Shipping to Canada

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hdbblue

hdbblue

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2006
Messages
156
Location
Victoria, BC, Canada.
To anyone selling and/or shipping goods to Canada, please note.

Items can be shipped to Canada using the USPS Priority Mail flat rate boxes. These boxes will hold at least 20 pen kits and cost $10.95.

In the past few weeks, I have purchased close to a dozen items from IAP members and they have all been shipped via USPS.

One package was shipped in a regular box that cost the shipper $8.56 to mail and he charged me $20.00 - an expensive cardbord box I assume.

Today, I received an order that was shipped in a flat rate box, but the shipper paid $19.00 for postage - don't know why?

If items shipped into Canada are valued at less than $40.00 Canadian or are marked as a "gift" on the customs declaration, there are no brokerage fees or taxes charged. Otherwise, we are charged a $5.00 brokerage fee plus 12% PST and GST on the declared value.

Declared Value is important - it doesn't matter what the actual amount paid was, it is the declared value we are charged on.

The box I received today contained $30.00 worth of pen kits. The shipper declared the value to be $50.00 so I paid an additional $12.48 brokerage and taxes on a declared value equivalent of $62.35 Canadian. $30.00 worth of pen kits cost me an additional $24.50 with postage and charges.

If you're shipping to Canada, please mark actual paid value on the declaration and if you're nice, mark it as a gift.

Our dollar is only worth about 75Cents American now, so this extra expense hurts.

Rant off now, thanks
 
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Hot off the postal site

Priority Mail Flat Rate International Options (Retail Prices)
Canada / Mexico All other countries Size Priority Mail Flat-Rate Envelope (up to 4 pounds) $10.95 $12.95 12-1/2'' x 9-1/2'' Priority Mail Small Flat-Rate Box (up to 4 pounds) $10.95 $12.95 8-5/8" x 5-3/8" x 1-5/8" Priority Mail Regular Flat-Rate Box (FRB-1) (up to 20 pounds) $25.95 $41.95 11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" Priority Mail Regular Flat-Rate Box (FRB-2) (up to 20 pounds) $25.95 $41.95 13-5/8" x 11-7/8" x 3-3/8" Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box (up to 20 pounds) $32.95 $53.95 12-1/4" x 12-1/4" x 6"
 
Shamefull

hdbblue said:
To anyone selling and/or shipping goods to Canada, please note.

Items can be shipped to Canada using the USPS Priority Mail flat rate boxes. These boxes will hold at least 20 pen kits and cost $10.95.

In the past few weeks, I have purchased close to a dozen items from IAP members and they have all been shipped via USPS.

One package was shipped in a regular box that cost the shipper $8.56 to mail and he charged me $20.00 - an expensive cardbord box I assume.

Today, I received an order that was shipped in a flat rate box, but the shipper paid $19.00 for postage - don't know why?

If items shipped into Canada are valued at less than $40.00 Canadian or are marked as a "gift" on the customs declaration, there are no brokerage fees or taxes charged. Otherwise, we are charged a $5.00 brokerage fee plus 12% PST and GST on the declared value.

Declared Value is important - it doesn't matter what the actual amount paid was, it is the declared value we are charged on.

The box I received today contained $30.00 worth of pen kits. The shipper declared the value to be $50.00 so I paid an additional $12.48 brokerage and taxes on a declared value equivalent of $62.35 Canadian. $30.00 worth of pen kits cost me an additional $24.50 with postage and charges.

If you're shipping to Canada, please mark actual paid value on the declaration and if you're nice, mark it as a gift.

Our dollar is only worth about 75Cents American now, so this extra expense hurts.

Rant off now, thanks
Click to expand...
Seems shamefull to me to try and make a buck(or more) on shipping, especially to our across the border and overseas friends.
 
And if your vewy vewy lucky, the package will get there within a month right Harvey. By the By Tracking is absolutely useless on packages going to Canada.
 
bitshird said:
And if your vewy vewy lucky, the package will get there within a month right Harvey. By the By Tracking is absolutely useless on packages going to Canada.
Click to expand...

But it will get here. Did you see the handle for your Woodchuck?
 

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hdbblue said:
To anyone selling and/or shipping goods to Canada, please note.

Items can be shipped to Canada using the USPS Priority Mail flat rate boxes. These boxes will hold at least 20 pen kits and cost $10.95.

In the past few weeks, I have purchased close to a dozen items from IAP members and they have all been shipped via USPS.

One package was shipped in a regular box that cost the shipper $8.56 to mail and he charged me $20.00 - an expensive cardbord box I assume.

Today, I received an order that was shipped in a flat rate box, but the shipper paid $19.00 for postage - don't know why?

If items shipped into Canada are valued at less than $40.00 Canadian or are marked as a "gift" on the customs declaration, there are no brokerage fees or taxes charged. Otherwise, we are charged a $5.00 brokerage fee plus 12% PST and GST on the declared value.

Declared Value is important - it doesn't matter what the actual amount paid was, it is the declared value we are charged on.

The box I received today contained $30.00 worth of pen kits. The shipper declared the value to be $50.00 so I paid an additional $12.48 brokerage and taxes on a declared value equivalent of $62.35 Canadian. $30.00 worth of pen kits cost me an additional $24.50 with postage and charges.

If you're shipping to Canada, please mark actual paid value on the declaration and if you're nice, mark it as a gift.

Our dollar is only worth about 75Cents American now, so this extra expense hurts.

Rant off now, thanks
Click to expand...

I'll second that !
 
When I ship to Canada or any ware for that matter. I think Canada is about $11.00 and elsewhere $13.00. I put pen kit parts in the items put $10.00 in the value and mark as gift. Never had a problem and everything always gets there eventually.

.
 
hunter-27 said:
Seems shamefull to me to try and make a buck(or more) on shipping, especially to our across the border and overseas friends.
Click to expand...

When I ship outside the CONUS, it costs me more than when I ship within.
Within the states, I can use supplies provided by the USPS AND I can buy
the postage using a self-service kiosk which is open 24/7. Thus, I do it at
my convenience.
When I ship outside the CONUS, I ship using the less expensive International First Class;
it's nearly as fast as Priority. I have to buy my own supplies [Tyvek mailers are about $1.00 each]
AND I have to wait in line and mail it when the USPS is open.
Standing in line to make these shipments is an expensive proposition.
 
Gary, You can buy and print international postage through paypal or the USPS website. If you are using flat rate, you don't even have to use the little envelope. Just print the label and stick it on the box. Schedule a pick up while you are at it and leave the box on your front porch. Your postal carrier will pick it up and you are all set. No hassle, no waiting in line, and everything is provided by the USPS except the lable. If you don't want to buy labels, you can even print it on regular paper and tape it on the box! Pretty darn easy and quick.
 
Ok...I got the un-necessary jab. You know I am not a big business, nor do I ship much to canada. You have the right to try and calculate or argue your shipping rates. I shipped a package to New Foundland, which is closer than you are and it was only one pen blank and box, so half the weight of your package and the post office charged $21. So I assume yours is going to be the same or more in cost, because I am not a post office with a postal scale and rate chart in my kitchen!!! Then..to top all that off, my wife dropped your package at the post office and did not tell me what the cost was. It could have been $30 for all I know and I would have just ate it without a care in the world, just like I ate the $10 that paypal raped me for. Now if you recieved the package, noted that shipping was only $9-$10, then you could have inquired about a refund on the extra that you paid. I'm sure if you were to go back to the beginning you'll see that I don't say the shipping is $20, I say I guess it to be on past experience, I go on what has happened, I eat the rest, give it back, whatever needs be done. When I get home later, I'll re-fund the extra $10 for shipping,

So...let it be known, there are two sides to every story. We don't all know everything about everything. I wouldn't know about what boxes Canada will ship or not, I don't ship there much. All I know is that if someone where to personally notify me with a problem or whatever, that I would take care of it. Generally people don't worry too much about it, many are undercharged when I ship, and everyone gets freeby's with their order just in case.
 
Whenever I sell stuff, I charge only the cost of the shipping. I pack the goods, weigh them on my scale and then to the computer and check the postage on the USPS website:
http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage/welcome.htm?from=home_header&page=calculatepostage

Here you can put in the weight and country and kind of packaging. Then you come to a page that gives you the possibilities for shipping rates and time estimates. You can also add certain services, like delivery confirmation and certificate of mailing (what I recommend when sending stuff outside the States). What shows up as the cost for postage is what I charge to my buyers.
Just the other day I send Harvey the 20 kits in the small flat rate box, cost 10.95 plus $1.10 for cert of mailing. The postal guy wasn't even aware of the possibility of the certificate of mailing to Canada. That might be the reason that a different postage are charged - our postal worker are often not up to snuff and in my area often have language problems.....or at least I have a hard time to understand their English.

And I declared this kits as a birthday present, so I do not think that he paid anything on duties or brokerage fees.

The packaging material for priority mail is free, so go to the post office and get your supplies - and in another incident they didn't even know they had a small flat rate box....
 
They make it even easier...you can order ALL of your priority mail boxes and envelopes on that same website and they will ship them right to your door.
 
MesquiteMan said:
They make it even easier...you can order ALL of your priority mail boxes and envelopes on that same website and they will ship them right to your door.
Click to expand...

Heck I do everything PayPal, flat rate priority. PayPal makes the labels for you international too. Makes things a lot easier everything done from the compfort of home. I hate the P.O. haven't been there in a wile. I love the new small flat rate box. Bye the way I have been printing the labels in PayPal using the flat rate Envelope. It is the same postage I checked with the P.O. and they don't mind as long as the postage is the same. :biggrin:
 
Jeff, thank you, it wasn't asked for nor expected. I was more upset by having to pay the brokerage and taxes on the other package than by the postage. I realize it can be a hassle to ship things internationally, and we really appreciate that you'll allow us to participate in the offers made. I just have a problem in paying our government any more than absolutely necessary.
 
Because the international rates can and do vary so much, in fairness to our brothers on the IAP, if we encounter a problem, I would think it would behoove us to talk directly - in private - between the parties involved rather than an open post. Because my background is in international shipping, I have a fair idea of what's involved and as much as we would like to, the internet shipping rates are not going to cover all situations... it's best to actually go to the post office and get firm/confirmed charges, then make arrangements for payment before shipping... as for the costs in the destination country, we can make some adjustments on the declared value, the delcaration form that will lessen the costs, but we have no control over brokerage fees, vat and excise taxes or duties.

It may also make things smoother if the buyer makes suggestions to the seller about procedures or situations that could lessen the buyer's costs at his end.

I hate to see our brothers jab at one another, whether it's intentional or unintentional when simple communications could solve most of the problem up front. JMHO.
 
Shipping from USPS is not uniform. My office is located midway between two post office buildings. At the one building, I am told they need to SEE me if I am shipping over 14 oz.

The other post office has a night package deposit, where we drop a few packages a week. At 9 PM there is no one THERE to SEE me. (Probably a camera watching me)

Now that we are shipping more, I tend to agree with Curtis (MesquiteMan) that it is NOT difficult. But, learning "the ropes" is a bit of a PIA!!!

BTW, when stating the "value" of merchandise, I look at it a little differently. When Dawn ships a PR blank, for example, a good part of our cost is the freight to get the PR to us. But, is that part of the "value" of the material? I think not. So, we "value" things at a lower price than our selling price in most cases. I feel the same way about products that I receive from Europe. They are made in Italy, shipped to Britain, then shipped to me. NONE of that is the VALUE of the PRODUCT. So, when I make out customs forms, I use only what I perceive to be the PRODUCT.
 
hdbblue said:
If items shipped into Canada are valued at less than $40.00 Canadian or are marked as a "gift" on the customs declaration, there are no brokerage fees or taxes charged. Otherwise, we are charged a $5.00 brokerage fee plus 12% PST and GST on the declared value.

Declared Value is important - it doesn't matter what the actual amount paid was, it is the declared value we are charged on.

If you're shipping to Canada, please mark actual paid value on the declaration and if you're nice, mark it as a gift.
Click to expand...

While I know many folks mark items sold as gifts, keep in mind that from the US you are in violation of a federal law.

TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

PART I--CRIMES

CHAPTER 47--FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENTS

Sec. 1001. Statements or entries generally

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any
matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or
judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and
willfully--
(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or
device a material fact;
(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent
statement or representation; or
(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same
to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement
or entry;

shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or
both.
Click to expand...
 
workinforwood said:
Ok...I got the un-necessary jab. You know I am not a big business
Click to expand...

This isn't my fight so I should just stay the heck out of it and mind my own business, but I feel I have to make 2 points:

1) He didn't identify you in the original post - gotta give him points for that; and

2) No matter how small, yours is a business. As such, you are responsible for the prices and rates you charge and *must* answer for them. This is how a free market works, and must always continue to work.

So, my point (not for "you" per se, but for businesses in general) is that the "jab" was entirely necessary from a consumer point of view.

If the OP's intent had been to rectify your specific situation, a private email would have been the route to follow. But if his intent, as I think it was, was to address a global problem, a public airing of that dirty laundry was entirely appropriate.

Er, IMH, and uniformed, O, of course.

Cheers!

Gary
 
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GaryMadore said:
This isn't my fight so I should just stay the heck out of it and mind my own business, but I feel I have to make 2 points:

1) He didn't identify you in the original post - gotta give him points for that; and

2) No matter how small, your's is a business. As such, you are responsible for the prices and rates you charge and *must* answer for them. This is how a free market works, and must always continue to work.

So, my point (not for "you" per se, but for businesses in general) is that the "jab" was entirely necessary from a consumer point of view.

If the OP's intent had been to rectify your specific situation, e private email would have been the route to follow. But if his intent, as I think it was, was to address a global problem, a public airing of that dirty laundry was entirely appropriate.

Er, IMH, and uniformed, O, of course.

Cheers!

Gary
Click to expand...

Gary good points and I agree with you completely.

I don't think there is any one here that does it but what I hate (and I will go out of my way not to buy from them) is someone making a big buck off shipping. Take a look at eBay it's rampant there. Yes there's cost involved and that is OK but some there make there product price cheap to lure in a buyer then whack you with over inflated shipping to make there money.

I know that doesn't happen here I don't even know why I brought it up. There's a point in there somewhere.

Bruce
 
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