Need Help!! Customs Charge for Poster

NEVER use personal UPS when shipping from USA to Canada, or Canada to USA. No matter if you check mark "gift" on the custom form, once it passes the border, UPS want's money at the door.

The many dozens of poster artists I buy from who live in the USA use USPS to ship their prints to Canada. Pretty much 80% of them put promo on the custom forum or 10 dollars as the value of the print. A few of them put the full value of the print. I've asked if they could just put gift on the custom forums, but they couldn't do to it do to filing taxes.

Whenever I see "Customs services and international tracking provided" on eBay, I don't bother bidding on it. It's BS!! If you could could ask the seller if he/she could change their sell.

I pretty much ship to my friends in the USA via Canada Post via Expedite. Always put 100 insurance on it and check mark "gift", always. Even when the prints are more then 100 bucks, don't put the original value on the white custom forum cause your friend in the USA will pay at the door. And that's not what I want to happen.

Also NEVER use FedEx shipping items to Canada. These past few months now, it looks like they have decided not to ask for money at the door or when you pick it up @ their depot. What they do is sent you a letter in the mail that you have to pay for the custom charge. Few friends locally had the same problem. Recently I had the same problem with the Given To Fly PJ Glassbaby candle from Seattle and the signed Phoenix '13 print from SIT. You would think the FedEx dude who knocked at your door to sign for the item would want the money, but nope. They will give you a smile at the door now. Day's later they fuck you with a bill .

Hey Will...

I never use UPS. When I trade or buy I ask them to use USPS. I had a similar problem with a record I bought for $40. The dude declared the value at $120, I paid $40 in fees.

UPS will charge a fee to carry it across the border for you, you pay regardless. If you go USPS our customs people may or may not charge a tariff on it. I think in my experience, I have paid one tariff so far.

I have never done this, but I think you can get the parcel cleared through customs yourself and not pay the fee. Not sure of the process I think I remember Zod talking about it, but then he I think lives near a border, I don't, not sure if you do.

I have never used UPS again after the $40 fee on a $40 record.

willbarclay said:

thanks Beer Baron

thats a great Simpsons Episode

"$40 for a beer?! This better be the best beer in the world. (drinks beer) You got lucky."

demetrios said:

The many dozens of poster artists I buy from who live in the USA use USPS to ship their prints to Canada. Pretty much 80% of them put promo on the custom forum or 10 dollars as the value of the print. A few of them put the full value of the print. I've asked if they could just put gift on the custom forums, but they couldn't do to it do to filing taxes.

It's only a matter of time before poster artists cease to undervalue shipments. All it would take is a few bad apples trying to take advantage and the artist/s would be out the cash along with the poster. It goes without saying that undervaluing is also considered mail fraud, and eventually the artist/s will receive a friendly reminder from USPS reminding them that any parcels undervalued are subject to seizure and/or penalty.

When I purchased the Vitalogy Jack Daniels promo set I was fortunate enough to be dealing with a top notch seller, who went above and beyond. She took it upon herself to hire out the packaging to a company that specialized in shipping high-value items in the mail. While she and I agreed on a $20 value declaration, the shipping firm recommended declaring the contents as alcohol (which in fact it was) as opposed to "promo" or some other vague description. We agreed: had Canada Customs intercepted undeclared alcohol they would have been within their right to seize it. What I didn't know is that this province's liquor control board imposes a 140% tariff on imported alcohol and I was dinged for a little over $100 on that $20 declaration, with the seller graciously offering to even split the $100 charge with me. I was more than satisfied at the end.