retronaut Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 I put this in the Classified section since it deals with sales that happen here. I should have asked this question before I bought a few things over the past couple weeks. What is the preferred method of shipping to Canada? I have always thought that US Postal Service was the best mode since UPS can charge $50 for a customs brokerage fee - USPS is usually $5. On another thread people complained about shipments disappearing at the border when using USPS. How do you get a board to a boarder accross the border. What do you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 I have shipped literally hundreds of packages to canada. Ive used FedEx Ground (until I found out about the ridiculous brokerage) and USPS, and have never had a single package lost. not one. make sure to charge for and purchase insurance, unless the buyer specifically doesnt want it so you can declare a low value (you cant insure something for say $300 and only declare $50) Im also putting together a series of photos on how to ship boards, as Ive just discovered something that simplifies the process greatly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubz Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 Dsub Look forward to seeing the finished product. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexeyga Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 USPS Airmail - is fairly safe, but sometimes items might get stuck at the customs for a while... Brockerage is not as bad as UPS or FedEx, but still might get rather heavy... UPS Ground is my prefered for expensive items, no insurance, declared value around 20$... But if the seller was kind enough to insure the item for the full value.. you're f#@#$d.....!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 I send stuff to Canada every month, USPS air letter, air post and global priority(flat rate envelopes) no problem and inexpensive. You may want to avoid Global Express to Canada though. They use a private contractor( or so I was told), and if they are on strike, or just coming off one, yer screwed. Had one take 3 weeks(should be 3-5 days) and another one take 37 DAYS! It was 6 weeks after a strike, but they were so back logged shippings were delayed for the next 3 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 Global express mail uses Purolator. The strike was a one-time thing. Purolator has always given me great service. I get shipped stuff from Japan by EMS quite a bit and it's no problem. Brokerage charges are reasonable. Use UPS service of any stripe only if you've got no other choice. The ground service is especially bad with the $40 brokerage charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnovak Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 How about DHL? I have had boards through them and had no problems, but maybe I've just been lucky. Good thread topic BTW --Canucks have to be able to get stuff too! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 DHL has about the same fees as Purolator, same deal too where you get a bill later so it can be a surprise. However here in Saskatoon their office is way the hell and gone in the industrial area so it's a PITA to pick stuff up, where as Purolator has a storefront office that's way nicer. I'm never at home for these deliveries, forever having to go get the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO'Brien Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 USPS is the best way as you can ask the seller to list the board as a gift and 9 times out of 10 it will arrive duty free. Thier rates are by far the best also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 DsubLook forward to seeing the finished product. Greg done. will be adding and making changes as I think of them: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=7651 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexeyga Posted November 12, 2005 Report Share Posted November 12, 2005 BTW, On more than one occasion UPS Ground prouved to be faster than USPS Airmail... For instance in the extream case, from California to Montreal it took 6 weeks by USPS airmail (about 4 weeks at canadian customs), and 1 and a half week by UPS ground... cost is about the same.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siraerich Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 Not to jump on the soap box, but...my only problem with shipping to Canada is the fact that the money order that I recieved took three and a half weeks to clear at my bank. Was wondering if paypal works without a catch? That might be something to specify before hand as well. Please post if you have experience using paypal across the border.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrCR Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 I've sold a few small items to Canadians via ebay and paypal and didn't have a problem. May not be a representative sample though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 Not to jump on the soap box, but...my only problem with shipping to Canada is the fact that the money order that I recieved took three and a half weeks to clear at my bank. Was wondering if paypal works without a catch? That might be something to specify before hand as well. Please post if you have experience using paypal across the border.. I always ask( insist, really) for the buyer to send an international money order drawn in US Funds. Paypal for Canada, Europe, and Japan work just the same as within the US, instant if on a credit card, may take a few days if it's an ECheck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 I've sold a few small items to Canadians via ebay and paypal and didn't have a problem. May not be a representative sample though. probably hundreds of paypal deals to other countries on top of even more domestic and never a single problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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