Mail ordering gear to Canada from U.S.

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02-23-2005, 05:42 PM
gramboh

Mail ordering gear to Canada from U.S.

Hi there,

I'm wondering if anyone knows approx. how long customs holds stuff for at the Canadian border when ordered from U.S. retailers? I ordered some stuff the other week and it was shipped quickly and the tracking indicates it's in Canada but seems to be just sitting there.

Also, anyone knows the rules on GST/duty/"brokerage"? I was under the impression that duty = GST and you have to pay it on new goods, and that there is an additional charge for the stupid customs people to inspect goods (within a free trade zone, awesome).

Thanks for any info (bored and want my new gear!)
02-23-2005, 07:05 PM
gwat

Usually takes a few days but this is the government we're talking about here so it could be an eternity. Generally three days though.
If the declared value is over $60us you'll pay tax. It used to be only GST on most stuff but last time I brought some skis across the border (January) I paid both taxes.
If the package is coming through the Post Office you'll pay $5 to them on top of tax. Pray to god it's not coming through UPS because they will bend you over and empty your wallet. They charge at least $40 on top of tax, more depending on the vlaue. They once charged me MORE fees than the actual value of the package. I was pissed and phoned them up, they said they would reimburse me but it never happened.
02-23-2005, 07:09 PM
pointemstraight

I'm in the same boat (albeit reverse, shipping from Canada to the US), I had skis shipped to California from Vancouver - they were shipped on the 19th, seemed to sit in Vancouver for a few days and now the status is "Arrival in Destination Country." I'm leaving for a ski trip on Saturday and the shop promised they'd have them to me by this Friday, I paid for extra shipping and everything. I'm thinking right now there's no way I'm going to get my boards before I leave for my trip.. damn damn damn. I didn't know about all these taxes, etc either... perhaps I'll just bend over now...
02-23-2005, 10:33 PM
nealric

it seems to be a crapshoot. (at least from canada to U.S)

I have seen anywhere from hours (for an overnight shipment) to 3 weeks (evenytually got sent back to canada for bad paper work)
02-23-2005, 11:13 PM
gramboh

Insanity, need to loosen up security for free trade. Anyway, my items were USPS Global I believe, so it should be coming in Canada post I guess. Thanks for the info guys, it's not snowing this week so as long as I get my gear by the 4th I'll be happy.
02-23-2005, 11:22 PM
Nate Dogg

Well this doesn't really relate to your problem, which is pretty absurd imo....but I thought I'd share regardless. I made a recent order from backcountry.com and it is coming UPS Ground. I get obsessive when I have shipments coming in the mail, and check the tracking quite frequently. It apparently left Salt Lake City, UT at ~2:30 AM Wednesday, and as of 12:23 AM Thursday, it hasn't made a stop anywhere. Maybe I'm just lucky and they are dropping it off at my house :the_finge ...of course an order I had last week from Indianapolis had a few stops along the way where it was either recorded as arriving but never recorded as departing, or vice versa.

So in summation, tracking is bogus :p
02-24-2005, 11:50 AM
Oarhead

I had a rant about this a while ago. I am in cowtown too.

I ordered some new bindings from CO that were supposed to take between 5 and 7 work days according to USPS air. 2 weeks later I had to go cat skiing on rentals since they still had not arrived. They arrived the day after I got back. Total time: 14 work days. I think customs probably opened them up and rooted around and left them on the coffee table or something. Still not happy.
02-24-2005, 11:55 AM
basom

it happened to me the other way when i bought some sweet exploaders from oarhead. of course it was in the middle of the summer, and i was only a month into acl surgery recovery, so waiting an extra week or two for them to clear customs was no biggie.
02-24-2005, 11:58 AM
weibo

It's definetly a crap shoot. Anything I hav ordered from PM Gear has taken max 3days, if shipped by Splat. Most other things are about a week.
02-24-2005, 12:08 PM
Snow Dog

Quote:

Originally Posted by gramboh

Hi there,

I'm wondering if anyone knows approx. how long customs holds stuff for at the Canadian border when ordered from U.S. retailers? I ordered some stuff the other week and it was shipped quickly and the tracking indicates it's in Canada but seems to be just sitting there.

Also, anyone knows the rules on GST/duty/"brokerage"? I was under the impression that duty = GST and you have to pay it on new goods, and that there is an additional charge for the stupid customs people to inspect goods (within a free trade zone, awesome).

Thanks for any info (bored and want my new gear!)

GST is charged when they're in the mood.
Duty is an extra charge depending on what it is and where it was made. It's usually zero or close to zero.
Brokerage is charged by the carrier and is the fee for showing the paperwork to customs (the shipper does the actual paperwork). If it gets mailed then there's no brokerage fee. Sometimes UPS moves the package to the border and gives it to Canada Post. In that case there's no brokerage either.

Customs can be fast or slow depending on what it is and how busy they are. Sometimes the carrier loses track and the package sits in a warehouse in Canada (they always blame customs for the delay so what's the rush).

Customs charges duty and GST (and sometimes PST). All other charges are from the carrier.
02-24-2005, 12:34 PM
splat

The only way to get stuff through customs halfway quickly is to pay for airfreight. Ground shipments grind through the process exceedingly slow.
02-24-2005, 08:26 PM
gwat

Sorry, you don't know what you're talking about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snow Dog

GST is charged when they're in the mood.

GST is charged on any shipment declared at over $60us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snow Dog

If it gets mailed then there's no brokerage fee.

$5 brokerage fee for mail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snow Dog

Sometimes UPS moves the package to the border and gives it to Canada Post.

No that does not ever happen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snow Dog

Customs can be fast or slow depending on what it is and how busy they are.

Finally some truth.

Not a flame. I just hate incorrect information being passed around the net.
02-24-2005, 11:47 PM
Snow Dog

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwat

Sorry, you don't know what you're talking about.

GST is charged on any shipment declared at over $60us.

Maybe but if a courier handles it they'll always charge GST.

Quote:

$5 brokerage fee for mail.

It must be new because I've never paid it.

Quote:

No that does not ever happen.

I've picked up parcels from Canada Post that came with UPS paperwork and packaging. I have no idea why.

Quote:

I just hate incorrect information being passed around the net.

Me too. I don't get a lot of packages from the US but it's different every time.
02-25-2005, 11:51 AM
pointemstraight

I take back all that bad shit I said about shipping from Canada to the US (Me? Talk trash... never!) My Tankers arrived today in the nick of time. Hot Damn!!!
02-25-2005, 01:36 PM
weibo

[
(gwats reply to snowdogs claim of UPS handing off to Canada Post)
No that does not ever happen.

How can this never happen? If you recieve something through the mail ( non-courier) it has to be handled at sometime by Canada Post. Ex. If someone sends me a letter from the UK it leaves the UK through their post and arrives in Canada, then it gets transfred over to Canada Post and sent to you.
02-27-2005, 05:34 PM
gramboh

My P12's arrived, I paid 7% GST and a $8 "handling" fee to Canada Post (USPS ships to Canada then Canada Post I guess). Annoying but oh well, still paid far less than P12 retail here ($350 CAD).
02-27-2005, 09:54 PM
gwat

Quote:

Originally Posted by weibo

[
(gwats reply to snowdogs claim of UPS handing off to Canada Post)
No that does not ever happen.

How can this never happen? If you recieve something through the mail ( non-courier) it has to be handled at sometime by Canada Post. Ex. If someone sends me a letter from the UK it leaves the UK through their post and arrives in Canada, then it gets transfred over to Canada Post and sent to you.

I think you answered your own question.
>If you recieve something through the mail ( non-courier)
UPS is a courier and has trucks all over the world (yes, even in Canada).
UPS does not ever hand their packages off to postal services. Having a UPS package delivered by Canada Post would make as much sense as having a UPS package delivered by USPS.