Need help for Canadian shipping to USA

[+Omegamatrix]

I've been thinking about selling some stuff on Ebay lately, and I've been wondering if I can get your feedback on how long stuff is really taking to be shipped from Canada to the USA. If anyone could post what the best shipping options are, and any helpful tidbits you have I would appreciate it. I hope to hear from both Canadians and Americans. Thank you!

[Shawn]

Use expidited ground or air. ground is 10 to 20 days and air is 7 to 10. Free insurance up to 100 CDN dollars and free tracking also.

[holygrailvideogames.com]

I live in the U.S. I have had some items from Canada arrive in as little as 3 days but I also have had some packages take 2-3 weeks to get to me.

[+Omegamatrix]

I live in the U.S.  I have had some items from Canada arrive in as little as 3 days but I also have had some packages take 2-3 weeks to get to me.

906812[/snapback]

mcgrail0007 did you notice if the packages that took 2-3 weeks were coming from a certain area in Canada or were they just opened up by customs?

[holygrailvideogames.com]

I live in the U.S.  I have had some items from Canada arrive in as little as 3 days but I also have had some packages take 2-3 weeks to get to me.

906812[/snapback]

mcgrail0007 did you notice if the packages that took 2-3 weeks were coming from a certain area in Canada or were they just opened up by customs?

906813[/snapback]

 

I didn't pay attention to where they were coming from. Usually items that are sent in bubble envelopes arrive faster than larger packages. I have had some large packages arrive very fast (3-5 days). For whatever reason some of the larger packages do take a lot longer to get to me. Usually I am not in a hurry for any of my items to arrive so I don't get to upset. I have come to expect the delay with packages from other countries.

[pseudonymr]

canada post is kind of unpredictable and it isn't always about customs. if your shipping to or from canada you should mention in your auctions that it generally takes longer for the packages to get there and that they might be opened for customs.

[Mindfield]

Generally I break it down thus:

 

- 1 cartridge (or up to 100g): For economy, Air mail letter post. All you need is a bubble mailer and two stamps -- Canadian stamps if it's going within Canada, and US stamps if it's going to the US. Slap an air mail sticker on it (get a bunch from the post office; air mail doesn't cost any extra for letter post) Drop it in a mailbox -- do NOT take it to the post office. It'll usually get there in a couple of weeks or less and cost, at most, about $2.50 including taxes the cost of the bubble envelope. You can choose small packet surface post to the US, but it costs $3.75 for 1-2 carts and isn't any quicker.

 

- 2 cartridges (or 101-200g): Same as above, but within Canada, two US stamps, and to the US, $2.90 worth of stamps. Again, use an air mail sticker and do NOT take it to the post office, just drop it in a local mailbox.

 

3-6 cartridges (or 201-500g): Within Canada, $2.45 worth of stamps and the air mail sticker; same caveat. To the US you are better off using small packet surface mail at a rate of $5.80 plus taxes and fuel surcharge. It still takes about 2 weeks or so.

 

- 7-13 cartridges (or 501g-1Kg): Letter post is not available for anything over 500g, so within Canada it's parcel post at a rate dependent on the destination's postal code. To the US, anything from 501g-1Kg costs $8.75 plus taxes and fuel surcharge.

 

- Anything over 1Kg to the US will have to go expedited parcel post at rates starting at $10 plus taxes and fuel surcharge, dependent on destination ZIP code. Different regions of the US cost more -- generally, the further away it is the more it will cost. A 1-2Kg package costs about $11 to northern US states, $13 to American midwest states, and $14 to southern states. More for Alaska and Hawaii. Small packet rates are extended to up to 2Kg for anything outside North America.

[crunchysuperman]

If I don't count that guy from Canada that took 5 months, the overall average for stuff to me from Canada is usually about 2 weeks. Strangely enough, cartridges from the UK tend to arrive quicker.

[+Omegamatrix]

If I don't count that guy from Canada that took 5 months, the overall average for stuff to me from Canada is usually about 2 weeks.  Strangely enough, cartridges from the UK tend to arrive quicker. 

906847[/snapback]

The guy could have walked the parcel to your house and back in that amount of time lol. At least you finally got it.

This is good stuff so far. I think I'll post in my auctions that it will take 2-4 weeks to ship to the USA. Most of the auctions I win are from the US and I'm used to a 2-3 week shipping time. I was concerned that an American buyer might be upset if they had to wait a long time for shipping. Now I have a good idea how long shipping is actually taking, and 2-3 weeks sounds reasonable to me. If somebody Negs me for slow shipping then there's not much I can do.

 

Is there anything that makes a auction more attractive for an American buyer that I should know about? Are there any particular things American buyers watch out for that maybe stops them from bidding or makes them decide to bid?