What are pros and cons / issues of shipping items from US to Canada?

I would say the things you have to watch out for are:

1- Items can sometimes get delayed/stuck in customs for a longer period than expected. This can make the sale uncomfortable when after 10 days, it still hasn't cleared customs (out of 38 shipments since December, I've had 1 minor issue - delayed by 9 days in cutoms)

2- Clarify who is responsible for duties/brokerage/taxes fees! Usually the buyer is responsible since he's the one who has to pay upon receipt but if he isn't aware, it ends up being a dispute. Fees can be as high as 15% of item value depending on Provincial taxes and Brokerage with UPS / FedEx are much higher than USPS.

3- Depending on which carrier you use, UPS/FedEx charge Canadians a Brokerage fee which i find ridiculous. It is a Paper processing fee which can be as high as $60 regardless of item value (it sucks when it's applied to a $75 lens) This is waived through USPS.

4- UPS/FedEx provide great tracking while the USPS tracking stops at Item out of Foreign Customs. So if you're looking for realtime tracking, go UPS / FedEx but keep in mind the brokerage for your Buyer.

That's all I can think of for now...
All that being said, it is not much more complicated than shipping to the US. I find it disappointing when sellers refuse to sell to Canada comparing shipping up here like shipping to Nigeria...

Our Postal system is robust and much more regulated than in the US. Traceability is very good and insurance is transferable across the border. I would say that if you covered the points above with your Buyer, shipping to Canada should be a breeze...

Thanks

I second Louis' excellent post. I think he pretty much covered all of it.
I particularly recommend AVOIDING UPS...absolute crooks who charge insane and unacceptable brokerage fees that neither USPS nor FedEx charge. I had to pay a 60-70$ fee on a 50$ item...wasn't exactly pleased if you get my drift.

The biggest issue for me is that they complain loudly when you'd rather not go to the trouble for a $30 item.

Always involves a trip to the post office for me, as I can't figure out how to do "click and ship" outside the US.

Well said, Charbel Louis!

The one thing I would add (and it's a tiny, tiny point) is that USPS doesn't actually waive the brokerage fee. Instead they just charge a flat fee of $5 (last time I had stuff shipped). So you'll pay the duty/taxes and then $5 for brokerage with USPS.

For my purposes I will actually make a point of NOT purchasing from a seller (on ebay or here or wherever) if they insist on using UPS. It's never going to be worth it for me and I just won't support a courier company that essentially robs their customers when there are so many other options out there.

My $.02 CAD.

What everyone else said already. I've bought a ton of stuff from the good folks in the USA and never once had an issue. I always ask for USPS shipping and sometimes I've had to wait a bit longer than I was expecting but the item always comes though and about 25% of the time I don't even get dinged the GST! I also always ask the seller to mark the item specifically as 'digital' because there is no duty on digital camera equipment because of free trade.

V.

I completely agree, USPS all the way!

Charbel's post is excellent, especially from the Canadian viewpoint which we in the U.S. don't see enough.

It is easy to fill out the forms, basically a duplication of the mailing info with a few other checkmarks. On an expensive item like a camera, L lens, etc, I use Express Mail. Best trackability; costs more but very good service and I have used it all over the world. You will have to go to Post Office or one of the services that offer USPS mailing; for a $1000 item I don't mind.

Pros: Opens your sale up to anther country with little extra effort on your part. Might easily give you a quick sale.

Cons: a little more paperwork; possibly a trip to the Post Office.

Good luck - give it a try - I have bought and sold to/from Canada and made a couple of friends up there along the way.

Just to add on as I do have too much experience with shipping

) UPS or Fedex Standard- they both charge ridiculous brokerage fees to handle the pkg thru customs. Only way to get around this is ship with either via air (express or expedited), then their is NO brokerage fees, only for surface but buyer must be prepared to pay the higher cost.

USPS is preference because they do only charge $5 flat fee as stated. On all used or new items, Canadians must pay PST where their is none in Alberta and for the rest of provinces they have to pay PST based on provincial rate. GST of 5% has to be paid on all or new items. USPS you can ship with tracking and out of hundreds of parcels going one way or coming in, I have lost 1 item. So personally I dont think their is no risk or not any more than you do within shipping your own country. I ship everything USPS or request USPS except LARGE ticket items, I will pay more, fast tracked thru customs and get it in 2-3 days. Any other service, yes it can get held up in customs, but if people value their packages correctl as well as identify the item correctly usually have no problems, but people misrepresent that package and values that could hold it up and be re-assessed.

The other quick win for a shipper shipping USPS as no forms to complete, just a green sticker stating item and value, voila where Fedex and UPS paperwork is not fun

last point , their is NO duty as the free trade agreement is in place and as long as originated meaning manuafactured or made in Canada or US, no duty.

Being a canuck, I always appreciate those who will work with us when they have not had the experience, and 99% thereafter would ship again , and is appreciated

ybounh wrote:
I second Louis' excellent post. I think he pretty much covered all of it.
I particularly recommend AVOIDING UPS...absolute crooks who charge insane and unacceptable brokerage fees that neither USPS nor FedEx charge. I had to pay a 60-70$ fee on a 50$ item...wasn't exactly pleased if you get my drift.

I paid $130 on a $400 lens once through UPS. Crooked bastards! Like smileyguy, I simply refuse to buy something if UPS or FedEx are the shipping method.

+1 USPS all the way!

Cubfan wrote:
The biggest issue for me is that they complain loudly when you'd rather not go to the trouble for a $30 item.

Always involves a trip to the post office for me, as I can't figure out how to do "click and ship" outside the US.

Exactly, I'm one of those people that will not ship to Canada.

I quit shipping to Canada, mainly because of the time involved. With any US package, I can have a label printed in 5 minutes, walk in, drop it off and be done. With Canadian shipments, I spend 20 minutes in the post office filling out customs forms, copying the address over 3 times to different documents and then still pay high rates to ship small packages which can only be insured to a maximum of $500

On rare occasions that I do ship to Canada, I double the amount of shipping quoted for the US and it seems to work out so I don't end up loosing money on the cost of shipping.

jonnykuhns wrote:

Exactly, I'm one of those people that will not ship to Canada.

I quit shipping to Canada, mainly because of the time involved. With any US package, I can have a label printed in 5 minutes, walk in, drop it off and be done. With Canadian shipments, I spend 20 minutes in the post office filling out customs forms, copying the address over 3 times to different documents and then still pay high rates to ship small packages which can only be insured to a maximum of $500

On rare occasions that I do ship to Canada, I double the amount of shipping quoted for the US and it seems to work out so I don't end up loosing money on the cost of shipping.


Have you tried generating all that paperwork through Paypal?
You will get a better rate than at the Post Office, all labels will be generated and printed out for you.

You have to put a bit of effort taping them to the box and finally, drop it off at the post office and avoid the line there.

I've tried printing online customs documentation through USPS (also via PayPal), UPS and FedEx all with no luck (I have accounts with all 3). Every time I've agreed to ship something to Canada, I've spent time standing at the counter filling out more paperwork for customs.

Unfortunately it has just proven to be easier not to ship internationally.

I've once gotten hit by ridiculous and unexpected UPS brokerage fees when receiving a package from Canada to the US. For future reference, is there some better shipper on the Canadian side who, like USPS on the US side, isn't running the "brokerage fee" racket?

mpmendenhall wrote:
I've once gotten hit by ridiculous and unexpected UPS brokerage fees when receiving a package from Canada to the US. For future reference, is there some better shipper on the Canadian side who, like USPS on the US side, isn't running the "brokerage fee" racket?

Canada Post all the way!

Yeah, Canada Post to the USA works good! you can insure a package up to... well, more than enough for most bodies or lenses, anyways...

Using USPS shipping to Cananda, I've never had a problem ever. Another helpful hint is to keep the weight below 4lbs.

Omar

jonnykuhns wrote:
I've tried printing online customs documentation through USPS (also via PayPal), UPS and FedEx all with no luck (I have accounts with all 3). Every time I've agreed to ship something to Canada, I've spent time standing at the counter filling out more paperwork for customs.

Unfortunately it has just proven to be easier not to ship internationally.


That's too bad. To give you a few examples, I shipped a Camera to Europe, box was 15x20x20, about 5Lbs, cost me $25.95 International Air as opposed to $45 via the post office.

I ship all my items using Paypal and generating the Canada Post / USPS waybills, usually at a discount (10-30% cheaper). If you're lucky, and the dimensions of your box are right on the next price bracket, you can even drop a dimension by 1/2 an inch and save even more!! ( don't tell CP I did this...)

All in all, it has proven to be a great tool, it's cheap, reliable, convenient, plus it keeps all your tracking numbers in Paypal so you can see the status of your shipments and so on...

With USPS and patience - no fuss and no muss. Works like a charm every time.

UPS is grief and more grief - horrible.

The United States Postal Service and Canada Post is the way to go.

one alternative way for those potential buyers who live close to the US/Canada border: you may be able to find a shipping/receiving service company right across the border. Then you can have the seller to send the item to that company, drive across the border and pick it up. On your way home, you may need to pay the tax (sales), usually way better than letting UPS handle it all the way through. Usually by sending to a US address, you save quite a bit in shipping as well (let it be UPS, FedEx or USPS) because it is no longer "international": ~20 miles difference.

Here in Vancouver, the easiest one will be those companies in Point Roberts, especially if you live in Richmond or Delta. The TSB shipping is pretty good. Drawback is that they do not open over weekends.