Shipping between US and Canada

[Allison]

Dan Cohoe wrote:
> At the risk of dragging this thread on too long, here's my take on the
> topic. This is from the POV of someone on the Canadian side of the border.
> 
> USPS is my friend. They've got Global Priority mail, air parcel post and
> surface mail. Simple customs declaration forms are available at the counter.
> It's really not much more difficult than addressing the package label.

I've always gotten excellent service for my dollar from them.

> The Canadian postal service (Canada Post Corporation) has good hand-off from
> the USPS and they also have a deal with the Canada Border Services Agency
> (CBSA) to provide collection of whatever charges may be levied at crossing.
> For items under $15 value there's typically no application of the usual
> Sales taxes(across Canada, GST at 7 % and in Ontario PST at 8 %) and no
> brokerage fee. A $5 brokerage fee and the taxes will often be charged for
> values over $15 or $20

Excellent info.  Bwetween you and Tom I've gotten an answer.  One key is 
to break it down in to very small loads if need be.

> Most items of interest to this list from the USA attract no Customs Duties,
> just the taxes.
> 
> I've not experienced the loss of packages that others are referring to by
> Canada Post and generally try to have epay sellers send stuff by USPS,
> though most will not, apparently because of the lack of tracking through
> USPS.
> 
> No experience with Fedex, but UPS rates to Canada are a lot higher than
> domestic US and they will hit you with the automatic $35 brokerage charge.
> For items that must be shipped UPS, again on the shipper's rules, I almost
> always get them dropped at a pick-up spot in Niagara Falls NY. I`can then
> cross the border myself, pay $5 to the pick-up spot and bring the stuff
> across personally.

No love for UPS, used them.  The broerage would likely be more than 
shipping cost.

> For really big stuff, I try to find a local freight company that does
> regular runs to the area of the purchase and arrange for them to stop and
> bring the load back. Very reasonable cost compared to most alternatives when
> you're talking bigger than 2-300 lbs. Of course you do need to have the
> paper work done and ddeal with a customs broker then, but the charge is
> still less than the UPS flat rate brokerage would be.

We're talking under 10-12pounds max.  Small box (under 14x6x10 inches). 
No commercial or retail value.

> People sometimes comment to me about how difficult it must be to cross with
> some of the larger items I find....like my latest fun acquisition, a JEOL
> JEM 100CXii electron microscope. In fact, going either way across I've never
> had many hassles, particularly if its US-made goods I'm going south with.

I've bought US goods in CN and brought them back with zero problems at 
customs. Small CN items were never questioned.

Allison