Blame Canada.

[herm]

Up until now I have pretty much ignored Canadians in the
trading post. Their beady little eyes scare me...

Anyway, I suppose it would be neighborly for me to learn what
is involved with buying / selling to the great white north.

So here are a few questions:

1) Do I have to fill out any special forms when using USPS?
2) Are there any import / export taxes to be paid?
3) Does the bank charge you for cashing an out-of-country check?
4) Anyone have a good international-trade horror story for me?

Someone with direct experience, please let me know what is involved.

-herm

P.S. Instead he burned up like a piggie on a barbecue. Should we
blame the matches? Should we blame the fire, or the doctor who
allowed him to expire. Heck no! Blame Canada!

 

[audio-kraut]

1) Do I have to fill out any special forms when using USPS?

That's what you have to find out from your postoffice. Sending from the country with the inhabitants with the beady little eyes we have to fill out a customs form.

2) Are there any import / export taxes to be paid?

I do not know what you have to pay, but sending to the great white we have to pay GST - goods and service tax at 6%. No customs duty - but beware sending with UPS/fedex etc. - they ding you a hefty handling fee for paying those taxes. A $100 item send through UPS cost me over $200 in the end - shipping cost excluded.
That's why I do not acccept shipments from sellers via UPS. Highway robbers.

3) Does the bank charge you for cashing an out-of-country check?

There is a fee charged by some banks for money orders - I personally do not accept personal checks. I prefer paypal.
Each bank has its own rules how to make a fast buck.

4) Anyone have a good international-trade horror story for me?

Actually - the only problems I had was with Italy - where they held a parcel containing a tuner and did not notify the buyer for almost four weeks - but I guess - thats normal for Italy.
I have shipped to japan, south korea, germany, etc. w/o problems.

 

[SY]

herm, it's not the beady eyes that's the problem, it's the floppy heads.

 

[KBK]

I don't know that quote, but it sounds like a good one. As if it was mentioned in the same routine as the cheese eating surrender monkeys.

 

[Geek]

herm, it's not the beady eyes that's the problem, it's the floppy heads.

Well, if you hosers would like stop shaking the planet, our heads wouldn't be all floppy, eh?

Most of my imports come from the US via USPS and wheather the parcel value was $1 or $500, they all say it was uneventful to send.

but beware sending with UPS/fedex etc. - they ding you a hefty handling fee for paying those taxes. A $100 item send through UPS cost me over $200 in the end - shipping cost excluded.

For that reason, I flatout refuse all out-of-country courier shipments.

Courier doesn't give a rat's butt that one may be lisenced to act as their own broker. They will charge the receiver outrageous fees and there is ZERO legal recourse.

Cheers!

 

[ocool_15]

Being from canada I've never really had a problem with any shipments. UPS does seem to have much higher charges when the package is delivered.
My mail is a much far cheaper at delivery time and I've found them usually to be about the same timeline. We get dinged the one tax but from a sender point of view I can't see it as being much different except for the increase shipping cost which a buyer pays anyhow.

 

[Apex Jr]

Herm...
I send alot to Canada, All by USPS unless customer asks for
UPS. UPS does cost more in the long run. And customer complaints
There are 2 different forms to fill out when shipping to Canada
If you ship under 4#'s and do not want insurance there's the
Green form (EASY) If over 4#'s or want insurance there's the
Big white form, longer to fill out.

You do not pay any Import/Export fee's only the shipping costs

If you get a check in Canadian funds you will pay a fee to have it
cashed or deposited up to $15.00, You can request a Postal
Money Order made out in US Funds

Not to many problems in shipping or time to get there.
They say " Air Mail 7-10 day delivery"
"Surface 4-6 weeks "


Steve @ Apex Jr.

 

[herm]

Thanks Steve and all who contributed!

I feel a little more comfortable, now.

So it looks like USPS, Postal Money Order in US funds,
and airmail unless the buyer is EXTREMELY patient.

I envision myself at the post office, hooked up to a lie
detector while giving a DNA sample for the white form
Steve mentioned...

 

[Peter Daniel]

Surface usually takes 2 weeks. If it's longer, blame Canada Customs

US check deposited in Canada requires 30 days to clear, no extra fees. Postal MO are usually cashed on spot.

 

[ocool_15]

The last order I got I ordered on a sunday and it was at my door on the thursday through UPS from ohio(Parts-express). Delivery times in say the last year seem to be alot shorter then they used to be through UPS or the Post office.

 

[rcavictim]

A note on Money Orders

Canadians trying to pay a seller in the US should purchase International Postal Money Orders in US Dollars from the Canadian Post Office. The American will have no problem getting them exchanged for instant cash at his branch of the US Postal Service.

Likewise Americans trying to pay Canadian sellers need to purchase International Postal Money Orders from USPS. The Canadian Post Office will redeem them for cash on the spot (but only in Canadian funds equivalency). Canadian banks also recognize them. Those so called money orders you can buy at the corner gas station are worthless scrap paper in Canada.

 

[karma]

--Those so called money orders you can buy at the corner gas station are worthless scrap paper in Canada.---


yup i have had a few when i sold stuff on ebay to the us.
its a pain.

blame America

 

[dtm1962]

Digikey delivers overnight from their Minnesota warehouse to all Canadian provinces overnight for $8.00 CAD.

You can't beat that!

 

[Cal Weldon]

herm, it's not the beady eyes that's the problem, it's the floppy heads.

Terence and Philip?

 

[SY]

All Canadians. Even Ike.