I found an alarm on eBay that I really want to buy, but the seller will only ship to the United States.  I don't know anyone in the US that I can have relay it to me.  Does anyone have any ideas that can help me? Thanks.

not to volenteer anyone but I hear Srinath has a lot of time on his hands, if you beg and plead you can probably work something out

Heh, thanks for the suggestion but I'm not sure if I really trust having a $500 alarm system sent so a stranger's house.  

I'm sure you can find a good alarm at a dealer and have them install it so that it will actually be recognized by the insurance company if your bike gets snatched.

My dealer sells the same alarm but I'd be paying almost $200 extra.

Quote from: proudlomthe seller will only ship to the United States....  I don't know anyone in the US... I'm not sure if I really trust having a $500 alarm system sent so a stranger's house

the way i see it, you're SOL then

Quote from: proudlomMy dealer sells the same alarm but I'd be paying almost $200 extra.

I sell on ebay but will not ship outside the US becasue I have been screwed when the person in Canada did not pay their brokage/customs fees.  Being that I was the shipper I ended up having to pay and could not get in touch with the buyer.  I know of at least two other people that for the same reason will not ship outside the USA.  

It took a few months before FedEx sent me the bill since they informed me that they tried to collect from the person in Canada first.

I had already given postitive feedback to the buyer.

Back to the point of $200 more in Canada?  How much will the customs/brokerage fees plus shipping be for the alarm?  Also if you have any type of issue with the alarm is there someone such as a dealer to be there for you?

There is another way that I know works, is perfectly legal, but is a hastle -- get a U.S. Post Office box.

It's quite a haul from Edmonton, but if you pass Lethbridge and cross the border where Hwy 4 turns into Interstate 15, looks like you have a border town; Sweetgrass, Montana.  No doubt they have a post office.

If the eBay seller will ship USPS, you're in like flint.  Make a second trip when you think the package is there and you become the importer back into Canada.

I don't know what a fair-sized PO Box goes for, but it's two trips, the PO box rental and whatever duty you pay taking it across.  I personally would swallow hard and pay the CDN$200 difference if I was sold on the device.

Quote from: tkm433becasue I have been screwed when the person in Canada did not pay their brokage/customs fees

Ahhh!  Now it makes sense!  It annoyed me to no end when people refused to ship to Canada.  I just didn't get it.  Why wouldn't individual sellers and small stores sell to me on eBay!  I never had a problem using my credit card while visiting the US, so why was it such a big deal for eBay sellers?!  Thanks for the info.. very enlightening.

Quote from: RedShiftI personally would swallow hard and pay the CDN$200 difference

That's a fairly large chunk of change.  I'm not sure what the total cost of the device is, but $200 sounds like it would be a significant percentage of the total cost.  I do agree however that if a similar alarm can be had for an affordable price here in Canada, that's the way to go.

Quote from: sys49152...

Quote from: RedShiftI personally would swallow hard and pay the CDN$200 difference

That's a fairly large chunk of change.  I'm not sure what the total cost of the device is, but $200 sounds like it would be a significant percentage of the total cost.  I do agree however that if a similar alarm can be had for an affordable price here in Canada, that's the way to go.

Yea, you're right.  I'd see if someone, somewhere in Canada would sell the same thing at the lowest national price and ship it out to Edmonton.  

But if you're sold on getting it through eBay, my way works but costs gas, a PO Box rental and two days of one's life.  I'd find another item or get it in a different way than eBay.

Some deals are too good to be true...

Yeah maybe I should just get it here. I did find another one that will ship to Canada so we'll see if I win that one without breaking the cost of what it would be to but it here.  As for shipping to Canada with the customs fees, all you have to do is label your package as a "Gift" and not "Merchandise".  Everytime I've had someone do that for me, customs didn't charge me anything.