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Hey everyone,

I've conducted about 5 trades/deals here on Dakka and I'm just wondering if people are having a similar experience. Typically when I'm shipping items from Canada to the US, people are receiving these packages within about 5 business days (1 week essentially). I'm shipping this Standard Canada Post w/tracking number and it's running me about $20- each time.

On packages that are being shipped to me, I'm finding that it's taking 15-20 business days (3 to 4 weeks) when shipped by USPS standard and this typically costs the sender under $10 US. Unfortunately this shipping option does not provide tracking information (at least that's what the majority of people I've been dealing with have said) but if they're shipped VIA courier (Fedex, UPS etc), there's a $30.00+ customs charge, along with any duty fees, which is just ridiculous.

I am not terribly concerned about these packages arriving, the people I am dealing with here all have several positive trades and their communication has been excellent. I'm just curious if anyone has also had this issue and might have any suggestions/tips to make things move faster.

Also, I'm aware it's the holiday season and that things will be delayed slightly now, but some of these items were shipped around the 7th of November, well before the "holiday rush".

Thanks everyone.

Tronzor!

Also, take into account that many of us are lazy, lazy bastards.

I know often after I complete a trade, I won't have time to get to a post office (damn business hours!) until around a week or so after the trade is finished.

The timeframe that I've indicated above is from the date of shipment by the other party. I know it can take up to a week for some people to ship, we all have lives.

I've shipped twice to Canada on trades. The first one was under the first class weight and it took two weeks plus the three days to get to the border. That cost me about 7$. The second time the package, it was an entire army, was over the standard shipping weight so it had to go first class. I shipped on the 16, he got it today. That cost me a whopping 28$!!!! So.....if someone wants to pay to get it their faster then you should get it sooner. If not......

Canadian customs tends to hold up stuff..
I have frequent trades with many Friends of the great white north... It takes from 10- 30 Days depending on how your Customs Mounties are feeling...

It's expensive because you're shipping with tracking, and you're probably shipping larger boxes. Typically it costs anywhere from 8-30 dollars shipping figures to the states at Canada post (assuming it's not a box larger than 30cm on each side). Most times I send models to the US on barters or sales, it costs me about 12-15 bucks. There's no point in shipping something with tracking if your trading partner across the border isn't going to do the same. You're incurring an unbalanced cost on your end of the trade by doing so.

For larger sales I use DHL because I work there and get a discount, and DHL doesn't broker north to south, only the other way around =(

As far as your brokerage goes, never ever let a US private seller ship to you via courier, ESPECIALLY UPS. They're just the worst. I think the base rate for their brokerage is 35 dollars; tack on your duty and taxes and you haven't saved any money at all.

It typically takes USPS pieces from the states about 10 business days to get to me, and somewhere the same going down there with Canada Post

Always ask your shipper to send to you via USPS slow, untracked, crappy mail, and always send with Canada Post cheapie service.

TobyDog wrote:It takes from 10- 30 Days depending on how your Customs Mounties are feeling...

CBS Agents are not employees of the RCMP, but the federal government!

That's generally what I had assumed I was just seeking some confirmation. I had an order from SecretWeaponMiniatures that I placed the first week of November and it arrived about 2 weeks later. I had a trade with another Dakka user that took over a month to get here and I think it was held up solely because of customs.

Thanks for the input here.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

hemingway wrote: As far as your brokerage goes, never ever let a US private seller ship to you via courier, ESPECIALLY UPS. They're just the worst. I think the base rate for their brokerage is 35 dollars; tack on your duty and taxes and you haven't saved any money at all.

It typically takes USPS pieces from the states about 10 business days to get to me, and somewhere the same going down there with Canada Post

Always ask your shipper to send to you via USPS slow, untracked, crappy mail, and always send with Canada Post cheapie service.

This is what I have started doing as a matter of practice. Unfortunately I had someone ship UPS because they saw it as a favor. The favor cost me about $30- extra. It was for a bunch of old metal IG pieces so I still got a deal, but no where near as good a deal as it was initially.

Huh. I shipped a full army to Ontario a few weeks ago; got there in about 8 business days. However, I did have to pay $50 for shipping and insurance (I'm paranoid)...ugh.

Chosen1 - Did you ship it by courier or USPS?

If you're getting packages to the US in a week and packages are making it to you from the US in 2 to 3 weeks, you're actually doing well.
I've got a lot of experience with US to Canada shipping, and my experiences are about double that on both ends.

Eric

Thanks for your input Eric, I know you've got a lot of trading history here and Bartertown. I'm glad I'm not outside of the norm.