Re: Getting back to the ][, but it aint easy!

[spector@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article tsetse@trance.helix.net (tsetse) writes...
>
>Jawaid Bazyar (bazyar@hypermall.com) wrote:
>: Mark Percival (percim@odyssee.net) wrote:
>: : After using the various Apple ][ emulators for a year, I decided that
>: : the time was right to get then *real* thing once more. 
>: : Sun Remarketing advertises a Platinum //e for $99 US.  This looks like
>[snip about shipping back and forth, brokerage...]
>: : Final total is $265.21 CDN for my $99 US //e.  
> 
>: : Being a rookie at this, what should  I do next time to aviod all of
>: : these charges?  Do I get a better deal from another carrier or are
>: : they about all the same?
> 
>i'd start by trying to buy more stuff from our side (north) of the 
>border. there's gotta be somewhere in montreal where some apple stuff can 
>be found. for items that must come from the excited states, i make a 

	I live in Montreal, and to my knowledge, there are virtually no 
sources for Apple II hardware/software locally. We do have one second-hand 
shop that carries used Apple II/IIgs items, but they're _exteremly_ dishonest 
and seem to make a habit of overpricing. I often recommend trying "Terry's
Tech Service" in Toronto (province next to us) or ordering through US
vendors to users in my area.

>point of using general AIRmail if at all possible. failing that, i prefer 
>to have bigger items sent to a nearby american address so i can bring the 
>stuff across and deal with customs myself.

	I agree about using Postal Mail. No brokage fees are involved, and
your rarely taxed unless the item is very large and/or heavy (I was charged 
$80 in taxes on a shippment that came in a large 3 foot box, while anything
small enough for the mail carrier to deliver makes it to my door tax-free).
No problems with damaged goods either, I've shipped out hardware to the
United States, Sweden, Germany, etc and not once run into problems on either
end. Using UPS is a different story...

	Shipping things across the border by UPS: Your always charged a
brokage fee (the higher the cash vaule of the item, larger the fee),
both local and federal taxes, and even duties if it applies. Taxes in
this part of Canada are nearly 16%. UPS tells me if I export an item to
someone in the US, the same duties, taxes and brokage fees will apply to
them, so I always ship by mail now. Here's a tip to those of you receiving
a cross-border shippment from UPS -- ask in advance to clear the package with 
customs yourself (involves a small bit of paperwork) and you'll not be charged
any brokage. Furthermore, if UPS has it on record that you requested to clear
the package with customs yourself, yet forget and clear it themselves, you can
have the fee waved because of their error. This happened to me just last week
on a recent net-deal. You can also have the sender state the package vaule 
less than it really is to reduce or avoid taxes, but doing this may forsake 
insurance claims if it's damaged. 
	
>:   The long-term solution would be to fight for the repeal of 
>: the burdensome taxation in your country. :) That, or move to the US.
> 
>yeh, lower taxes would be nice, but so is medi-care. move to the us? no 
>thanks.

	...Unless you happen to live in Montreal, Quebec. Then moving to
the US or another part of Canada is very appealing. ;-) This fall it may
no longer even be a part of Canada, so there's even more reason to move. 

>It is not possible that the possible and the   |    tsetse@helix.net
>impossible are both possible  - Babble 123     |  +oO      Vancouver.CA

Mitchell Spector
m_spect@vega.concordia.ca / spector@vax2.concordia.ca