The biggest surprise for Canadian shoppers usually isn't duty — it's the brokerage fee and sales tax the courier collects at the door. Whether you owe duty depends largely on where the item was manufactured: thanks to CUSMA, furniture made in the US or Mexico typically crosses duty-free, while pieces made overseas may not. To avoid sticker shock, check the country of manufacture and ask the retailer whether duties and taxes are calculated at checkout (DDP, or "delivered duty paid") or billed separately on delivery. Buying from a brand's Canadian site removes the guesswork, since taxes are built into the checkout.