Buying Tools in Canaca

[mcoulton]

Hello

Can anyone make a suggestion as to the best place to buy or order tools in Canada? I've looked at the sites listed within the forum resources page, however I find the selection isn't as extensive as ofrie.com. When buying tools from the States, do I have to pay duty on them since I live in Canada?

Thanks

Michael

[oldhippy]

If you pay duty for other things from the States then I would think yes. Why don't you give them a call or email them. Buy the best tools you can afford. To start you need a good pair of tweezers dumont are the best you can get which is what I always used and bergeon watchmakers screw drivers. 

[vinn3]

welcome to the forum.  you can buy new and used  watch tools on the internet - like - Amazon.   vin

[yankeedog]

If you do buy things from the US, I have had very good luck with Esslinger.Even their economy grade is pretty good.It is not nearly as good as what Old Hippy suggests,but for a non professional they are serviceable.

[measuretwice]

Virtually all US and Canadian goods have traded without duty for decades until the recent inane tariff wars, but I believe its where its made that determines duty, not where you buy it so it can vary.

BUT..... no duty does not mean no cost.  You still have to pay HST  (VAT) and often have to pay crazy admin fees from the carrier.  That imo is an unsavory business practice - I mean you know you have to do it so bake it into the price rather than stand extortion like on the stoop demanding extra money.  UPS is particular bad, fees can be more than shipping.  Best is the post....if I can't get a US seller to send via USPS I usually don't bother (there is a way around it, have it drop shipped to a service and then they reship to you via USPS).

The other problem you get is some vendors insist they use  UPS or Fedex or something rather than the post.  This can turn $15 in shipping into $100.  I believe Frie falls into that catagory, they have some strange and hostile feeling shipping policy if I remember.

One of the best vendors in Canada is HW Perrin.  Not much of web site but they are really helpful and in my experience they have or will get anything you need.   That and kijiji, ebay (watch the shipping) and amazon.ca (check prices they are not necessarily lower!).   I've mostly built my shop by buying up estates over the years that have come up on the classifieds....but obviously that will depend on patience and locations

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by measuretwice

[Dpastl]

I've used Perrin, they've been good.  There's also https://www.somalcanada.com/ but I didn't order form them because they were really slow in answering questions.

[GregC]

I buy from Perrin too, they're not too far from my house so I normally pick up from them.

[Dpastl]

On 3/17/2019 at 11:10 AM, measuretwice said:

Virtually all US and Canadian goods have traded without duty for decades until the recent inane tariff wars, but I believe its where its made that determines duty, not where you buy it so it can vary.

BUT..... no duty does not mean no cost.  You still have to pay HST  (VAT) and often have to pay crazy admin fees from the carrier.  That imo is an unsavory business practice - I mean you know you have to do it so bake it into the price rather than stand extortion like on the stoop demanding extra money.  UPS is particular bad, fees can be more than shipping.  Best is the post....if I can't get a US seller to send via USPS I usually don't bother (there is a way around it, have it drop shipped to a service and then they reship to you via USPS).

The other problem you get is some vendors insist they use  UPS or Fedex or something rather than the post.  This can turn $15 in shipping into $100.  I believe Frie falls into that catagory, they have some strange and hostile feeling shipping policy if I remember.

One of the best vendors in Canada is HW Perrin.  Not much of web site but they are really helpful and in my experience they have or will get anything you need.   That and kijiji, ebay (watch the shipping) and amazon.ca (check prices they are not necessarily lower!).   I've mostly built my shop by buying up estates over the years that have come up on the classifieds....but obviously that will depend on patience and locations

 

Just to add to your note about shipping.  You do have the option to self-clear, or basically to act as your own broker.  This allows you to order from UPS/FEDEX/DHL without getting completely hosed.  They SUPER hate it and they've always just done the paperwork for me for free instead of letting me self clear.  If you have a Canadian customs office nearby this would be a great option.

Tutorial:

http://trueler.com/2010/11/24/self-clear-shipment-cbsa-avoid-ups-brokerage-fee/

 

As a general rule though, I avoid UPS and FEDEX like the plague they are.  CanadaPost is a joyous place in comparison.

[measuretwice]

7 hours ago, Dpastl said:

They SUPER hate it

 

That'd be reason enough, revenge!   

I've read about this before, and a drive out to say the airport (i'm in TO) isn't exactly free or enjoyable so I haven't yet acted on it.  What exactly is the sequence?  Do you somehow get an advanced shipping notice and tell them not to hold/not deliver, or do they show up at the door and you do/say what?

Edited May 10, 2019 by measuretwice

[Dpastl]

On 5/10/2019 at 4:56 PM, measuretwice said:

That'd be reason enough, revenge!   

I've read about this before, and a drive out to say the airport (i'm in TO) isn't exactly free or enjoyable so I haven't yet acted on it.  What exactly is the sequence?  Do you somehow get an advanced shipping notice and tell them not to hold/not deliver, or do they show up at the door and you do/say what?

Haha, well the tutorial goes through it in more detail.  Basically when they call you about clearing it you tell them you will self-clear. They then get confused, forget you said this, and so forth. You can also refuse the charges when they deliver if I remember correctly. 

I'm in Saskatoon, so the airport is probably MUCH closer to me than you. 

[measuretwice]

13 minutes ago, Dpastl said:

Basically when they call you about clearing it you tell them you will self-clear

 

that's the part I was curious about, they call you?   I've only ever had them show up at the door with the package and their hand out.   So you send them away - do instruct at all, i.e. "I'm going to self clear this please hold at your warehouse"?  What do you get from them, document wise, at that point to start the self clear process?   How do you even know what warehouse (some use 3rd party logistics co's)?

I've read about self clearing but all seems devoid of the detail you'd need to give it try.

Edited May 12, 2019 by measuretwice

[Dpastl]

23 hours ago, measuretwice said:

 

that's the part I was curious about, they call you?   I've only ever had them show up at the door with the package and their hand out.   So you send them away - do instruct at all, i.e. "I'm going to self clear this please hold at your warehouse"?  What do you get from them, document wise, at that point to start the self clear process?   How do you even know what warehouse (some use 3rd party logistics co's)?

I've read about self clearing but all seems devoid of the detail you'd need to give it try.

I remember them calling me, and they have done so with work shipments as well (we have our own company for doing brokerage at work). Here's the official procedure from the CBSA:

 

Quote

How to pay duties and taxes for imported goods

…

If you are planning to have future shipments sent to you by courier from outside Canada, you do have the option of refusing the accounting services offered by the company, choosing instead to clear the goods yourself through your local CBSA office. If you choose to do this, you will not incur any brokerage fees. The two options available to you are the following:

1. Prior to receiving your shipment, you can contact the courier company and inform them of your wish to self-clear any shipments that are addressed to you and on which brokerage fees are applicable. The company will explain their procedures to you.

2. As an alternative, when a casual shipment is delivered to you, you can refuse delivery and advise the courier company of your intention to self-clear directly with the CBSA. In this case, please ensure that you take note of the unique shipment identifier number on the package, as the shipment will be returned to the courier’s warehouse.

With both options, you will need to visit your local CBSA office and provide them with specific details, including the courier’s name, the unique shipment identifier number, a description of the goods and their value so that the CBSA can correctly assess the goods. This information is usually indicated on the shipment’s invoice, which will be provided to you by the courier company. When you have paid the applicable duties and/or taxes to the CBSA, you will be given an official receipt indicating that the goods have been accounted for. You will need to present this receipt to the courier’s warehouse where your shipment is stored, in order for the courier to release your shipment to you.

Thank you for contacting the CBSA.

Internet: www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/)

Canada Border Services Agency

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0L8

Government of Canada – Gouvernement du Canada

 

[Dpastl]

The above is pulled directly off this site:

http://trueler.com/2010/09/13/ups-brokerage-fees-total-scam-fraud-cheating-avoid-it/