Buying CPAPs from south of the border

[Huffer]

I just bought a new PR1 APAP from the USA. I had no extended health coverage so price dictated my options. If I would have bought this machine and mask here in Canada, but it would have cost $2700. Instead, from one of the auction sites, I got a 0 hr machine and new mask for $475 US. Should I feel bad about not buying Canadian, or am I going to regret my choice?
It seemed like a no-brainer choice to me. Any thoughts or observations?

[Muse-Inc]

We do what we gotta do to survive.

[dwsupt]

As a southern neighbor, I thnk you for business! I buy internationally all the time. Its about personal wealth (money saved) nothing to feel guilty about.

[MoneyGal]

As a fellow Canadian, I think this is a total no-brainer. There are no Canadian manufacturers, so in my view you (we) don't have a genuine option to "buy Canadian." I don't need a new machine yet but when it is time for a new one, unless I can get a fantastic deal domestically (which I did on my existing machine), I'm buying online. (I just bought a mask online...)

[Julie]

Buying "Canadian" is just dumb IN this case - all you're doing is paying someone else's brokerage fees & markup. The people selling here are in business 'otherwise' to begin with, i.e. supplying 02 in many cases, or doing lots of business through hospitals, etc. and as much are doing Cpaps as a courtesy (ha!) as anything... plus believe it or not, there are still people who don't use the internet.

[DaveMunson]

I wonder, ... Mexico? I wonder if there is any savings. Something to research.

Seriously, The future for all of us may be what Greece just did; Outlawed all cash transactions above a certain amount. Greece is desperate to capture more tax revenues. I think this is the future as this depression continues.

I don't think it is about personal wealth. I believe it is about fighting to prevent some one(s) from taking advantage of you. The last mask I purchased, the DME charged me 30% than billed my insurance for 100% of it as if I paid nothing and marked the mask $30 higher than list price.

[freepostg]

I just bought a new PR1 APAP from the USA. I had no extended health coverage so price dictated my options. If I would have bought this machine and mask here in Canada, but it would have cost $2700. Instead, from one of the auction sites, I got a 0 hr machine and new mask for $475 US. Should I feel bad about not buying Canadian, or am I going to regret my choice?
It seemed like a no-brainer choice to me. Any thoughts or observations?

Great move Huffer...did the same thing...will do it again once the remed s9 comes down a bit. Too bad they still limit us to 1 bottle at the border eh?

[rosacer]

Huffer

Should I feel bad about not buying Canadian, or am I going to regret my choice?

You don't have to feel bad.

Do they feel bad asking us 2.5 to 3 times the price of a machine (exactly the same model) or whatsoever cpap product bought in USA? This is not an exageration I made a vast research on prices, here in Canada.

Do they feel bad about the fact they made an agreement with Resmed to forbide USA companies to ship Resmed products to Canada, making desapear the free market in our democratic country?

NO and NO.

I tell you, I don't feel bad buying outside Canada and I will make my best to buy what I need to buy even If I need to send the item to one of those companies who give you an USA address, receive it and then ship it to you in Canada. I have no insurances and I'm not going to indebt myself to make a couple make more money here in Canada. Thank God we live in a free market economy even if some times it doesn't looks like that. I will live by the laws of free market not by the laws of greed and protectionism. A CPAP item is a healt necessity not a Louis Vuitton purse

rosacer

[bearded_two]

It doesn't really matter that much, the only losers were the Canadian DME that you didn't go through and whatever distribution chain you bypassed -- and none of these would have added any value to your machine. The winners were you and the American supplier you bought it from. The included power cord will plug into your outlets and the manuals are in English; they may even be bilingual for sale in Canada.

[Ms.Snuffleupagus]

Does anyone know if they charge duty fees if you ship a Resmed product to a US address, go get it yourself and then cross the border to bring it back into Canada yourself ? What about if you have it forwarded it you by mail from one of those companies that supply a US address....any duty charged?

As for buying anything online from US, I have no problems there...1/2 the price of what they charge here in Canada.

[Huffer]

As far as I know, there is no duty on medical supplies

[rosacer]

Huffer: I bought a Remstar mask and other medical items in USA, they were marked as medical items I was asked to pay duty fees at Canada Post.

Today I received a box from USA from a person. The custom declaration says c-mask $125 (noting writen about medical item), I get it at my mail box and I paid $0.0. I really don't understand how it works. I wonder if there is a broker fee depending on how the seller send the item.

Ms. Snuffle

What I know people does is they buy more than the amount needed to get free shipping to USA. Then the package arrives to a USA State where you don't pay taxes (I think it was Washington State). Then you pay something like $30 for the first X pounds plus another amount for the exess. If here we will be asked to pay broker or taxes I have no idea. I don't know if you can go and pick it up at the adderss they give you, their business is to send it to you.

In the case you have somebody who can receive the item in USA and you go take it and cross the border; you need to declare it and I think it is something like than 3 days out of Canada to have a couple of hundreds free of duty. We need to inquire about the no duties for medical equipment.

But even if we pay the $30 some bucks to the shipping company we are still winners in the deal. I saw a replacement cushion for Activa LT shipping included at $35US. Here in Canada (the place where the sell it and have the kindness to advertise the price) it was $80 plus shipping! It's completelly out of range.

If you want the name of the shipping companies PM me, I get that from a fellow from Malaysia and the info is somewhere in my old post.

Keep in mind that if you buy other brand than Resmed and the seller ships international he will ship it to you without problem.

[Julie]

You need to get back to the sender, who should definitely have ID'd the package as medical. That's no way to do business!

[rosacer]

What are your personal exemptions?
After each absence of 24 hours or more You can claim up to CAN$50 worth of goods without paying any duties. This is your personal exemption. You must have the goods with you when you arrive in Canada and you cannot include tobacco products or alcoholic beverages in this exemption. If the goods you bring in are worth more than CAN$50 in total, you cannot claim this exemption. Instead, you have to pay full duties on all goods you bring in.

After each absence of 48 hours or more
You can claim up to CAN$400 worth of goods without paying any duties. You must have the goods with you when you arrive in Canada. Although you can include some tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, a partial exemption may apply to cigarettes, tobacco products and manufactured tobacco. See the sections called “Alcoholic beverages” and “Tobacco products” for more details.

After each absence of 7 days or more You can claim up to CAN$750 worth of goods without paying any duties. Although you can include some tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, a partial exemption may apply to cigarettes, tobacco products and manufactured tobacco. See the sections called “Alcoholic beverages” and “Tobacco products” for more details. With the exception of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, you do not need to have the goods with you when you arrive.

I just sent a question to CBSA-ASFC@canada.gc.ca about the exception for medical equipment. They answered I will have my answer in 24 hours. The moment I receive the answer I post it.

[diboja]

I reside in Canada and have purchased from the USA through cpap.com and I have never been charged duty, taxes or brokerage fees.