I had a question about shipping to Canada... well, how do I do it?
I have some sale items and I'm getting some responses from folks in the north. I've heard some people complaining about the difficulties sending items. I'm just wondering how difficult it is and how much more would it cost me to ship.
You can find everything you need on the USPS site. You'll need the Canadian buyers' postal code to estimate costs, and it's pretty simple. If you open a Click-n-ship account (free, but you need a credit card), you can print your own labels and customs forms, too. My only issues with shipping across the borders are the increased costs and slooooow delivery (without real-time tracking).
dcains wrote:
... My only issues with shipping across the borders are the increased costs and slooooow delivery (without real-time tracking).
Sorry but how does that affect you? You charge extra shipping costs to the buyer and you don't have to wait for the item either since your the sender
It's really frustrating living in Canada and seeing so many offers that say; shipping to the 48 lower states only! Whether you go to UPS to send it across the street or across the world for the seller it really doesn't matter!
Is there a tracking process for USPS? How will I know if the package was delivered? I didn't see any option for delivery confirmation. Is it part of the process by default?
The Customs form you have to complete for USPS includes a tracking number that works on both sides of the border. Your biggest hangup will be after Canada Post turns it over to Canada Customs for inspection (or not)...there could be a 3-4 day lag before it gets turned back over to Canada Post then it's on its way again.
I've shipped to Canada several times via USPS and that's how it's worked for me...from 3 days to 14 days depending on the value etc.
Trout Guy wrote:
The Customs form you have to complete for USPS includes a tracking number that works on both sides of the border. Your biggest hangup will be after Canada Post turns it over to Canada Customs for inspection (or not)...there could be a 3-4 day lag before it gets turned back over to Canada Post then it's on its way again.
TG
Nothing to do with camera equipment, but I've occasionally imported orchids from southeast Asia, New Guinea, Malaysia, etc. and customs inspection is always the main delay ... getting the package from the carrier, to customs (often just a matter of moving it a few hundred feet), actual inspection and back into the hands of the carrier for final delivery can drive you nuts.
I just sold a lens to cuglanica, who lives in Alberta. I sent it USPS Global Express Guaranteed. It was on the costly side, but the added price was worth it, to me, to ensure a timely delivery. I took only one single day to get from the Detroit area to Edmonton, Alberta, and into the buyer's hands.
In my experience, in shipping to Canada, delays usually come when you rely on the cheaper shipping options.
