Clearit.ca's Blog on Customs Brokerage and News Updates

You’ve done your market research, sourced a product, built a business plan… now what? Most Canadian or non-resident importers will source their commercial goods overseas, as the cost of manufacturing is much lower. In turn, driving your profit margins!  This is a relatively tried and true formula, that has been employed by businesses -- small and large, alike -- to keep production/sourcing costs low and ensuring business viability. So, al...

Getting into the business of importing cosmetics can be extremely profitable, as the margins are quite generous. Like with any other type of product imports, there are certain specifications for imports that must be complied with.  As per a study by retail tech company, Vend HQ: “Beverage manufacturers, jewelry stores, and cosmetics had some of the highest profit margins, with 65.74%, 62.53%, and 58.14%, respectively.”  So, it’s cer...

Taking on a new entrepreneurial business journey is exciting! You’ve built out an idea, you figured out your target market, and you got your cousin Bill to design a logo for you. Alright, not too sure about that last one, but growing a DIY business can be incredibly profitable if done correctly! It’s certainly natural to make mistakes while working on a first-time business, but the goal is to minimize the amount of mistakes overall. On the...

As a business owner looking to do temporary imports, if you’re wondering about ATA Carnets, rest assured that you are on the right track. When we chat about imports on the blog, we don’t often talk about the businesses that have a specific need for a temporary set up.  Examples of this kind of need would be if you need to bring in prototypes or product samples without being slapped with hefty duties. These imports are exempt because they ...

Whether you’re just jumping into imports for the first time, or you’re a well-established business that has been importing for decades, your operations would likely benefit from working with a customs broker.  Click here for our piece: What You Need To Know Before Working in Imports & Exports This is surely not the first time, nor will it be the last, that we will define what a customs broker is on this blog! We aim to educate thos...

Organizations of all sizes use customs brokers to help with the movement of their commercial goods; from independent importers to global enterprises. The complexity behind importing and exporting goods often calls for a heavy time and resource investment, which makes opting for a customs broker the ideal choice for businesses, so you can focus on further developing your core competencies.   Customs brokers make sure your required documentati...

* Before we begin, a quick note that all tariffs and/or duty rates are constantly revised. They are subject to change without notice. For further info on this topic, visit the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) website to stay updated. * Canada’s classification for imported goods comes from the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System. People doing imports into Canada have to ensure that they have a complete description of their go...

If you plan to start importing coffee into Canada, you must already know that coffee is the most consumed beverage amongst Canadians above 16 – even more than tap water. The coffee importing business is also the center of a very important market globally, estimated at around US$20 billion. The income generated by growing beans supports 25 million farmers around the world. Moreover, the last decade saw the rise of legions of aficionados interest...

In Canada, wood imports are regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Any wooden products going in and out of Canada will be inspected and reviewed by the Canadian Border Patrol. So if you’re interested in importing wood into Canada, you’ll need to know some of the basics to make sure your efforts go off without a hitch. Bringing wood into Canada Canadians are free to import many wood products for personal and commercial use....

You may have considered importing, only to ask yourself “why should I?”. It’s a very reasonable question, especially when you’re used to purchasing things available at a local supplier. However, you should always be looking for ways to better your operations and sometimes that means going outside of the box and seeing what’s available beyond your local supplier. We’ve got a list of three compelling reasons to help you decide if import...