Last week I shipped a cue to Canada for the first time; I'm in the Chicago area. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the whole process was smooth and simple. I thought I'd post a recap here in case anyone else is curious about it. Don't bother readying this if you're experienced in this; I'm only posting for the benefit of anyone who may wonder if it's worth the hassle to ship outside the U.S.
As with so many things, the Internet has streamlined what probably used to be a more complicated process. I went onto the USPS site, where I was able to create an estimate of the shipping charges. You input package weight and dimensions, and choose options like insurance and return receipt. The cost estimate turned out to be accurate to the penny; it was around $35 for Priority international shipping, vs around $15 for domestic shipping. You can pay the shipping charges online and produce shipping labels, but I elected not to--I wanted a little more hand-holding at the local USPS office. Next time I'll just do it all myself.
On the same site, I produced the customs forms that must accompany international shipments. This was a bit more complicated, but pretty self-explanatory overall. I printed out and signed the forms, then took them and the packaged cue to the USPS office.
By the time I presented the package for delivery, the id # on the customs form was already in the USPS system. This # became the tracking # for the shipment. I was able to track the shipment through both the USPS website and the Canada Post website; shipment legs were updated pretty quickly. I requested email verification of delivery, and got that email within an hour or so of the cue's delivery.
The delivery time was 6 days, door to door. All in all, a painless process. Probably the major point of risk is with Customs; in my case, the package apparently sailed through, as it showed in and out of Customs in a matter of a couple of hours. I'd say the key to this is an accurate description of contents and a credible statement of value. If you're trying to put something over on Customs you're probably more likely to run into problems.
I wouldn't hesitate to ship to Canada again.
As with so many things, the Internet has streamlined what probably used to be a more complicated process. I went onto the USPS site, where I was able to create an estimate of the shipping charges. You input package weight and dimensions, and choose options like insurance and return receipt. The cost estimate turned out to be accurate to the penny; it was around $35 for Priority international shipping, vs around $15 for domestic shipping. You can pay the shipping charges online and produce shipping labels, but I elected not to--I wanted a little more hand-holding at the local USPS office. Next time I'll just do it all myself.
On the same site, I produced the customs forms that must accompany international shipments. This was a bit more complicated, but pretty self-explanatory overall. I printed out and signed the forms, then took them and the packaged cue to the USPS office.
By the time I presented the package for delivery, the id # on the customs form was already in the USPS system. This # became the tracking # for the shipment. I was able to track the shipment through both the USPS website and the Canada Post website; shipment legs were updated pretty quickly. I requested email verification of delivery, and got that email within an hour or so of the cue's delivery.
The delivery time was 6 days, door to door. All in all, a painless process. Probably the major point of risk is with Customs; in my case, the package apparently sailed through, as it showed in and out of Customs in a matter of a couple of hours. I'd say the key to this is an accurate description of contents and a credible statement of value. If you're trying to put something over on Customs you're probably more likely to run into problems.
I wouldn't hesitate to ship to Canada again.
