"US Priority mail to Canada" Topic

An aberration or the new normal?

Mailed Jan 22 just south of Seattle
Out of US Customs Feb 6
Out of Canadian Customs Feb 21

One box containing a scale model tank. Scale models are not subject to Duty under NAFTA so no issue there. It was insured in order to get a tracking number. Good thing or I already would have had a customer complaint and had to mail a replacement.

I guess I should be glad it was mailed Priority

FYI USPS First Class to Canada now includes delivery confirmation. Helps them justify the rate increase.

Customs all over the USA has been slow as heck since the beginning of the year.

Don't get me started on postal rate increases. They've taken away the insurance on our small packet air service so they can introduce a new service, with all the same restrictions, that includes the insurance and tracking but at a nearly 250% rate increase, something no customer will pay unless it's a large order…..Does the addition of tracking justify that kind of increase especially when it only applies to 15 recipient countries….

I think it may depend on what the item was listed as on the customs/USPS form. I received a small box of "toy soldiers" from Tuscon AZ today 21 Feb that were posted on 13 Feb --IE it was not stopped by Canadian Customs.

You probably won't be charged duty but likely GST and an admin fee, which is almost as bad as duty, particularly for a single small item.

The slowdown is largely due to customs changes – according to the local PO, there's been some kind of serious crackdown and many more packages are being stopped and checked than was formerly the case, which is producing major but erratic slowdowns no matter what you're sending out. Too early to say if this is a new norm or not, but I'm guessing less predictable but longer average shipping times are what we're getting from now on.

Even my postmen tell me that the Canadian PO is horrible. They get so many complaints about slow service they oftyen wonder if the entire canadian system goes on vacastion at the same time. This has been my experience on many occasions as well.

While few things are subject to duty, imports are subject to HST/GST (name depends on province, basically sales tax) and might be applied to anything over $20. USD Or might not.

Then there is the time required for a customs inspector to decide that if it is over or under $20. USD

Yeah, there seems to be a general holdup at customs – US used to typically take 0-2 days, now a week + up to Canada or across the Pacific. I just sent a couple to Europe, so we'll see how that direction is going. It's too bad since everyone has gotten used to much faster international service.

I just sent a couple to Europe, so we'll see how that direction is going.

Equally horrid in my experience – average time is up by about two weeks over earlier norms. Been that way since the end of last month when the price hikes and other changes hit the US postal service.

I sent some stuff from the US to Northern Ireland recently, took about 2 weeks.

I think our Canadian custom officers must be wargamers.It seems that fate of our packages is determined by roll of dice.I cannot fathom the system or the rules.Sometimes I pay tax and brockerage fee (if sent by courier other than postal office)on a small $20 USD package.Than I order big ,heavy one,$175,and pay nothing.
On average,package fro UK arrives sooner than the one from the USA.

I've found that most shipments from the U.S. to Canada take approximately 3 full weeks. Doesn't seem to matter where in the States, I live just outside Vancouver.

Customs is a crap shoot, however I have found that if shipment is under the magical $75.00 USD mark, then no problem. If it's over it is a 50-50 chance I will get dinged.
Customs, duty, HST and a handling charge. It can be a lot extra.