trading in Alaska

sue.t wrote:

Keep in mind you may be asked about goods you have on board as you pass through Canada customs, everything is subject to inspection and must be declared. As you arrive into Alaska, you might be asked about anything you have on board that you won't have on board when you leave Alaska.

I don't think this will be a problem - they do have to be declared and are subject to inspection. Canadian Customs will want to make sure that if you entered Canada with three trailers, that you also leave Canada with the same three trailers unless you declare that you sold them, paid the taxes on the sale and the import fees.

Alaska / US Customs won't really worry about it. You left the US with three trailers that you'll have receipts for and you re-entered the US with the same three trailers and then left them in the US (Alaska). This is really no different than buying an enclosed trailer in Texas, packing your household goods in it, moving to Alaska and then selling the trailer.

Bill

Thanks Sue I was thinking I would run into a problem like that.

I did a little bit of reading about UShip an that sounds ok. I am really just looking for some more ideas making a little bit of money on the road.

I also drive for UBer. I think I can just go anywhere and start driving in just about every city.

As mentioned above; Trailers, Fan-cooled sno-gos, and 22 LR ammo will all be good barter items. Also (in my experience) good, used 4WD vehicles are good barter items in AK.

Depending on the cost and how one travels, you may or may not make enough on the sale of a trailer to pay for a specific trip down to pick them up, but you WILL make money on trailers in AK. I've sold 4 trailers that I purchased Outside (Seattle, Spokane, Great Falls, and Ewe-Stun) that I didn't need, but purchased since I was going to AK......made anywhere between 25 - 40% of the purchase price back in profit.

Same thing on 4WD vehicles.....don't bother with either the new end or the beater end of vehicles (those market segments are covered in AK), but for a nice used vehicle (particularly with high highway miles) with 4WD, there is a very strong market in AK (particularly in September/October depending on location).

Buy trailer(s) and or fan cooled sno machines. Not sure what you'd barter for that you'd want to haul back except guns which will be difficult or sketchy thru Canada.
Trailers are hella expensive in AK. I took 2 trailers to AK 2 years ago, not directly to sell, but to move with. Sold them when I didn't need them any longer. Sold an $1100 trailer I bought in WA used. For $3300 easily and another trailer I had owned for 8 years and paid $3500 for 8 yrs ago for $5500!fan cooled sleds, especially long track or utility machines are not as desirable in the L48 and used ones go pretty cheap. The ARE the preferred type of machine for a lot of people in AK and command almost as much or sometimes more than comparable liquid cooled sleds. Again, offered double what I paid for my kids 2 fan cooled machines. Kept them though.

You may want to read the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's information about crossing the border with wood products, which does include wood chips.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/plant-protection/directives/forestry/

I was also thinking about wood chips for smoking meats. Cherry, hickory, apple etc.

It wouldn't be on Craig's List or bartering but stop in Yukon and buy a five gallon gas can. Old style, not CARB approved. I brought several back this summer.

Bill that is what i was thinking about too with the thought of the bulky items. Sue is also right in my thoughts about the border crossing. i don't know how i would explain 4 trailers.

I was also thinking about Uship. I have not looked if there is a thread on that yet.

I would tend to focus on taking things you'll need and not want to spend the extra cost for in Alaska. Pack things you like to eat or drink and that aren't available in Alaska. Whenever we packed for a visit northward from Vancouver Island, the RV was stuffed full of stuff we needed and I knew I couldn't buy in the north.

Now that we live in the North, we simply adjusted our lifestyle to not need things we thought we couldn't live without before. We have everything we need or want. Well, I wouldn't mind some good linens for the bed, can't get those here.

Keep in mind you may be asked about goods you have on board as you pass through Canada customs, everything is subject to inspection and must be declared. As you arrive into Alaska, you might be asked about anything you have on board that you won't have on board when you leave Alaska.

Take a look at the Craigslists in Alaska and think about whether or not you could supply any of the items for a better price. Keep in mind most of the listings will be from residents, folks that already have some place to store items, a local contact address/phone number etc. if you are not familiar with Anchorage, think of it as a smaller version of Seattle. What type items would you take to Seattle to barter?

As Bill has mentioned, freight costs are high on large bulky items. I have known people to bring up items such as used aircraft to use/resale at some point in time, one guy I knew had a construction company in Alaska and needed a new dump truck. Freight was costly, rail/barge out of Washington to Alaska for the truck. He flew to Seattle, bought the truck and then filled the dump bed with new plywood, He put the truck on a freight sea going barge and flew back to Alaska. Then picked up the rig in Whittier, drove to Anchorage, sold the plywood to several local lumber yards and then drove the truck on to the Fairbanks area. He felt he made enough profit on selling the plywood, to pay the freight cost of shipping the truck to Alaska.

Collector type items, coins, stamps, whatever, might be barter items for someone that is knowledgable in that field. Or some item you could sell at a state fair booth.