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Thread: Shipping to Canada

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    74

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    Has anyone ever shipped to a US border-side shipping address service like http://www.cbiusa.com ?

    Prices are very reasonable. Maybe I'll do this for my next purchase and drive it home myself in a van!

    From their FAQ:

    There are NO size limitations — as long as it fits through our overhead door! Including but not limited to automobiles, motorcycles, furniture – nothing is too large . . . or too small.
    Popular fees:
    Skids: $27 to receive & additional $1.50 per night storage fee
    Last edited by Gabardine; 09-26-2012 at 11:32 AM.

  2. #12
    Rafree1 Guest

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    I haven't used them but, have used similar places closer to the Syracuse/Kingston border crossings without any issue. And you have two choices with them. You can pick it up and cross the border with it yourself or use their "push" service in which case it can be delivered direct to you. There are a ton of these businesses out there these days. I'd get recommends from friends as you are trying to do now before using one though. Make sure others have had a good experience with them first. There was only one place near me a few years ago and now they dot the border all along the edge. Good business idea!

  3. #13
    modern1 Guest

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    Rafree1,
    I have never use De Jong before, will try, thank you for advise...
    Regarding Duane's issue - i would say since it is not local delivery it may cause you huge headache, it is really doesn't matter (for me) to ship furniture over the USA or to Canada, if it is any problem happened on delivery there is about the same expenses to fix that problem... If i understand Duane's calculations correctly he is using white glow delivery service "$ 350 back to Canada, then another $ 200 to the Moving and Storage company to take back out to the home", in that case i agreed, it might be painful... But if we are talking about Curb Side Delivery or even In Home Delivery than it should be no more than $200.00 repacking fee over inside US shipping and since our Canadian shipping rates are higher than US shipping rates than even this extra $200.00 are covered.
    Also, from my experience, i found Canadian customers more loyal than US customers. $200.00 - $250.00 reasonable discount may often resolve most of the issues with Canadian customers. Honestly my biggest pain in the a s s is California.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,889

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    Part of going back and forth through Canada on returns is dealing with Customs as well. Try to explain to them that this piece was going back for a repair and is returning to the owner and customs and duty have already been paid on it. It looks new - is back in new packaging - and you can be on the phone for hours.

    Bottom line for me is once we cross international borders, the standard for return of an item for a defect is raised up considerably vs ones that are domestically shipped.

    I have a LOT of customers in California - its my # 1 ship-to-state (# 2 is Texas). I don't have a lot of issues from my far West deliveries, but that's largely because Sun Delivery Service does and excellent job for that area. When I used to use other delivery agents there were a lot more minor rub and small damage issues to deal with. Choosing the right delivery service does make a difference.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  5. #15
    Rafree1 Guest

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    Hi Modern,

    I can't speak for other customers up here but, I know I am completely loyal to businesses south of the border who ship here and give good service because I know it's harder for them with all the logistics in many ways. Also, they are reaching out to a new market and that can be an iffy prospect for them. I really appreciate it! I also appreciate that many times I'm finding an item that I cannot source locally and love that I can still buy it despite the border!

    You really just have to careful who you deal with as far as delivery goes. Duane you're right about that! I will say one thing though. And please nobody take this the wrong way but, I've lived in both countries for long periods of time. Customer service is WAY better in the U.S. Americans expect great service and competition is a lot more fierce. In Canada customer service is much more "relaxed" so even if I bought only local I could run into issues and have to do a little hoop jumping to solve them. As for sitting on the phone with customs? Duane, the customer ought to be the one to do that. There are ways, first of a "used" item isn't supposed to have duty and neither is something fully made in the U.S. AND if the person has a receipt of payment of duties and taxes which they should have taken from their package when they got it, then all you do is fax that or show it in person. Mercy! It sounds like you have got the customs officers from the dark side!

    I DO think people purchasing cross border should know the rules and be willing to do their part if an issue comes up, otherwise you are just discouraging merchants from even bothering. Then everyone will complain that so and so won't ship here or won't sell here. Well, if you are going to be a royal pita then why should they? Most Canadians know the cross border laws and rules very well and how to navigate that system. I would never expect someone else to sort an issue with customs for me.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    74

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    The wildcard with crossing the border, which I just learned about at a recent border crossing, is backlog. If you ship something small over the border during a busy time, the backlog is huge and it's less likely to be caught. During a quiet time (crossing yourself at the border or via a courier) it's more likely to be caught. I always thought that the law was the law, but not when you're dealing with the fire hose of cross border traffic!

  7. #17
    Rafree1 Guest

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    Quote Originally Posted by Gabardine View Post
    The wildcard with crossing the border, which I just learned about at a recent border crossing, is backlog. If you ship something small over the border during a busy time, the backlog is huge and it's less likely to be caught. During a quiet time (crossing yourself at the border or via a courier) it's more likely to be caught. I always thought that the law was the law, but not when you're dealing with the fire hose of cross border traffic!
    If your item is crossing at Detroit or Buffalo this could indeed be a problem but, there are numerous much smaller crossings for smaller cities where back log isn't usually an issue. If the item is going to Toronto area though then yes..it could. Toronto items usually cross at border crossings that are SO busy! I'm very glad my stuff crosses a good hour north of Syracuse at a much, much smaller crossing area. In twenty five years I've only seen that crossing busy once. By busy I mean they were an hour backed up on both car and trucking crossings. Detroit and Buffalo are just madness though.

  8. #18
    modern1 Guest

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    Quote Originally Posted by drcollie View Post
    Part of going back and forth through Canada on returns is dealing with Customs as well. Try to explain to them that this piece was going back for a repair and is returning to the owner and customs and duty have already been paid on it. It looks new - is back in new packaging - and you can be on the phone for hours.
    Got your point... When we ship to Canada all that is a customer's part of the job. Customer is aware that he mast pay taxes, custom broker fee or any other cross border fee, our part of job is to prepare and send on time all required paperwork. We are never dialing with the custom directly, this part of job must be done by custom broker.

    And i have to try Sun Delivery service, does they require any extra packaging?

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,889

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    Sun is a blanket wrap, 48-state service. But they are designed to work from North Carolina outbound like spokes in a wheel, with North Carolina being the hub. It gets costly if they have to pickup elsewhere because the double charge and all pieces have to go back to their hub. So if you're shipping product that originates in North Carolina, its a great service, otherwise its not cost effective to use them.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  10. #20
    Rafree1 Guest

    Default Re: Shipping to Canada

    I got excellent service from Dejong And ABF both. Dejong's shipment was a little delayed as they got behind after the holiday here but, it was delivered safe and sound to ABF who brought it to my home. Dealing with customs was a breeze. I called customs after Dejong gave me the item number. The man was extremely pleasant. Paid my taxes over the phone and was given a receipt emailed to me and mailed a hard copy, with no duty added on because H and M are all American made. My cleared paperwork was then faxed to Dejong. It was SO easy! ABF brought the item to my door. Their drivers are pleasant, the storage area there is heated and clean. No issues whatsoever.

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