Ordering HK from Etronics.com to Canada? (1 Viewer)

[JamieS]

I am looking at a new receiver for my new home. The room is 17 x 15 and I have Paradigm Monitor 7 cc370 and PW 2200 sub rears will probably be Mini Monitor.

I would love to have a Rotel 1055 but it would be close to 2000 Canadian.

My other 3 options would be

Denon 2803 $1100 CAN
Denon 3803 $1800 CAN
HK 525

I am think about the HK but Future Shop wants $1800 CAN (2070 with tax) which is a LOT of $.

Etronics gives a price including shipping customs and tax of $1134.54 CAN!!!! I could get this for less than the 2803.

Anyone ever order from these guys in Canada? What about warranty? It would save me $800 wich is a ton of money to me but I am wary of buying online from a US company should I do it?

 

[Jason GT]

That's a pretty good price. Don'tdon'tdon'tdon't buy from Futre shop, just don't...

For warranty service you will probably be unable to get service in Canada. One more fee -- for some reason, businesses like to ship UPS, and UPS absolutely rapes you on "brokerage fees". Still a deal, but I had to throw that dig in, in addition to my little anti-FS deal

 

[Pablo Abularach]

I have bought a lot of stuff from etronics, not a single problem, but they are not authorized dealer of almost nothing, but sometimes the price makes you consider the gamble. I have found so good deals in there that I have bought a lot of stuff, and luckly no problems so far.

At the end will be your call, cost/warranty, how much would you gamble. But if I were you, I'll go with etronics. But it is only my opinion

 

[Kevin. W]

You may want to check out this link for a Factory Refurb HK 520 for under $600US.

http://www.harmanaudio.com/search_br...REC&market=HOM

Kevin

 

[henning hoffmann]

If you can get them to ship FexEX instead of UPS, I would. I bought and amp via UPS and speakers via FedEX, both from the States, and UPS charged a lot more in fees.

 

[Andrew Pratt]

Its basically a gable that the money you save will pay for any repairs needed if necessary. Since you're saving nearly a grand that would go a long way towards repairing it if it ever needed it. That said I'd still pick the Rotel

 

[Panagioti]

I have begun searching for an AVR-325 and was also thinking about buying from a US etailer. If you look on HK's website you will see "J and R" listed as an authorized etailer. This means you can buy from them and still have a warrantee. Coincidentally, J and R's prices on the AVR-325 & 525 are the same as Etronics (you have to click on "add to cart" to see the real prices). So that would probably be the best option. Let me know how everything goes as I am looking to do the same thing here from T.O. in a month or so.

Good Luck..... and good choice as well. i second the FS opinion as i went there today myself and they wouldn't even budge on an open box special, aside from the fact that I knew more about there products than the Salespeople!

 

[JamieS]

Any idea what shipping, customs and taxes would add up to. The JR price with exchange rate is pretyy darn good BUT if you slap shipping etc. on it can very quickly become expensive.

 

[Panagioti]

You have to ask expensive compared to what? At 1700 Loonies plus tax regular price, i think this is a steal and hope it holds out until I get the chance to buy my receiver this summer. I don't know about shipping and taxes from J and R but when i did the order process through Etronics it came out like this(and J and R should be fairly close to this pricing):

- H/K AVR-525 = $639 US
- Exchange to CA = $910 CA
- Add Shipping = $70.30
- GST = $68.62
- PST = $72.80

Total at your door = $1121.72 Canadian!

Not bad when consider that it costs over 2 Grand MSRP here!!

 

[Blair Gifford]

I got a quote from FS for $1475 tax in, and this was when the unit first came out. I decided not to get it because of bad serivce on another item. Anyways, even though I didn't get it, it was still a pretty good price and I thought I'd let you know. Maybe you can use that price as ammo. Try and talk to the manager. You may not get that low or you may get lower. But at least you'll know that when they say "we can't go any lower" or "there isn't much markup on H/K" that they are full of crap.

Hope that helps.

 

[Jason GT]

Panagioti has a pretty good estimate. However, would PST apply?

Also, HK stuff would be subject to excise tax since the units aren't manufactured in the USA. When you add it all up, the ol' rule of thumb seems to hold pretty well:

when importing electronics from the states, double the prices to get a rough loonie equivalent (or, instead of paying $699, pay with 699 toonies )

 

[Panagioti]

Pardon my ignorance, but what do you mean by "excise tax"? Also, I posted exactly what was in front of me for an order from Etronics. Apparently, this is their "at your door" price. Supposedly, there are no other taxes, delivery fees etc. I haven't actually called up J and R to ask if this is the same with them. It would be a good idea to call them or email I guess to ask if there are any charges when the unit reaches your door such as a fee for crossing the border. But if I am not mistaken, that is all taken care of with "Borderfree.com" which is what Etronics uses and I believe J and R does as well.

.....Whew....this is a lot to take in just for shipping and tax issues!!!

 

[Peter_J_B]

HK is from the US isn't it? I haven't seen anywhere that charges duty on HK products due to it being US, so falls under NAFTA. I did a checkout from etronics the other day, and I think the only charges were GST, PST (I'm in toronto) and shipping. I don't know if I'd buy from an unauthorized seller though. From toronto i believe it costs just under $40 canadian to ship it back to NY state, so if anything goes wrong I can still get warranty work done. Each depot is different regarding them shipping it back, but you could always drive down.

I have a friend that lives near the border, so I'm just having them order it, and bring my "gift" across the border. I feel blessed as the savings are enormous.

Unless someone can give me a ballpark on what an average service call costs for an a/v receiver.

 

[Jason GT]

Excise tax = duty.

As to NAFTA, I understand that it applies to items that are manufactured in North America, and HK units are not (most are made in China with I believe others made in Malaysia or Korea).

If you don't get charged duty, more power to you -- but IIRC it's not up to Etronics to collect it. I have no idea what the duty rate would be, but compared to what you'd be paying for the AVR in CAnada, you're still way ahead.

 

[Panagioti]

Thanks Jason. From what I remember about duty......it's only about 1%. So in other words maybe about 20$. But I think I remember reading somewhere that they collect this "duty" when you receive the product. It would be nice if someone who has already gone through this would shed some light here. I just can't imagine that all these possible "extra fees/taxes" would cost that much. If I were buying an HK AVR-525 for $1100 or so Canadian (taxes/shipping included) and had to pay, let's say $20 duty and maybe a brokerage fee of some sort. I would still buy from J and R online compared to the $2k it costs to get that unit here in Canada.

 

[Bobpaul]

Etronics get TWO THUMBS UP from me.

Bought at least 4-6 times items from accessories to receiver. Always fast, courteous service. Packing and receipt look professional too.

Bob

 

[Panagioti]

Ok. Here is a new spin. What if you just take a day and run down to the good ole U.S. and grab a receiver while you are there? What happens on the way back? What taxes do we have to pay etc... I am thinking about going to Buffalo this weekend and just grabbing a receiver myself(since the wife is bored and wants something to do this weekend.) I found an authorized H/K dealer in Bufalo advertising the HK avr525 for 699 US. Do I get taxed heavily if it's just a one day trip? Has anyone tried this?

P.S. Sorry for going slightly off-topic Jamie.

 

[Jason GT]

Having never done this for such a major item before, I'm guessing, but:

it really depends on if you declare the purchase or not. If you declare it, you'll get the usual government hand reaching into your wallet.

If you don't declare it, you will avoid this... however if you don't declare it and the border guard wants to check out the old trunk, you might be in for a bit of hurtin' (I think that seizure may even be a possibility). Check out Canada Customs

www.ccra.gc.ca

 

[Panagioti]

I already went to the CCRA site. I can't remember where I saw it, but it does say that you have to pay GST and duty(if it's just a one or two day trip). Also, you may have to pay PST as well, it wasn't that clear about which situation you have to pay PST. In any case, in the end, what you don't pay in shipping, you pay in GAS and food probably. The only thing that might make it worth the trip is the possibility of getting a better deal and dealing with actual people.


....maybe you could also throw in "getting out of the house instead sitting in front of the PC checking out HTF forums all day to that list!"

If I decide to go, I will post here my experience.

 

[Dick N]

Panagioti, one thing to remember if you go down to NY State and buy in person you will be dinged for State Tax on the US price. I believe it is somewhere around 5-6%.

Some Provinces collect PST at the border others do not ie BC.

So if you make a one day trip you will have to pay GST and Duty (if the item is manufactured outside the USA) call customs or check there very user friendly :frowning: web page to find the rate and maybe PST.

These are charged on the price you paid in US converted to Canadian.

JamieS, Personally, I order items and have them shipped to a mail handler in Blaine, WA. They call me when it comes in. I go wait in the line for a few hours and collect it, then wait in the line another couple of hours to return to Canada. Declare the item, go into the customs office and pay the tax and duty.

You need to have an invoice and mail order companies don't always include one, there is a shipping document but not always an invoice.

This alows me to take advantage of lower US or often free shipping in the US. I don't have to pay 'loan shark' rates via brokerage firms and I get the package faster. It's best if you order from a company that is outside where you will pick up the package so you don't have to pay US State sales tax.

The mail handler may charge me $5 for the phone call and handling the package. it depends on how fast I collect it.

I used to do this a couple of times a year but since the dollar was so low vs the US and since 911, the waits at the border were outragous. I've gotten out of it.

Thinking about doing it this summer for a pre-amp (Outlaw perhaps).

Of course this only works if you are near the border but aren't 90% of all Canadians?