[BudgieBrain26]

Just a heads up for anyone who's ordered anything from the States recently.

Apparently customs is really cracking down on parcel deliveries coming from the States TO Canada. I have been waiting for a few figures from different sellers from the States now for a month with still no signs of arrival. Tracking numbers have been confirmed, of course there are no updates, and seller's have provided proof of shipment.

I went to my local post office up here (Northern Ontario) and was informed that packages coming from the States are now being kept, AT MINIMUM, 2-3 weeks time before being sent out.

I find this absolutely ridiculous, especially in the sense that my parcels contain either 1 or 2, unopened/new, GB figures! Nothing suspicious about them, yet they need to be withheld for 3 weeks? Sometimes it makes you wonder.

Anyways, that's just a heads up in case anyone else is dealing with LONG wait times for packages/parcels coming from the States. Good Luck All!

[ScooterinAB]

That's odd. I've never been hit too hard with customs. Aside from some slippers I ordered from Japan (which were probably quarantined), most of my stuff either clears immediately or is held for a day or two.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the pending strike? I just had some stuff delivered, and didn't notices a major difference in timing, but maybe they told you about hold in case of strike.

[kaotic86]

I'd have to wonder if they were holding it back for you that long because of the impending strike. I got an item off of ebay last week for my nephew and it came in Monday, straight from Nevada. So who knows eh?

Either way...strikes practically on. Winnipeg's on strike tonight, and if no agreement's reached by midnight the rest of Canada starts getting hit too. Suuuuuuuuucks....

[irricanian]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[AJ Quick]

I think 2-3 weeks is pretty much the norm every where for large packages unless you use a customs broker who can handle things quickly. (But be prepared to pay for that).

[irricanian]

Actually Canadapost has it's own brokerage and parcels are going thru relatively quick lately, Expedited parcel used to be 11-14 days and is now quoting 4-5 days. Expresspost is 3 days but you pay more for it. As with any parcel going to the US or coming into Canada they are all subject to delays by customs, i think alot of it just depends on volume of parcels. I'm crossing my fingers the postal strike doesn't happen, that would suck for everyone. There is always couriers like UPS but then you really get nailed with brokerage fees.

[kaotic86]

Sorry boys...Strike's on tonight afterall in Winnipeg. Negotiations still on until the end of tomorrow now, but until then:

"The union says the job-stoppage in Winnipeg would last 24 hours and would then move to other locations, but it wouldn't say where."

Joy.

[AJ Quick]

What do you guys typically have to pay for fees or tax?

I hear that it can be pretty bad sometimes. In the US we almost never have to pay a fee unless the item we are importing is over $2000 in value (but ofcourse it depends on the item and how it was shipped).

[irricanian]

It all depends on how the item is sent AJ , most of the time I get packages with no duty or taxes levied, sometimes I get hit with HST (harmonized sales tax 13%) and a "handling" fee of $5 (I'm sure they had to pay someone to type up the form ) Sometimes I think they just spin the wheel of misfortune and if it lands on the wrong spot you get dinged.

Couriers like UPS is a whole other ball game, brokerage fees are charged depending on the value and size of item as well as the HST and duty, so it adds up.

[BudgieBrain26]

Actually,

2 figures that I ordered May 16th came in last thursday and then 1 figure that I ordered May 23rd came in the next day (According to Rebecca Black, Friday comes AFTER thursday).

So that's not even 3 weeks and 2 weeks for those two packages. Not bad. But the one thing I ordered on the 5th of May is still not here. Over a month now. I think it's time for an ebay case to be opened..... damn....

[ScooterinAB]

Ya. After a month, I'd start lighting some fires.

In case anyone is wondering about the strike, I called Canada Post today. The woman I spoke with said that striking was only happening in each city for a day at a time. She said that if I was waiting on a package for today, it would be a day or two late (as Calgary and Edmonton are striking today, for example). So the strike is more annoying than prohibiting.

[jessejames51]

yay! lockout! gotta love canada post!