Canada -shipping from US

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Canada -shipping from US or when a deal is not a deal.
The post Many Items added to our Clearance Pages for DCCInstalled sales and some other posts prompted me to start this new thread. I don't know all the ins and outs of cross border US-Canada shipping but I do know some methods are unreasonable and the vendor might just as well say US ONLY. Adding to this is the fact that some vendors(std and Ebay sellers) are just plain gouging on shipping. Then there are the guys that charge 5$ and refund 2$ which gives a nice feeling. Spend a lot and then the mail charges don't matter so much.

UPS - haven't bothered to try and look up their charges but they can be generally called unreasonable and unsuitable (in my experience - never again). May be usefull for packages too big for post and you dont mind the charges. Seem to charge Canadian taxes (GST & PST -12%BC) and their own unreasonable brokerage fee % no matter how cheap the package.

Fedex - assume they work much the same as UPS

USPS - Canada Post - pretty darn good service usually. Brokerage fee a flat 5$ and only if the taxes need to be collected. They have a threshold of 20 - 30$ but often a package of higher value will come in fee free. For cheaper items FCMI is the only reasonable option but it takes a couple of weeks. The major delay for items seems to be if the tax colllection or border inspection is triggered adding a week or so for all methods. FCMI cannot be insured but for an item needing insurance the higher cost methods are not unreasonble.

USPS COMPARE RATES!(from ebay site) Some FCMI packages arrive with 3.05$ postage
1. First Class Mail Intl: (1 lb) $4.66 (2 lbs) $8.26 (3 lbs) $11.86 (4 lbs) $15.46
2. Priority Mail Intl*: (1 lb) $16.00 (2 lbs) $17.30 (3 lbs) $18.16 (4 lbs) $19.90
3. Express Mail Intl*: (1 lb) $23.25 (2 lbs) $25.00 (3 lbs) $26.75 (4 lbs) $28.50

US mail drop usually a 3$ charge for accepting and holding up to 2 weeks and a 50Mi round trip border crossing. Advantage is quick delivery and low US delivery cost along with the fact that often the border inspection does not make you pay even when verbally declaring a couple of hundred dollar item (all depends on timing and attitude). This method is OK when you have the time, live close to the border and cant get the item otherwise or do not want an expensive item delayed in customs/mail/border. You can see from the following that it would not be suitable for our $10 car.

Example - DCCInstalled
Picked an Athearn BN caboose at a good price $10.99
Shipping Canada BC
USPS Prioriity Mail International $21.75 total $32.74
USPS Express Mail International (EMS) $34.50 total $45.49
their UPS selections start at $50.35 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shipping US WA
UPS ground $9.16 total $20.15


Example - Walthers
hypothetical $10.99
Shipping Canada
2-4 weeks (FCMI??) $6.25 + 20% to 150$ then 15% $8.45 total $19.44
Shipping US
10-14 days $8.95 ------------------------------- total $19.94

Example - Ebay
hypothetical $10.99
Shipping Canada
USPS FCMI $5 (a common charge ) ------------- total $15.99


======================================
 
From my limited experience, US Mail is the ONLY way to go. I believe UPS has a minimum charge of US$19.00 for them to collect the sales tax we need to pay.

Since I have not read the previous threads referred to, I don't have a clue what "FCMI" means.

eBay sellers pad their shipping expenses because eBay does not charge them fees on the shipping. Simple as that. I recently bought a CD with camera manuals on it, cost $1.00, shipping was $9.00. So the seller only paid eBay commision on the $1.00. I think the actual postage was under one dollar.
 
I will not purchase unless the shipper agrees to use both postal systems....period. I got dinged once too often by UPS and KHL (?) charging me $40 brokerage on a $99 loco.

I don't disagree with UPS's practices....it is a business, and there is no shortage of dolts out there willing to double up their shipping costs for no valid reason, but I am not going to ally myself with the dolts.

-Crandell
 


Well like Railphotog I deal only with those who will ship to Canada using USPS, if they wont, well I'll do without it whatever it is. :D

Cheers
Willis
 
CBCNSfan said:
Well like Railphotog I deal only with those who will ship to Canada using USPS, if they wont, well I'll do without it whatever it is. :D

Cheers
Willis
Click to expand...


Ditto that. ;)

But it's still strange that many US businesses would rather not make the sale than ship USPS. I have had zero problems with USPS. It's fast, reliable and reasonably priced.
 
in one word Convenience. UPS comes to the outlet and takes care of everything else for them and it most likely don't cost them much if anything more in $$
Guess that's the way I see it.

Cheers
Willis
 
I ship everything via USPS from my store. I dont do UPS or FedEx, mostly because i can always ship for cheaper with USPS, which i also pass onto my customers.
 
Here's a thing I don't quite get. Are taxes collected/charged for the common person like myself, who is not a dealer/retailer/person selling something for a profit/etc to sell and send something like a new or used HO scale loco to someone in Canada? To be 100% truthful on the customs form (meaning not marking it as a gift) would taxes be charged/collected? If so, who is it collected from? The shipper, or the recipient?
 
Hey gang try and get something from up there to here. The only way is airmail and it can get pretty expensive. For example a G gauge diesel will cost $A110 postage. There is no other choice for us on shipping.
 


Summary

Seems that we are all in agreement the Postal Service is the way. What I wanted to emphasize was that just as UPS has priced itself out of the market, many regular, www, or Ebay stores price themselves out by using only the more expensive USPS services and not FCMI.

Railphotog - FCMI or United States Postal Service First Class Mail International. The only reasonably priced option.

CBCNSfan - some Ebay vendors have a pickup arrangement with USPS or PayPal shipping for pickup.

diburning - For personal imports (can't speak for commercial) Taxes(GST & PST) are collected from the recipient by the USPS partner Canada Post along with a fixed $5 brokerage fee. This usually applies to packages over 20-30$ in value and on both new and used items. UPS does the same but charges heftier fees plus the same taxes for all packages. Falsifying the Customs declaration can on occasion get the package seized and assesments made. GST & PST are 5 & 7% in BC.

I for one will not pay $20 shipping on a $10 item and don't always want $100 ordered.

,,,, ken
 
Most of my RR items (1/1 scale) head Stateside and of course usually by transport truck. Some are sent by mail if they're light enough, which isn't very often.
I tried UPS once, seemed like a deal at the time.
Then I got a bill for brokerage fees from UPS.
Then another bill for handling from the folks at the US border!
Now I just drive down and send it from Pembina ND., about an hour's drive.

I'm with the majority here, if I can't get my goodies sent up here with USPS I don't buy the goodies unless I get them sent to relatives or friends in the US by USPS.
 
diburning said:
Here's a thing I don't quite get. Are taxes collected/charged for the common person like myself, who is not a dealer/retailer/person selling something for a profit/etc to sell and send something like a new or used HO scale loco to someone in Canada? To be 100% truthful on the customs form (meaning not marking it as a gift) would taxes be charged/collected? If so, who is it collected from? The shipper, or the recipient?
Click to expand...

"Common" people don't pay taxes on something they sell and ship at shipping time. If taxes have to be paid, the sale would be declared as income and taxes would be paid at income tax time.

When a "common" person receives something and the shiping company (private or government) deems that taxes are due, the receiver must pay them to the shipper before receiving the package. The shipper then remits them to the government.

I don't know what ticking the gift box does anymore or if the shipper even considers it.

All I know is that most "common" Canuks will not accept something shipped by private courier from the US unless they have very deep pockets.:D
 
I've sold stuff on e-bay several times to people in Canada and they've told me that they prefer to have things sent by UPS as apparently the packages don't wait in customs nearly as long. I took the boxes to the local UPS store to have them sent. It cost a few dollars more than sending them via the USPS, but that was what the customer requested and they were the ones paying the shipping. I had no problems with getting any sort of additional fees or bills after the fact.
 
The USPS will, in fact, pick up packages and send them off, the same as UPS. All you have to do is call and ask for a pickup. Given the huge cost differentials between the USPS and other carriers, it doesn't seem to make much sense to send it any other way.
 
UP2CSX said:
The USPS will, in fact, pick up packages and send them off, the same as UPS. All you have to do is call and ask for a pickup. Given the huge cost differentials between the USPS and other carriers, it doesn't seem to make much sense to send it any other way.
Click to expand...

Jim,

I agree. But for some reason, some vendors would rather lose a sale than ship USPS.:confused:
 
I try to get everything mailed by first class international. If I see the word PRIORITY anywhere in the add I run like a scared rabbit. It is double the price of first class, always gets stopped at the border(which usually delays it about a week), gets a $5.00 handling fee and tagged for GST, which is paid on the purchase price as well as on the postage. The higher the postage the higher the tax. With first Class International I get my packages in from 3-10 days.By priority for about 3 times the cost (when you add in all the other charges)You get your parcel in 10-15 days. Scares me to think that this makes perfect sence to some buyers.
 


rlundy90 said:
I try to get everything mailed by first class international. If I see the word PRIORITY anywhere in the add I run like a scared rabbit. It is double the price of first class, always gets stopped at the border(which usually delays it about a week), gets a $5.00 handling fee and tagged for GST, which is paid on the purchase price as well as on the postage. The higher the postage the higher the tax. With first Class International I get my packages in from 3-10 days.By priority for about 3 times the cost (when you add in all the other charges)You get your parcel in 10-15 days. Scares me to think that this makes perfect sence to some buyers.
Click to expand...

But you can only send via USPS First Class Mail International if it meats the package weight and dimension requirements.... I ship USPS First Class Mail International, but only on small lightweight packages...
 
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