Shipping from US to Canada

[daisy13]

Hi Folks
My sister recently moved from California to Toronto. I would like to send her family a small package for the holidays- probably a few clothes and some treats (<5 lbs). What is my most economical and trustworthy means of sending it ? My parents sent something from India to Toronto ( some home made treats and clothes) and my sister mentioned that she had to pay a lot of money on customs. I wouldn't want her to pay for my gift ..

Any one with knowledge or familiar with shipping methods- please help?

thanks in advance!

[mom2binsd]

Usps is the best, break into smaller packages if possible. If you use fed ex or ups, they will charge extra brokerage fees. But, mail from the US to Canada is taking months at times.

I highly recommend shopping on Canadian websites and have it shipped within the country.

My family is in Canada and over the part few years the cost of shipping has gone crazy and with covid the mail is not moving well.

Also, if you have someone in Canada who can shop and ship for you it would be better.

I was able to give a local friend who works in Canada (and is able to cross the border) a birthday gift for my BFF and he shipped within the country.

Cross border shipping stinks!

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[moosemama]

Gifts are duty and tax free if they are worth $60 Canadian or less. Make sure you mark the package clearly as a gift though, as non-gifts are only duty/tax free if they are $20 Canadian or less.

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/c.../menu-eng.html

[mom2binsd]

Gifts are duty and tax free if they are worth $60 Canadian or less. Make sure you mark the package clearly as a gift though, as non-gifts are only duty/tax free if they are $20 Canadian or less.

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/c.../menu-eng.html

It's still risky to use a courier vs post office, they charge a broker fee to get the package through customs and charge the recipient . If you can, send it asap, send each person a package, if it's under a certain weight it can go first class. Also avoid gift cards as they often won't work in Canada. Buying gifts to send is a pain, we now do Christmas in July when we visit family (of course not this year, darn covid).

Also check with specific online retailers who will ship to Canada.

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[moosemama]

It's still risky to use a courier vs post office, they charge a broker fee to get the package through customs and charge the recipient . If you can, send it asap, send each person a package, if it's under a certain weight it can go first class. Also avoid gift cards as they often won't work in Canada. Buying gifts to send is a pain, we now do Christmas in July when we visit family (of course not this year, darn covid).

Also check with specific online retailers who will ship to Canada.

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That's true. I've been lucky enough to never have been charged a broker fee, but friends have had to. If you are sending multiple packages (all under the $60 CDN gift limit), I would suggest spacing out the mailing dates if possible so they aren't all arriving together.

Many online retailers ship to Canada, but I think it's often cheaper to have it shipped to you first and then mail it to Canada yourself (and it's easier to mark it as a gift that way too). For example, a t-shirt I wanted to order for DD for Christmas would have cost me $20 to ship. Shipping to a US address would only be $5 and I'm sure shipping it by USPS to Canada would be much less than $15.

[RiverRat]

My former mother in law has been sending me packages from Maryland to me in Ontario.

Clearly label all items on the customs forms. Make sure they are gifts. If they can be kids clothes, even better.

Under $50 per package is usually the best way to not have to pay tax/duty.

I’ve had packages sent to me via fedex and ups. I hate when they are sent USPS, because then they are handed off to Canada Post. Canada Post is the slowest for delivery. It may be cheaper on your end, but a pita on our end.

We need covid under control. Shipping to Canada is so expensive. Normally I cross and pick up near Detroit. Ordering from American companies and shipping to Canada in crazy. Lands End snow pants: $166canadian or $45 American with $8 shipping to MIL. Then she ships to me. Tracking is also harder with USPS than with a big company.

Ive been lucky so far. I haven’t had to pay on anything she’s sent. But I’m sure I will at some point. She’s sending me my Kohl’s order next. It’s pretty big. Haha.


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[mom2binsd]

My family also lives near the border, and have stuff shipped to a place across the border and go pick it up, of course they can't do that now. Canadians get screwed by shipping charges, they are very jealous of all of the cheap shipping costs we have in the US.

And yes, I agree with the idea of spacing out packages if you send via usps.

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[daisy13]

Thank you so much everyone. I do want to send some home made things and some hand written cards from my kids. I will space the packages out and send via usps.

[daisy13]

I just learned that my work place is offering discounts on personal FedEx shipping will see if I can use that to ship!

[mom2binsd]

So, I mailed two packages to a friend (she ordered gymnastic leo's and they ship for free to me, but were going to be 50.00 plus broker fees to Canada).

I put in two small packages, they weighed about 6oz each, they were small. Each was 20.75 to ship! I haven't shipped lately but holy cow! It was still cheaper than if she had the leotards shipped directly, but honestly shipping costs are out of hand. About 5 years ago I could ship a large box up to 4lbs for 20 dollars to Canada.

If the OP uses Fed Ex, I hope it's cheaper, but again Fed Ex and UPS can ding the recipient with broker fees of upwards of 50 dollars, and often people don't like to tell you that they had to pay (which is not what the sender intends).