HELP! Shipping from Canada to USA

[Red Planet]

Like I said before I recieved a package UPS form Canada and later got a bill for some kind of dutties. I forget what it was for. The bill was from UPS. I did not pay it.

[joebar]

this is what i have been doing with great success:
i am in vancouver as well and i offer to cross the line and ship from washington to any american buyers. there are a few reasons for this:
it opens up a canadian seller to a larger audience.
it saves an american buyer brokerage fees and duties etc.
when i buy a bass from an american seller, i ship it to bellingham and then i pick it up and then i only pay tax on the item when i cross the border.

[purfektstranger]

I have shipped many basses to the states. Canada post has never let me down and the seller didn't get hit with insane customs clearance charges...

[DanAleks]

I shipped a bass to David Certain for some set-up work.

He told me to put it in a hard shell case and wrap packing tape around the case over each of the clasps, to keep the clasps from popping open.

Put a FRAGILE sticker on it and use FedEx.

He said the FedEx guys recognize it as an instrument & treat it as such.

He was right! The case and the bass were in perfect condition. YMMV...

[THORRR]

After much checking for alternatives, there was no way
around having to spend $140 to ship the bass. This was with
Ground FedEx, insurance, brokerage fees, taxes etc.

Shipping took 8 days and the package arrived in pristine
condition, and the bass was perfect inside.

Once again, FedEx did an excellent job!

[Red Planet]

Nice Bass, I like the color. I'm glad it worked out for you.

It appears the seller did an excelent job packaging.

[seventhframe]

Go to Point Roberts and ship it through p2p parcel.

[THORRR]

Originally Posted by Red Planet

Nice Bass, I like the color. I'm glad it worked out for you.

It appears the seller did an excelent job packaging.

Thanks - It's Fiesta Red and really POPs in person.

Yes the seller did a superb job packing - the bass was even
in perfect tune when it arrived.

[Baird6869]

May be too late, but for anyone else, I recommend the following.....

Drive across the border and ship USPS.

If you can't do that, the best way to ship from Canada to the US is thru Canada Post. They will insure, track and get a signature if required. The handoff from Canada Post is to USPS at the border.

I have shipped over a dozen basses this way and NEVER had a single problem. I pack the bass and bring it to my local Shoppers Drug Mart. Done.

[4StringShooter]

<< I'm not sure about shipping, but when receiving stuff from UPS from the States to Canada, I get charged a "brokerage fee" on top of taxes from UPS. >>


Thas because UPS has their OWN Brokerage House within US Customs. THAT is where the additional charges come from.

I bought a 39 dollar used (needed repairs) Selmer Clarinet for my Wife off of E-Bay. The bitch that sold it too me was SO pissed-off she didnt get 300 for the thing, she put a value of 300 dollars on the Clarinet when she shipped it purely out of spite. When I recieved it at the door from UPS, I HAD to pay an ADDITIONAL 100 bucks to UPS.

[Baird6869]

UPS from US to Canada is a complete scam. The fees are stupidly high. I refuse to buy basses from the US if the seller won't ship USPS.

[Zanderwestcoast]

Originally Posted by Baird6869

May be too late, but for anyone else, I recommend the following.....

Drive across the border and ship USPS.

If you can't do that, the best way to ship from Canada to the US is thru Canada Post. They will insure, track and get a signature if required. The handoff from Canada Post is to USPS at the border.

I have shipped over a dozen basses this way and NEVER had a single problem. I pack the bass and bring it to my local Shoppers Drug Mart. Done.

Driving across the border was not an option for me as I live on Vancouver Island and don't have the time to make a day trip out of this.

As for Canada Post, they qouted me over $400 because of the dimensions of the box and as it would have to be sent courior rather than ground!! They said if the box was 4 inchs smaller it could go ground service for $116 plus insurance, however Canada Post will only insure value up to a $1000.

I was not about to build a custom box and re pack at this point as Fedex was close to the same price!

[Immigrant]

What a crazy world. It costs an arm and a leg to send a musical instrument across a "border", but if you live in the US and order Rx drugs from Canada, they sail right through.

I get Visine from Canada. They don't sell it here anymore. It was called "Lasting Relief" here but labeled "Workplace" there. Go figure.

[Baird6869]

Workplace? Makes sense. I use my Visine BEFORE I go to my workplace!

Originally Posted by Immigrant

I get Visine from Canada. They don't sell it here anymore. It was called "Lasting Relief" here but labeled "Workplace" there. Go figure.