Im returning something that i ordered from canada and it says put $5 on the customs forms. What does this mean

Question

Basically just trying to return a package it came from canada (im from the u.s) Just curious exactly how i would return this when it says put $5 on the customs forms? thanks!

Answer 1

They are asking you to state the value of the contents of the package. The company indicated that you should put the value as $5 for customs purposes, so that is what you should do.

Essentially, they are saying that what you are sending back to them only has a value of $5 either because it is damaged or because they do not want to have to pay duty on a parcel that originated from them in the first place.

If this was a game on CDROM, a DVD movie, or something like that, they are estimating the cost of the replacement of the media itself, not the software/movie/etc.

Of course, I would save the emails that they sent you regarding its original price and what they told you to put on the customs forms. This is for two reasons:

1) If USPS or Canada Post lose your parcel, they may only give you $5 for it because that is what you listed as the value. You would then have to argue with the company where you bought it to get re-imbursed properly.

2) If Canada or US Customs feels that you or the seller are trying to skip paying duty on the item by listing it for a lower value, you want proof that it was not your idea and that you were only following the shipping directions/return policy that they laid out.

Answer 2

You'd have to ask the people who instruct you to do this.

Answer 3

they have probably asked you put on $5 as you must state some value of the goods going over the border. They are charged duty on their end based on the value so to minimize that they told you state value as $5.

I would just state the value as what you paid for it to bring it in. . honesty is the best policy