Buying a Camera in the United States (Nikon D3200)
 

I'm thinking of going down to Bellingham to pickup the Nikon D3200 on Tuesday. I'm wondering if anybody knows how taxing works?

As far as I could find on Google, the camera is exempt from duties because it is exempt under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

But I assume when I come back, I'll have to pay HST? What's the Washington sales tax?

Think it would fly if I don't declare it?

Any info would be appreciated!

i believe washington sales take is 6.5%? never bought a camera in states though :okay:

:badpokerface:

not declaring? not sure if srs

So I would have to pay 18.5% in total taxes then? 12% HST and the 6.5%?

It's exempt from duty if it's made in NA. I thought they were made in Japan, Thailand or China?

You should know the repercussions of not declaring it so it's up to you.

You don't add the two taxes together.

Canada Customs (assuming you declare it and they don't give you a break) will charge HST on the price you paid.

So if the camera = $x, you could end up paying 1.12(1.065x), or 1.1928x.

i.e. 19.28% tax.

^This.

You're better off buying from adorama/bhphoto and shipping to Blaine/Pt. Roberts if you must buy in the US. You avoid the "first" us tax by doing so.

NAFTA only applies (like already stated) to items built in NA. As these cameras are usually made overseas, you don't apply.

From my experience, cameras (especially consumer dslrs like the d3200) are the same if not more expensive to get in the stores down south. You're probably better off saving the time and effort and buying locally.

Thanks everybody for the comments so far.

I just don't feel comfortable using Point Roberts for an item that's ~$700.

Wouldn't the duties have been charged when the camera was imported into the United States in the first place, thus exempt when moving from the US to Canada?

They're selling the camera for $699 down in the States and Future Shop has it listed at $749.

You'd drive all the way to the states to save less than $50 after tax? :suspicious:

Not to mention cost of gas, wasting your own time, possibly being harassed by customs and having to pay duties

Other people spend thousands of dollars on car parts and get it shipped to Pt.Roberts so I'm pretty sure you'll be fine.. tbh if I was in your shoes, I wouldn't go out of my way just to buy the camera down south. Not declaring your shit and getting caught is going to rip you a new asshole in the slowest and painful way you can imagine and you'll be flagged. Not worth it.

Just buy it at FS. For $50 dollars in savings, its not worth the drive. What if you have to get the camera replaced? Or you change your mind a week later and want a refund or uprade to a better model? Then you gotta go down south again.

photoprice.ca: Cross-Border Tax, Duty, and Brokerage Fees Demystified

Get the camera here if that's the price difference. Easier to deal with the warranty, etc. if you ever have problems. And that's not a significant savings to warrant the drive/hassle.

Nikon D3200 Black w/ AF-S 18-55mm VR Digital SLR Camera 30717 - Vistek Canada Product Detail
$719 at vistek. Free shipping in Canada.

doesn't Nikon Canada offer 2 year warranty vs USA only 1 year?

Nikon D3200 with 18-55mm VR Kit (Black) - Canada and Cross-Border Price Comparison - photoprice.ca

Gives you all your options, shipped to you. US, across Canada, and local.

I've had way more expensive camera parts come in through Point Roberts. It's fine.

I don't get people with these threads.
Use your own common sense.

Be your own boss and think of a way to bring it across without declaring it.
It's not hard.

+1 to what Dhillon says as well :rukidding:

One thing you should be aware of is Nikon's warranty is not applicable in Canada. If something goes wrong, Nikon Canada won't even look at the camera even if it's a warranty repair and you offer to pay for repairs.

I had my t3i shipped to point roberts, everything was fine

by the way taxes in washington (and maybe for all usa) are on a county by county basis. so one washington town will have a different rate than another one

Once in a while I'll go on a trip to Portland for a couple of nights with my friends just to get the 0% tax and check out the town. 0% tax and $400 exemption + vacation? Not bad.

http://shesawake.com/wp-content/uplo...4/facepalm.jpg

ARE YOU SRS? You are going through the effort of gathering information online, posting on Revscene, driving to the US, worrying about whether or not to declare it at the border, and voiding the warranty on the camera for 50 fucking dollars?!? Words can't even describe how ridiculous this is...

Mark

^^^ That's a hilarious photo.

Bring an old memory card loaded up with photos. Throw it in the camera, take some photos in Birch Bay and come back. If they ask, you were out for the day taking pictures.

Cameras and lenses imported from the US into Canada are duty free regardless of where it is manufactured. You might still get charged the HST though.

So the the OP's question. You will pay the price of the camera + whatever tax rate in the county you are in + potentially 12% HST when you cross the border.

IMO it's not worth your while to save $50 and buy a camera through this route but I'll leave that up to the OP to decide.