Shipments to Canada are painfully slow
f2tornado
Posts: 180 ✭✭
I'm amazed my packages can arrive at their destinations in Australia, Taiwan, Europe, and just about anywhere else two weeks faster than a package can get to Calgary or Montreal. I generally don't ship much to Canada but every now and then have some hockey cards to move and any smart US seller won't ignore Canadian bidders for those cards. My average shipping time to Canada in the last month is about three weeks. I have one customer who hasn't received his package after getting sent on 12/6, some 35 days ago. Unfortunately there is a $100 worth of graded cards in that one and I neglected to add insurance since the buyer and I have conducted honest business in the past and I've never had any of the thousands of packages shipped over the years get lost. After discussing shipping these delays with others it appears this about as slow as it has been since the 2004 union strike up there. I'm sure the holidays are partly to blame but one would think goods would flow north and south of the 49th parallel more efficiently. I guess NAFTA doesn't mean "FASTA". Anybody else experiencing slower than usual shipping to Canada?
Here are a few tidbits I've learned about shipping to Canada:
-Sellers need to use proper packaging so all postal items such as customs slip, postage, insurance, etc are all visible on the front of the package.
- The address and return address should be in all caps.
- Apparently first and last name of both parties must be included.
- The return address must include the country of origin. Easy to miss since many use address labels.
- Sellers should enclose a receipt as proof of declared value otherwise customs officials can make an educated guess if they believe the declared value to be in error.
- Items valued at $20 or more are subject to GST which is a 6% tax which is paid by the buyer. Some provinces have other taxation.
- Buyers of items flagged by customs must pay a $5 fee in addition to taxation.
- Some Canadian buyers request you declare a value less than $20. This will cause trouble should your enclosed receipt indicate otherwise. In addition you cannot insure a package for more than the declared value.
- Most Canadian buyers prefer USPS and absolutely despise UPS since UPS charged a rediculous amount of money to deal with the customs stuff.
- Many Canadian buyers don't understand why a US seller charges $2 domestic and $4 or more for Canada when the actual postage difference is often far less. The rate discrepency is often due to the significantly greater cost of either getting insurance or tracking number for Canada versus the U.S (as the seller may need to cover his behind).
- Cheap items where the additional cover my tail is not particually needed definately attract more Canadian bidders when the rates are reduced.
- As of this month the USPS automatically insures certain types of int'l shipments. The amount covered is based on weight. You can purchase additional insurance if needed. This change was done since the USPS will no longer investigate certain types of missing packages. You can read more on the USPS web site.
Cheers,
JT
Here are a few tidbits I've learned about shipping to Canada:
-Sellers need to use proper packaging so all postal items such as customs slip, postage, insurance, etc are all visible on the front of the package.
- The address and return address should be in all caps.
- Apparently first and last name of both parties must be included.
- The return address must include the country of origin. Easy to miss since many use address labels.
- Sellers should enclose a receipt as proof of declared value otherwise customs officials can make an educated guess if they believe the declared value to be in error.
- Items valued at $20 or more are subject to GST which is a 6% tax which is paid by the buyer. Some provinces have other taxation.
- Buyers of items flagged by customs must pay a $5 fee in addition to taxation.
- Some Canadian buyers request you declare a value less than $20. This will cause trouble should your enclosed receipt indicate otherwise. In addition you cannot insure a package for more than the declared value.
- Most Canadian buyers prefer USPS and absolutely despise UPS since UPS charged a rediculous amount of money to deal with the customs stuff.
- Many Canadian buyers don't understand why a US seller charges $2 domestic and $4 or more for Canada when the actual postage difference is often far less. The rate discrepency is often due to the significantly greater cost of either getting insurance or tracking number for Canada versus the U.S (as the seller may need to cover his behind).
- Cheap items where the additional cover my tail is not particually needed definately attract more Canadian bidders when the rates are reduced.
- As of this month the USPS automatically insures certain types of int'l shipments. The amount covered is based on weight. You can purchase additional insurance if needed. This change was done since the USPS will no longer investigate certain types of missing packages. You can read more on the USPS web site.
Cheers,
JT
"One you start thinking you're the best then you might as well quit because you wont get any better" - Dale Earnhardt
0
Comments
'Canada Mail'
As far as insurance to Canada or worldwide; it's all a joke. The U.S. is the only place where you'll receive the full value in compensation providing proof. You have to check the indemnity covered by these other countries. If you sent $100 value in cards to Canada and it's insured and it's lost. You won't see that full value covered. Their indemnity may only be $43.51 (which is what you'll get back), and you're out the rest. I'm starting to see some sellers list this in their auction that the receiver is responsible for the difference.
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I cannot find any info on the USPS site about "tracking" in
connection with Global Priority to Canada.
The only thing I can find is regarding Express Mail, which
shows tracking/confirmation.
What is the procedure used to cause Global Priority to
meet the PayPal requirement of "online delivery-verification?"
Thanks.
storm
I just had a Canadian buyer contact me because he bought a card off me on the 27th, I mailed it on the 3rd and he has not received it yet.
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When I send to Canada or Japan, I use Global Express.
The envelope is $17.00 and change, and includes online-
viewable information and $100.00 insurance.
PayPal is OK with this method.
Here's a sample if you go thru usps.com under track/confirm.
>>Label/Receipt Number: LZ69 3158 844U S
>>Status: Delivered Abroad
>>Your item was delivered in CANADA at 11:59 AM on January 2, 2007.
All the LZ's are the small envelopes. All the LX's are the larger envelopes.
>>Label/Receipt Number: LX93 1622 490U S
>>Status: Delivered Abroad
>>Your item was delivered in CANADA at 9:35 AM on November 14, 2006.
And here's my latest that was mailed on 1/3/07: Yesterday all it said was it left the U.S. at Los Angeles AMC and is in route. Today it says:
>>Label/Receipt Number: LZ69 3160 423U S
>>Status: At Foreign Delivery Unit
>>Your item arrived at the delivery Post Office in CANADA at 10:10 >>AM on January 11, 2007. Information, if available, is updated >>every evening. Please check again later.
I'm telling you, this is a real service, and I love it.
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What is the name of the label that is used on the package?
ie: The LZ and LX appear on what form of USPS label/receipt?
I found the right pages on the USPS site.
But, it says I cannot insure Global Priority. Is that correct?
Parcel Post, Registered, and Express can be insured, according
to the USPS site.
Self-insuring low-priced items and using the Global Priority tracking might
be satisfactory.
<< <i>I've been waiting for quite a few things from the US for quite some time.. Canada Post imo is going to sh1ts, they don't seem to care about their customers or their employees. I'm thinking DHL might be the way to go if a seller is willing too.. >>
Does Canada Post still deliver to your house? From what I hear if the rural mailman says he doesn't want to deliver a house or street they shut it off.