Cross Border Lego Shopping
Cross Border Lego Shopping
Wasn't sure which subforum to put this in, hopefully this is ok...
My girlfriend and I are thinking about making a decent amount of Lego purchases in September so I thought we might go down across the border to the Lynwood Lego store. Anyone have any experience bringing Lego back across the border? Just curious about how much duty/taxes is. We're not likely to stay overnight (as that would negate the savings) so theres no duty exemption there.
My girlfriend and I are thinking about making a decent amount of Lego purchases in September so I thought we might go down across the border to the Lynwood Lego store. Anyone have any experience bringing Lego back across the border? Just curious about how much duty/taxes is. We're not likely to stay overnight (as that would negate the savings) so theres no duty exemption there.
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
Depending on how much you bring back, you might get hit for 12% HST. I've brought back as much as $250 worth of stuff and got waved through, but when I had $500 worth of Lego, they made me pay 12% on it.
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
No duty fees on top of sales tax? That doesn't seem so bad.
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- Royal Guardian
- Posts: 638
- Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:45 pm
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
Duty will be whatever your province's HST is, and you'll really only get hit if you've spent a substantial amount. I've only ever bought $200 (at the most) worth of LEGO across the border and have been lucky not to have gotten pulled into customs (might have also helped that I said it was children's gifts lol).
They key is that you've just got to prepare to pay those duties when you come back across the border. And considering US MSRP is much lower than Canadian MSRP, you still save quite a bit of money.
**Tip: Save your VIP points and use them across the border! For instance, if you've accumulated $20 worth of VIP points in Canada, spending that $20 worth in the US stretches your savings out a bit further since the US MSRP is lower.
They key is that you've just got to prepare to pay those duties when you come back across the border. And considering US MSRP is much lower than Canadian MSRP, you still save quite a bit of money.
**Tip: Save your VIP points and use them across the border! For instance, if you've accumulated $20 worth of VIP points in Canada, spending that $20 worth in the US stretches your savings out a bit further since the US MSRP is lower.
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- Royal Guardian
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2010 3:10 pm
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
Just a quick question...isn't it duty free as long as you spend below the limit you're allowed depending on how long you've spent out of Canada?
Ie. for 24hrs it's up to $200 you don't have to pay additional tax, and if it's 48hrs to one week or something it's like up to $800.
Ie. for 24hrs it's up to $200 you don't have to pay additional tax, and if it's 48hrs to one week or something it's like up to $800.
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
Thats right, but we weren't planning to be gone for 24 hours, only a day trip. I have since decided we're probably not going to go since the savings isn't quite worth it if you're not doing anything other than buying lego. We might end up saving about 60 bucks after the gas etc, plus its a 2+ hour drive each way plus the border wait. It makes sense if you're already down there, but I think you'd have to spend more than we wanted to if you wanted just Lego.
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
I made a day trip a few months ago and brought back $400 worth of sets. Told the border agent straight up what I had and he was surprised at how much more expensive Lego is compared to when he was a kid. Let me go straight through with no duty or taxes. I find that the Truck crossing seems to be more laid back than the peace arch, got dinged once going through peace arch, never been at the truck. I've heard lately that they are no longer focusing on being the "shopping police" and focusing on more important issues.
Typically when we go down we stop at Costco, walmart and a couple other stores and pick up some groceries as well, find stuff a bit cheaper there than it is in Canada. Depending on what sets you are wanting you may save some, you may break even after gas/time. It's also nice to hit up different stores as their pick-a-brick walls are all different, good to get some variety.
Typically when we go down we stop at Costco, walmart and a couple other stores and pick up some groceries as well, find stuff a bit cheaper there than it is in Canada. Depending on what sets you are wanting you may save some, you may break even after gas/time. It's also nice to hit up different stores as their pick-a-brick walls are all different, good to get some variety.
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- Citizen
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:54 pm
- Location: Vancouver
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
I thought cross border shopping would be much more popular actually. With Canadian MSRP being anywhere from 20-30% lower than US even though the currency is pretty much 1:1 right now, the prices are just that much better. If combined with some of the major sales retailers have and also considering the lower tax rates in the US, quite often this ends up being close to half off compared to Canadian prices paid after tax.
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- Noble Citizen
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 5:52 am
- Location: Ottawa
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
With Canadian MSRP being anywhere from 20-30% lower than US
You mean
With US MSRP being anywhere from 20-30% lower than Canadian
Right? :)
You mean
With US MSRP being anywhere from 20-30% lower than Canadian
Right? :)
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- Royal Guardian
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- Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:45 pm
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
You're absolutely right, but most people have to factor in the price of gas and driving time, which obviously eats into the savings. A different story if you're close to the border, or if you have other plans in the US and LEGO shopping is more of a side trip, then these become a non-issue.tsetsetse89 wrote:I thought cross border shopping would be much more popular actually. With Canadian MSRP being anywhere from 20-30% lower than US even though the currency is pretty much 1:1 right now, the prices are just that much better. If combined with some of the major sales retailers have and also considering the lower tax rates in the US, quite often this ends up being close to half off compared to Canadian prices paid after tax.
- cupishalfempty
- Honored Citizen
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- Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 10:17 pm
- Location: Winnipeg
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
I just ordered some sets from the Tru b2g1 for 460 that has a Canadian msrp of 850. Plus I won't have to pay the twelve percent tax I would normally pay locally.
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- Citizen
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:54 pm
- Location: Vancouver
Re: Cross Border Lego Shopping
That's true, I live in Vancouver about a twenty minute drive from the border. I sometimes I go just for the cheaper gas and groceries, and so other cities not close to the border may not have it as easy. There are even businesses that accept shipping orders in the US and hold it for you for $3.50 so you can even save on the international shipping. If you're significantly further from the border that makes it a lot harder.
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