Was wondering if I should sell my video games in US and Canada or just Canada due to shipping/duty?

[retroray54]

Going to sell some retro video games and was wondering if I should sell to Canada only or also the US. The duty and shipping will probably be ridiculous on these items. Just want to hear from someone with some experience as I am a new seller. 

[femmefan1946]

Duty isn't a problem.

There is none within Canada and Americans can import up to $800USD without duty.

There are also no federal sales taxes, which is actually what we pay more often when we import than duty.

Shipping?

To my mind it depends on bulk.

If your games are under 500 grams and 2cm (like a DVD or CD) they can go LetterPost/Light Packet which are fixed rated to anywhere in the USA or Canada.

If they are heavier or thicker you are into Parcel rates, which include destination as a criterion for shipping cost.

It costs me about $5 to ship a 300gr /3cm paperback book Regionally and about $12 Nationally.

Oddly shipping to the USA can be lower, but not always.

You also have to think about whether or not you will track your games.

Frankly, given your customer demographic, I think you should.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

My dinner guests just arrived ... back later/

[ypdc_dennis]

What service do you use to ship a 3cm thick book regionally for only $5 ??

[femmefan1946]

Sorry -- distracted by deciding when to put the chicken in the oven.

The $5 .05 rate is for a paperback 2cm thick and 495 gr.  which can go anywhere in Canada as a 'letter'.

Three cm takes us into parcel rates of $11.56 minimum (BC to AB) or $13.32 (BC to ON).

But my point is, if you are shipping anything that is more than 2cm thick or more than 500 grams, it becomes very important to know Canada Post rates well, because of the sudden jumps in cost as the parcel gets bigger or heavier and as the distance from you grows.