Incoming package from Europe stuck in Mississauga Customs for a week and counting...anyone else?

[fergua3]

Wondering if anyone else is experiencing long Customs delays at Mississauga, Ontario?   Very unusual....usually have packages go through Customs there in a few hours, a day tops.  Anyone hear anything about a slowdown?

Should have nothing to do with tariffs since the package is from Germany and coming into Canada directly from there.

[fergua3]

small percentage duties charge plus HST.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

At the risk of being repetitive:

What is the last estimated date for delivery?

Are any of the packages past that date?

You can open an Item Not Received claim if they actually are late.

...

The best advice about tracking is that it is a Seller Protection against unwarranted Not Received claims.

Tracking does nothing to protect the buyer. Tracked shipments do not move faster nor are they treated more gently.

Mark the last date for arrival on your calendar and don't watch tracking until then.

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@reallynicestamps 

@fergua3 

@john_koenig99 

According to current Money Back Guarantee rules customs delays are no longer (not sure if they ever were) a valid reason for INR's and lates. It's been addressed by other sellers and possibly confirmed by Devon as the case going forward. From a sellers perspective they have little control and really can't do anything to speed up the process once a parcel is in the hands of the fine folks with CBSA/CBP. You might have a tiny bit of sway if you have your own personal customs broker but as a receiver nada.

[marnotom!]

Sorry, I wasn’t very clear with my question.

Who collected the duty and GST and who charged the brokerage/processing fee: Canada Post or DHL?

[fergua3]

Canada Post

@lotzofuniquegoodies

What if the cause of the delay is because the seller screwed up the paperworK, which will normally be the cause of delays.

[marnotom!]

Just making sure I’m understanding your response properly: The customs brokerage charge was also from Canada Post?

I once received an item from the US that was shipped through DHL Global or DHL eCommerce (I forget which) and I’m pretty sure I had to pay the taxes plus a fee to DHL, not Canada Post, when I picked it up from the nearby postal outlet.

[fergua3]

yes paid Canada Post.  DHL Paket hands off to CP before taking the item through Customs.  CP takes it through Customs hence paying CP.

I spoke to a person from Canada Customs this morning.   She said my package was most likely pulled aside for detailed inspection (randomly) and it can take up to 21 business days (ie a month) for it to be done.

She said if it still hasn't been released by then to call back OR if the tracking updates to say siezed, on hold or retrun to sender to call back.  So at least i should eventually find out what is going on, unless it's been stolen.

The contents are nothing of any consequence so unless the seller really screwed up the paperwork there should not be any problems clearing Customs.

[reallynicestamps]

I had to pay tariff (I think) on  a recent US purchase that was delivered by DHL.

The demand for payment came from DHL.

There is no duty on steel kitchen cutlery so it was likely sales tax + service fee  and possibly the retaliatory tariff.

The original label seems to have been USPS but was overlaid by one from DHL.

[marnotom!]

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@fergua3 wrote:

yes paid Canada Post.  DHL Paket hands off to CP before taking the item through Customs.  CP takes it through Customs hence paying CP.

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I paid Canada Post for my item sent through DHL GlobalPost or DHL eCommerce as well, but it was actually DHL that did the billing which suggests to me that DHL cleared or pre-cleared the item through customs.

I'm thinking that your item initially may have not been physically handled by CBSA and someone just went by what was on a customs manifest and then it was put aside for a more detailed inspection when the paperwork for taxes (and duty) were prepared.  It could be a random check, as the agent you spoke to suggests.

[john_koenig99]

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@john_koenig99 wrote:

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@fergua3 wrote:

No updates.  13 days and no movement.  Still in Customs since April 30.

Is you package at Mississauga Customs?

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It's actually in Vancouver. At least according to the JP Post tracking. 

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Update: I received this order yesterday. Delivered by CP.  The tracking stopped at arrival in Vancouver, and it was never updated afterwards (blackbox effect). 

[fergua3]

sigh......well i'm happy for you.  But my mysery loves company vibe is gone now.  I am all alone.  😞

17 days and counting.  Even if it clears Customs soon there will be a Postal strike so i will have to wait many more weeks to get it.   And if it doesn't clear Customs soon i won't be able to get any information on it because Customs mails the info regarding why the package didn't clear Customs.

Im also wondering if it has actually cleared Customs long ago and is sitting somehwere untouched by CP at Mississauga.  That is definitely possible.