CANADA SHIPPING

[+Ryder3 & Better Half]

We were just wondering why mail going TO Canada has to have a customs form,but mail FROM Canada does not?We recently had a person say we were charging too much for Canadian shipments.(Geocoins)

 

We feel that overseas shipping charges are in order due to the filling out the form,gas to and from the post office,and above all...STANDING IN LINE!

 

We just got a coin from Canada that has no customs stickers.Anybody know why?

 

THANKS

[+Team JSAM]

I have been told that the green customs from is not required but highly recomended. I use them every time just incase.

[+Hula Bum]

From USPS

No Customs form is required for:

Global Priority Mail (GPM) items, airmail letter-post items, and economy letter-post items that:

Weigh less than 16 ounces and do not have potentially dutiable contents. Weigh 16 ounces or more, do not have potentially dutiable contents, and are entered by a known mailer.

 

I've done it both ways and generally speaking if it's got the 2976 form on it (the green one) it gets there quicker, but they all get there.

 

You also can just calculate the postage, put it on and drop it in your mailbox, no need to go down and stand in line.

[+SWx4]

I know mailing coins from Calgary, AB, Canada I have to do a customs form for any envelope that contains coins... even though it fits the normal mail slot, etc. The post office guy asked what was in and told me that I had to put one on each... I now have the forms at home to put on while getting the envelope ready. I don't think it costs any more then sending a piece of mail that weighs the same to the US or overseas.. not sure... it seemed like maybe it was a pretty new thing on our end... so maybe not all the post offices are yet following the rules... Our forms are not green anymore - they are white and HUGE!

[+WWC-World's Worst Cacher]

I never do customs for any international package that is less that 1 lbs. Postal service will sometimes tell you that you need it but you do not.

 

It is odd but Canada packages often take longer than to Europe. I have been told there is some sort of political dispute that causes Canada to slow things down, but I have no idea if that is true.

 

I do put "Novelty Tokens" on all my international packages at the suggestion of one of my recipents. Again dont have any idea if it really helps.

[+Nero]

I've seen this thread before.

 

I have been told both..

 

You do NOT need a customs form if its less than 16 ounces.

 

and also...

 

You need customs forms on ANYTHING thats not printed material.

 

it all depends on the clerk at the counter if you go to a PO.

 

i've simply calculated postage online and put stamps on coins to canada and they get there. I have no idea if its faster or not with a customs form.

[+whitebear]

In Canada the rules changed either October or November .We now have to put a Huge white sticker (small packet) on all packages going out of the country that contain anything other than paper,I have had a couple postal people tell me no -But then I have had 3 envelopes returned for that reason(they had correct postage ...just no sticker).

A couple of other things it is now very expensive to ship packages of coins to Europe ,used to be way cheaper but they now consider an envelope with coins a small package no matter the size.

I get a lot of coins from the US ,some have the green sticker & some don't but never had any held up for that.

The only time they get held up is when people put coins rather than novelty or trading tokens.

Also if a value of over $3-5 is put on per token they seem charge taxes & a processing fee

Most coin packs coming to me from the US have between $.90 to $2.55 on them for postage unless it is a Global Priority Mail then I believe they are $4.25 or $ 5.25 so I don't think it is fair to charge an international

rate although I have no problem paying a bit more for forms & envelopes etc.

Just my .03 cents worth.

Edited December 11, 2006 by whitebear

[+Team Sand Dollar]

I always put the form on all coins going out of the US. But then I have simplified it by just printing a 3rd sticker so I have very little to write on it.

 

Mailing to Canada does cost a little more but only for the first oz. After that the cost is the same.

 

Team Sand Dollar

[+Ryder3 & Better Half]

Thanks for all the great input!

 

Can anyone tell us the rate to Canada?

 

Would love to quit standing in line,and reduce the shipping!

[+LadeBear68]

I use the customs form on all packages leaving the United States. If you do not use the form, your package is delayed and in some cases up to 45 days. I ordered a coin and did not receive it in within 45 days (no custom's form), replacements were sent with a custom's form and I received them within a week. The original package finally arrived after the replacements. The difference: the replacements had a customs form on them and the original package did not.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

It depends on the size of the package: either a green form, or a small packet form is in order.

 

Here's what I did:

 

1) Went to Post Office and got a few hundred green customs forms

2) Printed a sheet of Avery CLEAR labels with "Game Token: Gift $7 Value

 

Now, all I do is slap on the address, stick a return sticker on the envelope, stick the green form on, stick the clear label on the Green form.

 

There really isn't any extra work (or not much) when shipping across the border.

 

Anytime you send 5+ coins .... then it is more involved because you need to get them weighed.

[+ozymandiasism]

Rather than try to figure out what needs to be weighed and what I can get away with.... I put custom forms on ALL canada and internaitonal packages. Rather safe than sorry. It is more of a pain to do but will have less frustrations down the line.

[+Hula Bum]

Ryder,

You can go to the USPS website with the weight of your package click on international shipping, use the drop down for the Country and it'll give you the rate. You can also affix the form on and just stick the whole thing in your box. Make sure it goes on the right edge.

[+ozymandiasism]

Ryder,

You can go to the USPS website with the weight of your package click on international shipping, use the drop down for the Country and it'll give you the rate. You can also affix the form on and just stick the whole thing in your box. Make sure it goes on the right edge.

 

Actually. I don;'t think it matters where the form goes, as long as it's clearly visible. I put all my customs forms on the bottom left corner

[+Hula Bum]

Interesting, I did it "wrong" and they made me re-do all of them. Gotta love the Govt.... Probably best to go in one last time and ask YOUR post office so they stay happy.

[danoshimano]

I don't understand this new Canada Post big white "Small Packet" form. It has a "From" area and a "To" area, and yet, the slightly-obtuse Canada Post web site seems to indicate that the package also requires an address label and a return address label. In other words, I have to put both addresses on TWICE.

 

The site also indicated that the weight had to be on there, but the only weight box is grey and you are not supposed to write in the grey boxes.

 

Finally, on the itemized list part of the "Small Packet" form, it asks for "Country Origin Manufacture". What? Am I supposed to put Honk Kong there, if that's where my coins were made? Ack!

 

The girl at the post office just kept giggling at every question I asked. Finally I just said "What?" (As in "what are you laughing at?" She gave me about 200 forms (I asked for 60). She giggled and giggled when I said I needed $1.78 postage for 60 envelopes. "Ummm... I have 89¢ stamps?" "Okay," says I, "two times 89 is 178, yes?" <giggle giggle>. "So I need 120 of those" "<giggle... "they only come in things of 6." "Perfect. I'll take 20 of those." <giggle>

 

Some fun, eh?

[+Cashe Crusaders]

We have been attaching all the appropriate forms on our packages for awhile now thanks to our local Canada Post bureau. The funny thing is that we buy their mailer envelopes as they are abit smaller and by the time they attach all their forms you can't barely see the envelope. We have discovered it is best to allow them to affix them appropriately or they get rejected.

It is very important to list contents as game tokens or something similar to avoid custom charges.

Maybe the dogsled delivery was a better deal here north of the border.

[+whitebear]

For us shipping out of Canada ,at present you can just put your Name & the Destination Name on the form & skip the addresses .Also I never end up putting the weight on the form as they already had checked the weight.Instead of BN22 the form should be BS#1!

[+islander1988]

I also got a bunch of the forms to fill out at home since I too was told if there was anything other than paper in the envelope it needed a sticker. I also can't figure out why I need to fill in the address it's going to when it's on the front of the envelope for all to see.

 

My understanding is the rates for sending coins to the US is going up in the new year. When they brought in the new light package rate (or whatever they call it) a few months ago they kept the price the same as it was for sending regular mail; the only change was the new form. I think that's going to change. I just checked the Canada Post website though and only saw info on the letter rate increase. Anyone know about the light packet rate coins fall into?

[+Vegas Gamblers]

Just sent a coin to BC Canada. The cost was ninety cents. The PO clerk stated that it would need a customs form. Filled it out, put game token, gift and a five dollar price. It should arrive no problem within six days with air mail. Now for a ground transport the cost would have been over two dollars and arrive in six weeks. That made no sense to me but hey it is the Government.

[+Landsharkz]

I also got a bunch of the forms to fill out at home since I too was told if there was anything other than paper in the envelope it needed a sticker. I also can't figure out why I need to fill in the address it's going to when it's on the front of the envelope for all to see.

We send out hundreds of these with the small packet forms on them... Dano, WB, CC, Islander... you don't need to put the address on twice. Where it says address, you write 'see Package'.

I usually allow $3 - $4 for the value of each coin and tick 'gift' or 'sample'. Also I tick 'air' because that's how small packets go to the US or overseas.

The post office has to fill in the grey box, unless you have a postal scale and rate sheet, then we fill it all in, date it for the day it will be mailed and I also put my post office's cost centre. I can then throw them in the mailbox at the corner. The only ones I have to take to the post office are any over 500g or thick ones which won't fit through the 'oversized slot'.

 

Actually my 9 y.o. super kid does most of the small packet form well in advance, all I have to do is write the dollar value and give it to her to weigh and put postage on if she's around. It's her part-time job since she can't have a paper route like her bro'.

[+res2100]

 

The girl at the post office just kept giggling at every question I asked. Finally I just said "What?" (As in "what are you laughing at?" She gave me about 200 forms (I asked for 60). She giggled and giggled when I said I needed $1.78 postage for 60 envelopes. "Ummm... I have 89¢ stamps?" "Okay," says I, "two times 89 is 178, yes?" <giggle giggle>. "So I need 120 of those" "<giggle... "they only come in things of 6." "Perfect. I'll take 20 of those." <giggle>

 

Some fun, eh?

 

89¢ stamps also come in rolls of 50. So do $1.05 stamps.

I just bought 3 rolls last week.

 

When Canada Post switched from Letter Rate to Light Package, the only rate that went up was that of a package between 100g and 200g. The rest remained the same as letter rate.

 

I haven't heard of any small packet\light packet rate increase as of yet, but I did get a letter in the mail the other day saying that the various parcel rates will be going up mid January...but that usually doesn't have much effect when sending coins.

 

Also with the White customs forms that we now have to fill out, I really hate having to hand write the to and from address on it...so what I have read from a couple of you here, I don't actually need to do this? So all I need to do is just put the same, or say "see package"? That certainly would make thins easier. I wish they would bring back the green customs stickers.

[SlytherinAlex]

You also can just calculate the postage, put it on and drop it in your mailbox, no need to go down and stand in line.

There is a sticker on the mailbox near to my house that says that anything more than 16oz OR international mail, must be taken to a Post Office counter.

 

a.

[+Landsharkz]

Also with the White customs forms that we now have to fill out, I really hate having to hand write the to and from address on it...so what I have read from a couple of you here, I don't actually need to do this? So all I need to do is just put the same, or say "see package"? That certainly would make thins easier. I wish they would bring back the green customs stickers.

Actually we shorten it to 'see pkg' . Have a look at the writing on the ones y'all are getting from us.

[danoshimano]

Also with the White customs forms that we now have to fill out, I really hate having to hand write the to and from address on it...so what I have read from a couple of you here, I don't actually need to do this? So all I need to do is just put the same, or say "see package"? That certainly would make thins easier. I wish they would bring back the green customs stickers.

Actually we shorten it to 'see pkg' . Have a look at the writing on the ones y'all are getting from us.

 

But why are the forms multi-part? I can place the sticker on, but I am left with a copy that is not attached. Who gets that? Plus, it won't have any addresses on it since it is now separated from the package. I am hoping the answer is that I can just throw that part away.

 

So, just to be sure: I can fill it out, stick it on, and drop it in the mailbox at the end of my street? (No need to go to the post office and deal with the giggling girl there?)

[+res2100]

But why are the forms multi-part? I can place the sticker on, but I am left with a copy that is not attached. Who gets that? Plus, it won't have any addresses on it since it is now separated from the package. I am hoping the answer is that I can just throw that part away.

 

So, just to be sure: I can fill it out, stick it on, and drop it in the mailbox at the end of my street? (No need to go to the post office and deal with the giggling girl there?)

 

I just put the Light Packages in the mail box. However if it is a Small Package, if you take it to the post office, the package is now automatically insured for up to $100 and that would be a reason why you would need to keep the 2nd copy of the customs form. From reading the Canada Post web site, the insurance does not apply to Light Packages. I think they need to add another checkbox to the form that has the Light Package option, or maybe I just have the older forms still that I got a couple days after they introduced the Light Package feature.

Edited December 15, 2006 by res2100

[Team Macha]

I have shipped many coins to canada and have never used a customs form or anything like that. I just go to the post office and tell them its going to Canada and they still ship it first class mail same as any other mail, the only thing is that you cannot get tracking for these packages. it takes a little longer but it works just fine.

[+Landsharkz]

Also with the White customs forms that we now have to fill out, I really hate having to hand write the to and from address on it...so what I have read from a couple of you here, I don't actually need to do this? So all I need to do is just put the same, or say "see package"? That certainly would make thins easier. I wish they would bring back the green customs stickers.

Actually we shorten it to 'see pkg' . Have a look at the writing on the ones y'all are getting from us.

 

But why are the forms multi-part? I can place the sticker on, but I am left with a copy that is not attached. Who gets that? Plus, it won't have any addresses on it since it is now separated from the package. I am hoping the answer is that I can just throw that part away.

 

So, just to be sure: I can fill it out, stick it on, and drop it in the mailbox at the end of my street? (No need to go to the post office and deal with the giggling girl there?)

The form is multi-part so if you want a record of when you sent the geocoins, the giggling girl can date stamp it and you can keep the slip for your records. In that case, if you wanted a record of shipment, you'd need to write something on your copy so you knew whose package it was related to. I personally throw them out because I have another record of when I've shipped packages.

If you don't fill in the little grey box you chance the package being returned to you. My regular post office gave me their cost centre so I can fill in the entire grey box before I throw it in the mailbox at the corner. You could take the whole lot to your giggling girl and she should fill in the grey boxes. If you get the cost centre from them, and can fill in the whole grey box, you should use a mailbox in the same municipality as the post office.

Hope this helps!