Shipping stuff from the US?

IFytFyrs · 02-03-2011, 09:48 AM

I have bought a few things from the US over the years. The most difficult part of the purchase has been getting it shipped to Canada

I thought I'd start a thread to see what my other Canadian cousins have come up with...

My ONLY solution to ridiculous shipping/brokerage charges has been to have items shipped USPS. Of course, not all shippers will oblige

I have chosen NOT to deal with those shippers. This means I have, on occasion, paid more than I could have to have my shipping choice.

Years ago I had 4 Uniden radio scanners shipped to me via UPS... The items cost about US$200 (and the Canadian dollar was about 60 cents...) each. UPS dinged me for about $200 in fees

My south-of-the-border deal was no more

I have been afraid to try that route again, and have heard similar stories from friends. Short of having stuff shipped to a friend in the US and picking it up, what have you come up with?

I'm really hoping there is a reasonable option out there...

xs-cash · 02-03-2011, 10:27 AM

yah i've been burnt on shipping charges too!!
i'd like to find a way to get stuff up here too, without getting screwed.

DOOPHUS · 02-03-2011, 10:35 AM

Sounds like a lucrative Business Venture for you, IFyt.

IFytFyrs · 02-03-2011, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOOPHUS

Sounds like a lucrative Business Venture for you, IFyt.

I hear what you're saying Doophus; lord knows I've got enough experience in the shipping business, but if the "big boys" have it so wrong, there must be a reason... Its like pricing a job you really don't want

If they're willing to pay, you're willing to do...

There certainly is a market for tracked, discount Can/US shipping. I'm just hoping it already exists and I just haven't heard of it yet...

turnheadz · 02-03-2011, 01:35 PM

fortunatly for me, because I live so close to the border, I have a shipping address in Blaine Washington.
I have some parcels coming up from Texas now but they all used USPS to Canada so I went that route this time.

BMBLBEE · 02-03-2011, 01:47 PM

Your best bet is to find a drop point on the US side of the border and have stuff shipped there. Many of the Corvette guys in Ontario have set this up in Niagra and Detroit and they take turns doing runs to pick stuff up. Check corvetteforum.com Forum regions and Canada and you will get lots of guidance.

I have a guy in Sweetgrass MT that I use and it's saved me $ hundreds.

Bob

IFytFyrs · 02-03-2011, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnheadz

fortunatly for me, because I live so close to the border, I have a shipping address in Blaine Washington.

My Dad has a PO box in Point Roberts that I have used on occasion. Problem is I'm paying double-shipping, as Vancouver is a little far for me to drive... It works for small, high $ stuff, but since he's on his boat from April to October, it isn't always possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMBLBEE

Your best bet is to find a drop point on the US side of the border and have stuff shipped there. Many of the Corvette guys in Ontario have set this up in Niagra and Detroit and they take turns doing runs to pick stuff up. Check corvetteforum.com Forum regions and Canada and you will get lots of guidance.

I'll have to talk to my neighbour. He's big in the NCRS crowd. Networking a shared drop-ship point might be an option... Niagara Falls, NY is about a 5 hour round trip (with crossing the border), a little closer than your border spot...

Still, there MUST be another way...

BMBLBEE · 02-03-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IFytFyrs

Still, there MUST be another way...

Well..........there is..........I also bought a house in Arizona and ship lots of stuff there. It gets a bit bothersome to drive down once a year and bring stuff back but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it is an alterantive - somewhat pricey, but one that I enjoy a lot.

Hook up with the Corvette guys - there are 1000 of them (I'm one) for every one of us and they deal with this same issue every day. If anyone has found a solution it will be them. Join Corvette Forum and lurk. You will learn a lot of tricks about better ways to buy parts and get them back to Canada.

DOOPHUS · 02-03-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IFytFyrs

Still, there MUST be another way...

I'd let you use my address down here, IFyt . . . but not until you take back all of this cold crap you've been sending this way recently.

! ! ! ! ! !

turnheadz · 02-03-2011, 06:37 PM

remember those Texas packages I mentioned? Well I just got two notification emails from USPS. They refer to Click-n-ship, and even have a tracking #

IFytFyrs · 02-04-2011, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMBLBEE

Well..........there is..........I also bought a house in Arizona and ship lots of stuff there. It gets a bit bothersome to drive down once a year and bring stuff back but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it is an alterantive - somewhat pricey, but one that I enjoy a lot.

The crosses we have to bear

Gotta pay off the one up here first

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOOPHUS

I'd let you use my address down here, IFyt . . . but not until you take back all of this cold crap you've been sending this way recently.

The cold just makes the warm feel that much better

Thanks for the offer... I may take you up on that some time

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnheadz

remember those Texas packages I mentioned? Well I just got two notification emails from USPS. They refer to Click-n-ship, and even have a tracking #

Most of the stuff I get from the states has track and trace info. It's all gone well for me so far, but as has been detailed on this forum, some have not been so lucky...

Has anyone hear of Mail Innovations Super Saver Shipping? I was looking at a new BlueTooth headset Research In Motion BlackBerry Wireless Headset HS-700 in Bluetooth Headsets at JR.com and one of their shipping options was this:
Mail Innovations Super Saver Shipping - Usually arrives in 7-14 business days $5.95
UPS Worldwide Express - Usually arrives in 2-3 business days $42.13

In their policies, it says:
Canadian Orders
Shipping is via UPS Worldwide. Shipping charges include brokerage fees, but do not include any import duties, Goods and Services Tax (GST), or Provincial Sales Tax (PST). A further explanation of taxes can be found here. If you have any questions about these fees, consult your local government import office.

Best price I found locally was $99... $59.97 sounds like such a deal, but if the shipping charges balloon, then its no deal

Flassh · 02-04-2011, 10:55 AM

I use USPS whenever possible, because the cost at the Canadian post office if the lowest of any customs service.

Avoid UPS crossing the border at all costs. They are incompetent bandits at that job. They do fine shipping to a US address.

I also have a drop address in the US, owned by my customs broker.

That could be one option. Check Customs brokers in your area to see if they offer a shipping service from the border. Almost guaranteed their rates will be much better than UPS.

I have no problem using UPS to the dropbox. Very few sellers will object to selling to a canuck if he uses a US shipping address.

turnheadz · 02-04-2011, 10:59 AM

that Mail Inno Super Saver sounds too good to be true.

Such a low price and it includes a brokerage fee!! Obviously they broker it themselves and not UPS.

WindsuppreSSR · 02-04-2011, 11:26 AM

I ship Windsuppressr all over the world using USPS insured never had a problem (knock on wood) I know the receiver whether it be Canada or Austraila will have to pay the duty required by that country. Still the cheapest way to ship for both parties

QWKSSR · 02-04-2011, 09:00 PM

I have sent many items to Canada , Germany , Netherlands , Australia and other places i can't think of at this minute and so far no problem. I try to do what ever i can do for our fellow SSR fanatics.

QWKSSR · 02-04-2011, 09:02 PM

I send everything USPS as a gift so there is no crazy charges !!!

Mike in AZ · 02-05-2011, 05:31 AM

I have had to do some special "value for customs" on some of my shipments to Canada when going UPS. It's a bit of a pain, but does keep the import duties low. The biggest charge from UPS is the brokerage fees........ Well..... there is competition coming. FedEx Ground is opening new service to Canada with the promise of lower fares and brokerage fees than the brown guys. I hope this is true. My cost for shipping UPS versus USPS is usually a wash, but the brokerage fees and duties seem to be a wild card with UPS. I often elect to go with USPS because of that.

Canada remains my second most difficult destination....... right behind UAE.

Regards

BMBLBEE · 02-05-2011, 05:59 AM

Good point Mike. My son has started using Fedex Ground for parts he brings in from sellers who will not use USPS or for packages that are a little larger. After getting some very quick transit time on smaller packages he suspects they might be moving some of it by Fedex Air.

Bob

DakotaDocMartin · 02-05-2011, 07:15 AM

I have a bunch of friends in Winnipeg that regularly have their items shipped to me. I store them up and they come and pick them up when they come south for a visit about once a month or so. I don't charge them anything for doing that of course. After all, that's what friends are for.

Many Manitobans have their stuff shipped to a gal in Pembina, ND who charges them a flat fee per box or package. I think she's made a business out of it.

I recently stopped shipping to any foreign countries after getting burnt by a Canadian. He got his item and discovered there was no tracking number on the package other than the Customs Declaration number. So, he filed a complaint with eBay and got his money refunded to him. He got his SSR accessories and his money. He called me up on the phone and said he doesn't like how I bad mouth him on the Internet. He freely admits he got the accessories but says he didn't get the money back. But, he most certainly did... it shows the dispute resolution in my PayPal account. Maybe he's just too damned stupid to own a computer.

Nevertheless... I don't hate Canadians nor anyone else. I just decided that a $200 burn like that was enough for me.

turnheadz · 02-05-2011, 09:34 AM

When my brother ordered the whitewalls for the Impala last summer from Diamondback he convinced them not to use their normal UPS because of the crazy brokerage fees. He told them about FedEx and they are now using them for all Canadian orders. And FedEx was cheaper than UPS for them.

IFytFyrs · 02-05-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike in AZ

The biggest charge from UPS is the brokerage fees........ Well..... there is competition coming. FedEx Ground is opening new service to Canada with the promise of lower fares and brokerage fees than the brown guys.

Lets hope that competition improves the market

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMBLBEE

My son has started using Fedex Ground for parts he brings in from sellers who will not use USPS or for packages that are a little larger.

How has he found the fees? I don't mind paying a little more for shipping if there are NO surprises at this end...

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnheadz

He told them about FedEx and they are now using them for all Canadian orders. And FedEx was cheaper than UPS for them.

On high-dollar stuff, the fees seem to level off. The problem seems to be on the $5-$500 stuff. Has he had any experience with FedEx with small stuff?

This sounds promising, but I'm not getting my hopes up yet...

turnheadz · 02-05-2011, 05:39 PM

not that I know of. He's in Toronto right now so I'll ask him when he get's back.

cancam · 02-05-2011, 07:13 PM

we ship regularly from the US into Canada for work using fedx ground
and I use them for my small personal items.
Large items go to an address in Buffalo or Detroit.

Cam

BMBLBEE · 02-06-2011, 06:02 AM

I think Fedex ground has low flat rate fees that they charge the shipper and which would then be added to the price of the sale. I have received items shipped from the US by Fedex for my son and all they want is a signature at the door and have not asked to collect additional fees.

OrangeMecanique · 03-10-2011, 08:52 PM

Hi! First sorry for my english.
I so understand you. I bought a lot on automotive products over the last 3 years so i know all about the shipping, compagnie, brookage fees ect... 3 Years ago, i had a Crossfire Roadster and i change almost evrething on it. All my pieces came from USA even my wheels. Now, since the last november, i bought around 70 different item for my SSR. Now, i ask that to the seller when i bought my pieces: First, i ask him if he can use UPSP insted of UPS because the trouble with UPS it's because they pay a person to go on the douan for the package they receive from USA for Canada. With UPSP, they dont do that. IT's for that if the brookage fees are so expensive with UPS. I also ask if they can write GIFT on the package to avoid the tax at the douan, some seller accept to do it and some seller dont. Also, i ask to write a lower amount insted of the full amount of the piece and like that you pay less tax or nothing. The only trouble with this method is if they brooke of lost the package, you are just assure for the amount report. It's the same thing for FeDex. I save several dollars over the years using those method

ZoomAddict · 03-10-2011, 10:09 PM

We ship around 1400 items via FedEx Ground per year here in the states. They are cheaper than UPS, faster than UPS, and package handling is far superior. Almost everything we ship is fragile (vintage slide projection equipment) and even with excellent internal protection UPS would damage about five packages a year. Switched to FedEx a couple of years ago and they have damaged zero packages so far.

Canada: Small items go USPS Priority and large items go FedEx. The volume is low (about thirty packages a year) but we haven't had a customer yet that paid excessive charges (like UPS regularly charges).