How much are import fee's, duties etc to ship cigars into Canada?

[farmfowls]

So I'm a young Canadian guy wanting to ask a few questions to you guys about cigars. See, I'm looking for a place to order cigars online and have never done so before. I've found two places thus far. Those being cigarchief.com and atlanticcigar.com (Will take other recommendations). I'm looking only to buy singles of cigars I pick and not boxes.

With cigarchief, their prices seem to be a lot more expensive but they are based in Canada (as in a $5 US cigar going for $13). With them I wouldn't have to pay any duties or import fee's. And they have a $25 shipping fee no matter the quantity.

With atlanticcigar.com, they are US based and their prices are a lot more acceptable even after the conversion rate. I would rather go with them, but I really don't know how much extra money I would be spending in duties and import fees.

So my question is, if I order like 6-8 cigars from Atlantic, what other fee's should I expect to be paying? In terms of duties, import fee's etc?

 

[farmfowls]

And at around what cost should I be expecting to pay?

 

[Kentos]

@Alacrity59 has firsthand experience I believe, as far as import tobacco duties.

 

[Alacrity59]

I'm Canadian.

Good to get that out of the way. There are a ton of separate taxes and duties at the federal and provincial level. If you are not braced to pay up to 240% more on your US purchase don't do it.

In my experience 240% happens rarely. For the love of God never use UPS or Federal Express as they will also hit you with a brokerage fee. USPS is your best buddy.

Cigar Chief is great for Cuban cigars in Canada great service too. In the US I like Famous Smoke . . . kinda close to where I am in Canada.

 

[farmfowls]

I'm Canadian.

Good to get that out of the way. There are a ton of separate taxes and duties at the federal and provincial level. If you are not braced to pay up to 240% more on your US purchase don't do it.

In my experience 240% happens rarely. For the love of God never use UPS or Federal Express as they will also hit you with a brokerage fee. USPS is your best buddy.

Cigar Chief is great for Cuban cigars in Canada great service too. In the US I like Famous Smoke . . . kinda close to where I am in Canada.

@Alacrity59

I have a few questions so I'll put them in numbered format for ease of use.

1) Are there any other places in Canada then besides Cigar Chief? I'm actually not ordering cubans anyway.

2) When you order from Famous Smoke how much in fee's do you usually pay? If you don't mind my asking.

3) Do you end up paying $13 for a $5 stick? Is that what we as Canadians have to accept with all of the extra fee's that are added on?

 

[Alacrity59]

I don't have encyclopedic knowledge on this subject. The duties and taxes on tobacco are complicated and depend on packaging, weight, and what province you are in.

My experience is that the large US online sites, most likely due to volume, have good prices even with the exchange. You have postage and import fees and taxes to consider. My advice is to check out how much you pay locally and do the math to decide where you will buy.

I've pretty much said what I'm doing. If you find a better way I'm all ears.

 

[farmfowls]

I don't have encyclopedic knowledge on this subject. The duties and taxes on tobacco are complicated and depend on packaging, weight, and what province you are in.

I'm in Ontario.

My experience is that the large US online sites, most likely due to volume, have good prices even with the exchange. You have postage and import fees and taxes to consider. My advice is to check out how much you pay locally and do the math to decide where you will buy.

When you say locally do you mean what kind of prices I would be paying from a Brick and Mortar store? And then add on the other fee's I would expect to have them shipped etc?

 

[Alacrity59]

Look. Budget to pay 240% on top of your purchase translated into Canadian dollars. Not my number and I'm not guaranteeing it. Shipping. . . at a minimum you are going to pay 20 to 30 bucks US.

I think you've worn me out on this subject.