Canadian Customs$!@$@!

[antiguru]

Seller:"Ok your new ADA is shipped, post office said 3-5 business days"

Me: "Ok awesome... I'll schedule sessions for when it gets here"

*9 days pass*

Customers: "Wtf?"

Post office: "We dont know shit!!"

Customs: "We hate you, we don't care about your business, and we hope your clients die... PS- it'll take a week to clear on the inside... if we feel like it"

Me:



Add USPS to the list of services not to use when going to Canada. I'm insisting on FedEx all the way from now on. grr...

[MASSIVE Master]

FedEx freakin' rocks hard...

I recently purchased a preamp from a fellow GS member - He's in Ontario.

Sent him a money order on the 8th. He received it on the 10th and promptly shipped the unit out the same day and sent me a tracking number (Canada Post).

I bookmarked the tracking link and checked it a couple days later - "01/10 - Item Received at Post Office." Every time I check it, it says the same thing. No updates, no changes, nothing.

Thirteen days later (today) the unit *arrives* (I'm near Chicago).

Just this morning, the page has yet to be updated.

Just checked NOW - and the page has yet to be updated.

Slow service, bad tracking system. Really bad. Really slow. I'm glad it was just an "impulse" purchase and I didn't really need it badly...

[mcballs]

I feel your pain. Living in Canada is makes being a gear slut a bit difficult. I find that FedEx is the best way to go, for sure. Never use UPS as they add all kinds of BS fees for imorting stuff. Also, I never try to get anyone to declare a value lower than the actual value on a shipment. I just don't want to risk my stuff getting siezed by some angry customs dude.

Last time I had something FedExed to me, I was able to pay duties with my credit card over the phone, so that only delayed it buy about a day. I'd like to talk to FedEx and see if they can automatically charge duties to my account rather than hold my package until I call them and give them money.

McBalls

[PlugHead]

Man,

You've been reading my mail!

Same deal here - I got a GS at the other end waiting for my MO to arrive - 2 weeks today (thru XpressPost).


Never again!


I guess it is worth it to have the big guys take it - live and learn...


best of luck (to us all in CanPost's hands)

[autodidactic]

Customs is a BS hassle in any country. I've had shipments between Canada and the USA delayed on both sides.When I moved to Hungary half of my gear including a vintage fender blackface twin was stolen while in custody of Hungarian customs.I ordered a computer from an online retailer in the USA to be shipped to me back when I was living in Budapest Hungary. Those dicks held it for no reason for 3 weeks. They don't care about you. They're government employees, they don't give a shit about anybody.

If you live in Canada I highly recommend just doing a small daytrip across the border to buy your stuff and keep it in the trunk. Most major Canadian cities are within a couple of hours of the US border so there's no reason not to go. If that's still too inconvenient then definitely go UPS/DHL/Fedex.

[antiguru]

argh, they delivered it to the wrong address now! At least it's someone I know =p


Does anyone know if Purolator is any good for international?

Also, re: Fedex... if you talk to them they'll usually help you find some NAFTA rule where your stuff gets through without duties

[Harley-OIART]

Just wanted to throw in as someone above said ; Customs is a pain no matter which side of the border you live on. Usually tack ten days on to whenever you are expecting the package just to be safe about the whole customs buffer.

That being said, Avoid UPS =)

Fedex is great. Canada Post / Express Post are pretty good. Blame customs all the way

Regards
-Scott

[slaves666]

I have had few problems shipping stuff across the border. Usually it is due to duties and taxes being levied on my goods. I have found that using USPS is better because of lower brokerage fees and you can usually get things "past" them. A good tip is to mark the items "used electronics" to avoid a lot of border problems.

[Sounds Great]

Just sent an SRV330 to Canada via USPS. Finally got there but it took about 3 weeks. And that was by airmail.

[Harley-OIART]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

And that was by airmail.

Too Funny

I dig slaves666 posted suggestion about marking the package "Used Electronics" .

Sounds like it would work for sure


Thanx Alot,
Scott

[dasbin]

I have had terrible luck with FedEx over the border, and even worse with UPS of course. Canada Post and USPS have been by FAR the most reliable option for shipping with me. Things don't tend to get lost like they do with FedEx, brokerage fees are the cheapest of the bunch (UPS is HORRIBLE on this count - usually over 600% higher) and the service I get at the post office is actually better than anywhere else.
Just because people work for the government doesn't automatically mean they don't care about people. Talk about a generalization.

Anyway, to each his own.

[slaves666]

I just ordered a u87 shockmount from Peluso. I'll let you know how it goes.

[T_R_S]

Get a UP and Fed-ex Brokerage account. I get packages overnight from the US no matter what the value. No Hold ups because they have all you info on file.

[PlugHead]

Originally Posted by dasbin

I have had terrible luck with FedEx over the border, and even worse with UPS of course. Canada Post and USPS have been by FAR the most reliable option for shipping with me. Things don't tend to get lost like they do with FedEx, brokerage fees are the cheapest of the bunch (UPS is HORRIBLE on this count - usually over 600% higher) and the service I get at the post office is actually better than anywhere else.
Just because people work for the government doesn't automatically mean they don't care about people. Talk about a generalization.

Anyway, to each his own.

Well,

After 8 or so dealings with USPS, and CanPost (XpressPost mostly to USA), I can say that Can Post int'l (XpressPost) is dodgey at best. 2 times they have LOST the envelopes once it hit the USA - this last time a fellow GS is waiting coming on 3 weeks for payment, of which I'm out if it doesn't make it there. The other time I had to re-issue a Money Order to a seller, and the prev. MO arrived 5 weeks after I sent it - 2 weeks after the re-sent (MO) arrived! I was lucky that the seller was honest and didn't cash the prev. one in (and I'm expecting the same from this other kind fellow currently waiting for his MO...)

I do agree re: UPS - stupid brokerage fees, things get tied up for ages in customs - they won't call and leave a message - they'll SNAIL MAIL you an invoice with brokerage fees, and not the item! Plus their shipping fees are outrageous for their shoddy service (esp. to my old location, which was in a 'no guarantee' zone - meaning - they charged the same, but would never commit to a delivery date!?)

IMO - they all suck.

SO THERE!

[jhg]

I moved from Edmonton, AB(yeah, the Conservatives' Province) to NYC a few years ago and sent an electric bass, case stuffed with most of my t-shirts, to a friend in CT ahead of arrival. I had done a lot of shipping at that point, contacted my UPS account exec who I was very friendly (50k+ of UPS bills a year will do that) He sent me that paperwork for getting it through customs as it was actually legitimate personal, used equipment to be used for business(an exemption category). Nonetheless, I got a bill for duty/customs based on the declared(insurance value) of the bass. Of course there was no debating anything. Rules are rules, gotta pay.
BS.
A later shipment of my GK amp was a ridiculously overpacked huge box with a small value, tagged as used clothing for gift purposes. They didn't care to bill me. My father was kind enough to bring my upright bass in a Gage hard case on the plane a while back. I don't think I'll ever stop thanking him.