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Shipping Mac Pro from USA to Canada about $350

Luba

Luba

macrumors 68000
Original poster
In about a year I will need to move so if I buy a MP need to consider shipping costs. I could buy a 17" MBP won't be as a satisfying a performer but no shipping issues. a high end iMac would entail a lower ship cost of $150 but also not an effective performer but could get away with it.

Any other thinggs to think about? Computer going through customs causes problems?
 
No chance of either you or a friend driving it to Canada when the time comes? 350 to mail it in is quite a bit of coin. It will be a much smoother ride if it can be taken in by car. Shouldn't be a problem... it's a personal item, you own it... you might have to declare it at the boarder... that's the only issue I see. I take my laptop back and forth between the us and canada and I've never had them ask me where I bought it.
 
Luba Cox said:
In about a year I will need to move so if I buy a MP need to consider shipping costs. I could buy a 17" MBP won't be as a satisfying a performer but no shipping issues. a high end iMac would entail a lower ship cost of $150 but also not an effective performer but could get away with it.

Any other thinggs to think about? Computer going through customs causes problems?
Click to expand...

Who are you shipping through? I am on the UPS website and it would cost less than $100...$84 to be exact to Toronto from Trenton, NJ. How are you going to ship it?
 
i'm in almost the exact same boat as you. I'll be moving to New York for a job in August and have been contemplating how i'm gonna bring my mac pro over. I know the company has offered to provide a small moving compensation but $350 is definitely quite a bit of coin.

I don't see any better way other than driving across with it.
 
First off, you shouldn't be paying that much. I've had computers shipped of roughly similar weight and dimensions in the 40 to 50 dollar range.

An added on brokerage fee would be in that same range on a purchase shipped via UPS, so that's close to $80 - $100 but the USPS ships without this extra fee.

And you shouldn't be paying anything on top for yours as there is no duty on computers, only a tax charged on new purchases. I'm not used to the personal property aspect however.

edit: I should have mentioned that I'm referring to shipments into Canada.
 
noodle654 said:
Who are you shipping through? I am on the UPS website and it would cost less than $100...$84 to be exact to Toronto from Trenton, NJ. How are you going to ship it?
Click to expand...

Yup, this is true. $350 is more like the overseas rate. So unless you're shipping it to Canada via Japan that's not right.
 
How much stuff will you be taking when you move? A Mac Pro isn't a significant portion of all the stuff I've accumulated.
 
That's good to know it's not that costly to ship. I must of added in insurance, not sure. Can't really drive since I'll be re-locating across the the west coast of Canada. I am from Northeast USA. 🙂
 
Congratulations on the move. Vancouver? Do some research about customs and duties. I'm not an expert, so this is a "as I understand it" suggestion. If you are moving, and you have the paper work, then all your personal household belongings including the Mac Pro come across duty free - also GST free (a value added tax that is not a border duty). You will likely have to fill in a big form with values, etc. If you are moving it all in a lump then it'll be one form for one shipment.

If you bring the Mac Pro in separately, then it may get more complicated. Technically its still personal household goods, so duty and GST free, but the paperwork may end up being a little more complicated. Just talk to the customs people before-hand and explain. Better than waiting until the last minute and inquiring at the border.

To address one of the answers above.... just because something may cross the border duty-free doesn't mean it crosses GST free. GST generally is assessed at the border, as if the goods were purchased in Canada. Again, if you are moving the GST shouldn't be added to personal household goods, but if you ship the Mac Pro separately then it may not initially get counted as part of your household. How are you moving the rest of your goods?

If you are moving to the wet side of the west coast, here is a tip no newcomer takes seriously enough. Keep Your Feet Dry In Winter. Forget fashion, and wear wool socks (or other synthetics that stay warm when wet). Forget cotton socks in winter - you'll hate the west coast in winter if you wear them. Trust me on this.
 
"I must have added" sounds much better 🙂 but is "I must of added" wrong is just awkward?

The question is off-topic but since I am the OP I guess I can't highjack my own thread. 🙂

SolidGun said:
"I must" HAVE "added"
Click to expand...
 
Ok, I won't forget 🙂 wool or synthetic material socks. 🙂

I am hoping to live in Victoria, I hear it's less rainy there. I know I can look this up, but since I am typing, is Vancouver on the earthquake fault line as the one going through San Francisco?

snberk103 said:
Congratulations on the move. Vancouver? Do some research about customs and duties. I'm not an expert, so this is a "as I understand it" suggestion. If you are moving, and you have the paper work, then all your personal household belongings including the Mac Pro come across duty free - also GST free (a value added tax that is not a border duty). You will likely have to fill in a big form with values, etc. If you are moving it all in a lump then it'll be one form for one shipment.

If you bring the Mac Pro in separately, then it may get more complicated. Technically its still personal household goods, so duty and GST free, but the paperwork may end up being a little more complicated. Just talk to the customs people before-hand and explain. Better than waiting until the last minute and inquiring at the border.

To address one of the answers above.... just because something may cross the border duty-free doesn't mean it crosses GST free. GST generally is assessed at the border, as if the goods were purchased in Canada. Again, if you are moving the GST shouldn't be added to personal household goods, but if you ship the Mac Pro separately then it may not initially get counted as part of your household. How are you moving the rest of your goods?

If you are moving to the wet side of the west coast, here is a tip no newcomer takes seriously enough. Keep Your Feet Dry In Winter. Forget fashion, and wear wool socks (or other synthetics that stay warm when wet). Forget cotton socks in winter - you'll hate the west coast in winter if you wear them. Trust me on this.
Click to expand...
 
I'm closer to Victoria. Half the rain and twice the sun as Vancouver. This part of the world is all about micro-climates. Even within the boundaries of metro Vancouver there are huge differences, sometimes a factor of 2 or 3, in sun and rain. The "official" weather is measured at the airport, which is in the south, so will be sunnier and drier than downtown. I don't know the Victoria weather as well. Go to www.weatheroffice.gc.ca to find the government weather office. You'll notice that Victoria has 4 official stations. Take your pick, they'll all report different weather conditions at times. Where we live we don't have an official station, so we check the 3 stations that form a triangle around us, and then usually ignore it anyway.

Good Luck with the move.
 
If you do it the slowest possible thing, it should be $350.


If you pack it yourself, it will be MUCH cheaper.
UPS will charge you for the 24cubed box (Double walled), for fragile packing, and for packing materials. Then they'll charge you for the shipping.
 
Forgot the earthquake stuff. Different fault line, same plate tectonics though. What is different is that in California area they have much more frequent earthquakes, which tends to release the energy building up. The subduction zone that is off-shore, to the west of Vancouver Island likes to save up its energy and then get all over with at once. There have been 13 "Big" quakes in that zone in 6000 years. Last one was Jan 26, at 9pm in the year 1700. It was a magnitude 9 earthquake. Richter scale is not a straight line, so a 9 is ten time bigger than an 8. See http://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/index-eng.php Not to try to scare you.... but once you are here, you should get your earthquake supply kit in place. And don't put big glass framed pictures over your bed.
 
Luba Cox said:
"I must have added" sounds much better 🙂 but is "I must of added" wrong is just awkward?
Click to expand...

It's wrong. Think of this as your first immigration lesson: "Canadian English" (well, it's English in general, but ignore that).

😉

Listen to snberk103— I'm on the wrong coast (or the right one, if you will).
 
Luba Cox said:
"I must have added" sounds much better 🙂 but is "I must of added" wrong is just awkward?

The question is off-topic but since I am the OP I guess I can't highjack my own thread. 🙂
Click to expand...

Yeah, as previously mentioned by above user, it is incorrect to use "of" in this manner.

I make it a point to correct this every time (yes this should be two words) because I know 1 man can make a difference on this as I have had many PMs on this subject. I ran into a person doing something similar for incomplete sentences many years ago, but he is most definitely S-O-L and probably gave up by now.
 
NoNameBrand said:
It's wrong. Think of this as your first immigration lesson: "Canadian English" (well, it's English in general, but ignore that).

😉

Listen to snberk103— I'm on the wrong coast (or the right one, if you will).
Click to expand...

I've been endorsed, eh?!

Hoping to get back to Halifax one day.... best pub music, best pubs! I know there is more to Halifax, but it was a short visit... 🙂
 
snberk103 said:
If you bring the Mac Pro in separately, then it may get more complicated. Technically its still personal household goods, so duty and GST free, but the paperwork may end up being a little more complicated. Just talk to the customs people before-hand and explain. Better than waiting until the last minute and inquiring at the border.

To address one of the answers above.... just because something may cross the border duty-free doesn't mean it crosses GST free. GST generally is assessed at the border, as if the goods were purchased in Canada. Again, if you are moving the GST shouldn't be added to personal household goods, but if you ship the Mac Pro separately then it may not initially get counted as part of your household.
Click to expand...

Yes, there shouldn't be GST on your personal goods, but you need to ask customs about the specifics. I've moved scores of items across both ways and what is allowed vis a vis any particular item can vary depending on the circumstances.

Also, I think you'll like Victoria. It's on the lee side of the island and doesn't get the rain of the mainland.
 
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