Is it really cheaper at the Canadian duty free store than in the United States? Yes, Since all our prices are in Canadian dollars, this gives us a 40% advantage over the U.S. market and you don't have to pay any G.S.T., Q.S.T. or other hidden taxes. Furthermore, the price of each alcoholic product is set to be lower than that of the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet.
Why do we have the perception that wine is cheaper in Maine than at the Canadian duty free store? Probably because our prices are finals and in Canadian dollars. This means that a bottle of wine labeled at $19 at the duty free store costs ... $19 CAD. In the state of Maine in the United States, the sales tax (5%), the bottle deposit ($0.15) and the exchange rate are added to the selling price. So a bottle of wine labeled at $15 USD costs more than $22 CAD.";
Who can buy alcohol at a duty free store? Any person over 21 years of age who leaves Canada. So it's not just for Americans.
Can I bring back to Canada my wine or spirits purchases made at the Canadian duty free store? Yes, as long as your stay in the United States is longer than 48 hours, you do not exceed the legal maximum (1.5 liters for wine or 1.14 liters for spirits per person) and you respect the legal age.
What is the advantage of using the online product reservation service knowing that I will still have to pick up my order in store anyway?"; If there is a line-up (and this is very common at the border), one of the occupants of the vehicle only has to pick up the order in the store while the driver can keep his place in the line-up.
How much do I save on a bottle of brandy, gin, rum, vodka or whisky? Compared to the prices offered at the Société des Alcools du Québec, almost all of these products are discounted by approximately 25% to 50%. In addition, our prices are also lower than those of the New Hamshire Liquor & Wine Outlet.
Do I benefit from buying only when I return from my trip to the United States?"; First of all, you must know that you cannot buy anything at the Canadian duty free store when you come back from the United States and that there is no more American duty free store.
How do I know if my favorite perfume, wine or scotch is available at the Beauce Duty Free Shop? Just visit the Products section of our website. The products are presented by categories, with a search tool and you can determine in which order you want to view them. You can also reserve your purchase before leaving for the United States.
By consulting the Exemption link, I see that I have an exemption on only 1 liter of alcohol when I enter the United States, can I exceed this exemption? If so, how much should I pay if I want to buy four bottles of wine for the trip? Yes, U.S. Customs collects federal taxes only, so for 12 bottles of wine or 9 liters, taking into account that you have a tax exemption on the first liter of alcohol, in theory, you should pay taxes on the 8 liters in excess of your exemption which is about $2-3 USD, but in practice it is very rare that you have to pay anything because the minimum collection threshold is $25 USD.
If I buy from the Canadian duty free store, will I get bothered at U.S. customs? U.S. Customs are not really interested in your purchases as their concern is with immigration and U.S. security. Also, they don't have the mandate to charge Maine tax so the amounts are so small that it's not worth the paperwork.
Since my English is not very good, I don't dare to buy anything at the Canadian duty free store because it's too complicated to declare my purchases to the American customs. What can I do about this? If you have difficulty speaking English, simply insert your purchase receipt inside your passport to declare your purchase.
Are Canadian duty free stores owned by the Canadian federal government? No. Canadian duty free stores are private, independent businesses operated by individual entrepreneurs. Their survival depends solely on the sales they make with their customers.