A Victoria-based company says it is the first in the world to help shoppers get duty refunds on returned goods bought online from other countries.
Duty-Back Refund Solutions Inc. offers an online system to help customers who paid Canadian duty when importing goods to get those amounts back if those goods are returned.
Co-founders Richard Vining, Jessica Kerr and David Gustavson say that because the process is too complicated, Canadians are not claiming around $240 million annually in duties to which they are entitled.
Clients fill in a form online and the company submits a full refund application to the government.
Customers only pay a fee when their duty is returned.
“Fees are often less than you would spend to mail an application and drive to the bank to deposit your refund,” said Gustavson.
The service is currently only available to those who have paid Canadian duty, but the company says it will be available to American, European and Australian customers by 2015.
