Canadian MOTUC Shipping Discussion

[Tzadkiel]

I've paid some hefty duty fees on packages from BBTS before.

[Tiberius]

In your user options did you ask them to mark as gift?

[krosfyah]

crap nothing.

[Tzadkiel]

In your user options did you ask them to mark as gift?

Apparently yes. I don't recall this option, but looking at my account, I do have it set to that.

I've got a Pile of Loot I plan on having them ship soon, so now I'm curious.

[Squishy Duck Man]

Import charges are more or less random from any foreign destination, from what I've seen. If you're looking for "logic" or "sense" out of Canada Post's processes and policies.... Best of luck to ya.

[Tiberius]

Apparently yes. I don't recall this option, but looking at my account, I do have it set to that.

I've got a Pile of Loot I plan on having them ship soon, so now I'm curious.

Hope they don't charge you, you can fight it too and get refunded if they are wrong. Trying to find that statement about gifts being duty free from businesses on Canada Post is impossible to find.

EDIT: I didn't find it on a the Canada Post site [today at least], but I posted a thread on another site a year ago maybe from the FAQ on Canada Post:

For an item to qualify as a "gift", a friend or relative must send it to you personally and include a card or other notice indicating that it is a gift.

If you receive an imported gift by mail that is worth CAN$60 or less, you will not have to pay duty or tax on it.
If the gift is worth more than CAN$60, you will have to pay any applicable duty and taxes on any amount over CAN$60.
For example, if a relative sends you a gift worth CAN$200, you must pay any applicable duty, GST or HST and PST on CAN$140.

Items that do not qualify for the CAN$60 gift exemption include the following:

tobacco;
alcoholic beverages;
advertising material; and
items sent by a business

So it seems it doesn't matter but I have never been charged Duty fees on anything from BBTS so I am just confuzzled...

Import charges are more or less random from any foreign destination, from what I've seen. If you're looking for "logic" or "sense" out of Canada Post's processes and policies.... Best of luck to ya.

Ha, this is true.

[Wulff]

In your user options did you ask them to mark as gift?

BBTS has an option that they mark items as gifts? That's definitely illegal...

[Tiberius]

Personally, it shouldn't matter. Canada Post needs to fix their rules or just get rid of gift all together. If the option is there I don't see any reason for myself or BBTS not to use it.

[Balthus Dire]

Because it's not a gift lol. They're a business selling you stuff. It'd be no different than Walmart "gifting" you merchandise to avoid the tax man.

Anyway, the charges are, indeed, quite random. It really boils down to the declared value, which they'd definitely get in trouble lying about.

[marndt8448]

It's actually Canada Customs that makes the rule. Canada Post is just relaying the rules given to them. It's not like Canada Post is the one keeping the taxes. Just sayin'

.... I use that BBTS gift feature too. I use the Pile of Loot to save a bit on shipping...... although it doesn't save too much when you've got to ship less than $60 at a time. But every little bit helps.

[Tiberius]

My last order was over 100 bucks and it was duty free sooooo who knows.

[CanadaClassics]

It is truly a gamble. I have had orders over $200 get missed and a $70 get hit.

[marndt8448]

It is truly a gamble.

Exactly. Canada Customs only has enough manpower to check purchases randomly. Some parcels get pulled off the conveyor belt and inspected for applicable taxes, some do not.*
It's as simple as that.
Just like driving across the border to do some shopping. They never pull everyone over and inspect everyone's purchases in order to collect all applicable taxes. No way they could handle all that. Same goes for parcels crossing the border.


*Only exception to being pulled off the conveyor belt to be inspected for tax collection purposes are regular purchases under $20, or 'gifts' under $60.







With this month's seemingly quicker shipping, have any day-of purchases arrived yet, or just subs so far?

[Squishy Duck Man]

Haven't seen my day-of stuff yet. And what marndt8448 says is quite true. I've had a padded envelope containing a single GI Joe get nailed before but huge boxes worth $200 or more sometimes get through ok.

Having said that, it is a 100% guarantee that you will get hit with import charges from any other method than the postal service. UPS, FedEx, etc. are all obligated to charge importation fees & taxes for any shipments crossing an international border. Canada Customs thankfully can miss some, so while it's a gamble in my opinion it's worth it most of the time.

[Tiberius]

Good discussion. I have only been charged once on a Mattycollector order but it ways always under 100.

[Hoffman]

I've been hit a couple of times, but my purchases are usually under the $40 or $50 limit, whatever it is.

[CanadaClassics]

Haven't seen my day-of stuff yet. And what marndt8448 says is quite true. I've had a padded envelope containing a single GI Joe get nailed before but huge boxes worth $200 or more sometimes get through ok.

Having said that, it is a 100% guarantee that you will get hit with import charges from any other method than the postal service. UPS, FedEx, etc. are all obligated to charge importation fees & taxes for any shipments crossing an international border. Canada Customs thankfully can miss some, so while it's a gamble in my opinion it's worth it most of the time.

Yes, UPS / FED EX / ETC will get you everytime!

[Tzadkiel]

I went with DHL for the sub next year, so I know I'm going to get hit with customs charges every month. Hopefully it's not too terrible.

[Whiplash7]

Haven't seen my day-of stuff yet. And what marndt8448 says is quite true. I've had a padded envelope containing a single GI Joe get nailed before but huge boxes worth $200 or more sometimes get through ok.

Having said that, it is a 100% guarantee that you will get hit with import charges from any other method than the postal service. UPS, FedEx, etc. are all obligated to charge importation fees & taxes for any shipments crossing an international border. Canada Customs thankfully can miss some, so while it's a gamble in my opinion it's worth it most of the time.

Yeah, you'll pay with a courier, but you'll get your figures safe and sound. Trackable shipping, and a month before it would have come otherwise.
And while it doesn't happen anymore, until about a year ago I only paid either $2-3, or nothing, to UPS at the door. They've raised their prices though substantially. And they never deliver my stuff until the evening anymore, even though it's been out for delivery since they've opened and I just live a few blocks away. I'm no longer happy with their service, but I'll still use it this year b/c it beats the alternative for now (I'm not locked into a sub). I'm locked into the 2013 sub though, so I chose the cheap method for the year. Hopefully we'll be able to switch from month to month with a my subscription page.

[krosfyah]

nothing as of yesterday

[CanadaClassics]

I have had a few things coming up from the US over the last month and on that side of the border things are really slow right now, not sure why, but with tracking priority parcels I have been watching they are 6 - 7 days in US - and averaging 4 days in Customs and 1 - 1 1/2 days once they hit Canada Post. CP is on the ball. I am guessing the going to Sweeden has taken longer on the US side.

[krosfyah]

I have had a few things coming up from the US over the last month and on that side of the border things are really slow right now, not sure why, but with tracking priority parcels I have been watching they are 6 - 7 days in US - and averaging 4 days in Customs and 1 - 1 1/2 days once they hit Canada Post. CP is on the ball. I am guessing the going to Sweeden has taken longer on the US side.

Hurricane Sandy delayed some stuff I bought outside of Matty, I understand, hell I tracked a package and it was in Staten Island which was hit pretty hard, so I didn't expect that package for a while.

EDIT, so I'm back home and STILL nothing. DR is ridiculous, the package I was waiting for from staten island is here, and still none of my subs. I mean I am used to it but sometimes it gets annoying, it's almost arrogant in a way, and the fact that Scott hasn't revisited this concern, even popping in to say hey I'm still on the case. as mych as Iw ant CG it's annoying that he doesn't give concern to these other issues.

EDIT 2

Got my shipping notice for November already, still haven't received ANYTHING from October.

Hey Scott, we got Grayskull through, yes it's for the fans but it helps you out too, so help us out on these ridiculous shipping times. LOOK INTO IT AND REPORT WHY ITS SO INEFFICIENT!!

[AGE]

nothing for me too we are now 30+ days china has faster shipping

- - - Updated - - -

i just posed this question for the 100th Time..here and on the matty board, i'm getting annoyed..

Scott,

I've personally asked this question 4 times on the matty boards along with many other Canadians. We just received our shipping notice for Nov still have not received anything for Oct.. many Canadians are in the same boat.. why!!!! because our shipments are in Sweden.. My god.. do we have to stand on our heads and spit nickles to get some answers ???

Please can you tell us what is going on.. and your CS is saying it's USPS. Digital river uses Mail on the move not USPS. and i've dealt with USPS they work in connection with Canada Post.. they are well aware that Canada is beside the US

Mail on the move.. well who knows.. maybe they thing Canada is on the moon.

Please get us some answers.. this is getting to be too much!

Thanks

[pattycakeman]

Same boat for me. Some Cell phone batteries i ordered from China 12 days after my October matty package "shipped", came in last week. 2 weeks from China.. sounds reasonable to me. I am so glad i decided to go with DHL for my sub shipping next year. I may end up paying an extra $10 on a single figure but I wont have to wait 5 weeks to get them, and wont have to worry about them being lost in the mail. Its getting ridiculous, I have 3 packages from matty that i have been waiting for, for a month. My sub, my He-Man/Battle cats from He-Mans birthday and weapons pack. That's $200 worth of product in Sweden somewhere.

Got my shipping notice last night as well, and I plan on making a purchase at tomorrow's sale (If i dont forget I need to make sure to choose UPS).

[krosfyah]

I sent this to Mail on the Move

Hi, I have a subscription with mattycollector.com they use your service, they ship out of California USA. I live in Ontario Canada, these packages take four weeks to reach me and when they do they return with a Sweden post sticker on it. We've tried with no avail to get answers from mattycollector, but it's fallen on deaf ears. So I am going to the source. why are our packages traveling to Sweden before they get to Canada? This is a wide spread problem afflicting ALL the Canadian orders. Please find out about this and help us with the issue. Thank you.