This is a question for fellow Canadian members of Orchid. I would
like to order some sterling findings, things that are impossible to
buy here in Victoria, even if I could buy them at a premium. So it
looks like I have to order them in. Is there a distributor in Canada
that I could order from or is it better to order from a supplier in
the US?
My constraint is that my volume of work and hence revenue from the
work is really small (yes I have a day job). Consequently I am
concerned that Canada Customs and Revenue charges could soak up any
savings. But I believe that if I am going to develop I might as well
act as if the work I am doing is a real job. I would appreciate any
advice that any of you have to offer.
David I’m sitting here in Toronto-GTA, eh! don’t like patronising
certain companies that have sterling silver materials but the
listing is quite endless over here. BUT, one company who might be of
help is “Lacy”…they supply many of the jewellery arts schools
materials’…don’t have the telephone number right now but if you wish
to telephone me directly on my toll-free cell phone I’ll give it to
you…1 - 877 - 850 - 0003. call me after 8:00 A.M. EST may have one
or two more!!! Gerry!
Hi David I guess the first question is: what findings are you looking
for? How exotic are they? Places in Vancouver have a reasonable
assortment of basic findings (i.e… Lacywest {www.lacywest.com} ,
Habsons {www.habsons.com} , Page and Wilson {www.pwltd.com}) and if
you can’t get to Van shipping by mail or courier isn’t a problem. I
have only once ordered from Rio Grande and it was fairly straight
forward. They have a customs broker in Canada that deals with the
shipment. I do remember Customs forms but I don’t have them at hand.
I think it was just necessary to pay the applicable GST. There was
also a document dealing with NAFTA which I think was that it was
covered under the agreement and no additional charges were added on.
This is from memory so don’t quote me.
Your concerns about Revenue Canada, are they about ordering locally
or from the US? If you are looking to expand, it isn’t a bad idea to
get a GST and PST number. It is not necessary to get GST number if
you figure you will not be selling more than $30, 000 worth of goods
a year. The bonus is that you can also claim the GST you pay out on
equipment and materials you purchase and get that rebated. The down
side is that you must also charge your customers GST and set up books
to keep track of GST paid and collected. If you are not doing a large
volume the GST forms can be filled in quarterly.
A PST number will allow you to pay the wholesale price on purchases
and some places won’t deal with you if you don’t have one. Or you
will pay their retail prices and have to include that higher price in
your mark up. Again you probably need to set up bookkeeping to keep
track of PST collected and of course charge it to your customers (my
assumption is that you are retailing not wholesaling your work). You
could check with Revenue Canada directly or with the Ministry of
Provincial Revenue -Consumer Taxation Branch for the PST. Community
Futures is another place that has small business info and may have
some of the GST/PST info.
You could contact sales@perrin.on.ca and ask for their “Cobb
findings, Findings Supplement & Settings Catalogue,” you may find in
there something that will tickly your fancy. I`ve had no problems
with Perrin.
Thanks for the heads up and offer. The NBCCD Metal Technician has
much in the way of good things to say about Lacy & Company, but I’ve
yet to purchase from them. http://www.lacytools.ca/catalog/ is
their online store fro everyone’s reference. I may call or write
shortly as I’m about to finish school and set-up a small studio… I
have many tools, some frivolous, but it’s always good to bounce ideas
off another person before making purchases to get their opinion as to
need, or what would serve better.
Kindest Regards,
David Woolley
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada