Shipping from Canada to US questions.

[Mindwarp]

Can some of the Canadian members here chime in on how/where to get the best shipping rates to the US? I can't believe the rates that Canada Post quotes on their website

[RC10Eh]

Shipping with tracking is expensive . To keep costs down keep the packages as small as possible dimensionally . When selling threw the forum , i just ship regular air or ground depending on cost . Toronto to Florida seams real slow , but most other states are fine .

[Mindwarp]

Yeah, I'm trying to keep the size down but still Canada Posts wants almost $40 to ship a 24"x12"x10"x2lb package to the States. I don't want to compromise on protective packaging but at the same time I don't want to alienate US buyers because of high shipping costs. *sigh*

Are there any savings to be had with fedex or some other agency or is Canada Post the cheapest?

[vintage AE]

I just pack what ever it is into the smallest box possible, with good packing of course and take it to the post office. Then I use the cheapest posting service. Size matter's
Women like it big, and we like small boxes

[8rad]

Should not be that much. First, shipping through Paypal is cheaper. The magic number is half a kilo. Half a kilo is $7-9, 1 kilo is $15-20, 1.5 kilo is 25 and anything over that is more. RC10Eh is right about the dimensions as well but if its too heavy then dimensions dont really matter.

I have many times cut out pieces of the box to get the weight down under a kilo to save ten bucks. The trick is to play with the shipping rates calculator online until you get a number you like and then make a box to fit that dimension.

Seems ass backwards I know but I have saved hundreds doing it this way. Sometimes you cant get away with it but I have shipped cars in some small ass boxes.

If you take the wheels and body off you should be able to send an rc car anywhere in the world for under 30 bucks. You just have to pay attention to making the box as small and light as possible.

[Mindwarp]

There's some great tips here, thanks!

8rad, you mentioned shipping through paypal? I've never heard of that. How does it work?

[aconsola]

the USPS will also charge high rates on a big but lightweight box. I forget the start size, but larger light boxes have postage calculated on the "dimensional weight" basically they charge you for the weight the could be charging for if they shipped several average weight smaller packages in the large space your lightweight package will take up.

[slapshot1979]

That is a fairly big box, and unless your shipping foam the price does sound about right, small town post offices can help slightly with prefered customer rates , and I always found the online estamites to be a bit high.

[RC10Eh]

Careful with the big couriers , You then will have issues such as customs clearance and brokerage fees. The girls at my post office are great , the staff will help you , go in when its not so busy . I might add that the majority of my shipments to the US are in the 8 CAD range .

[Mindwarp]

Well, I have a few fairly large monster truck bodies I would like to sell so I pretty much have no choice as far as box size goes.
I guess I'll just make sure I get shipping quotes first.

Thanks for all the info and help!

[Mindwarp]

Careful with the big couriers , You then will have issues such as customs clearance and brokerage fees. The girls at my post office are great , the staff will help you , go in when its not so busy . I might add that the majority of my shipments to the US are in the 8 CAD range .

Have you ever shipped a larger size rc body?

[RC10Eh]

I did not say i shipped a body for 8 CAD , but i have shipped around the world , and parcels as big as a slash .

[Coelacanth]

As other people have stated, I would try to keep the package size as small as possible, and ship using the cheapest method (ground). The few times I went with the next step up--at triple the cost--the package didn't even arrive any quicker than surface mail, anyway. The only time I'd use that option is if I'm shipping something expensive that I can't afford to have it get lost or damaged (i.e. tracking, insurance).

[littleVETTE]

make sure you question them as much as you can. some of them just flat out throw a number and expect you to pay it. because it's canada. i had this happen a while back. i won a few items and the guy wanted to charge 40 canadian to ship them. 3 packages the size and weight of 3 associated large tie rods. i kept hitting him with questions and eventually he caved and admitted that he was too lazy to go to the post office to get a proper quote. he finally changed the shipping. he pleaded not to leave him negative feedback because he was already on watch from ebay for the doing the same crap. you had no idea how bad i wanted to screw with this guys feedback.

[slapshot1979]

OUtside ebay I will say to the ppl example .$20 should cover it, if its more I cover it if its less I refund the difference. seems to work everybodys happy.
The more you do it, the better idea you have as to a ballpark price.