Canada Post Customs

[adyf]

Just wondered if it's normal for Canada Post to keep inward items in customs for a while before being delivered. The item has been in customs since 1st June. Tracking on their website shows the item in transit with no issues and expected delivery is between 1 to 12 days.

 

Does this seem about right for this postal service?

[torstar]

You never know the process that Canada takes.

 

My favourite is a message from them saying that because nobody was there to sign in another province as an agent that the package will not be delivered. Then it shows up at the office within the hour.

[Stewart Gibson]

HI

Was the item shipped from the UK?

 

Here is the tracking for an item I ordered from the UK in February having paid for 6 day service

 

Date

Time

Status

Track point

11/02/15

20:39

RECEIVED AT OETORONTO CANADA

TORONTO CANADA

07/02/15

AM

DESPATCHED TOTORONTO CANADA

CANADA

06/02/15

18:52

DESPATCHABLE TOHEATHROW WORLDWIDE DC

BIRMINGHAM MAIL CENTRE

06/02/15

18:49

COLLECTED

BIRMINGHAM MAIL CENTRE

06/02/15

10:14

ACCEPTED AT POL

623 Walsall Road B42 1EH

 

 

I sent this info to my MP on the 26th because neither the Post office nor Canada Customs could tell me where the parcel was. Well to clarify, Customs ignored my inquiry but I digress. In the end the items arrived on the 3rd of March having been held by Customs for some 18 days. My local post office was helpful in trying to find the parcel and ultimately letting me know where the parcel was.

 

The indication at that time was that parcels are selected for inspection randomly and given the paranoia...err backlog could be in Customs for three weeks.

 

So to answer your question, I have received 41 shipments from the UK in the past three years. Only one has exceeded the delivery standard after being held by Customs. FYI, there was no recourse from Canada Post nor Royal Mail as the actions of Customs are beyond their control.

 

All I can suggest is to have the customer call his local post office to see if they can help. The 1-800 number was a waste of time.

 

Stu

 

 

[dan in montreal]

It's unfortunate, but in my experience, it is normal (although It shouldn't be).

 

The last time it happened to me was with a package from India. It was held up at customs. I called Canada Post and was told there was nothing they could do. The package was released 10 business days later. This occured 3 or 4 times diring the last year.

[adyf]

Thanks for your replies. I shipped the pen from the UK, it's good to know that you've eventually been receiving your items. Not so good that information seems hard to come by and that patience alone appears to be the key.

[tinta]

My experience has been positive when receiving or shipping goods to & from the UK. I have been ordering fly tying materials from there for a while.

With inks: I ordered from Cult Pens by telephone on Monday, received ink by post on Thursday. You can't beat that!

 

On this continent, shipments from Canada to the USA are fairly reliable. Goods from the States to Canada can get hung up in Customs. (Strange, as we have a free trade agreement with the US, but maybe not about fishing equipment or pen & ink supplies.)

Edited June 17, 2015 by tinta

[Sasha Royale]

Canada has "significant" customs duties. (No discussion, as my political views are usually unwelcomed.) I think every country has a quarantine period / process for international mail. Do you recall that in 2002, three employees of the United States Postal Service died, when some mailed a biological attack ? In 2013, an incendiary device ignited at a mail processing facility on the east coast USA.

 

The world will remain paranoid about mail for years to come. The declining mail volume is resulting in declining revenue. Manpower, in both quantity and quality, continues to decline. Despite delays, it seems that the merchandise is being delivered.

Edited June 17, 2015 by Sasha Royale

[Stewart Gibson]

I will reply to misinformation

 

Canada does not have "significant customs duties" and there certainly is not a "Quarantine Period" for typical shipments. As for my bonafides on this matter. I have received 150 inbound shipments in the last three years, including 71 from the US and 45 from the UK. Canada does impose sales taxes (same as European VAT) on some inbound shipments, typically those over $100.00 in value, but I have only paid that on about 10% of those eligible at the border. I also operated an email miniatures business for several years and had no difficulties with inbound shipments, some over $2000.00 in value.

 

The average from ordering to receipt for inbound shipments from the UK is 16 days and from the US is 23 days. Note: that is from ordering to receipt not shipping times.

 

So let's please get some information before commenting and then attempting to stifle discussion.

 

Stewart Gibson

[Pincel]

I will reply to misinformation

 

Canada does not have "significant customs duties" and there certainly is not a "Quarantine Period" for typical shipments. As for my bonafides on this matter. I have received 150 inbound shipments in the last three years, including 71 from the US and 45 from the UK. Canada does impose sales taxes (same as European VAT) on some inbound shipments, typically those over $100.00 in value, but I have only paid that on about 10% of those eligible at the border. I also operated an email miniatures business for several years and had no difficulties with inbound shipments, some over $2000.00 in value.

 

The average from ordering to receipt for inbound shipments from the UK is 16 days and from the US is 23 days. Note: that is from ordering to receipt not shipping times.

 

So let's please get some information before commenting and then attempting to stifle discussion.

 

Stewart Gibson

 

I have had no problems with our postal service here in Canada. In my case, the problem is eBay's Global Scheming Program. Pitney Bowes milks us with its "import charges" on top of shipping and handling fees which we pre-pay when we do the checkout. As you say, "Canada does impose sales taxes (same as European VAT) on some inbound shipments, typically those over $100.00 in value, but I have only paid that on about 10% of those eligible at the border." The few times I was charged with additional import charges on delivery, Canada Post, Purolator, UPS and FedEx always give me a receipt from Canada Customs for the amount I paid for such charges. Never did Pitney Bowes nor eBay. How do we know they really paid Canada Customs the amount we prepaid?

 

Someone has to initiate an investigation and file maybe a class action lawsuit against eBay, Pitney Bowles.

[wastelanded]

Amen to that. Global Shipping is nothing but a massive con. According to Canada Revenue Agency, writing instruments below $30 in value are duty free. Yet how many times have I seen a $20 pen showing GSP fees? For what?

 

Scam, scam, scamitty scam.

[MBDostoevsky]

Amen to that. Global Shipping is nothing but a massive con. According to Canada Revenue Agency, writing instruments below $30 in value are duty free. Yet how many times have I seen a $20 pen showing GSP fees? For what?

 

Scam, scam, scamitty scam.

 

Much worse... now you cannot opt out of it. The sellers tend to restrict the buyers to this GSP option. I once availed the GSP option and still had to pay taxes / duties, which was supposedly taken care of by this GSP service. I complained to eBay and since 3 years nothing has happened!

[Seney724]

 

Much worse... now you cannot opt out of it. The sellers tend to restrict the buyers to this GSP option. I once availed the GSP option and still had to pay taxes / duties, which was supposedly taken care of by this GSP service. I complained to eBay and since 3 years nothing has happened!

eBay is full of scams and it is only getting worse.

 

They routinely charge taxes on items which are not taxable.......at least in the State where I live in the USA. Even when provided with the relevant portion from the State tax code documenting this incorrect tax collection, they persist.

 

Worse is that they allow high volume sellers (a couple of whom are pen sellers) to place or arrange shill bids on their items. Again, even after they have been provided incontrovertible proof of the activity, they continue to look the other way.

 

I have distanced myself from this shameless Company.....and I do not miss them one bit!

[MBDostoevsky]

eBay is full of scams and it is only getting worse.

 

They routinely charge taxes on items which are not taxable.......at least in the State where I live in the USA. Even when provided with the relevant portion from the State tax code documenting this incorrect tax collection, they persist.

 

Worse is that they allow high volume sellers (a couple of whom are pen sellers) to place or arrange shill bids on their items. Again, even after they have been provided incontrovertible proof of the activity, they continue to look the other way.

 

I have distanced myself from this shameless Company.....and I do not miss them one bit!

 

I agree with shill bids... I have caught sellers bidding on their own items using different IDs. I lodged complaints but to no avail. The only thing that they did was refund my money which I never asked for. I still won the bid despite fake bidding and they cancelled my order and returned the money.

 

I was residing in tax free country in Middle East and was still charged duties and taxes on items sent via GSP.

 

However, it is very unfortunate that most sellers still prefer eBay because they feel somehow secured. 90% of whatever pens I have, have been bought via eBay.