Anyone else experiencing significant delays on US-bound shipments through Canada Post?

[dinomitesales]

I've been noticing significant delays in the past 1-2 weeks for all my Tracked Packet shipments to the States.

Usually, once they get to Mississauga they pass through the border and get moving with USPS within 24 hours or less. But I've had about four shipments now that have been stuck at the border for many days. These are all properly declared, lower-value items (DVDs; none made in China).

I acknowledge that nothing regarding international trade with the United States is "normal" right now, but I'm wondering if anyone else is experiencing similar issues or if this is unique to me.

Here are some of my experiences (I'm in Winnipeg):

Package 1 (accepted at Post Office June 5).

- Made it to Mississauga and "being forwarded to destination country" on June 6 (Chicago ISC).

- Released by customs on June 12 and handed to USPS.

- Delivered June 14.

Total time in customs: 6 days

Package 2 (accepted at Post Office June 6).

- Made it to Mississauga and "being forwarded to destination country" on June 10.

- No further updates.

Total time in customs: 4 days and counting

Package 3 (accepted at Post Office June 9).

- Made it to Mississauga and "being forwarded to destination country" on June 10.

- Indication on June 11 that it was processed at Miami ISC customs? First time I've seen something go directly from Toronto to Miami but I suppose it's possible - the destination address was in Florida. Or maybe they're rerouting parcels from Chicago to Miami due to backlogs?

- No further updates.

Total time in customs: 4 days and counting

[dhslk]

Business as usual so far. No unusual delays, no rejection of COO China items. I wonder if the RTS in the other thread were due to insufficient postage or something not related to China tariffs?

[dinomitesales]

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@cottagewoman wrote:
Thanks for that information. In cases where this occured (including your delays), were the items marked with a CoO of China? This is important info on my side as I'm hoping to ship vintage items that I know aren't Chinese in origin yet are not marked as such via Canada Post, to avoid possible rejection by CBP.

---

None of my delayed items have a CoO of China, as I specified in the original post. One of them just got updated today to say it's been released by customs, so 7 total days spent in customs (this is the longest time in customs I've personally experienced).

The instances I've seen of packages being returned to sender have been reported on the Facebook group "Canadian eCommerce Resellers". There was another one added today - someone shipped a baseball cap to the States via Tracked Packet, it sat in customs for a bit and then was returned to sender. The common denominators amongst all packages that have thus far been returned to sender are: (1) the country of origin was "China"; and (2) the border crossing was Chicago.

Anyone still shipping China-made goods to the U.S. via Canada Post—especially if the packages route through Chicago—should exercise caution right now.

These items are not being refused for incorrect addresses or deficient payment. In all cases they didn't even make it to the destination state before being returned to sender (they were returned from Chicago), and the senders confirmed the delivery addresses with their buyers. A package with deficient postage sent through Canada Post would never make it all the way to customs and then be rejected for being underpaid - at the point it reaches customs it would have to be considered fully paid, as they don't deal with postage rates at all, and USPS can't return a foreign package for being underpaid.

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

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@dinomitesales wrote:

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@cottagewoman wrote:
Thanks for that information. In cases where this occured (including your delays), were the items marked with a CoO of China? This is important info on my side as I'm hoping to ship vintage items that I know aren't Chinese in origin yet are not marked as such via Canada Post, to avoid possible rejection by CBP.

---

None of my delayed items have a CoO of China, as I specified in the original post. One of them just got updated today to say it's been released by customs, so 7 total days spent in customs (this is the longest time in customs I've personally experienced).

The instances I've seen of packages being returned to sender have been reported on the Facebook group "Canadian eCommerce Resellers". There was another one added today - someone shipped a baseball cap to the States via Tracked Packet, it sat in customs for a bit and then was returned to sender. The common denominators amongst all packages that have thus far been returned to sender are: (1) the country of origin was "China"; and (2) the border crossing was Chicago.

Anyone still shipping China-made goods to the U.S. via Canada Post—especially if the packages route through Chicago—should exercise caution right now.

These items are not being refused for incorrect addresses or deficient payment. In all cases they didn't even make it to the destination state before being returned to sender (they were returned from Chicago), and the senders confirmed the delivery addresses with their buyers. A package with deficient postage sent through Canada Post would never make it all the way to customs and then be rejected for being underpaid - at the point it reaches customs it would have to be considered fully paid, as they don't deal with postage rates at all, and USPS can't return a foreign package for being underpaid.

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Someone else just started a thread about this with a link to Chit Chats Blog (posted today).

There was a post in the past few days of someone who's package went to Chicago and then magically appeared returned to sender in Canada.

C.

[marnotom!]

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@dhslk wrote:

I wonder if the RTS in the other thread were due to insufficient postage or something not related to China tariffs?

---

As suggested in an earlier post, most USPS workers would have no idea if an item originating from outside of the US has insufficient postage. It’s up to the postal system in the originating country to catch that.

[easoss]

I've had no problems at all. Mailed a large figurine to Pennsylvania and arrived very quickly.

[38e_avenue]

Business as usual. A 250g item / Tracked Packet, made in Germany.  Shipped on Friday, delivered on Wednesday. 

[dinomitesales]

Lucky. Must just be Chicago then. None of my parcels have left Chicago yet. Oldest ones been there since June 10.

[cbelieve]

I've been having the same issues. 20-30 of my packages are stuck in customs (Chicago as well). Majority have been stuck for 1-2 weeks now.

[silverpinups]

One of my two packages stuck in ISC Chicago finally saw some movement today...

1. Sat, Jun 28

   12:45pm
   Inbound Out of Customs
2. Wed, Jun 18

   10:25am
   Processed Through USPS Facility

   ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
3. Tue, Jun 17

   7:46pm
   Processed Through Facility

   TORONTO-A
4. Mon, Jun 16

   10:10am
   FOREIGN ACCEPTANCE

   CA

   It spent ten days in Customs and now is finally released.  

[silverpinups]

The second package stuck at ISC Chicago is now out of customs....

1. Mon, Jun 30

   12:57pm
   Inbound Out of Customs
2. Sun, Jun 22

   9:12am
   Processed Through USPS Facility

   ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
3. Sat, Jun 21

   12:27pm
   Processed Through Facility

   TORONTO-A
4. Thu, Jun 19

   10:10am
   FOREIGN ACCEPTANCE

   CA

   It spent 8 days in Customs and now is finally released. 

   I sent two more packages today, one Tracked Packet-USA and the other Expedited-USA.  As an experiment to see if they treat the Expedited package the same as the Tracked Packet when it goes through customs. 

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Knock on wood, but still no issues with packages going through Montreal to New York. So I assume this has to do with the Chicago customs facility. 

[dinomitesales]

All of my packages sent in mid-June have been released and are moving. Average customs hold time for me is about 9 days between my last 4 shipments.

Sent another one on June 30, and will be sending another one on July 2, so we'll see how long those take.

[ypdc_dennis]

June 25 tracked packet USA via Chicago.

Took about a day in customs for a USA/Canada 1973 paperback novel.

Delivered June 30 to Oregon from Ontario.

Pretty good speed.

[snaylehouse]

I'm a bit late to your thread. Have you been experiencing further delays?

Most of my orders have been within Canada this summer, but one higher priced vintage piece went to the U.S. a week ago, from Ontario to California. It has been stuck at customs since August 16 and it's now August 21.

I'm not sure what's happening with it - if they're just backlogged, or if it's because it's a higher value piece (it's a band t-shirt, which always go for $$$). 

Today is the original delivery date so I'm bummed for the buyer that it won't make it on time, but I'm concerned in general as I've seen lots of weird updates from Canadian sellers this summer about stuff like this.

I'm hoping it moves soon but I guess it's only been at customs for 5 days at this point in time, which isn't the hugest deal in the grand scheme of things. I'm just used to seeing stuff move faster.

[marnotom!]

@snaylehouse, have you been checking the tracking on eBay, the Canada Post site, the USPS site, or a third party site such as Parcelapps? Some sites have more event scan info than others.

Did the item go through customs in Chicago or Los Angeles?

Having said all that, why have you been checking the tracking so closely? I appreciate that the item is pricey and it's kinda dear to you, but at the same time, watched kettles never boil.

[snaylehouse]

I have checked on all the sites: The info is the same. It went through customs in Chicago.

[landobaile-0]

Anything going through Usorda (Chicago's O'Hare) has been a **bleep**shoot. I've had 2 packages RTS, 4 that are currently sitting in customs for 7+ days, and about 5 that have gotten through. All items have a CoO of China. Started adding HS codes but doesn't seem to have made a difference. 

Definitely appears to be something specific to Chicago. I wonder if they're understaffed, or are doing a poor job of interpreting whatever new tariff related policy they've been given. 

[easoss]

I've actually had no problems whatsoever. Being in Alberta the packages go to Los Angeles and it's a breeze through that facility. I think its a Chicago problem more than anything else.