mikeypas Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Hey! first time poster here..I'm in Montreal, and can't find shisha tobacco anywhere anymore. Whoever still does sell it, sells the non-tobacco variety, which I don't care for.Anyway, I usually order from hookah-shisha.com (austin, tx based i believe). Normally my orders come through without any duties/taxes, and once, I was charged maybe $30. I always order a lot at a time, maybe 8-10 x 250g tobacco. Today, my package came and duties/taxes were valued at $675 !!! This was shipped USPS, so no brokerage. The total of my order from hookah-shisha.com was $200USD. so that would make this entire order almost $900 !!!!I said to the guy, no way, return to sender. I will lose my $35 shipping fee...As far as people posting in this thread that "certain US companies will be more than happy to make sure your package arrives" , I have no clue what you are talking about. Are you implying they will mark it as a gift, so molasses, or low values ? That doesn't always work. Are you implying that if they do charge duties, the company will take it back? you still lose on shipping, plus some places charge restocking fee. So I'm not sure, unless they smuggle it across the border and mail it to you from within canada, in that case, please let me know who these ppl are!Otherwise, it'll be just like any other company, and you have to take your chances. So I'm really not sure to what you are referring to?Looking forward to hearing back.Oh and does anyone know if there are shisha suppliers from within Canada??? I'm sure it'll be more expensive and less variety, but its better than losing $35 each delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everydayshisha Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Most of the reputable hookah stores declare their packages as "gift". Up to now i had no problem receiveing my packages iN cyprus (lower Europe), infact am expecting one 2morrow. I 've received a notification that it has cleared customs and i ready to be delivered at my house. I believe there is a policy that says anything under $70 dollars it does have VAT, so the only thing i could be charged is tobacco tax. Now if the vendor doesnt state that there is tobacco or tobacco releated product, there is no problem. South-smoke.com and hookah-shisha.com have no probs through customs for sure. am now expecting an order from AFonline.com i'll see how it goes and let you know.Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaia.plateau Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 QUOTE (everydayshisha @ Dec 12 2007, 03:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Most of the reputable hookah stores declare their packages as "gift".Many of the bigger stores, such as H-S and H-C, are unable to do this because customs specifically look for their packages. They have to label them honestly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zagadka Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 QUOTE (gaia.plateau @ Dec 12 2007, 04:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Congrats Zag!thanks. just hoping it won't get lost on the way back from customs. lol.OMG, I can't wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zagadka Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 QUOTE (everydayshisha @ Dec 12 2007, 04:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Now if the vendor doesnt state that there is tobacco or tobacco releated product, there is no problem. South-smoke.com and hookah-shisha.com have no probs through customs for sure.actually that's not necesserely true, well not for Canada anyways. I would imagine other countries are similar.Customs can OPEN any packages they wish and place duty/tax on what they think you should be paying tax for.Obviously, if you order one box of shisha and it's clearly labeled as molasses and a gift - there is not reason to open it.In my case, it was a pretty large order with no detailed explanation on the declaration form - so customs opened it and placed a $300 tax. it was sent for appeal. and the tax was waived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.ryan Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 So, after waiting patiently for my order from Hookah-Shisha the past 2 weeks, my online tracking has finally been updated. My package has spent the past 8 DAYS IN CUSTOMS. I hope I don't get a nasty Christmas surprise and it's just the Christmas rush slowing it down.I will fight them to the death if I do get a nice lump of coal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manntis Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 update: CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) now applies a duty of 57.85 on all manufactured tobacco, be it chewing, pipe, whatever.My 7 x 250g (1750g total) order from Hookah-Shisha was declared 'chewing tobacco' and the $64.10 CDN shipment had $101.24 in duty and $8.27 in GST (tax on a tax?) plus a $5.00 'handling fee' applied, for a total of $114.51 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zagadka Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 QUOTE (manntis @ Jan 9 2009, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>update: CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) now applies a duty of 57.85 on all manufactured tobacco, be it chewing, pipe, whatever.thanks for the update, do you know if there is a link to official update anywhere?is the $57.85 for an order? or for a package containing tobacco within an order? i.e. if I order $5 or $500 - will it make a difference, if my $500 order has 100 packages - will that make a difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb1021 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 anybody want to do a group order from hookahjohn?? I believe shiping to Toreonto is like $30.xx for a big box. any want to order shisha from him and split shipping? no pipes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evildave Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Personally I make it a point to buy as much locally as possible. This is why i'm always on the hunt for places that sell the stuff... sadly, a lot of those places also have a tendency to be wary of people they've never seen before. This is why i make it a policy to return a few times ( buying a roll of coals a few times is good usually) so they recognise you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mix_tape Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I'd rather buy locally but when a 250g of AF cost $85 I see no point. I've purchased from MNH and no taxes. H-S I purchased 2 hookahs and no taxes 2 years ago. Last year I finally got around to purchasing a QT with 3 250 tubs of tobacco and coals. I was taxed $350 and my order was like $80, I was pissed but paid it. $150 to handle the pipe seemed a little excessive but I wasn't sure how to fight it. Personally I think I'm going to stay away from H-S if I can prevent it but I've heard USPS is always a good idea but who knows. Sometimes you get taxes other times you don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinamon Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 in the end it just comes down to who you happen to get at customs.last year i ordered two 500g cartons of nakhla from smoking-hookah. the box looked sketchy because of the way the addresses were written on the box so customs opened it. there wasnt even any information on the box about what contents were inside. so customs opened the box and saw two cartons that said Nakhla Tobacco but did not charge me and duties/taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mix_tape Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I totally agree. Toss up either way but we keep ordering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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