Bartertown.com

I have sent quite a few packages from the U.S. to Canada via both UPS and the USPS with no problems - but this week I ran into some minor issues and was wondering if anyone else has had similar problems. Here is what happened:
Last Thursday I took a package to UPS to get a shipping estimate to Canada, was quoted $15.35, so confirmed with the buyer that he was OK with that price, he paid with paypal, and I went back on Saturday to mail the package. UPS asked for both the buyers email address and phone number - he said Canadian customs had started refusing to deliver packages without that information, just within the last couple of days. I had to go home and get that info, then came back on Monday to mail it. This time they asked the following questions:
What is in the box? (I said metal and plastic minis).
How many? (How many minis? Wasn't sure what they meant, I said there were 9 small boxes worth (these were SST arachnids).
Where were they manufactured? (I said U.S.)
Where did the metal come from? (no idea what he meant by this, I said U.S. again).
Then they accepted the package. I have never been asked those questions before by either UPS or the USPS. Is this a new thing for packages going to Canada? Was the clerk being extra-alert? Or maybe I just look suspicious???? Any ideas?

[quote="TBeyer"]I have sent quite a few packages from the U.S. to Canada via both UPS and the USPS with no problems - but this week I ran into some minor issues and was wondering if anyone else has had similar problems. Here is what happened:
Last Thursday I took a package to UPS to get a shipping estimate to Canada, was quoted $15.35, so confirmed with the buyer that he was OK with that price, he paid with paypal, and I went back on Saturday to mail the package. UPS asked for both the buyers email address and phone number - he said Canadian customs had started refusing to deliver packages without that information, just within the last couple of days. I had to go home and get that info, then came back on Monday to mail it. This time they asked the following questions:
What is in the box? (I said metal and plastic minis).
How many? (How many minis? Wasn't sure what they meant, I said there were 9 small boxes worth (these were SST arachnids).
Where were they manufactured? (I said U.S.)
Where did the metal come from? (no idea what he meant by this, I said U.S. again).
Then they accepted the package. I have never been asked those questions before by either UPS or the USPS. Is this a new thing for packages going to Canada? Was the clerk being extra-alert? Or maybe I just look suspicious???? Any ideas?[/quote]

I have not ever had those questions, and I frequently do do cross border shipping. Of course, by this point I am on a first name basis with the folks at the counter.. lol.

Some of the information should have been on the customs form.. did you have one filled out already?

-Porkuslime

porkuslime wrote:Some of the information should have been on the customs form.. did you have one filled out already?

Almost all of that info is part of the customs form. When I send packages using Canada Post's online tools is asks me for the country of origin of the product and the NAFTA code (optional) and I assume this is to see if products are covered under NAFTA and therefore duty free.

The country of origin is almost certainly a NAFTA issue as items manufactured in the US are sometimes duty free

Yes I had filled out the customs form (there was a place on there for both phone # and email, I don't recall seeing those before, or at least I have never filled them out before). Also there was a box for description and I put 'metal and plastic models' but no more details. I was really surprised by the question 'Where did the metal come from?', does that really make a difference - and how would I know that?

all of those exact questions are on the usps.com website when you purchase postage online, and print it out from your computer.

what it sounds like to me, is you went to a ups storefront, usually know as mail boxes etc. they are a subsidy of ups. they will ship for you, using their account, using other carriers; usps.
so basiclly, you paid someone else to print out the postage for you. also, they charged you a fee in addition to the actual postage. you can do the same at home if you have a computer and a printer. accounts at usps.com are free to seup. all you have to pay is the actual postage.
you need a scale, or the availability of a scale. you can even use one at the automated postal center at the post office, but you can't mail it there.
you have to go to the counter and see a clerk.

scales are available at office supply stores or from usps. i found the ones at usps to be chaeper than the stores.

.