Question:

I might ship a kite to US and I was wondering as not being a US citizen, if I can drop by a USPS office and ship from there without having an address in US

I need to go to NY state next week, and I might just ship from there as it avoids lot of "ship as gift" bla bla.

Or if I ship from Canada. Do you guys get hit by a duty tax.
Of course need to insure, so shipping as gift will work ???

Go to USPS in NY. They only care where it ships from, not who. I think you will need a return address for insurance and for Priority Mail. I think you can use your Montreal address as a return and only get additional charges if they have to use it for some reason.

Are you near NYC buzz?? How long you in for? If you're around at a weekend look me up and we'll hit the water

I just mail via Canada post as a gift? I pay a few bucks extra for each $100 insurance but that doesn't effect the " gift " status ! It gets transfered to USPS ! No one has told me they are hit with any extra charges.
Why do you feel you NEED a USPS office ?

You are right Bladerunner, but I figure if he was to be in NYS anyway, then ship from there. Domestic USPS Priority is affordable and fast. If it's heavy though, then a UPS store in NY might be better.
I am not sure about shipping from Canada to US, but I ship all the time to Canada and the USPS International priority is the best deal. UPS gouges customers with customs duty fees that, with the custms duty, can be as much as a kite.

I have had trouble in the past but lately everything that's sent USPS and labeled GIFT and kite has come through without any duties or taxes.

UPS is the worst and a deal breaker IMHO.

Quote:

Originally posted by acampbell I am not sure about shipping from Canada to US, but I ship all the time to Canada and the USPS International priority is the best deal. UPS gouges customers with customs duty fees that, with the custms duty, can be as much as a kite.

from my experience:

Domestic Shipping
canada to canada: www.canadapost.ca
usa to usa: www.usps.com
(same goes for canada to usa - vice versa)

International Shipping (Europe)
Fed Ex: www.fedex.com
- if you do your shipping quote online, they have bound to the quote generated
- if you have never opened an account before its 30% off the first one.
- fast and tracking numbers are by 12hr not by day
- brokage fees are included in the shipping quote

Domestic / International (multi packages)
DHL: www.dhl.com
cons
- if you ship all the time its the only way to go, the more you ship the cheaper your rates get.

minus
- some countries have DHL Post, which means its flys on a plane within the country or to the nearest hub overseas. than they exchange the parcel with your local service (cp or usps).

tips for sendings (tax and duty)

- give a full description of the item
- list it as "gift" / "used kite" / "non-resale value" / "toy gift"

my wooden nickel cents.

DON'T ship across the border using UPS! They assign an automatic customs clearance fee based on the declared value of whatever it is (gift or not, to my knowledge) and it's HUGE! I got a kite shipped up VIA UPS and got wacked with a $60 customs fee.

Don't, don't, don't.

USPS and Canada Post are the best ways IMO.

It is not the duty or customs charges that UPS bilks you on it is "Brokerage Fees" which UPS calls Customs Charges. Makes it sound like the gov't is doing the screwing not UPS. As near as I can figure out the only charges that should be leveled on kites are PST and GST. In BC this works out to 15%.
If you are down in the states for a little bit why not bring it back yourself, and take as personal exemption. Better yet take a couple of kites with you and bring back three. It is only bad if you are caught.
S

I agree to avoid UPS! USPS or Canada post if you use flying toy or toy kite, I have never been charged. Kite is sometimes ok but power kite is a no no... ripsessionkites has it right for sure! I am just adding my limited experiences...

Marking it as 'gift' on the customs form is definitely the way to go to avoid customs charges.

I noticed when I ordered a Pansh from China they also marked the customs form as a 'gift' and gave it a nominal value of something low like $5. Of course that doesn't work if you intend on insuring it for it's true value....

sssssshhhhhhhhhh!lets not spoil a good thing. loose lips sink ships.mine was marked "kite sample" . I'm gonna sample some more kitesssssshhhhhh.

finally I just forgot to comment it after I shipped the kite

I shipped as GIFT with Canada Post to USA, but I did insure it for 1000$. The clerk suggested that I write a description:

So I wrote something like:

"Powerkite made in US, return for repair."

I checked the box [x] Gift
I put a declared value 1000$ which I insured for.

All went thru OK, the buyer even got it in 5 business days

For receiving kites from US, now I get them shipped to Champlain NY, and go to pick them up myself, on the way to go kitesurfing to Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh (my new preferred spot).

re. sssh... good point... oops...