Where to buy used test equipment from in Canada? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: poot36
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 06:34:26 am
content: Does anyone have any good websites for used test equipment in Canada that don't charge to much for shipping? I am trying to avoid customs fees.

author: fredboivin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 02:13:30 pm
content: I'm interested in this also.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 03:00:21 pm
content: Where in Canada?What types of equipment in particular are you interested in?

author: fredboivin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 03:04:15 pm
content: Oscilloscope, power supply, multimeter, etc. I prefer buying good used equipment than cheap new ones. And shipping within Canada is much less expensive than import.I don't have the budget now, so my interest is mostly for reference.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 04:01:54 pm
content: Your location?There are a few shops in Toronto. I haven't visited any recently (I'm from Ottawa). Try googling electronics surplus or electronics recycling. Some recyclers will re-sell stuff, but there are usually regulations around that so some don't. If find a local shop, often you can negotiate a better price if you visit the shop rather than dealing online. You can point out dings and dents, missing screws, etc. and use these as bargaining chips. There used to be a big used/surplus test gear shop near Ottawa, but they closed up years ago when the proprietor retired. Now there is a single small shop that I know in Ottawa. I am probably going to stop by there in the next day or two, so give me a wish list of things to look for and I'll let you know if I see anything. I can take photos and get a feel for the price (they are very negotiable).Incidentally, my wife is getting on my case to thin down my own inventory of test gear (she doesn't refer to it with such kind words). I have a couple oscilloscopes andmanypower supplies that I should part with, as well as a few high end bench multimeters and other odds and ends. I understand the high costs of importing (like "brokerage fees") and I would rather not export for similar reasons. I like dealing with fellow Canadians, and I don't mind packing stuff up to ship across the country.So shoot me your wish list by PM. Be as specific as possible, either in tech specs, or just the application (e.g. "oscilloscope for audio amps" can be very different from "oscilloscope for Arduino projects").

author: fredboivin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 04:07:28 pm
content: I'm in the Montréal area so a trip to Ottawa isn't out of the question, but I'd indeed prefer local or online.Thanks for the offer! I'll compile my list and send you the PM as soon as possible.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 04:48:51 pm
content: Montreal is a very big city and has plenty of telecom and other high tech R&D and manufacturing. I would think that there must be a shop or two in the area with used gear. Google foundhttp://www.select-test.com/, andhttps://abra-electronics.com/andhttps://addison-electronique.com/might be of interest as well. Maybe someone can chime in with more suggestions.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 05:00:52 pm
content: Quote from: fredboivin on December 15, 2015, 04:07:28 pmWhy don't you do what a lot of other Canadians are doing and get a PO box in the US? Have stuff delivered there and then drive down and get it. UPS, in particular, likes to deliver stuff to intermediaries that charge a FAT fee for their services but I'm told that you can refuse their services and have everything sent straight to you in Canada. You still have to pay the Canadian customs and fees but not the outrageous fees that customs brokers charge. ALL of the test equipment that I found in Canada was very expensive by US standards and the selection was POOR, and it was generally cheaper to buy from the US and import it instead of buying locally. If you shop around you can get some real bargains on E-bay. I used a PO box in Rouse's Point, New York and never had a problem bringing stuff back into Canada. OTOH that was years ago so things may have changed.

author: fredboivin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 05:11:38 pm
content: I've seen PO boxes recommended often. How does this works? Do you have to declare it at the border, otherwise I'm sure they will be suspicious?

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 05:19:50 pm
content: Canadian customs will usually ask if you're bringing anything back with you when you re-enter Canada. I always told them if I did and only once did they charge me anything. But I strongly suggest bringing along your paper work that also shows what you paid for it in case they think it's worth a lot more than you paid. You should be able to go online or call a Customs office and find out how much the import duty is for the class of item that you're interested in so that you can plan accordingly.

author: edpalmer42
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 05:58:56 pm
content: If you want to find Canadian test equipment sellers, go to ebay.ca and browse through the test equipment listings with the 'only in Canada' option checked. But I agree with Stray Electron that the prices are typically higher than they should be, even factoring in shipping and exchange.The last time I was charged duty on imported electronic equipment was decades ago. The only thing you might have to pay is taxes. I say 'might' because usually if it's being shipped by Canada Post they don't even do that.It's also technically possible to do your own customs clearance for items shipped by UPS which kills their ridiculous brokerage fees. I tried it once and they screwed me over so badly that one UPS agent finally said "I'm tired of apologizing. How about if I waive all the brokerage fees and you just pay the taxes?".Ed

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 06:04:18 pm
content: Quote from: fredboivin on December 15, 2015, 05:11:38 pmALWAYS declare. If you get caught not declaring something even once, you will be "on the list" forever. Then you can expect to have your car searched much of the time when you cross (in either direction). As others mentioned, even if you declare what you are bringing, they may not make you stop at the office to pay the taxes/duty.I have used a drop ship before. There is a "UPS Store" in the bordertown of Ogdensburg (south of Ottawa). You just have a package shipped to your name, care of the UPS Store address. They hold it for a charge of $5 per week. After considering my time, gas money, toll bridge tolls, etc. I need to carefully consider whether the trip is worth it. Sometimes yes, often not.If you want to clear customs yourself, you have the right to do it. This way you can avoid the couriers' offensive list of fees: brokerage, COD, disbursement, etc. etc. Refer to:http://erinlyyc.com/2013/10/09/update-how-to-avoid-unnecessary-brokerage-fees/andhttp://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/lvs-efv/menu-eng.htmlOf course you still need to deal with the high cost of the shipping to Canada, which can be very high compared to shipping within USA.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 07:56:45 pm
content: The hot place to have stuff shipped to if you're in BC right now is 247parcel.com. When a package arrives it is placed in a locker. You can go pick it up anytime with a 6 digit code they email/text to you. So no need to wait in long border lines, you can go at 2 am if you want. I see they also now have a Niagara Falls location. It is $3.00 USD per package received.I'd love to buy more equipment from within Canada but have found almost nobody worth buying from. The prices are always way too high. Bringing stuff across the border is no big deal - but do declare it. I paid tax on my spectrum analyzer($1400 USD) but in general they just wave me through.My ebay account has the US address as well as my Cdn address, both are paypal verified. I still can't buy from auctions that are specified as 100% US only though because my ebay account is registered to Canada - missed out on a few good deals because of this.All of this really only works if you're near a border of course.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 11:26:32 pm
content: Steve,How much is Canada currently charging for import duty? The last time that I was there it was about 16% for most things but it was about 50% for computers (A long time ago!)Even a 50% rate would still be cheaper than buying locally from what I saw. A friend of mine (a Montreal native) and IscouredMontreal at the time but didn't find much in the way of used test equipment.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2015, 12:00:01 am
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on December 15, 2015, 11:26:32 pmAlmost always it is just the GST+PST or HST. There may be a few things that require duty as well, but this is very uncommon.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 16, 2015, 12:12:22 am
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on December 15, 2015, 11:26:32 pmI haven't paid any duty in years - at this point if they charge anything it is usually just tax. There are a few items they still charge duty on of course. All of the electronics I buy are for my ham shack and amateur radio equipment is all duty free.

author: Silveruser
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2015, 12:46:32 am
content: One place to keep an eye on is Gov. surplus various pieces of test equipment show up every so often. Biding is a little strange and not much testing is done other then it turns on and lights up. Still worth keeping an eye on. I've picked up lots of darkroom gear, a HP logic analyzer, and just recently a stereo microscope among other things.https://www.gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfmGeorge

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 16, 2015, 01:18:07 am
content: Quote from: Silveruser on December 16, 2015, 12:46:32 amThanks for the link, one location is easy for me to drive to so I'll watch for some goodies.

author: JoeBean
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2015, 04:21:27 pm
content: I've bought fromSphere Researchbefore, based in BC. Good place but you need to call as their site resembles something from Targeted Individual believers.Also bought from sellers on here. Haven't had any bad experiences.But most of my stuff I get from the US via one of my re-shippers. I've used a number of different ones in the past but currently I'm mostly using stackry.com. There's no annual fee and they're located in Nashua, NH so there's no US sales tax. Good to deal with, their site is decent although lacks some options that others have. You can always get them on the phone though.My other favorite reshipper is Shipito. They have options for annual fee/no annual fee accounts, although I've always had the fee account. Their biggest benefits are a) they have more locations, including Austria, b) their website allows you to do almost anything without contacting them, c) their system has a better photo system where you can easily identify the package if you have a lot coming in. Their biggest downfalls are that they misplace packages regularly and I've had something missing a couple times and haven't had it covered by them, which kind of p*sses me off.In either case, the benefits of using a reshipper are that you can get better shipping for less and you can get stuff when US sellers (especially ones on eBay and the like) won't ship to Canada. Also, eBay's BS "Global Shipping Program" rips off buyers outside the US with ridiculous brokerage fees. Both of the above re-shippers use DHL (as well as other options, but DHL is almost always faster and cheaper) and I can usually get stuff in 2-4 days to Newfoundland for less than UPS or Fedex (or even USPS alot of the times) would cost for 2-4 weeks. Also, of course, they will consolidate so you pay shipping only once.Really, they're a bit of a pain to set up but worth it if you buy from the US at all. I've saved literally more than $10k last year in shipping because of them.P.S. - you technically can value your shipments at any amount you want - eg. a $1000 scope valued at $10 - for avoiding customs, but don't give in to the temptation as they do regularly inspect packages and you can be up the creek if they find out you lied. I actually had a reassessment last year for some rock tumbling tools my wife wanted from Harbor Freight and I had to provide proof of their value as they assessed $250 worth of stuff at about $3000.

author: Bryan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2016, 11:04:20 am
content: The killer with shipping to Canada is the increased shipping costs, I would say almost triple than what one pays to ship in the US. If shipped across the border by UPS/FedEx or the other carriers they ding you with a brokerage fee.https://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html#Entry+Preparation+Charges

author: JoeBean
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2016, 01:11:04 pm
content: Quote from: Bryan on January 01, 2016, 11:04:20 amDHL have the most reasonable shipping fees to Canada and their brokerage fee is reasonable as well. I think I usually pay a flat $5. Plus taxes on the goods, obviously, but you can't legally avoid that from any of the shippers. Their lower shipping fees more than make up for the $5. UPS waves brokerage fees for one of their services as well but it costs an arm and two legs for that level so they're effectively just rolling the brokerage fees into their other fees.USPS/Canada Post often won't charge brokerage fees or taxes. But many people, at least on the eBay forums that I've seen where this is discussed, don't seem to realize that you still have to remit the taxes, and if you don't you could be looking at a hefty fine from CRA.

author: Bryan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 07:16:58 am
content: Quote from: JoeBean on January 01, 2016, 01:11:04 pmUSPS Canada Post charges a flat $5.00 "brokerage fee", $10.00 I think for the faster 3 day service. Duty/taxes are collected when you pick up the package at the post office. Pretty rare that they charge for duty these days with NAFTA, just the GST/HST. I don't understand how these courier services can justify charging their outrageous brokerage fees when in reality they are doing absolutely nothing as a service to the customer. I once asked UPS for all the paperwork that their so called broker did to clear my package for the honour of paying $60.00 in fees, they could not provide anything.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 08:10:25 am
content: Quote from: Bryan on January 02, 2016, 07:16:58 amPretty sure Canada Post raised the 5 dollar fee to 8 dollars a while back. You can clear UPS ground packages yourself. You have to have them hold the package, then pickup the paperwork at a UPS office, take it to Canada Customs, clear it and then take the paperwork back to UPS, they will process it and then release the package.

author: JoeBean
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 10:21:22 am
content: For us, Canada Post never charges taxes or brokerage for low value packages originating in the US - seems somewhere around $50 is their cutoff. Does everyone else find that to be the case? I'm wondering if it's the policy of their customs facility for eastbound shipping or if it's a general thing.

author: coflynn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 01:16:05 pm
content: For shipping - as a heads up some people don't realize/notice that "UPS Standard" and "FedEx Ground" have the excessive brokerage fees. Other services (UPS worldwide saver, FedEx Economy Intl, etc) charge you tax + a smaller fee.Many shippers send stuff UPS Standard as it's much cheaper, but you end up paying so much in brokerage fees you would have been better off using a more expensive service.As mentioned DHL is pretty good too, there's some flat fee (~$10-$15) + a small fee for advancing the tax money.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 07:36:02 pm
content: Quote from: JoeBean on January 02, 2016, 10:21:22 amStraight from Government website ... (snippets)http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/duty-droits-eng.htmlThe item’s value in Canadian dollarsUnder the provisions of the Postal Imports Remission Order, if someone mails you an item worth CAN$20 or less, you don’t have to pay duty or taxes on the item. If the item is worth more than CAN$20, you must pay the applicable duty, the GST or HST, and any PST on the item’s full value.Handling costsTo process goods imported as mail that are subject to duty and/or tax, Canada Post charges the recipient CAN$9.95. If the item is duty-free and tax exempt, no amount is charged.

author: Bryan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 10:03:57 pm
content: Thanks, looks like they raised the rate from $5.00 to $10.00, bummer. In my experience with Canada Post and US items it's hit and miss above $20.00 - $50.00, sometimes they will ding you the fee and taxes, sometimes not, a lot depends I think on where you live and the volume they are dealing with at the time.