Shipping to Canada

[ENCORE MAN]

Chuck just sent a Tactic Radio from Hawaii to Ont. Canada. The radio arrived in six days for $5.95..Thanks Chuck. Please do not balk at selling and shipping to Canadians as the cost is not prohibitive to do so.There is no financial reason to limit sales to the lower 48. On the other hand, it is expensive to send parcels from Canada to the States, close to double of US costs. Who said that healthcare is free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Thanks for your future consideration, Brian G

[Rumdog]

Usps?

[ENCORE MAN]

Yes USPS Priority Post.

[chummer]

Always use USPS when shipping to Canada!!!!!

If the seller ships with UPS then you will get screwed with brokerage fees! I have paid $50 brokerage fees on a $20 item and that's not including shipping charges!!!!! I would have declined it but then it turns into a bad transaction with the seller.

Another tip for anybody shipping to Canada. Always mark as "Toy Boat Parts". I have never been charged duties this way,

Hope nobody here works for Canada Customs.

[chummer]

Hey Encore, Why does your location say Florida USA if you live in Canada?

[Stinger9D9]

(Chummer took the words right out of my mouth while I was typing this...)

Yeah, I always ask for US Postal shipping. The price is right, the speed is fine and when I have to pay customs for stuff, there are no outrageous fees (only $5 plus whatever the duty is at our post office upon pickup).

Couriers on the other hand are brutal. We get nailed with "brokerage fees" that are almost always more money than the small about of duty we have to pay. UPS is particularly bad. I have had to pay UPS fees of over $30 for them to process only about $5 in duty more than once.

I sometimes run into US sellers that only offer courier shipping because they don't want to drive to the post office. It's a BIG expense for us versus a small inconvenience for them.

For what it's worth, the LHS gets nailed by couriers as well. I overheard a conversation in the shop about a year ago where they had over $300 in brokerage fees (not from duty, just the fees charged by the courier to process it) for a recent shipment.

So in brief - shipping to Canada - US Postal GOOD. The majority of courier solutions BAD.

Hee, hee... I said "duty"

[ENCORE MAN]

Florida in the winter and Peterborough in the summer. TTYL BG

[BakedMopar]

Can I ask how was it shipped? Flate rate box? His own boxing?

When I ship to Canada in a "small" flat rate box it's $11.45 for Priority. Unless it's big I usually send first class.

[kookie_guy]

For those in Canada, I am going to clear this all up, so there in no confusion regarding shipping/importing parcels into Canada.

Here's how the whole customs thing works. When someone in the US ships you a parcel, they gotta fill out a customs declaration form. On this form, they must list the content description, and value of the parcel. They also have options to check off such as "gift" or "commercial sample". What the person puts as the description, has absolutely nothing to do with customs.

So, what does affect it?

If the declared value of the item is under $20 CAD, customs will not mess with the package, and you will not get charged any customs fees (taxes) and brokerage. Over by $0.01, and the full amount is subject to tax and fees.

If the declared value of the item is under $60 CAD, and the "gift" box is checked, again, your parcel is exempt from taxes and brokerage.

Anything over $60 CAD, and you pay on the full amount.

So why don't all companies just list stuff as lower value? Because techincally it's not the most legal thing in the world. If somehow it gets back to Canada Customs, the sender will be fined heavily. How do people get caught doing this you ask? Well, the most common way is that they include an invoice for the full amount inside the box. Canada Customs may not charge you and fees, but they still have the authority to open the box to check the contents. If they see the invoice says $200 but the declared value is $15, well that's a problem. Another issue is that you can't insure a package for say, $300, if you declare it as only being worth $15.

So finally, if all else fails, and the company has strict policies regarding customs declarations (which most do) ALWAYS ask for USPS shipping. Here's why.....

USPS has a deal with Canada Post, that when parcels are imported, there is a flat rate brokerage fee of $5, and you also have to pay tax on the declared value.

UPS is a joke, as they charge a $20 brokerage fee plus the taxes.

FedEX is the worst of em all. As their rate is $25 plus taxes, and to help expedite the process, they pay them on your behalf, and then chase you for the money.

I've also read somewhere that if you ship something airmail express, then your taxes and brokerage are waived. Not sure how true that is tho.

Hopefully that clears things up. And as mentioned up top, for US sellers to ship to Canada is really not that much more money, you just gotta fill out the small declaration card. For us Canadians to ship to the US, it's an absolute rip off. We can't ship a little parcel within Canada for under $10.

[chummer]

Kookie, Good post, some good info. But, I have had parcels come from the US and HK worth hundreds and as long as it is marked "Toy Boat Parts" it has been duty free no matter what it is insured at.
I have also heard that Airmail Express waves the taxes and brokerage but I think it is just hidden in the cost. It is very expensive to ship that way.

Just like you said, "UPS is a joke".

P.S. You don't work for Canada Customs do you?LOL.

[kookie_guy]

P.S. You don't work for Canada Customs do you?LOL.

lol, nah. Just trying to save people some cash. I'm surprised you've been getting away with not paying. Might be getting luck, lol. That's why when you check out of hobby king (at least last time I did it a while back) you could adjust what you want the parcel to be declared at. lol.

For large ticket items that I can't get shipped to Canada, I just ship it to my address in Niagara Falls NY, just over the border, and go pick it up. Most time it's free shipping within the US, so all I pay is a $5 fee for the good people there to accept and keep the parcel for me. Then I drive over and pick it all up. Do some shopping at the outlet mall, do some gambling at seneca casino, and come home.

[ray schrauwen]

Darn, I was hoping by telling an online seller to mark it $75 "sample" isn't going to help.

I wish I said 60 or knew, thanks for the info!!

I have never been short any shipment, nothing lost. If I can get them to lower the value, its great, if not, I try to find someone who will.

I got dinged on a power supply this week, and now I'll get it when my motor arrives, jeese...

[vasy]

USPS is good. Even when shipped by 1st class. Other are no good.
Brokerage fees from UPS can be avoided at the cost of time and gas, FedEx not so much as they bill you a month later.

[BakedMopar]

Vasy never heard if you got that prop?

[westbeach]

Good post indeed Kookie guy, me thinks this should be pinned. I support USPS, and no other couriers specially UPS/FEX. They will rape you.