Shipping USPS to Canada

EchoWars

Hiding in Honduras
Sponsor
How about some do's/don'ts for shipping USPS to Canadian addresses? What to claim? Is insurance available? How much is the guy on the other end gonna have to pay to get it from Canada Post?
 
Echo, I have received parcels via USPS, and insurance is available. The USPS site has a schedule of fees, listed on the Extra Service Features and Fees page, here. You have to insure for the value, at the Post Office, not online. The cost for a $100USD would be $5.50USD, above the postage costs.

The recipient will be charged sales taxes based on the 7% GST (federal sales tax) and the provincial sales tax, if any (Ontario's is 8%) on the price of the goods, converted to $CDN. For example, on that same US$100 amp, to me, would be charged tax on CDN$119.05 (at current exchange rate) This would be taxes of $17.86 (7% PST + 8% PST). Then Canada Post charges a $5.95 fee for collecting this tax, so the total due, to Canada Post, would be $23.81CAD.

Hope this helps. Where is your customer located, I can give you the provincial sales tax rate for that province, and adjust the numbers, if required.
 
There is a limit on 'gift' declarations. Anything valued more than $60CDN will be charged sales tax, even if it is marked 'gift'. And USPS won't let you insure for more than the declared value, even if it is a gift. Nifty Catch-22.

Pack well, as per your usual standards. The box will receive MUCH more handling than a US domestic shipment, as there will be THREE different agencies involved. USPS, Canada Post, Canada Border Agency, and back to Canada Post. Sometimes, it's a wonder that gear gets through, at all, without a packaging failure.

One tip, make sure that the piece is well sealed, inside plastic. My last two packages have suffered water damage, while they lingered in customs, awaiting clearance. The contents weren't damaged, as water had no effect on them, but I imagine your shipment won't be quite so impervious to water/dirt. Better safe than sorry.
 
::gasp::

bolly said:
I think the process works better if the sender chooses Gift on the shipping form

Bolly, you want people to LIE to our government?

::tsk, tsk:: :no:
 
Not only is it lying its flat out against the law. Sorry but AK and all of its staff cannot condone that behavior.
 
grumpy said:
Not only is it lying its flat out against the law. Sorry but AK and all of its staff cannot condone that behavior.

Excellent! No input from the AK vintage rabbi needed :)

Rich P
 
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