Shipping to Canada

[jgcable]

Help me out bro's. I need to know exactly what I am in store for because the last time I shipped something to Canada I got hit with a huge duty's bill of some sort.

I need to ship an amp from Connecticut to Canada. The package will weigh around 40lbs total. Whats the best cost effective method and what should I expect? Thanks! Your pal Johnny G

[FlyingSkull]

On regular ground shipments UPS and Fed Ex will charge brokerage fees to the person receiving the goods. This cost varies depending on a few things. Here are the UPS charges

http://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html

I believe airmail or express shipping somehow does away with this, not sure but the initial cost is higher of course.

GST (our goods and services tax - 5%) will be added to this.

Shipping USPS ground will transfer to Canada Post to be handled when it hits the border. Canada Post has a flat rate for brokerage I believe it is 5 $ under 10$ for sure. Again airmail I believe bypasses this. I then can go to the closest Canada Post outlet (up the friggen street, we have these all over), pay the GST and flat fee and have my goods, no problems for the shipper.

Whenever I buy something I ask that the shipper in the US send USPS ground if I am not in a hurry. That way I am not hit with the brokerage fee's from UPS or Fedex.

UPS requires that the person receiving, pay the brokerage / GST charge before they will release/drop the package.

Fed Ex will drop at the house and then send a bill in the mail for GST/brokerage.

If the receiver does not pay these fees then Fed Ex will come after the shipper (you) for them.

What happened last year is when the Canadian dollar was par and above US $, companies couldn't keep up with their book work, because Canadians were buying boatloads of crap from the US. I had an issue with Fed Ex and was talking to someone in the company, and they said they were far, far behind processing these brokerage payments as many people send the payment in cheques. Of course the department responsible for going after non payment was running top notch, so shippers were getting harrassed for payments even though the reciever had sent the funds.... So hopefully this helps a bit. Good luck.

[neilli]

Yeah, that all sounds correct. But I've never been invoiced. I've had to pay taxes in advance, or to the delivery guy....

[zeegler]

Hey John, it's not really a big issues AFAIK. I've shipped stuff from the US to Europe before via USPS, and it was as simple as filling out a customs form which took <5 minutes. Shipping to Canada, or any foreign country should be exactly the same. Just keep in mind that whichever way you ship, the receiver is responsible for any duty, taxes or brokerage fees. I have made over 250 purchases off Ebay, and have never had a problem with regards to this kind of thing. I always pay at the door when they deliver. I always try to have stuff shipped USPS/Canada Post, and have never been charged a brokerage fee yet, just duty and GST.

[daisp]

Yeah, that all sounds correct. But I've never been invoiced. I've had to pay taxes in advance, or to the delivery guy....

+1 here too...

[El_Kabong]

Don't do it! It is a Nigerian scam. Everyone knows Canada is uninhabited, 'cept for Santa. He lives in the top part.

[Nuclear Vampire]

It's cheapest to ship to Winnipeg coz we're right in the centre of the country. Ship it to me and I'll take it to where it's supposed to go...in my jam room.

[Ben...]

Don't do it! It is a Nigerian scam. Everyone knows Canada is uninhabited, 'cept for Santa. He lives in the top part.

Yeah, me and him just finished a round of golf today. I got four under and he got par. One of his elves decided to try to mess up my shot so I smoked him in the head with a 9-iron.