Is there any way for a Canadian to get stuff from the US???

[mallik]

I have been trying to get stuff shipped to me in Canada from the US, and have been have a lot of problems. I was expecting to receive a package today, but instead I get a notice saying that my package is at the post office and to come pick it up.....and I owe $80! I have to look into it, but I am not paying $80. On top of that the shipping rates are way more. It costs like $3.25 to ship a grand piano within the US, but to ship a CPU to Canada costs like $20...well, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Anyways, does anybody from Canada have a reasonable method to get stuff shipped? I was also thinking of getting a post office box at the border in the US. Does anybody do this, and if so, can you give me the details?

 

[chrisjor]

Oh boy.....could I have fun with this!!!!! Maybe renounce your Canadian citizenship and move here? That would be a good start!!!

 

[iamwiz82]

is this pertaining to the stuff i'm selling?

 

[mallik]

Well, yeah I guess it is
I've noticed people saying that they don't want to ship to Canada because it's too much hassle, but it's after you told me how much it costs to ship stuff within the US. After I saw that, I was like "Man, you guys have it sweet! For a couple of dollars, you can basically ship anything from one part of the country to the other!" This should be one of Maxim's amazing things of the universe (actually I think it was ). On top of that, the post office said they want 80 dollars in customs and taxes for a package that was sent from the US.
80 &!@&#! dollars! Can't you guys just take us over (or let us take you over) and make it one whole country

 

[bonk102]

drive down here and buy it?

 

[kami]

I have never really had a problem...shippin to Canada isn't actually that much more than inside the US, just some sellers will try to rip you off. USPS packages always arrive fine. If the value is over $20, then you'll have to pay sales tax...so to avoid this you can declare it as a gift with a value of $10 or something, but then you can forget about insurance.

UPS isn't an option from US to Canada. Period. I once bought a $100 US product and had to pay $60 CDN when UPS came to my door. Enough said. Fedex is a little better...they charge you way less fees for shipping over the border.

Overall, from US to Canada, USPS is the best. If it's something expensive, use Fedex.

 

[PsychoAndy]

canadian shipping: not hard, but intimidating

all the stuff i send, i make 2 offers. $35 for standard, $50 for express. Not one person does express.

UPS Standard: Adds $35 in brokerage fees and spends a week moving it
UPS Express: $35 brokerage incuded in price and transit time is cut down by several days.

if you need anything send me a PM. i do export.

 

[Colt45]

The $80 is duty (AKA Revenue Canada ass-raping you).


When you ship a parcel from the US to canada, the amount you claim is for tax purposes, not insurance (unless of course you get insurance..)

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: kami

UPS isn't an option from US to Canada. Period. I once bought a $100 US product and had to pay $60 CDN when UPS came to my door. Enough said. Fedex is a little better...they charge you way less fees for shipping over the border.

Thats for sure. UPS is a nightmare.

Once i had a $15 USD item shipped to me UPS, and I had to pay $20 cdn in brokerage fees. Thats almost the price of the damn product!! :|

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: kami
I have never really had a problem...shippin to Canada isn't actually that much more than inside the US, just some sellers will try to rip you off. USPS packages always arrive fine. If the value is over $20, then you'll have to pay sales tax...so to avoid this you can declare it as a gift with a value of $10 or something, but then you can forget about insurance.

UPS isn't an option from US to Canada. Period. I once bought a $100 US product and had to pay $60 CDN when UPS came to my door. Enough said. Fedex is a little better...they charge you way less fees for shipping over the border.

Overall, from US to Canada, USPS is the best. If it's something expensive, use Fedex.

Kami, I will give you that they do charge obscene rates for brokerage, however the rest goes to the gubment. that really cant be helped.

 

[melly]

I've posted several times before about customs information. I suggest you do a search or simply visit CCRA's site. You'll get information via Customs-->FAQ-->Mail

 

[geoff2k]

I was also thinking of getting a post office box at the border in the US. Does anybody do this, and if so, can you give me the details?

A dog breeder we know lives near Kingston and has a US Post Office Box, Bank Account, you name it. If you live near the border, I don't think the folks at Mailboxes, Etc. on the US side really care where you live, they'll just take your money. You'll probably have issues crossing the border back into Canada, but you could always stuff the mobo and CPU into a paper bag and claim they are "groceries". ;-)

 

[urameatball]

if you live close to the border, then just ask them to ship it to the nearest ups centre south of the border (assuming you're shipping UPS), then just pick it up and bring it over.

I recently thought of this idea and tried it for the first time... it worked flawlessly. I basically saved on extra international shipping rates, brokerage fees, taxes which would have amounted to an extra $60 for the item I purchased. I live in Toronto and took 4hrs to drive downto niagara, cross the border and pick it up, then drive back, pay my $3.50 toll and I was home free. took me 4hrs though, so it might not be your cup of tea. I like hitting the road so it was fun for me.

 

[Kenazo]

i've got a us post office box and live in winnipeg. it works great! i claim my parcels, if they're busy they dont bother making me pay. And there is no duty on any computer parts brought into canada from the US, there is however taxes (PST, GST, HST whatever) thus, being in manitoba, when i order a $50 us thing I pay an extra 14% to bring it in, and my gas. Any canadian can open a united states post office box, just go to the post office with some id, and they'll hook you up for $20 or so/yr.

 

[sandorski]

If you must have something 0shipped across the border, then don't bother. Either buy what you want in Canada or get a mailbox in the US and bring stuff over yourself.

 

[iamwiz82]

i used USPS.com to quote a price which came out to be $13.25 for air mail for a small package(2lbs, maybe) to send to mallik. Is there a better way via USPS?