I think it's because you brazenly put "Kava Powder" on the custom's form. They can't resist.
I did suggest you label it differently when I put in my order, but I can understand if you would rather not.
Canada Border Services
- Thread starter Kris954
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I did suggest you label it differently when I put in my order, but I can understand if you would rather not.
Hi, I did not mean to be so brazen about it being pure 100% kava powder. What do you suggest I put?
Aloha.
Chris
Shelly McKrunkface
Kava Curious
Herbal tea? Canadians are used to the customs games, and we regard bypassing them rather as a national sport, but suppliers can't take risks, and must label honestly.
When I lived in Canada, it was an easy drive to a rural border, just over which was a little shop which did a roaring business in package deliveries. So there also were great skiing and hiking places just over the border from Canada, not to mention a place where you could get smoked chicken and wild rice pizza with a side of pickled herring. And if you just happened to pick up a parcel on the way back that somehow got mixed in with wet ski socks in the back seat of your car ....
And if you had nothing to smuggle in you would pretend you did, just so as to not let down the side. I have lied about having one un-opened bottle of beer because I wasn't smuggling anything and was within my import limit but just couldn't not try it on. Took years of living abroad before I understood that the rest of the world does not see this as normal.
Of course it didn't always work, but usually one pickled herring burp at the right moment did the trick.
But humour aside, while individual Canadians might have pulled that trick or regarded it as a game they sometimes win and sometimes lose, reputable suppliers cannot play that way.
They could of course ship to just south of the border, depending on where people are located.
And is this dinging happening just between the US / Canada shippings? My guess would be yes, and not all Canada
When I lived in Canada, it was an easy drive to a rural border, just over which was a little shop which did a roaring business in package deliveries. So there also were great skiing and hiking places just over the border from Canada, not to mention a place where you could get smoked chicken and wild rice pizza with a side of pickled herring. And if you just happened to pick up a parcel on the way back that somehow got mixed in with wet ski socks in the back seat of your car ....
And if you had nothing to smuggle in you would pretend you did, just so as to not let down the side. I have lied about having one un-opened bottle of beer because I wasn't smuggling anything and was within my import limit but just couldn't not try it on. Took years of living abroad before I understood that the rest of the world does not see this as normal.
Of course it didn't always work, but usually one pickled herring burp at the right moment did the trick.
But humour aside, while individual Canadians might have pulled that trick or regarded it as a game they sometimes win and sometimes lose, reputable suppliers cannot play that way.
They could of course ship to just south of the border, depending on where people are located.
And is this dinging happening just between the US / Canada shippings? My guess would be yes, and not all Canada
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ThatDankK
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I would suggest the herbal supplement idea, or perhaps just label it as tea. Oh hey if you do that and they try to put a duty on it we can have a canadian boston tea party....... except we wouldnt waste the kava we would just throw tea grounds all over the BPAs and run like a fox in a henhouse.
kastom_lif
Kava Lover
ThatDankK
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Thats just.......... thats....... great. Thats great. Im suffocating on my own laughter
I was joking about the "brazen" part, though I have noticed that packages labeled "tea", "health supplement", and "dietary supplement" seem to get through more often without further scrutiny. But I get that not all suppliers are willing to do that. It means I will simply have to do what I do with other suppliers...larger orders less often, to make it worth the added price to get it here.
Thanks for the ideas of what to put down, they all are correct so I would not be telling a lie. I will start doing this for my Canada customers. Aloha.
Chris
Once you get instant back in stock, I'll be testing that out to see if it works.
steevy66
Kava Curious
Hi Chris,
I've never come across this before and I've been ordering from you for years! To my surprise when I tracked my package this morning awaiting my beautiful golden bag of Kumakua, I see "Package out for delivery, $20.75 duty and taxes owing"
What a bummer!
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kavagirl37
Kava Curious
How long do the packages usually take coming from GHK to Canada?
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steevy66
Kava Curious
It really can depend on how long it takes customs to clear the package. I've had packages at my doorstep within a week from being shipped in Hawaii and I've had a couple that spent 1 full week in customs although that is definitely not the norm. Usually it averages 1.5 weeks or 5-7 business days.
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Hi, why do you think they charged you so much? Is there something I can do on my end? Aloha.
Chris
steevy66
Kava Curious
Hi Chris, I won't know until I pick up the package but I suspect it has something to do with how the contents are described/labelled. I just spoke to Canada Border Services and was told it was likely an error by the agent assessing the package during the clearance process. I asked for an explanation and when I was asked about the contents of the parcel, I said it was ground kava root powder. She wasn't familiar with what it was and asked what exactly it was and I said it's an herbal supplement or a "tea". Her response was that it shouldn't be subject to any duty or tax and that an error occurred.
My options are to pay the fee then fill out a form to have it re-assessed and wait for a refund in the mail or to send the parcel back to be re-assessed or to send it back to you. Needless to say the 2 latter options are not enticing to me when I know I can be kneading a batch of Kumakua this evening! I will pay it and try to get the refund. Will keep you posted and thanks for following up!
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If that works, let us know what you put on the form. Maybe if we all do this every single time, Canada Border Services will decide it is not worth picking on Chris.
Happy to report that the "Health supplement" from GHK arrived at my mailbox with no further scrutiny from Border Services. Just in time to supplement my health on Canada Day.
Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
When I send kava from MI to my son in Montreal I put "Herbal Tea" on the customs label. It is true, after all...
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