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CBD or Rainbow Resource Centre question for Canadians
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In ordering from the US, do you find one of these companies to be better than the other? I often order from CBD for work, so I know that the shipping is high, but I don’t have to deal with surprise customs/duty charges that I will occasionally have to deal with when we order from other places in the states. For an identical order from Rainbow Resource Centre it is telling me about $20 less in shipping charges, but I’m not sure if I would end up having to pay more for it to clear customs.
I’ve compared with Canadian vendors and even with the shipping I still save nearly $100 by ordering through the U.S.
I know you won’t get duty charges if you order from CBD because I heard that they have a warehouse in Canada. I heard this from a friend but not the company itself. I usually buy most of my stuff through Amazon.ca if I can find what I am looking for because that is the best deal especially because there is free shipping over $25. I ordered from Rainbow Resource 2 times in the past and I did not get charged duty but they were small orders of the most $25. I find most of my orders that were in the $100’s tend to get duty on them. I don’t understand but when I asked the postal office they say it is just random. So I take a chance each time when I order from places down in the states. I really recommend doing USPS over UPS because I did that once for some special paint and brush box sets and they charged me $40 duty. I refused the order because I wasn’t thinking straight, from the shock of it and in the end would have been out close to $80. I managed to straighten it out finally with the company who were helpful in helping reorder the package. I in the end lost money because of my blunder then if I had taken the $40 charge from UPS. So now I always only request USPS for my US purchases. So maybe someone can chime in with them doing a large order from Rsinbow and if they got charged duty. Can you buy some of it from Amazon,ca and only order the rest through the states? I find with the free shipping it can work out to the same price but no chance of duty that way. I also noticed that duty was charged on parcels where they wrote the price on the outside of the box. I am wondering if you can ask them to not write the price on the outside. I know for example SCM does not write a price on the outside of their boxes and I do not get charged duty with those orders. An order I did from LBC years ago had the price written on the outside but also it was around $100. I got charged duty. Things I have noticed trying to figure out this duty. I got charged on my Right Start Math this year for duty but every year before that I didn’t. Maybe it is just random after all. Questions, Questions. Sorry to be so complicated in trying to answer you.
Kim.
Kim.
I rarely order from either. The shipping costs are too high for me. I did order from Rainbow Resource once and had duties to pay. CBD wanted $45 to send me three dvds, and had the gall to claim it was the actual cost to ship them!
I have found it better to go through Leonard from Heritage Resources in Manitoba. He is a fabulous homeschool supplier. He can get many things that are not in his catalog or on his website, and is most often cheaper than anywhere else, or at least comparable. He will go out of his way to find what you are looking for. On top of that, he offers free shipping if you order a certain amount (I think it’s $400). I would suggest contacting him with what you are looking for – perhaps he can get it for you at a good price without any hassles. Then again, maybe not. But it might be worth a try.
I also rarely order from either. I do live close to the border so I did have high school Apologia texts sent from CBD but overall, I use amazon.ca and The Learning House, Tree of Life or Heritage Resources.
I have not ordered from either of these, but will agree with Kim’s remarks on duty. In the past, I have only ever been hit with duty when the supplier gets overly detailed on the declaration form and states a high value. I’ve ordered from some U.S. suppliers that simply put “Education Materials – books” on the form, and in all these cases, I never gotten hit with duty. (and in the case where I used a supplier that boldly marked a “greater than $100” value on the duty card…I had the postman at my door asking for $35 extra dollars!)
Good luck!
and BTW, I never knew about Heritage Resources, thank you houseofchaos, they sound terrific!)
Hmmm…My order would include Apologia General Science text and notebook and a few other things that I can’t get from amazon.ca The difference in cost is anywhere from $5 to $30 per item. Even with the $47 they are quoting me for shipping and the exchange/tax etc, it’s cheaper than ordering from the closest Canadian vendor.
If it’s Apologia Science you’re after, you might want to check through book depository. This is an amazing supplier, I order a LOT through them and have never been disappointed (this site is always the first place I check, I am often surprised at what they carry). You are charged in Canadian dollars and shipping is (get ready for it) FREE, worldwide. My orders have always arrived (to rural Ontario) within 7-10 days. And the customer service is EXCELLENT.
I recently saw the Apologia General Science full set on BD for $78, second edition (this is the most current), and the solutions packet for $20. You will be shocked to learn that this is actually less money than buying directly from the Apologia site. I don’t know what else you have on your list, but thought maybe at least getting your Apologia from BD would help a bit!
Good luck!
I’ll check that out, thanks. Right now it’s on CBD for $57 and just about every Canadian distributor lists it between $84 and $89.
I’ve never ordered from Rainbow Resources because the time I checked their shipping, it was too high. I have always ordered from CBD because the shipping was reasonable, and I have never gotten charged at the door. But I noticed that this past year (or so), they raised their shipping costs quite a bit. Yet, like 4myboys says, it’s still cheaper than ordering from any Canadian vendor because of their discounts.
I am checking out the book depository. Thank you for the link.
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