Canadian MOTUC Shipping Discussion

[CanadaClassics]

Got SOH Today as well...direct from Sweeden....now a month wait starts for Octavia....

[Ironman]

Got my SOH yesterday too from Sweden as well. No duties so I don't mind the wait. Not sure if I will combine my Filmation and Club Eternia subs yet as shipping together may result in duties and we really don't save much on shipping for multiple figures.

[sgreg]

Just received the Jun Sub Package from DHL.

[Ironman]

Just received the Jun Sub Package from DHL.

Wow, $24 to ship 1 figure. At least it was fast.

[sgreg]

Wow, $24 to ship 1 figure. At least it was fast.

I have the DC sub too. $26.xx for 2 figures. only a few dollars more than the cheap shipping.

[marndt8448]

I've already forgotten what it costs to ship 2 regular figures via cheap shipping. Is it $13.75 for 2 or $21.xx for 2?

sgreg, your $26.xx for 2 figures sounds like it may be worth it once the Filmation sub kicks in & it's at least 2 figures each month.....

I still don't know what to do one the Filmation sub gets going. I'm so confused.

[sgreg]

I've already forgotten what it costs to ship 2 regular figures via cheap shipping. Is it $13.75 for 2 or $21.xx for 2?

sgreg, your $26.xx for 2 figures sounds like it may be worth it once the Filmation sub kicks in & it's at least 2 figures each month.....

I still don't know what to do one the Filmation sub gets going. I'm so confused.

$13.75 is for 1 MOTUC. $21.70 for 2.
but you always have to pay duty and taxes when you use DHL.

[marndt8448]

What were your duty fees for your latest shipment of 1 DC & 1 MOTUC figure, if you don't mind me asking?

[sgreg]

What were your duty fees for your latest shipment of 1 DC & 1 MOTUC figure, if you don't mind me asking?

$19.95 brokerage and GST.

[CanadaClassics]

That's the killer...2 or more figures always gets duty...I am keeping my Filmation sub apart from the Eternia one...13 ship each is better than 21 and then 19 on top of that...until we get to a heavy month like Nov...then I will go for DHL express again...

[Canada-Man]

when I pay my brokerage fees on monday for my 3 octavias from dhl it will have cost me a total of $135. 45 dollars per fig. with dhl compared to 38.75 per (if you only get one) figure for slow shipping.

I will never go back to slow shipping. I love knowing that I don't have a figure in transit when i'm paying for the next months. Thats enough security for me to pay a little extra.

[CanadaClassics]

I have had enough with the border and customs 'shinanigans' from everyone - Canada Post / UPS / Fed Ex / DHL. I got in touch with the Canadian Borders Services, to get some quick short answers.

The Short Answer:

ANY ITEM OR PACKAGE THAT ARRIVES AT THE BORDER SERVICES OVER $20 IS SUBJECT TO DUTY OR TAXES - GST / HST / PST. IF IT IS UNDER IT IS EXEMPT UNLESS IT IS : BOOKS / MAGAZINES / FIREARMS / TOBACCO OR LIQUOER.

ANGENCIES WORKING FOR THE BORDER SERVICES MAY CHARGE A PROCESSING OR BROKERAGE TO COLLECT THE DUTIES AND TAXES.

So, almost anything even single figures can be hit, and if we get away with one being missed...YAY us!

[MC Culla]

Long time lurker, first time poster...

I don't know if any of you guys subscribe to the GIJCC but I just got my "free" Iceberg figure and it has the same Sweden post markings that the MOTUC stuff has. At least hopefully has as Sweden shipping for MOTUC in my experience has always escaped duty. Interesting to say the least I thought...

As for the whole shipping thing, I have e-mailed the Matty VIP a number of times about my concerns. My hope is that if enough people complain they will have to do something. Evidently the quarterly shipping is their answer but I am not convinced it is going to save tons over the long run.

[krosfyah]

Nice to see you! lol how long did your Iceberg take to arrive??

[MC Culla]

Nice to see you! lol how long did your Iceberg take to arrive??

I'm not exactly sure how long it took. They sent an e-mail stating that there were issues with "international" shipping.

What I can tell you is that I subscribe to their Figure Subscription Service and to send me 4 GI Joe figures each month is cheaper than what Matty charges for one MOTUC figure. Plus they use USPS First Class International which is cheaper to begin with. I don't see why Matty can't use that method to ship to Canada or North America at least.

[bigsexy_j]

Was finally able to order a SoH today. Now just the wait for him to make his trip to Sweden before coming home.

J

[erik352]

I'm not exactly sure how long it took. They sent an e-mail stating that there were issues with "international" shipping.

What I can tell you is that I subscribe to their Figure Subscription Service and to send me 4 GI Joe figures each month is cheaper than what Matty charges for one MOTUC figure. Plus they use USPS First Class International which is cheaper to begin with. I don't see why Matty can't use that method to ship to Canada or North America at least.

Actually that's a question we have been asking for a long time, but Mattel just give the same basic response. So frustrating.

BTW, for those who will subscribe again in 2014, which would be cheaper for us, monthly or quarterly shipping?? Personally I might still go with monthly, seems little savings with multiple figures honestly....

[CanadaClassics]

Actually that's a question we have been asking for a long time, but Mattel just give the same basic response. So frustrating.

BTW, for those who will subscribe again in 2014, which would be cheaper for us, monthly or quarterly shipping?? Personally I might still go with monthly, seems little savings with multiple figures honestly....

I went quarterly...the shiping costs savings in the fisrt quarter is over $30. And with packags with 2 or more figures getting hit for $14 "processing fess" from DHL before GST is added..the most we can get hit is 4 times next year with quarterly. The sub has 5 items additional to the 12 monthly figures, so there are 5 months that the packages can get hit, for the $14 each time and then GST. And if there is a month like Septemeber this year, next year, when 2 monthly figures ship together, there is a sixth time for the $14 plus GST.

The extra costs we are paying is happening so often, we need less packages, to pay less processing.

We also know taht DR shipping costs are way off...3 figures ate international rate - 1 month delivery cost MORE than 3 figures Express 24 hours delivery. That doesn't make sense...but it isn't changing next year...

The only thing we have to do is be a little more patient, since we will be a month to two months behind getting the new figures, 4 months next year we will be right on schedule...

The Quarterly option is the cheapest way for international fans to keep collecting...and if you do quarterly...make sure it is the Express shipping!

[Balthus Dire]

Why? You are going to pay way more in customs and brokerage from DHL than if you'd gone international. If you're already waiting 4 months for quarterly shipments to save money, why would you go out of your way to spend MORE money on DHL rather than just waiting another few weeks?

[sgreg]

Why? You are going to pay way more in customs and brokerage from DHL than if you'd gone international. If you're already waiting 4 months for quarterly shipments to save money, why would you go out of your way to spend MORE money on DHL rather than just waiting another few weeks?

isn't the shipping cost for using DHL cheaper than Int'l when you have 3 or 4 figures in your package?

[Balthus Dire]

Yeah but the customs and brokerage is not only way more, it's guaranteed. You might save $8 or something on the initial shipping but then you pay something ridiculous like $20 in customs and brokerage.

[marndt8448]

BD: But one thing to consider is that so far this year, two times at least so far (the month with the FFM bundled with a regular figure, and the other with Ram Man being bundled with a regular figure) even when using the cheapest shipping method, they arrived via DHL anyways & got hit with guaranteed customs.
Obviously we still have to wait and see if this is indeed a trend that will continue, but if DR is going to use DHL regardless of what shipping option the customer uses when a bundle of figures are shipped together, then we'll always be guaranteed customs.

The only way for customs to remain random is if you pick international post & DR actually uses international post, not DHL.
I've been extremely lucky with international post, only hit once with customs on a Matty purchase since 2008 using cheapest shipping, but hit twice this year already when those 2 parcels arrived via DHL even though I've never picked DHL.

So for quarterly, the initial MOTUC sign up for international post is $70.99 and international express is $40.99. If DR continues using DHL even if you didn't ask for it (and a large 3 months worth of figures order would be a prime candidate for DR to ignore your selection), you could pay $30 more and still have guaranteed customs.

Right now, I think picking quarterly international post is the worst out of the 3 options.



Monthly international post might be OK, but it all depends on how often you get hit with customs from Matty purchases using international post each year. For me, I'm averaging less than 0.25 times a year *knocks on wood* one of my Matty international post orders gets customs, so I could gamble that my luck continues and maybe save a couple of bucks in the long run by years end.
One might not want to give up on monthly international post so quickly is all I'm saying.
....But that too is in doubt if DR sends my 2014 2 pack via DHL anyways, and my 2014 beast via DHL anyways. Those 2 potential guaranteed customs would make monthly international post cost more in the long run than quarterly express with customs all 4 times.


Yes, I realize what CC posted from Canada Customs about even a single figure could incur customs, but based on what I've seen and experienced, Canada Customs just doesn't have the manpower to inspect & charge customs on all the items they could any more frequently than they do now. When that might change? Who knows...

[CanadaClassics]

All this discussion may actually be pointless until we hear from Scott at SDCC...I have a feeling we won't see DHL as the mail provider next year...when they changed it last year from USPS and UPS, when we ordered the subs the order drop down said international post and DHL...this year it just said international express.

If DR is going to change shipping method, even back to USPS...our customs problems will be over...of course if they go UPS and logistics...we will be in real trouble!

I am going to the Matty board and see if I can get Scott to answer.

[Kid Canada]

All this discussion may actually be pointless until we hear from Scott at SDCC...I have a feeling we won't see DHL as the mail provider next year...when they changed it last year from USPS and UPS, when we ordered the subs the order drop down said international post and DHL...this year it just said international express.

If DR is going to change shipping method, even back to USPS...our customs problems will be over...of course if they go UPS and logistics...we will be in real trouble!

I am going to the Matty board and see if I can get Scott to answer.

That question was already answered. International Express is DHL.

http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...7/m/1811036728

[Balthus Dire]

BD: But one thing to consider is that so far this year, two times at least so far (the month with the FFM bundled with a regular figure, and the other with Ram Man being bundled with a regular figure) even when using the cheapest shipping method, they arrived via DHL anyways & got hit with guaranteed customs.
Obviously we still have to wait and see if this is indeed a trend that will continue, but if DR is going to use DHL regardless of what shipping option the customer uses when a bundle of figures are shipped together, then we'll always be guaranteed customs.

The only way for customs to remain random is if you pick international post & DR actually uses international post, not DHL.
I've been extremely lucky with international post, only hit once with customs on a Matty purchase since 2008 using cheapest shipping, but hit twice this year already when those 2 parcels arrived via DHL even though I've never picked DHL.

So for quarterly, the initial MOTUC sign up for international post is $70.99 and international express is $40.99. If DR continues using DHL even if you didn't ask for it (and a large 3 months worth of figures order would be a prime candidate for DR to ignore your selection), you could pay $30 more and still have guaranteed customs.

Right now, I think picking quarterly international post is the worst out of the 3 options.



Monthly international post might be OK, but it all depends on how often you get hit with customs from Matty purchases using international post each year. For me, I'm averaging less than 0.25 times a year *knocks on wood* one of my Matty international post orders gets customs, so I could gamble that my luck continues and maybe save a couple of bucks in the long run by years end.
One might not want to give up on monthly international post so quickly is all I'm saying.
....But that too is in doubt if DR sends my 2014 2 pack via DHL anyways, and my 2014 beast via DHL anyways. Those 2 potential guaranteed customs would make monthly international post cost more in the long run than quarterly express with customs all 4 times.


Yes, I realize what CC posted from Canada Customs about even a single figure could incur customs, but based on what I've seen and experienced, Canada Customs just doesn't have the manpower to inspect & charge customs on all the items they could any more frequently than they do now. When that might change? Who knows...

That's actually a great point man and something I hadn't considered. I guess it'll depend on whether they stick to Intl. Post for real or if they use the Intl-post-but-really-DHL method again for next year. We'll have to make sure we ask a BOATLOAD of questions around SDCC time to get clarification.