What is with the passionate aversion for shipping to Canada?

Gadfly22 said:
I've shipped to or from Canada 4 times. The 2 from Canada were each delayed for so long that I thought they were lost. The 2 I shipped to Canada involved more time in filling out customs forms than I felt like spending. Plus the cost was a surprise the first time. I love Canada but just not worth the extra effort to ship there.

Another question is why people claim to ship only to "CONUS". Shipping to Alaska or Hawaii or Guam is the same as shipping to CONUS -- same priority mail cost, same tracking. It just takes longer.
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I can't imagine what extra efforts are required by USPS to ship something internationally, you're all nice guys but you have to be exaggerating. To send something internationally from here, I need to fill out a secondary piece of paper, I have to write down both To and From addresses again, then write "Pocket knife, value $100" and sign it. It takes max an extra minute.
 
liamstrain said:
International shipping from the US is (relatively speaking) an expensive pain in the butt. CONUS I can have picked up at my home, or drop at of a dozen locations a few blocks from my house. INternational, I have to go TO the post office, get specific forms, fill them out, get in a slow moving line and have them checked and physically signed by a generally incompetent clerk, and then fork out the cash - the cost of which I don't know up front (and frequently surprises me with the total amount, often double my best estimate). Usually takes me about an hour, compared with printing the postage on my computer and leaving it at my mail drop (5 minutes).

Likewise bank transfers. Our system just doesn't play nicely with other countries.

I will ship internationally if I know the buyer, and they are willing to pay a bunch more in shipping (or I'm willing to eat a bunch more in hidden costs). But it's much much easier to just restrict my sales to CONUS.
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Nailed it in one. This is exactly right.
 
I live in europe and have had no issue shipping to the us. takes me about 15mins to get it sent. receiving packages from the us through int priority is annoying because my knives always get stuck at customs for a month. the sender had no issues whatsoever. obviously fedex is the method of choice. label it as a 100$ camping tool and it'll be there in 2 days. I only order stuff from the us through fedex.
 
liamstrain said:
International shipping from the US is (relatively speaking) an expensive pain in the butt. CONUS I can have picked up at my home, or drop at of a dozen locations a few blocks from my house. INternational, I have to go TO the post office, get specific forms, fill them out, get in a slow moving line and have them checked and physically signed by a generally incompetent clerk, and then fork out the cash - the cost of which I don't know up front (and frequently surprises me with the total amount, often double my best estimate). Usually takes me about an hour, compared with printing the postage on my computer and leaving it at my mail drop (5 minutes).

Likewise bank transfers. Our system just doesn't play nicely with other countries.

I will ship internationally if I know the buyer, and they are willing to pay a bunch more in shipping (or I'm willing to eat a bunch more in hidden costs). But it's much much easier to just restrict my sales to CONUS.
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Whoa It's like you picked the words out of my head!
 
Where the heck do you guys live that you live so far from a post office?

Also, not sure if you saw my previous message, but you are indeed able to print off shipping labels at home. Though I'm shocked that an hour of inconvenience would warrant turning down a potential $300 sale or trade for a knife you are after.
 
I just don't like Canada.

I've had issues mailing even a letter to my friend in Ottawa, took 2 months for her to get it. I can understand people in the U.S. not wanting to ship there. If I ever started selling my knives I would probably go CONUS as well.
 
It's not just distance to the post office. It's the wait in line. There is no such thing in Chicago as a fast moving post office line. The trip will take at least an hour, regardless of when you get there.

If the trip to the post office was not required, I would have much less of a problem with international shipping.
 
Extra cost, extra hassle, and dealing with customs for a knife that will sell anyway to someone in the states...why bother shipping to Canada? I mean I understand your frustration and all but I'm not going to put more work in my own lap to get YOU the knife when I can send it to another member without all that.
 
unlimitednights said:
Where the heck do you guys live that you live so far from a post office?

Also, not sure if you saw my previous message, but you are indeed able to print off shipping labels at home. Though I'm shocked that an hour of inconvenience would warrant turning down a potential $300 sale or trade for a knife you are after.
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would for me, like several have said , it is just a royal pain (no pun intended) and that is only if the package makes it to the buyer, if it doesn't, it is worse than a pain, it just becomes extremely painful.
 
Shotgun said:
Extra cost, extra hassle, and dealing with customs for a knife that will sell anyway to someone in the states...why bother shipping to Canada? I mean I understand your frustration and all but I'm not going to put more work in my own lap to get YOU the knife when I can send it to another member without all that.
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Absolutely correct, sad for our International friends, but true.
 
I have purchased around 30 or so knives from various U.S. dealers over the years and have never had a customs issue. The tracking is picked up by Canada post BEFORE the knife clears customs, so at some point you have two tracking options.
The only snags I have had is waiting time. Once a knife took two weeks, but that was about it. It all comes down to knowing what you are doing with the B.O.L. and the Pro.Forma or Customs invoice. The dealers know how to do it and it's not hard.
Shipping something from Canada to the U.S. Takes about 5 min. more than shipping something within Canada, depending on how fast you write or type.
I have never purchased from an individual yet, but that's not an issue for me as I find most of what I want from dealers either here or in the U.S.
I know there are folks who don't mind dealing with us Canucks, and thanks to them, but one word does keep coming to mind after reading this thread...LAZY.
Cheers
 
There's not really any excuse other than not wanting to wait in line at the Post Office. I don't buy the cost aspect. All you have to say is "extra cost for shipping outside of USA"

That said, it's not hard to find a domestic buyer so I don't blame anyone.
 
macknife12 said:
I know there are folks who don't mind dealing with us Canucks, and thanks to them, but one word does keep coming to mind after reading this thread...LAZY.
Cheers
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How about undercompensated? I've shipped to Canada USPS and it took much more total time, and some extra shipping cost. I charge $35 / hr. for what i do for a living, sometimes I put myself in a Canadian's shoes and just go through the rigamarole, get it done, but now I won't ship Int. again.
 
I've gone to and from Canada with no issues. Neil from True North Knives once told me "Just be honest about what's in the package and customs usually won't give you a problem." I haven't done a lot of that but I've had no issues when I have shipped up north.
 
BFC exchange rules (or at least expected practice as explained by mods in GB&U) say that it's on the seller if a shipped package doesn't arrive. I'm simply not willing to eat the cost of an expensive knife confiscated by Canadian customs officers.
 
klute said:
How about undercompensated? I've shipped to Canada USPS and it took much more total time, and some extra shipping cost. I charge $35 / hr. for what i do for a living, sometimes I put myself in a Canadian's shoes and just go through the rigamarole, get it done, but now I won't ship Int. again.
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Of course there would be extra cost, but surely that is negotiated at the time of the deal.
As far as time goes, then perhaps negotiate that at the time of the deal.
I ship various goods to the U.S. weekly, using different modes of transport, and it can be very easy.
Cheers
 
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