Taxes & Customs

I'm from Canada and planning a trip to NYC. If I buy a camera equipment
from there, anybody know if it's possible to recoup the US taxes
applied to my purchase?

 

There is no program 'for VAT refund for tourists'...there is only a
Sales Tax (which varies from community to community in the percentage
added to purchase price), and no program for any type of Sales Tax
refund to tourists.

 

No.
And they collect the federal tax at Cannda Customs unless you've been away
for over 48 hours.

 

I suspect you can have your purchase shipped to your home and avoid the
state sales tax. It is not a VAT so it works a little different. It also
is applied by the individual local authority not the federal.

There is also the import tax into the US, but I don't believe there is
anyway to get that back.

 

The UK won't even tell me the customs rate unless I apply in writing,
giving full details about my import. "Just bring it to the airport and
we'll tell you where to sign" VAT in the UK makes everything in the UK
20-25% more expensive than Japan.

 

NYC shops can avoid collecting sales tax if they ship your
purchase to Canada... where you may have to pay Canadian
customs or use taxes.