joedy - 7-11-2012 at 07:03 PM
I haven't shipped to Canada before.
What would you recommend as the best way and courier of choice to mail a kite from the US to Canada (BC)?
I checked the USPS site, but they're quoting a $95 shipping fee from the US to Canada, but that sounds a bit excessive.
Thanks for your help.
-joedy
markite - 7-11-2012 at 07:04 PM
send it by mail - USPS
cheaper, less chance of any extra fees to the receiver. They might have to pay tax on the value, probably not. Courier will probably have brokerage
fees and then there could still be tax assessed.
macboy - 7-11-2012 at 07:39 PM
Yup - even if you tried UPS or Fedex for $50 there'd be anywhere from $50-$100 in border fees. USPS is the only way to go.
Bladerunner - 7-11-2012 at 07:39 PM
Yes ,
USPS please !!!
Canada Customs can get greedy ! If the person in Canadad doesn't know that you should inform them and tell them it is THEIR issue. They will get hit
at the post office if they add taxes.
You can help a lot be marking the value down below $200 if possible . Mark it as a gift and just call it a kite, lines and bar. Avoid calling it a
Power kite or anything like that.
joedy - 7-11-2012 at 07:56 PM
Does it matter much whether to use USPS Priority Mail or another USPS offering?
I know that here in the US, Priority Mail usually means a quicker delivery, but I don't know if Priority Mail is applied to Canadian-bound parcels.
If I'm hearing correctly, I should expect about a 100 dollar shipping costs with USPS? Does this sound reasonable in your experiences?
-joedy
flyhighWNY - 7-11-2012 at 08:15 PM
http://shiporion.com/ buddy here in Lewiston,ny is owner might be able to help beat some of those pesky fees
shaggs2riches - 7-11-2012 at 08:28 PM
I shipped an entire PL XR+ buggy wheels included 35-50lbs in a heavy box, for around $90 from Saskatchewan to the states. A kite nicely packaged with
insurance shouldn't cost more than $50 I wouldn't think. Its been hit and miss for me buying from the U.S. sometimes I get hit with charges of up to
$100 and others I have been hit with nothing. USPS should work quite fine.
canuck - 7-11-2012 at 08:30 PM
Definitely USPS Priority Mail International. Description : kite Value for insurance.
Suck the air out, compress some more, cut down the box, do what you can to minimize the size of the box because it usually weighs nothing and the size
of the box dictates the rate. Canada Post only charges $5.00 for Customs & Brokerage at our end but couriers are at least $35 or more.
Bladerunner - 7-11-2012 at 08:56 PM
If you are talking a Flysurfer I think it will be closer to $70 or less.
You get charged on size as well as weight .
macboy - 8-11-2012 at 02:11 AM
And all it is really is our greedy government forcing the carriers to stop the packages at the border and determine if it was a commercial product
purchased. If they deem it was, they assess our sales tax (only 5% in Alberta) which the receiver gets to pay at the door along with the brokerage
fee. USPS brokerage fee is about 5 bucks I do believe. UPS is about a hundred.
Okay, not a hundred but it's a LOT.
joedy - 8-11-2012 at 04:00 AM
Thank you for your help, everyone.
-joedy
Bladerunner - 8-11-2012 at 07:56 AM
Just to be clear to American sellers.
This tax thing happens at the Canadian end and you are never held responsible for any extra charges. ONLY the Canadian.
You can help to possibly avoid it by using USPS and labeling right but that is about the only thing " special " about sending to us.
:bigok:
big_d - 8-11-2012 at 03:57 PM
ship in an unmarked package, so the receiver will not have to pay any custom fees, might have to label it as a gift I'm not sure about that one, but
make sure the package is unmarked and does not say a total price on it
macboy - 9-11-2012 at 12:19 AM
hehehehe.......
We have a live-in doc with us every three or four months while her husband finishes off med school in St Lucia. She has all her mail coming here and
about a month ago we received a discreetly packaged, cylindrical shaped something or other. Completely unmarked. Made me wonder what sort of things
the postal workers get entertained by each and every day.
(It was just Pro-Active......so she says 
)
joedy - 9-11-2012 at 07:26 AM
Of course, it was just a karaoke microphone.... right?
:ticking:
-joedy