US Shipping Proxies? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

19Yzerman19 · 10-13-2013, 04:04 PM

Does anyone have a preferred method they can reccommend for havin stuff shipped to a US address and then forwarded to Canada? I'm trying to get some gear, but owing to restrictions the vendor can't ship internationally.

nickerjones · 10-13-2013, 04:16 PM

Hockey Gear?
If need be you can ship it to my family who will then ship it up to Calgary.

ken0042 · 10-13-2013, 04:23 PM

A few friends have used these guys before:
http://www.montanashipping.com/

19Yzerman19 · 10-13-2013, 04:24 PM

Ski gear. Skis, and some gloves.

Ace · 10-13-2013, 04:43 PM

I use Package Express. No complaints so far.

Www.packageexpress.com

zamler · 10-13-2013, 06:50 PM

I used Package Express recently due to a recommendation from another thread not too long ago. Shipping was reasonable and they did send out the package the next day. My only complaint is their web interface/system is pretty bad, it gets the job done but it is quite crude.

Doesn't matter much though, I got my package and wasn't raped in the process.

DownhillGoat · 10-13-2013, 07:35 PM

I don't think package express would work for ski gear.

I use Montana Shipping Outlet (the same Ken mentioned) for my big stuff. They're pretty good.

Northendzone · 10-14-2013, 12:59 PM

I have had mixed success in getting goods from the us. Sometimes they have been shipped directly to me with no issues, and other times I have had tp pay the ups fees.

So what happens at these shipping proxies

They receive your package on us soil and then turn around and reship it to you in canada? Does this side step the duties?

ken0042 · 10-14-2013, 01:41 PM

No, this does nothing to get around duty. What they are good for is some shippers will not ship to Canada, or charge a HUGE extra fee to ship.

You could also time it with a weekend trip to the States and then use it towards your duty free allotment.

DownhillGoat · 10-14-2013, 02:34 PM

NM. Ken already covered it.

Ace · 10-15-2013, 12:40 AM

Your also in control at the receiving point, so when it gets forwarded to you, you can make sure it doesn't ship with UPS and their brokerage scam...

DownhillGoat · 11-12-2013, 08:56 AM

Thought I'd piggy-back on this thread instead of starting a new one.

Strange question, but is there any services like Montana Shipping Outlet in Calgary? Somewhere I can have an item shipped to and they'll hold it?

ken0042 · 11-12-2013, 09:23 AM

I think UPS Stores do that type of thing. Not sure if you need to set something ahead of time, or what. I just seem to recall seeing that when I went into one to do photocopies.

lazypucker · 11-12-2013, 09:53 AM

Does anyone know what sort of service fees these 3rd-party mail forwarding company charge? Also what about the dreaded customs and duty import charge?

I always want to get music gear from the likes of Sweetwater but fearing that I will get raped by Canada Customs...

Ace · 11-12-2013, 09:55 AM

Kunk - I had to do this in Red Deer once and Purolator held a package for pick up for me, I assume they'd do that at any of their depots

DownhillGoat · 11-12-2013, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Does anyone know what sort of service fees these 3rd-party mail forwarding company charge? Also what about the dreaded customs and duty import charge?

http://www.packageexpress.com/Forms/...anadaRates.pdf

In the last 5 years I think I've been charged duty + gst once shipping via USPS/Canada Post. On most stuff you're only looking around 5-10% duty at most anyways.

Ace · 11-12-2013, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Does anyone know what sort of service fees these 3rd-party mail forwarding company charge? Also what about the dreaded customs and duty import charge?

I always want to get music gear from the likes of Sweetwater but fearing that I will get raped by Canada Customs...

I pay something like $2-3 receiving fee per package, and under $5 for taping and handling I think. Other than that it's just the shipping charges

A few times I thought I was being ripped off on the shipping quotes, so I called around and pretty much couldn't beat what they quoted me, so I don't think there is a mark-up there.

Since you get to pick how it ships to canada, you can usually choose USPS, which will result in you paying the GST, and a very reasonable brokerage fee (think $9.95). Sometimes on lower value items you don't pay either of these charges...

lazypucker · 11-12-2013, 10:01 AM

Ace, what type of stuff are you getting from the US? For me, I am talking about 50-lb speakers, large-sized musical instruments, etc.

Madman · 11-12-2013, 10:14 AM

I'm having several things delivered to the Babb, MT depot of Kinek. (under 3 hours from Calgary)

https://www.kinek.com/

A coworker of mine has used them for a ton of stuff and raves about them.

Their site is really good, it let's you submit all your tracking numbers for incoming packages and tracks them and notifies you automatically of their status.

DownhillGoat · 11-12-2013, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Ace, what type of stuff are you getting from the US? For me, I am talking about 50-lb speakers, large-sized musical instruments, etc.

USPS maxes out at 30lbs - so you're stuck with UPS and the like (read: duty and 'import' charges of the raping variety).

Anything that heavy I've always just run down to get. If I'm saving upwards of $500 I find it's worth my time and gas money. However you're likely to get charged taxes when you're coming back over the border.