International Shipping RANT!!!

**HStream1** · 04-14-2021, 04:53 AM

I remember that all to well. They got you going and coming. But If I hadnt insured the Case and something happened (Lost or Stolen) because there is NO WAY they could have damaged anything with that 5/8" Plywood 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 Framed crate you built. They would have said well?? It wasnt insured sorry.

Originally Posted by Dave Strong

Bud I see things have not changed, remember my gearcase? You had put your value for the coating on the customs form, Insured value of case at $1000.00. they decided to charge me customs fees on the insured value of the my case that was sent for a service. Not the lesser actual service. Asshats just find a way to get as much tax as they can. Pretty sure NAFTA only applies to big companies shipping to companies across borders not small companies shipping to private people.

Dave

**V-bottom** · 04-14-2021, 06:43 AM

Bud you did a great job on my gearcase. Don't give up on us Canadians. I would gladly pay the extra $50 or 70 freight cost to have you powder coat it. We have our own powder coat paint line for painting commercial products and we can't provide the quality job that you provide. I believe I called the freight carrier to arrange the pick up at your shop and ship back to Canada when you did mine. Yes it is a pain in the ass dealing with paperwork. Whatever it is your work is top notch!!

**HStream1** · 04-14-2021, 06:51 AM

Thanks for the Kind words!!!

Im really not giving up on my Canadian Friends. It just pisses me off that you cant get a hard copy form to fill out anymore. The Online Links are not user friendly to people like me. Maybe for those that actually grew up in the Computer age. But Even the Fedex Rep that ended up calling me admitted their Site wasnt user friendly to alot of people. Guess if its something someone does everyday (International shipping) Its a cake walk. But In my case Its only once in a blue moon.

Originally Posted by V-bottom

Bud you did a great job on my gearcase. Don't give up on us Canadians. I would gladly pay the extra $50 or 70 freight cost to have you powder coat it. We have our own powder coat paint line for painting commercial products and we can't provide the quality job that you provide. I believe I called the freight carrier to arrange the pick up at your shop and ship back to Canada when you did mine. Yes it is a pain in the ass dealing with paperwork. Whatever it is your work is top notch!!

**kellytheaker** · 04-14-2021, 07:20 AM

Glad to hear your forging ahead - and possibly able to accommodate northern customers .
Changes in paperwork meaning online only can be frustrating when problems or questions come up . It's how you handle the problem - paper work - phone conversations- doing bills - remitting taxes - ordering supplies - all time consuming and unpaid .
Crossing a border with goods has gotten more stringent and they try and manage that flow carefully .
Glad you got a call and straightened it out finally . Now back to the usual grind of powder coating at Buds world headquarters of powder.

**MattGreen** · 04-14-2021, 08:16 AM

If you are a reasonably high-volume Canadian shipper/receiver (like a lot of the Canadian members on here are), by far the best way is to setup a US mail-drop address. These businesses exist all along the US side of the border and charge modest fees. Obviously with the pandemic border closure this is not a good current option, but that will end. It helps both the shipper and receiver tremendously - you become your own customers broker - brokerage fees out the window

. I've had big stuff delivered to the US mail drops - a boat, powerheads, cowls, skid of midsection parts, etc - really reasonable prices. If you don't live that close to the border yourself you can have a friend/relative pickup your stuff for you.

Matt

**Chaz** · 04-14-2021, 08:38 PM

Seems like half the things I send to Canada goes straight thru . The other half sit's in Customs jail .. waiting to get bonded out . As soon as anything leaves the US , it's no longer tracked by the the shipping company . All they say is call a bondsman .

I sent a piece to Canada a week or three ago. The kid at Fed-Ex ( my usual girl wasn't there ) said , your invoice and declared value are way off .. they'll never accept it.

I said .. so if you sent me your Rolex

to be repaired. And I fixed it for $100 .

Would you want it insured for $100 or $20,100 .. ??? Go~head son .. take all the time you need ...

Must be the schools closed due to Ninja-19 that leaves them pondering the concept of selling something vs. repairing a customer owned part. If I don't write returning to owner on the invoice , shipping paperwork , the box itself .. there isn't enough redundancy for them to remember.

How do I recoup the time and effort lost to them ... ????

I get the satisfaction of knowing that when I send a set of reeds out of country .. I repackage them in music sheets and claim : Clarinet reeds .50c each ...

**Dave Strong** · 04-14-2021, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by Chaz

Seems like half the things I send to Canada goes straight thru . The other half sit's in Customs jail .. waiting to get bonded out . As soon as anything leaves the US , it's no longer tracked by the the shipping company . All they say is call a bondsman .

I sent a piece to Canada a week or three ago. The kid at Fed-Ex ( my usual girl wasn't there ) said , your invoice and declared value are way off .. they'll never accept it.

I said .. so if you sent me your Rolex

to be repaired. And I fixed it for $100 .

Would you want it insured for $100 or $20,100 .. ??? Go~head son .. take all the time you need ...

Must be the schools closed due to Ninja-19 that leaves them pondering the concept of selling something vs. repairing a customer owned part. If I don't write returning to owner on the invoice , shipping paperwork , the box itself .. there isn't enough redundancy for them to remember.

How do I recoup the time and effort lost to them ... ????

I get the satisfaction of knowing that when I send a set of reeds out of country .. I repackage them in music sheets and claim : Clarinet reeds .50c each ...

Why didn't you tell Bud to wrap my gearcase in music sheets.

get what your saying, had a tuner held up in Customs years ago. Declared as an outboard engine part. Customs guy said no such thing as an outboard engine only outboard motors. Guess all outboards are electric.

Dave

**Chaz** · 04-15-2021, 08:49 AM

Handwritin is on the wall ... So your ahead of your time ..

High performance outboards to, 4-pokes, then down to, long extension cords ..

I told em once that a Powerglide planetary set was a missal guidance system .. they didn't think was too funny. (pre 9-11, so the black Escalades never swarmed my driveway )

**HStream1** · 04-15-2021, 10:20 AM

Well they didnt think it was funny because you didnt explain it correctly!! https://youtu.be/Ac7G7xOG2Ag?t=3

Originally Posted by Chaz

I told em once that a Powerglide planetary set was a missal guidance system .. they didn't think was too funny. (pre 9-11, so the black Escalades never swarmed my driveway )

**David** · 04-15-2021, 07:31 PM

Cross border pickups say they will pick up at their US mail drop on the US side and bring stuff across. Right now we can’t cross the border to use the mail drops on the US side

**Chaz** · 04-16-2021, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by HStream1

Well they didnt think it was funny because you didnt explain it correctly!! https://youtu.be/Ac7G7xOG2Ag?t=3

That's always a great one ...

I found a new .. great way to ship out of country .
I send everything out thru the Mexican boarder ... seems all the traffic in incoming .. so the line leaving is short and quick ..

**99fxst99** · 04-16-2021, 08:57 AM

Years ago an inboard racer from Canada bought a new engine in the US, probably $10K at the time. Before coming bown he bought a junkyard Chevy and put it in his truck. Told Customs he was bringing the engine across for repairs, and it was coming back across. They asked for the serial number. He pointed to it cast into the engine (intake manifold). 18436572. Got to the engine shop, threw it in the junk pile and lut the new engine in the truck. Back to the border. Customs guard checked the serial number cast into the engine. 18436572. No problem. No tariff.

**HStream1** · 04-16-2021, 09:18 AM

Im waiting to see how many pick up on what he actually showed them

Originally Posted by 99fxst99

They asked for the serial number. He pointed to it cast into the engine (intake manifold). 18436572. Got to the engine shop, threw it in the junk pile and lut the new engine in the truck. Back to the border. Customs guard checked the serial number cast into the engine. 18436572. No problem. No tariff.