QUESTION re: Shipping packages from the USA

[rd1000]

If you have small packages, it is probably worth your while. I live an hour from the border and I take anywhere from 60 -100 packages each trip. It is well worth the trip.

I package all my items ready for shipping. They sometimes randomly open a package to see that the contents matche the invoice, but I just take a roll of tape with me and tape it back up. They have tape, but it has customs printed on it.

If you are taking less than $2000.00 US per trip, you only have to fill out one simple form. It is not difficult. Over $2000.00 and I am not sure of the procedure. I always make a trip before I get to $2000.

If any individual package is over $200.00, then there may be duties billed to the recipient. I am not sure how that works either, as all mine are less than $200.00.

The big difference is that USPS charges by the ounce, whereas CP has three levels of pricing. It adds up to savings if you have a number of packages.

Rob

[rd1000]

Oh, The reason for crossing is that you want to mail packages. Believe me, US customs is very used to hearing this. They know all about it.

[moltencore]

thanks for your help. sounds good. in terms of invoices...I usually don't put invoices in the package (saving trees) should I take a hard copy printout of the itemized list of all packages I'm mailing? cheers, Gail

[**niko***]

Gail
I also go across at Lewiston about once a week to mail USPS. In the last five trips, I paid a $5 commercial fee 3 times out of five, and on the last I was asked for my form but told to go thru when I said I didnt have it. to be safe you can have the form ready. Just say 30 X LPs, value $xxx. You will probably have to pay the $5.

As for USPS, you will love it. Priority mail is the way to go, usually just a few cents more than regular with 1-3 day delivery. You can add delivery confirmation for 45 cents or get it free if you print your shipping online. You need a PO box in the states to do that.

There is a 24/7 post office in Buffalo, ask jakeeangel for the directions.

[rd1000]

HI Gail,

I do not take an invoice for each item either. I print out a summary of each package with the recipients address, the total value, and the items in each package. I actually have to print out 2 different summaries to get all the information. I total it up at the bottom with the number of pieces and the total value. Only 2 agents complained about it, but they accepted it. As long as it is all there.

As "niko" said, there is a $5.00 fee to cross as commercial. If you decide to start going often, you can purchase a pass for your car for $90.00 per year, instead of $5.00 per trip.

If the total value is under $200.00, you do not need anything. But then I suspect it would not be worth it to make the trip.

Just as another note, I get my inventory mostly from the US. I have an account with a UPS store there and I have all my parcels shipped there. It saves a lot of money. And the headache of trying to make sure everything gets shipped USPS when coming to Canada. Now they can ship any way they want.

Rob

[moltencore]

Wow - thanks so much everyone for all the help. I've been charged the $5.00 bucks when I went to buy mailers one time in Rochester. my value is over $200 bucks easily so I think it will be worth my while. I'll try it once and see how it goes. (while I'm there I can stop at both Wegman's and Premier and buy some great food and drink stuffs).cheers! Gail

[jakeeangel]

Hi Gail,

Something else to consider is the return address. We were told once that there could be problems if a package ever has to be returned to sender. It won't be sent back to the Canadian address because postage was not paid to go from Canada to the US. It was only paid from Buffalo to the US location. It will go to the postal twilight zone never to be heard from again. Not good!

So far I've only had one problem with a return to sender package. I don't have a clue as to why because there's nothing wrong with it. They say an incomplete address but I used the same label as the previous time and she got the first package. Very odd. I haven't seen the package get back to me yet and I'm hoping it will come here but I don't know.

The 24/7 USPS is 285 Cayuga Road in Buffalo.

[auctiondropnship]

You can use Endicia to print an American Postal service bar code. In fact you can pre date it for the fture day you go down

Now the best part

The Endicia program keeps track of your printed bar codes with the addresses on there web site

We teeked the American Customs import Manifest and removed the lines. We then scanned it without the lines and reprinted it

You can then enter Endicia site under your account and pull up all your accounts for the week with your future shipping customers addresses. You can right click and copy the defined area with all the future customers addresses and tracking

If you set your pinter up to start about 3 inches down fron the top . You can then print all your future customer for the week into the American Customs import Manifest

[auctiondropnship]

If the total value is under $200.00, you do not need anything. But then I suspect it would not be worth it to make the trip

I do want to comment on something

PLEASE remember it's total value PER CUSTOMER under $200.00 American NOT the total shipment your bring down

[**niko***]

Molten - since you are shipping LPs, you may want to know this.

I was refused entry to the US today when I went to mail my videos. My mistake was that I tried to have my import form filled out. I usually say I didnt know I needed one but they're getting to know me.

First they weren't allowed in because there was no "Made in Xxxx" label on them which is apparently needed on any item brought in the US.

Second I apparently need a letter for each title I carry proving that noone in the US had sole distribution rights.

It was nice while it lasted and I got to sell an extra two weeks before Xmas but I guess I'm going back to Canada Post now. 😞

[rd1000]

"PLEASE remember it's total value PER CUSTOMER under $200.00 American NOT the total shipment your bring down"

I cross at Ogdensburg, and customs there considers the value to be the total shipment when determining if and which manifest is required. It would not surprise me if they were doing it wrong.

If any one package is over $200.00 then duties may apply to the recipient.

[auctiondropnship]

Yes total (PER) shipment

Reguarding the Vidoes...if the sale of the item is under $200 . All that is reguarded is the invoice and shipping manifest and American Import manifest with the name and address of the person you are shipping it too

[auctiondropnship]

If you have 200 boxes and each address is different . That's 200 diffenent shippment with each shipment under the value of $200. Your one lot is not considered a shipment , each package is considered a shipment

[shoplineca]

Not 100% true. If you have more than one package going to the same person at the same address then it could be the total of the two or more items.

I ship drum sets. An average quality set sells for about $500 US but I pack them in two seperate containers. The value of one package may be $350 and the other $150 however the duty (if any) or taxes will be against the total value of $500, not just the one box with $350 worth of drum parts in it.

That is why a manifest is important so that Customs officials can easily see that the value per US citizen and NOT have to sort through 200 packages and try to match up names.

The easier that you make their jobs, the easier it will be for you to clear the first time and subsequent times.

Malcolm

[auctiondropnship]

100% correct Malcom...sorry forgot too add that