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Procedures for international shipping


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I've never shipped anything from the US to Canada before and I've already got one potential buyer for the jersey I'm selling. He lives in Calgary. What would be a reasonable extra amount to ask for international shipping, and what procedures do I need to follow for international shipping via USPS?

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I've never shipped anything from the US to Canada before and I've already got one potential buyer for the jersey I'm selling. He lives in Calgary. What would be a reasonable extra amount to ask for international shipping, and what procedures do I need to follow for international shipping via USPS?

Use the shipping calculator on USPS.com to make sure you charge him the correct amount. There's no set "extra" amount you should charge. You want to make sure the buyer covers the whole shipping cost, so just use that calculator to give them an accurate quote.

For Canadian packages, you can use First Class, Priority, or Express and all will have tracking.

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I haven't done it in a bit, but I remember that you do have to fill out a customs form. If you do it online, it'll give you the forms to fill out, not too bad.

Personally, I prefer calculating what the shipping would be online like dsl said, getting payment, then making a trip down to the post office and filling everything out in person to make sure you're doing it right.

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Yes, you will need to fill out a Customs form (make sure you let your buyer know that they're responsible for Customs fees if they get charged them).

You can fill out the form online, or pick up a copy at the Post Office and fill it out there.

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I might be wrong, but I don't think USPS.com lets you do First Class International online. But, you can do it through PayPal Multi Order Shipping.

I may have that backwards. If you can't do it with one, you can with the other. I prefer using it because A) you can print your postage online and drop it in a box or give it to your mailman, you don't have to go to the Post Office as you do with Priority, and 2) its way cheaper, and most of the Canadians I have worked with would rather pay $15-18 for shipping than $40.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just don't use UPS because if you do, the buyer will get charged outrageous fees. Not just customs fees, but extra service fees on top of what you already paid to ship the jersey.

If you use USPS like you mentioned in your post, it is not that much different than shipping within the US. I'm not familiar with USPS' exact services, but it should be the exact same as shipping in the US just more expensive and you'll have to fill out a customs declaration.

You probably want to ship the item with a service that covers tracking+insurance. (That goes for shipping in the US too). Judging by what I get charged on eBay for jerseys....I'm guessing 20-30 for a single jersey shipped to Canada depending on where you are in the US.

Oh yeah...avoid flat rate boxes. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I am pretty sure they aren't usually a good value for shipping small items like jerseys.

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Correct about flat rate boxes. They are convenient but unless you are shipping something heavy, the regular rate is typically less. This is definitely true of jerseys.

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I just shipped a jersey to Canada and this is not the first time via USPS. This is what I often encounter and keep in mind I am shipping from NJ.

1) First class is the cheapest, but typically it starts at about $15 (if I am shipping to someplace close like Ontario) to about $25 (If I am shipping someplace like BC).

2) First class does not offer tracking, but instead the customs form tracking number can be used as the tracking # as it will appear when you enter it on the USPS website.

3) If you want to add official tracking to your package, expect to pay about an additional $10.

4) If you declare anything above about $45 USD, expect the recipient to pay duties (not sure how much they are but I am assuming calculated on the declared value).

5) If you declare the item as a gift instead of merchandise, you can usually lessen or avoid the duties fees but expose you to issues down the road. Choose carefully on that one.

6) To help speed your package through customs, when you write a description of the article being shipped on the customs forms, be sure to write "Hockey Jersey, Made in Canada." That made in Canada part usually helps it through customs much faster (According to the tracking it usually doesn't site in customs for more than 15 minutes this way).

The jersey I shipped recently had a declared value of $300 USD and since it was an off-eBay transaction I asked for the additional tracking. Since it went to Surrey, BC, my cost was something like $34.40 USD to ship. Without the additional tracking it would have been $20.45 USD.

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Agreed, though I usually throw the word "used" in there too, a "Used Hockey Jersey" just sounds less valuable.

Not an issue if you are declaring the full value, which on a documented sale like on eBay, you always should. If you are selling here or trading, you have a little more wiggle room in assigning a value.

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I was selling to someone through a Devils FB group that I have never dealt before. I was thinking of lessening the value, but I didn't as if something happened and when I tried to claim that I was cheated out of $300, I would be stuck holding the bag. It was an authentic jersey and not game worn and was the most expensive thing I have ever shipped to Canada by far.

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I'd never lower the value for a stranger. If it was someone I knew, I might value it at the lower end. I mean, if you watch eBay long enough you can buy a pre-worn 2.0 for $150, or even less.

One of our members just paid under $40 for a fully customized one. So what it's "value" is is extremely subjective. Surely if he paid $40, that was its "value" if it was an international deal.

Edited by mfitz804
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Alright, thanks for your help, everyone. Shipping ended up being about $15 total. USPS initially gave me a higher estimate for shipping so I refunded the buyer the difference. He got the jersey on Friday.

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  • 1 year later...

I just use the cheapest method that includes tracking.  Usually around $40-50.  Buyer pays of course.

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