Do You Ship USA >>> Canada?

[12345678910]

It's a bit of a scam. They levy an extra fee on all shipments for "brokerage" there was a class action over it with UPS but they slithered out of it. Most of these little shipments from a NAFTA country don't need any special treatment. If you're sending 100 knives to a retail store that would be a different case.

It was just a cash cow to them. If you ship via USPS it will normally cross without issue. High value stuff will still get dinged for tax and duty though. Around $400 seems to be where they want the vig.

If you read the regulations, you can ship up to sixty dollar value and call it a gift, anything over will be taxed.

 

[Danke42]

If you read the regulations, you can ship up to sixty dollar value and call it a gift, anything over will be taxed.

Yes I"m talking real world here though vs. what's regulation. I get all sorts of product from all over the world without blinking via mail and via courier. Multiple shipments of over $200 with no tax etc.

Get into the $4-700 range though and they take notice.

 

[Randydb]

And don't ship UPS or Fedex, right? Those get a customs brokerage charge to the customer. Could one of you Canadians explain this?

Yah, I bought a $90 sight for my bow and Fedex charged my $48 brokerage fees for filling out a few stupid forms! I called and complained and they told me thats the way it was. All the shipping companies charge the same rates. Basically it's x$-x$ is $30 fee....then y$-y$ 48 fee and so on. So buy something worth $400 and the brokerage fee could be up to 50% of the value of the package. Absolute rip off. USPS doesn't do that.

So living near the border I use Ship happens or Pic iT Up if a company is shipping something through courier to me. I often use them even if USPS is shipping to me because I have less issues when I bring my stuff across the border in person.

 

[John Andrews]

I ship to Canada and elsewhere and always by mail and insured. I state the contents going to Canada as a knife and have never had a problem. And yes, it is expensive to mail packages to Canada. Always have knife points and all sharp edges protected by metal to insure nobody gets hurt if box is damaged, dropped, etc. I use thin steel anywhere an edge or point can come through the box. One post office told me it was a requirement.

 

[Rick Marchand]

Canada's prohibited items list is pretty short for blades. No push-knives, gravity openers, or push-button mechanical(assisted openers are legal).

If you are in the USA and want to ship to Canada...

- Use USPS... Fedex and UPS charge crazy fees to your Canadian receiver.
- Describe what it is. (Fixed Blade Camp Knife, Kitchen Knife, Camp Machete, etc...) Use the word "fixed blade" if it isn't a folder and words like "slip-joint" if it is one. Don't be vague with descriptions like "camp tool". Harmony Code go a long way... use 'em.
- Always give a phone number... even if you don't have one for the recipient, give yours.

It is going to cost more than domestic USA shipping... Canada Post dogsled couriers aren't cheap. We are used to paying extra for everything.

 

[12345678910]

Yes I"m talking real world here though vs. what's regulation. I get all sorts of product from all over the world without blinking via mail and via courier. Multiple shipments of over $200 with no tax etc.

Get into the $4-700 range though and they take notice.

You must be lucky then. I've never missed a chance to be taxed.

 

[Randydb]

You must be lucky then. I've never missed a chance to be taxed.

It's funny when I cross the border in person with goods. 9/10 times they don't even charge me tax even though tax window is 15 feet away. Had items up to $400 not charged. Once in a blue moon I get charged tax. I don't know how to predict that one at all.

My favourite one was when my 12 year old son bought a giant $350 Star Wars Lego set and I had a $150 sink. The border guard asked my son to open up his Lego set and they talked Lego and Star Wars for 20 minutes. Seems the border guard was a collector. They went on and on and then we were sent on our way....no tax. Went by the people lined up behind us and told them "I hope you're bringing Lego across the border!"

 

[Slau104]

I have been receiving shipments of knives from US and Japan during the last few months, from both individuals and companies. The value declared were ranging from US$80 to US$350. All of the packages were shipped via the Post office, either USPS or Japanese Post. So far, only one (declared value of US$ 350) out of six shipments were charged GST and a CAD$10 'brokers fees' (by the Canada Post). All of the parcels were clearly indicated with a description of 'KNIFE'. All of my knife packages were cleared of Canada Border Service without any incidence or the package was opened for inspection. Due to the huge volume of packages going through the Canadian border, I am not sure how many or the percentage of the packages were X-rayed or opened for inspection. I suspect/speculate the Canada Border Service agents may focus their resources on packages from certain countries.

Yes, I agreed with Rick Marchand's remarks almost 100%. Only use USPS to ship to Canada. Don't have to go fancy on description, and just stated clearly it is a 'FIXED BLADE' knife (assuming it really is a fixed blade). It is always costs more to ship INTERNATIONALLY. Being a Canadian buyer, I am always ready to pay for the extra shipping charges. The only part I am not sure is about the insurance. I have been shopping from US for photographic equipment that costs thousands of US$, and none of them insured. I understand (may be I am wrong) that the limit of coverage is less than $1000. Even shipping within Canada, I was advised by the companies just ship with the Canada Post uninsured. Over the last 10 years, none of the packages were lost or stolen. So, unless you are shipping something your really think it is worth insurance and the extra costs (i.e. US$35 insured up to a $1,000 or $16 uninsured), shipped uninsured as long as the buyer is aware of the potential problem. I always advised the shipping party do NOT insured. One last thing, being the Canadian buyer, I always provide my phone number to my seller for cross border shipping.

NEVER, never use UPS, Purolator or FedEx as their so called 'broker's fees' can be huge compared the $10, charged by the Canada Post. Also, for smaller packages with value up to $200, the chance of being charged GST and broker's fees is quite small. There is always a chance of delay at the border, especially during the holiday seasons around Christmas when the volume of shipments are usually much much higher. The cross border shopping experience has been improved over the years. Once, luckily long long time ago, I have had a $4,000 shipping from US delayed at the Canada border (waiting for customs clearance) for over 3 months!!!! But, those incidence are mush less and far in between now.

 

[Camber]

Yeah, I've received about 4 or 5 large chopper style knives from Canada in the last year, and they have all been labeled as machete, parang, brush knife, etc. No issues at all.

 

[Randydb]

NEVER, never use UPS, Purolator or FedEx as their so called 'broker's fees' can be huge compared the $10, charged by the Canada Post. Also, for smaller packages with value up to $200, the chance of being charged GST and broker's fees is quite small. There is always a chance of delay at the border, especially during the holiday seasons around Christmas when the volume of shipments are usually much much higher. The cross border shopping experience has been improved over the years. Once, luckily long long time ago, I have had a $4,000 shipping from US delayed at the Canada border (waiting for customs clearance) for over 3 months!!!! But, those incidence are mush less and far in between now.

Over the years I have had a half dozen parcels worth $20-200 come across the border via courier companies. They were all charged the stupid giant brokerage fees except one that was worth $90. I always have my stuff shipped to a receiver on the US side of the border and pick it and bring it across the border in person now.
Last week my daughters ordered $80 worth of make up and stuff from Japan. Came via courier....they had to pay $44 worth of brokerage and taxes.

 

[John Andrews]

Insuring knives mailed is not expensive and well worth the small fee. I have little worry about theft but worry more about accidental damage. I have never had any complaints concerning mailed knives, unlike many folks that ship by commercial companies. Most complaints are damage claims.

Part of a job I had for a chemical company was inspecting shipments of large crates containing $40,000 worth of contents per crate that arrived via air cargo from the Netherlands. On numerous occasions, I had to refuse to accept the shipments because of damage. It created the ire of some international airline employees but business is business. My being a previous airline employee that handled years of air cargo and complaints helped to cut through problems and their BS.