Bass-Pro Shops - Rate of Exchange Question

[Braeside]

I am looking at some items from the Bass-Pro Shop folks down in Vaughan. I am interested to know if anyone has placed an order with them on the phone, and what your experience was with the rate of exchange.

The rate is quite favourable right now, but have heard of cases of folks being given the rate from the American sites as if it was last summer, which was around 32 cents, which just isn't fair.

Looking forward to hearing back on this one.

Cheers!

[toobinator]

Braeside: The BPS in Vaughn does not do mail order. For that, you must go through BPS in Springfiels Missouri. The rate of exchange right now is hovering around 1.25. ($1.00 U.S. converts to about $1.25 Cdn.) You must also add duty if the item is made off shore. (most of the XPS branded stuff is made in China, and most reels are made in Asia) Where we run into problems getting the items into Canada is the brokerage we must pay crossing the border. UPS are the shippers for BPS and they do like to charge to bring things across.

Ed Toobinator Puddephatt

[Seaweed]

After touring the new amazing store just north of Toronto yesterday I have just a couple of words to describe the experience....

Amazing.. nice big store

Fish tank was crazy.... loved it.

But as for the rest.....

IT IS A TOTAL RIPOFF.... I couldn't believe the prices.

Crystal and Ed ..... you still have my business.

[JustinHoffman]

Hey Braeside,
As someone stated, the Vaughn outlet does not do mail order. To order off the site or from the catalog, you'll be doing it from the states. With the great exchange rate right now, it's a great time to do it. I placed an order a couple of weeks back. Got a new Mr. Heater Portable Buddy and a few spools of mono. It's funny - I hear a lot of folk going on about duty, and brokerage fees and out of control added costs. For my order - and it was heavy with the heater - I paid a total of $17.00 (U.S.) extra. This included shipping, duty and taxes. A pretty good deal in my eyes. They will tell you the exact cost over the phone when you order. Remember, if I had bought the product in Vaughn, I would of paid 15% in taxes anyways - to have duty, shipping and taxes included for around $21.00 Cnd. is a win/win situation to me...
Your best bet is to compare. Call BPS and find out the total cost for what you want to order. Call a few of the local shops too. Look for the best deal. It's as simple as that...
Good Fishing,
Justin

[Mr.J.]

Here's some advice.

I often buy from U.S. sites parts and pieces to make my own spinner baits. After the exchange, plus the lower off the top price plus not having to pay 15% taxes it all works out to be much cheaper.

Now for the advice...shipping...if they ship via UPS or some other courrier you'll have a chance to pay brokerage or duty or some other fee but if they throw it into regular mail you won't get dinged.

I can't guarantee you this is a fact but it has been true 100% for me.

A couple of weeks ago I got some lures from www.themangler.com and my order was $11.00, My visa bill came in at $14.00 and the package was in my mail box, no duty no taxes no hidden extra costs.

[Carl]

When I buy things from the U.S. I just give them my credit card number and I've always gotten the actual exchange rate rather than what the store's exchange rate.

Carlco

[Trophymuskie]

A few weeks ago I received a bass pro catalog and for some reason they now charge for taxes and duties right off the bat. I can just imagine UPS taking their 60% of the entire cost instead of the value of items bought.

I wonder why we can't order from Canada now that they have a store in TO?

Folks never I mean never get anything delivered from the US by UPS they will rip you off big time. Just after xmas I got a jacket given to me by Muskie Inc for my participation in their guide panel and the bastards charged me $42 for my free jacket. This was because the company who made the enbroidery had set a bill of $50US. So that's a $60 value with $9 tax and $33 rip off charges. I am now reporting them to the BBB every single time I am unfortunate enough to receive a package from them. I always make sure I get stuff shipped USPS whenever I can and still have to pay taxes but brokerage fees are set at $5 no mater what, not 30-40-50 and even 60% of the total value like UPS.

I want to know how the poo poo get away with it, can you imagine if I or any other business was to do the same with our clients, we would be jailed.

How hilarious the UPS guy just showed at my door and guess what no ripoff charges. Well crap the package came from TO. LOL

[Big Bass Buddy]

I ahve odered from BPS once. The girl gave me the total and when I saw my cc bill there were extra charges on it that was not mentioned to me. So from now on I go to the local shops for my gear.

[bucketmouth]

I once bought my girlfriend a Budweiser bikini from Anheuser Busch in the states. If I recall it was $45 USD and by the time I paid the UPS brokerage fee and converted to Canadian it was $110!! At least I got to see her in it a few times....

bucket

[Markus]

I think we just need to be cautious shoppers and buy where and how it best suits each individual.

Last year I went to and telephoned every local shop in a 50KM radius of my house looking for duck decoys. The best deal I could find worked out to be about $8/decoy. I then tried some online shopping and found the decoys in MI. Delivery, exange, duty and taxes came to $6/decoy.

Other times I've found items I want, talked to my local guy and he's matched or beat the price for me. Another feature I love from my local guy is that he emails me a lets me know of any good deals he has, because he know's me and my preferences. I love this.

Deals are out there if you have the time to look. But personally, I like my local guys. Ed isn't a local guy for me, but I've got gear in my tackle room from him. I purchased stuff from his OnLine store. OnLine stores take the local factor out of it.

The web is a fun place to shop, but I still love gawking at displays and handling merchandise. I'm headed to my local shop today, just to have a tea with the owner....and book some minnows.

[Wall-I-Guy]

Hey Braeside,
As someone stated, the Vaughn outlet does not do mail order. To order off the site or from the catalog, you'll be doing it from the states. With the great exchange rate right now, it's a great time to do it. I placed an order a couple of weeks back. Got a new Mr. Heater Portable Buddy and a few spools of mono. It's funny - I hear a lot of folk going on about duty, and brokerage fees and out of control added costs. For my order - and it was heavy with the heater - I paid a total of $17.00 (U.S.) extra. This included shipping, duty and taxes. A pretty good deal in my eyes. They will tell you the exact cost over the phone when you order. Remember, if I had bought the product in Vaughn, I would of paid 15% in taxes anyways - to have duty, shipping and taxes included for around $21.00 Cnd. is a win/win situation to me...
Your best bet is to compare. Call BPS and find out the total cost for what you want to order. Call a few of the local shops too. Look for the best deal. It's as simple as that...
Good Fishing,
Justin

It depends on value more than anything. I just received a parcel from the US. It was a rolled up hockey photo. They marked the value as $200 on it. My duties and taxes, and handling charges were $43.00 Unreal

[SkeeterJohn]

Never use a courier always ship uspsand if possible get the person sending the item to mark it as a gift with a value of $60cdn or less. That way no taxes or fees.

Anything over $60 as a gift is taxable but watch out they normally charge you tax on the lot instead of the portion above $60... i complained about this and they wanted a written letter from the sender stating it was a gift even though the little green customs sticker that they filled in already stats it's a gift.. !

Anything commercial is taxable for the value on the customs slip the only thing you may save on if it's made in the us is import duty.


http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/couri ... ree-e.html

[Wall-I-Guy]

This particular package was though the USPS. It's Canadian customs charges, period But you're right, because with couriers, you get into brokerage fees. That's something else too

[slushpuppy]

A friend of mine ordered a $15 calendar from National Geographics once. They sent it UPS. UPS called her and wanted $40 for a brokerage fee. She refused and told them to send it back to NG.

I once had 10 boxes of personal belongings shipped from California to Halifax. I had been working in CA for 6 months and was just shipping my stuff back. I asked before shipping whether I was going to be charged a brokerage fee. They said no. Lo and behold, I get a call 2 weeks later that my stuff is at the border in Windsor and I have to pay them $40 to get it. Kinda like ransom, isn't it? Turns out, only a few of the boxes were there. Some were in Toronto, others in Montreal, and others somewhere in Arizona! And the border guys won't release them until they get them all in one spot, as they were marked "box x of 10"! I vowed to never ever use any courrier when sending stuff across the border.

Use the regular postal service when you can, or refuse to deal with companies that won't.

[slushpuppy]

This particular package was though the USPS. It's Canadian customs charges, period

Those would be duties and taxes because the item was marked at a $200 value. You'd pay the same if you declared it at the border yourself, unless you were in the states for a week or so.