody is monopolizing this seldom-travelled route (when you consider the cost would be an astronomical one-third of that if the game was just over the border a few hundred miles in MT or ND)! Curious which carrier that was?
Another comparison: look how Vinny was shipping in games via airplane overseas...for just $750!
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