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importing a JDM reel from japan to the US

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Being from Canada, I get charged 10% duty and 13% sales tax when I import a reel from japan. My son now lives in Illinois - what kind of import fees would I pay if I shipped it to him?

 

TIA<

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Solved by AlabamaSpothunter

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That's outrageous, here in the US I don't pay any sales tax or duty fees when ordering from Digitaka.   

 

23% to the gov't to have the privilege of buying a fishing reel.....again absolutely outrageous!!!!!!

 

Send the money to your son and have him order it for you.    

  • Super User

There is no import duty into US for single shipments less than $800.  You pay duty (through the courier) if the package value is declared above $800.  

 

Going on 20 years, I've used a Japan broker (Masamichi at noppin.com) to buy from vendors who don't sell direct to US - i.e., most of Japan.  When I was asking to pack and ship a cache that included new high-end reel, rod grip, rod blade, and reel trim parts, he told me how to break up the packing requests into 2 packages to avoid customs duty.  

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Masamichi's normal brokerage fee is 6%.  It's a way to buy KTF/IXA bearings, Haneda Craft, Livre handle (any knob combo) discounted by SquidMania, Yahoo, Rakuten,...impossible-to-find lures...build up a cache of small orders. He has baby-sat custom rod building.  (I've paid $90 for new Smith SS rod grips - check that against ebay prices.)  Astounding savings on bike parts v. US importers (you can ship bike parts and tackle together). 

He'll make the effort to find stock, get questions answered that we could never get answered from here.  Sixty-day free storage, you can build up a cache and ship it all together in one package.  Not exactly a recommendation, but describing a system that has worked for me for a long time.  

 

I know several Canadians with easy border access who keep USPO boxes to receive mail order. 

  • Author
45 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

That's outrageous, here in the US I don't pay any sales tax or duty fees when ordering from Digitaka.   

 

23% to the gov't to have the privilege of buying a fishing reel.....again absolutely outrageous!!!!!!

 

Send the money to your son and have him order it for you.    

Yep, and now we have a 10% luxury tax on top of all that for cars/lite trucks over $100k and Boats over $250k.  It never ends.

  • Super User

@Puggz I live in Illinois myself and have placed 2 orders through Japan Lure Shop for reels in the last 2 years. Both times I’ve paid 2000 yen ($13.94) for shipping but they include a premium lure with each purchase. The Jack Hammer pictured and a Megabass vision 110 jr.IMG_1273.jpeg.58a4675ea49df5f1b180c02d7995865e.jpeg

7 hours ago, Puggz said:

Being from Canada, I get charged 10% duty and 13% sales tax when I import a reel from japan. My son now lives in Illinois - what kind of import fees would I pay if I shipped it to him?

 

TIA<

P


where are you ordering from? I’m in Ontario and the most I’ve paid was $19.87 and that was for a $450 rod.   Even on my reels.   Zillion SVs and Steez reels I’ve paid no more than $16.42 for duties and customs.  
 

 

edit:   I see you’re from Ontario too.  You shouldn’t be taxed more than $20 an order.   And that’s just paying customs to DHL or Purolator.    I’ve made multiple orders over $800.   Multiple reels and baits and rods.   Never went over $20 customs charge.   

Since you're in SW Ontario, you could get a PO Box in Detroit or Port Huron.  The post offices of both cities are right by the Ambassador and Blue Water Bridges.  Just some food for thought.  I'm across the river from you in Wyandotte.

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On 1/3/2024 at 12:22 PM, MiceNReets said:


where are you ordering from? I’m in Ontario and the most I’ve paid was $19.87 and that was for a $450 rod.   Even on my reels.   Zillion SVs and Steez reels I’ve paid no more than $16.42 for duties and customs.  
 

 

edit:   I see you’re from Ontario too.  You shouldn’t be taxed more than $20 an order.   And that’s just paying customs to DHL or Purolator.    I’ve made multiple orders over $800.   Multiple reels and baits and rods.   Never went over $20 customs charge.   

Your lucky then. I bought a Daiwa Luvias this spring. 13%HST, duty, and brokerage.

On 1/4/2024 at 7:49 AM, redmeansdistortion said:

Since you're in SW Ontario, you could get a PO Box in Detroit or Port Huron.  The post offices of both cities are right by the Ambassador and Blue Water Bridges.  Just some food for thought.  I'm across the river from you in Wyandotte.

I know people that do this but the border is 2hrs + from my home. Unless I'm spending 1,000s, its not worth it.  I'll be shipping my spring order to my boy in Illinois.

 

  • 6 months later...
On 1/3/2024 at 12:22 PM, MiceNReets said:


where are you ordering from? I’m in Ontario and the most I’ve paid was $19.87 and that was for a $450 rod.   Even on my reels.   Zillion SVs and Steez reels I’ve paid no more than $16.42 for duties and customs.  
 

 

edit:   I see you’re from Ontario too.  You shouldn’t be taxed more than $20 an order.   And that’s just paying customs to DHL or Purolator.    I’ve made multiple orders over $800.   Multiple reels and baits and rods.   Never went over $20 customs charge.   

Might I ask which website you ordered from? I’m very hesitant to order from Japan Tackle or any of the others because having to pay 25% in fees would mean the savings are nearly gone, and still no warranty!

2 hours ago, JRBar said:

Might I ask which website you ordered from? I’m very hesitant to order from Japan Tackle or any of the others because having to pay 25% in fees would mean the savings are nearly gone, and still no warranty!

I always order from Japan Lure Shop

  • Super User
3 hours ago, JRBar said:

Might I ask which website you ordered from? I’m very hesitant to order from Japan Tackle or any of the others because having to pay 25% in fees would mean the savings are nearly gone, and still no warranty!

Digitaka is my 'bread and butter' JDM shop...never an issue.

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