BlueB Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 In the light of a recent shipping fiasco, here are few most common shipping mistakes, at least from Canadian perspective: - DO NOT declare a value larger then the purchase price! It is common sense, yet it still happens... If anything, declare a lower value, if insurance is not important. Low ticket items would be let through in 90% of cases, without duty, GST/PST/HST, handling fees. No point paying HST on $300 if the item is worth $150, where HST would be 1/2 or not even applicable... - DO NOT say made in China, Austria, etc. Simple made in US or Canada is a ticket to no import duty (different charge fron above mentioned HST/GST). Always say "used". "Gift" helps too. - DO NOT pack in a huge thick oversized box. Large parcels are caculated on a volumetric formula. Good old burito style carbord wrapping is the best. - DO NOT ship UPS or FedEx (especially UPS). They charge huge handling fees to the receiver. It could be more then a low priced item! - DO NOT insure for an amout higher then the value of the item. Customs would look at the insurance, rarther then decalred value. I can't remember anyhting else right now. Feel free to add to this list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie00 Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Good old burito style carbord wrapping is the best. But I like to add more material cardboard to the tail and nose because I know the boards will get tossed around. Even if this means the package will be 5 cm longer. I also use a LOT of tape when shipping. that way small rips in the boxes don't become huge. I add fragile on the box.. for what it's worth ! I recently received 2 boards from the US and when I picked them up at the post office I didn't even have to open or do anything to get the boards out of the box! I was very lucky that nothing was broken on those new boards. I could tell right away even if the boards were packaged properly they got tossed around quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 If you do the smart thing and print your own postage forms and customs declarations from the USPS web site, make sure you sign the customs forms at the bottom. Otherwise the lovely people at the PO may reject it before it even goes anywhere. I say it is the smart thing because it can save you lots of time at the PO, plus they usually give you a small percentage off the regular price for Priority Int'l. If it is small but heavy, use one of those fixed rate boxes. I'm not sure where the weight cut-off is in terms of saving money over just using a regular box, but it isn't that high. Fedex makes better sleeves to hold those forms than the USPS does. Stop by a Fedex location and take a bunch of their ziploc style pouches and use them for your USPS labels/customs declaration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terekhov Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 - DO NOT ship UPS or FedEx (especially UPS). They charge huge handling fees to the receiver. It could be more then a low priced item! or DHL. it's huge truth for Russia. it's reasonable to not to bother trying to receive shippings, coz receiver's fees simply could go out of window with $500+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 I've shipped several items to Canada. I've shipped a board sold on eBay via UPS. I stated the declared value as the sale price (about $70US in this case). I think it went OK. For smaller items USPS works great. Only about $10 for smaller items and quite easy from the post office. The big downside is there is no way to track the item and it cannot be insured. Basically, I think USPS takes it to the border and then turns it over to the Canadian Post Office. I've shipped smaller stuff all over the world through USPS and it only costs about $35 (compared to $150 via UPS). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Shipping Canada Post to the US through USPS we can always track it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 The first time I received a new Coiler I was stunned at how little packing there was. A simple cardboard sleeve that the board floats inside of, no extra nose or tail packing. Canada customs is very good at extracting maximum revenue on any shipment. UPS rakes Canadians over the coals when receiving Ground shipments, but their rates are lower now than they used to be as people figured it out and shipped using other methods. It's often cheaper to ship UPS 2-day Int'l express than to pay the UPS at-the-door charges. Bonus hint: Ski boots get zero duty, snowboard boots get a 22% hit. Be careful how you label them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Shipping Canada Post to the US through USPS we can always track it. Really? Every time I've had something sent USPS, it shows it arriving at Canadian customs, and then it vanishes into a black hole - sometimes for a couple of weeks. And then it's suddenly out for delivery. The courier companies definitely get through customs faster, if time is an issue. You just pay for the privilege. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RooX Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 use the usps tracking number on canada posts website tracking once it hits the border Allee, then you can see its path on our side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted December 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 For smaller items USPS works great. Only about $10 for smaller items and quite easy from the post office. The big downside is there is no way to track the item and it cannot be insured. Basically, I think USPS takes it to the border and then turns it over to the Canadian Post Office. Partially wrong. USPS 1st class you can not track. However, the USPS Priority is insurable and trackable. The customs declaration number is tracking number. 2nd part is correct, from the boarder, the Canada Post takes over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 If desperate for a sleeve to put the board into and get it on it's way, do what two others have done when sending boards to my house: 1. swipe a handful of cardboard fedex envelopes, razor open the closed edges and tape them end to end. 2 tape several collapsed cereal boxes together, end to end these didn't really meet my standards for board protection but once I determined that the boards were okay, it was sort of amusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.T. Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 If desperate for a sleeve to put the board into and get it on it's way, do what two others have done when sending boards to my house:1. swipe a handful of cardboard fedex envelopes, razor open the closed edges and tape them end to end. 2 tape several collapsed cereal boxes together, end to end these didn't really meet my standards for board protection but once I determined that the boards were okay, it was sort of amusing. we must have both purchased used boards from the same person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 If desperate for a sleeve to put the board into and get it on it's way, do what two others have done when sending boards to my house:1. swipe a handful of cardboard fedex envelopes, razor open the closed edges and tape them end to end. 2 tape several collapsed cereal boxes together, end to end these didn't really meet my standards for board protection but once I determined that the boards were okay, it was sort of amusing. Sad. People can just go to a local discount appliance store. They'll normally give away heavy duty cardboard. Often it's from tall refrigerators; perfect for burrito packing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideGuy Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Duty into Canada: 6403.12.10 Downhill ski-boots Free 6403.12.30 Snowboard boots 18 % 9506.11.10 Downhill (Ski) Free 9506.11.90.20 Snowboards 7.5 % Deeluxe are ski boots, right? Buy your boards in pairs and call them fatties? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Seems Fed Ex has a new deal you get a discount for over the fence delivery. Might only apply to fragile articles, perhaps snowboards would qualify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Seems Fed Ex has a new deal you get a discount for over the fence delivery. Might only apply to fragile articles, perhaps snowboards would qualify. What is 'over the fence delivery'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C5 Golfer Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 What is 'over the fence delivery'? I think this is to what he refers.. The guy is no longer delivering packages I hear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Ar0o9duW4 <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/b4Ar0o9duW4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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