Thread: USPS to Canada tracking

Yes, the custom duties and the enforcement varies from country to country. Canada and most European countries collect them most of the time (it's an important source of income for their budgets), while US rarely does for low value personal items.

A bunch of years ago I sent a somewhat expensive and highly specialized photographic equipment to a friend of mine abroad, because the company wouldn't ship internationally, and he had a lot of trouble claiming it. He would've paid even twice the customs fees, but the customs were giving him the run around because they didn't like the documentation showing the value. The receipt was included, but they complained that it's just a computer printout and didn't have a 'wet stamp', so it could be fake (clearly stamps can be faked just as easily and they have no way to verify the correct stamp for a foreign company). He showed them the same price listed on the company's website, and they still didn't accept it. He thinks they were simply trying to extract a bribe but wanted him to initiate the offer. Which he would've paid happily if he could be certain they wouldn't turn around and confiscate the equipment which he desperately needed for a really important contract.
So, he went through number of supervisors and wasted 3-4 visits until he could claim it. There are worse things than high custom fees.

Could easily be different with registered mail but I think most of mine come regular mail or first class with tracking. Also with duty
it depends on how the item is described on the customs form. I had to pay on a Neil Miller strop as it was described as a leather belt on the customs form. I queried this with CBS and found that had it been describes as a SR leather razor strop there would have been nothing owing. I could have had a refund had I bothered to file a grievance. There are so many ins and outs when it comes to what is duty payable or not.

Bob

Originally Posted by gugi

The customs number is only a proxy for the tracking number and it's not a proper tracking service. In most cases it'll be scanned along the route and work fine for monitoring the package progress, but USPS (and I assume by extension Canada Post) is under no obligation to provide any tracking and resolution of problems should such arise. In other words it's a nice free side benefit when it works, but it's not a substitution for correct tracking and insurance if that's important to the shipping parties.

Otherwise no system is perfect and there are the occasional problems with all carriers.

The customs declaration number and the tracking number are the same number even on a tracked package, where tracking is specifically paid for, so in this case you are both right and wrong. Kind of like Schrodingers cat.

All in all, it's pretty good service. I've bought some things from Fendrihan and Classic Edge Shaving and the tracking was seamless.

Originally Posted by RezDog

so in this case you are both right and wrong. Kind of like Schrodingers cat.

I always wanted to be a qbit when I grow up

Canada loves to ding people with brokerage fees. The USA seems to be a lot more lenient.

Post is a million times better to ship items verses most of the courier companies out there. And also charge a lot more on brokerage fees than post does too.

You should not confuse brokerage fees with taxes and duty. Taxes and duty are what the government charges for certain items coming into the country based on category and value. Brokerage fees are charges that shipping companies charge for send goods across a border and may also charge duty and taxes on top, but those are paid to the government. Brokerage fees primarily go into the shippers pocket.

Good point.

Post usually only charges the duties/ taxes..... The courier companies love to add on the huge brokerage fees on top of the duties.

Originally Posted by Willisf

Good point.

Post usually only charges the duties/ taxes..... The courier companies love to add on the huge brokerage fees on top of the duties.

Not really.

If you are dinged for duty from the USPS and you look at the duty detail the USPS will tack on a processing fee. I don't know how they calculate it but it is substantial.

The brokerage fees charged by Fedex and UPS are a big moneymaker for them but if there is no duty they can't charge a brokerage fee so if they can find duty they will charge so they can then get the brokerage fee.

With USPS it's a hit or miss thing. In all the years I've bought watches from overseas I've only one time paid duty to USPS.

Originally Posted by Willisf

Good point.

Post usually only charges the duties/ taxes..... The courier companies love to add on the huge brokerage fees on top of the duties.

No idea on how inbound items are treated by USPS, I don't live in the US. IIRC when an inbound item to me in Canada delivered by Canada Post is duty payable there is a customs form added to the package. On that form any duties/tariffs and sales taxes owing are listed along with a Can Post handling/brokers fee. The sum of all those charges can be paid by phone using a credit card. The Can Post handling/brokers fee, again IIRC, was a flat rate of $3.00. I can't begrudge Can Post for wanting the $3.00 considering what the private couriers would charge for the same item and service.

Bob