Shipping questions ( To Canada)

Hey guys,
I've never shipped anything outside of the States before, so I have a couple questions:

- What's the best method to use for shipping? I see USPS ships to Canada.

- What kind of duty taxes, if any, would be applied to the person recieveing it?

I have a friend there that doesn't drive and goes out at night sometimes. Flashaholism got the best of me so I was wanting to hook her up with a light and whistle for a bit of safety. I've decided on a Fox 40 mini for the whistle, but still deciding on the light. Maybe a small Fenix or something.

Let's just say the package value will be around $30 U.S. for a ballpark figure.

Thanks for any help.

UPS ground is very bad cross-border. They have high customs brokerage fees and also charge you extra to pay the fees in cash (if you don't have an account). A $30 item can end up with $30 in UPS fees.

So I normally ask people to send via USPS. Low value items ($20) normally come through without any charges. Higher ones marked as gifts (< $50) will also come through duty/tax free, but if custom's opens the package and finds commercial paperwork (i.e. it really isn't a gift) then they will charge the duty and taxes. When the item is high enough to be charged duty and taxes then there is a $5 customs handling fee added. Also if you insure for much higher than the declared value then customs will take the insured value as the value of the item.

So I would guess that a $30 US gift would come through without any charges.

FedEx isn't too bad. I think they charge $10 for their brokerage fee. With UPS air I believe the brokerage fee is included.

Still I prefer packages from the US to come via USPS.

Cheers - Greg

It looks like gifts of up to $60 are now allowed

---start quote---
Postal Imports
Customs officers may open and inspect all incoming mail, except letters less than 30 g, without permission from either the sender or the addressee.

Gifts from friends and relatives, valued at $60CDN or less, are duty and tax exempt. Goods imported into Canada, valued at $20CDN or more, are subject to all duties and taxes.

Mail items that are assessed for duties and taxes, or require inspection for compliance to other government regulations (e.g. agricultural goods) are subject to additional fees.

All documentation must be included when an item is delivered or returned. The reasons for the return must be marked on the item and on the documentation.

Canada Post has taken over many of the material-handling and revenue-collection functions previously performed by Canada Customs. A handling fee of $5CDN per dutiable or taxable mail item is applied ($8CDN for EMS items). This fee is in line with the government's efforts to help recover costs from those who benefit from services, and is similar to arrangements in the United States and other countries.

Parcels entering Canada through Canada Post screening centres will be inspected by Canada Border Services Agency officers and assessed for applicable Customs duties, taxes and charges. If duties or taxes are payable, items will be delivered along with the E14 Customs Invoice affixed indicating the assessed taxes, duties and charges. These charges must be paid by the addressee before the package can be released to him.

---end quote---

From the middle of this page: http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/b06-e.asp

Greg

Thanks, Greg.

How do I claim the package as a gift so customs will know? Do I state it on the bubble mailer or....?

There will be a form to fill out that they stick to the parcel. I don't have one handy but I think there will be a check box to say it is a gift.

Greg

What ever you do, dont ever have anything shiped to canada by UPS. UPS charges an insane brokerage fee for doing nothing more than using a rubber stamp to mark the box. This brokerage fee starts at something like 35 cdn or someting and then they charge you higher depending on the marked value of your package.

Two months ago I bought a cell phone online and had it shiped UPS not knowing what i know now. I got hit with about 40 bucks taxes which the driver collects from you and is also gonna cost you a service charge. Then ontop of that i got hit with a brokerage fee of 60 dollars. All this on a package claimed at about 250 USD.

In the end i paid about 100 dollars extra for these hidden costs.

Fedex also charges a brokerage fee i belive. However, i think they are more reasonable.

The only way i recomend shipping into canada from the united states would be USPS. Basicly there is never a brokerage fee charged when you have it shiped by any government postal service.

also be carful on insured value, UK customs are supposed to charge duty based on insured value, so i have been told.

I dont know if this affects Canadian post.

regards.

I'll second the warning about UPS. I've been burned twice by UPS by their Brokerage and Prepayment fees. Once for $29 worth of 7075 rod stock! I subsequently refused the shipment rather than pay their absurd fees.

USPS and FedEx are the best choices for shipping into Canada.

UPS are insane- steer clear.
95% of items I get from the US come via USPS and is the way to go, IMHO.

-As a gift;
-On your end it requires a declaration on a green form of what the item is and that it is a gift.
-remove any commercial documents; you can mail them seperately via letter if you want.
-declare the value ($30) and if you want to make "really" sure there are no hassles (read customs) at this end include a personal card to that effect. (this is from experience)

-BTW, when it comes to customs, duties, taxes, handling fees, etc (when applicable) the grief starts on OUR end, not yours.

good luck- I'm sure all will go well.

Karl

The $4.25 USPS GPM Small Envelope is an excellent option to ship flashlights to Canada. It's handled by FedEX and will typically arrive in 5 business days from the States. Not sure if it's officially advertised as trackable, but there will be a code starting with LC or LZ that can be traced on the USPS.com website.

So far I've been lucky and haven't been nailed with any customs or duties on flashlights, fingers crossed!

Of all the stuff I have ordered out of the US I only had a problem with Surefire, for some reason everything they send ends up in customs with a fee.
Just send it USPS, it is very fast and costs no more than keeping it in the US. I have never lost a package, coming or going.
Most packages make it in about a week.
If it is a gift just mark it clearly, it will slide right through.
Your offer to send a friend a light and whistle is a great gesture!

I just received an L1T and a Civictor from the Fenix Store. Both came USPS air mail in about 10 business days. The L1T had postage for $1.40 and the Civictor had postage for $1.15. Other packages from the States I have received in similar time frame. (I live in London, Ontario, about an hour east of Detroit)

As mentioned already, stay away form UPS. I got burned paying extra for a light I bought off the B/S/T.

USPS is the best way, generally lowest cost.

UPS fees are WAY too high.

It's hit or miss with import duties and taxes. Generally anything I receive with a value under $100 I've been charged a $8.17 Customs processing fee and that's it. Once in a while I've had to pay a customs import duty, but it was, IMHO, a reasonable amount based on the value of the item.

USPS is the way to go.

Another option if you have not already got the light is to nail order from a dealer in Canada and have the dealer ship directly to her.
http://www.seriouslights.com/catalog/index.php
carries the brand you mentioned.
http://www.j2ledflashlight.com/
http://www.j2ledflashlight.com/specials.html
carries Nuwai

Those brokerage fees are only on UPS Standard going to Canada, not those coming to the US from Canada. Shipments from Canada to the U.S. are brokered without charge when valued at $200 or less. Those charges are only applicable if you have UPS do the customs brokerage. You do have the option of using your own customs broker if you choose. And for those with time and the ability to do a little learning, you also have the option of brokering the package yourself (and maybe learn a new trade as well.)

There is no Customs Brokerage fee for any of the other UPS classes like UPS Express, UPS Expedited, or UPS 3 Day select, to or from Canada.

Not to completely focus on UPS, but is is really just easier to avoid UPS all together.

I've done the brokering side of it myself, but there is not enough time in the day, since it is a manual paper process. The best scenario is if you can fax in all of the info, and then run around to make the payment to Canada Customs.

Most 3rd party brokers are ~$30 per trancaction.

Are you sure about the other classes of service? I've had Express packages burn me as well. We are hit with brokerage fees when the item cost is above $40 CAD.

It's not a secret. UPS does have their rates posted on their web site.
http://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html

Like UPS, most brokers will usually charge based upon the value of the shipment. I think the 'average' would be dependent upon shipping patterns. My average is usually around $65-70 for inbound, through an established commercial broker.

While not specifically you, but I kind of suspected that those who complain about having to pay for brokerage fees wouldn't want to do it themselves, and similarly they wouldn't want to pay someone else to do it. So I guess they fall into that classification of people who are looking for something for nothing. I guess for those folks, USPS and Canada Post would be the closest thing to being on the dole

wasabe64 said:

Are you sure about the other classes of service? I've had Express packages burn me as well. We are hit with brokerage fees when the item cost is above $40 CAD.

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The main concern has been the surprise of paying for & receiving an $100 item with the courier at the door asking for and additional $40. That was the case for my T7075 bars, they wanted more in fees than the value of the goods.

Often, it should really be Buyer beware, since the seller will ship via what is reasonably priced and convenient for them (UPS picks up). So, you should try to make other arrangements with the seller to avoid those surprises.

I'm sure that's why UPS does not collect brokerage fees for UPS Standard. That enabled established merchants to send mail-order items to Canada easily, and they wouldn't look like the bad guy for the high shipping charges, when the brokerage fee was included. And the recipient would also know where that money was going (i.e. not for shipping per se.)

You should also be aware that those are fees that are generated from within Canada and UPS's Canadian group, it really has nothing to do with the U.S. or UPS's US operations.

wasabe64 said:

since the seller will ship via what is reasonably priced and convenient for them (UPS picks up).

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