Somewhere in the darker recesses of my memory I recall a thread where posting to Canada was mentioned…can I just ask if there are any issues regarding packaging requirements/things to be aware of etc as I just can’t seem to find it. Many thanks x
I may be a bit out of date, but if I recall correctly the return address needed to be on the front of the package for Canada. Hang on and I’ll see whether I can find anything else…
ETA yup, there is some info in this thread International shipping pros & cons - #12 by Fififoxi - you need to put the invoice on the outside of the package too.
This is the RM guidance for Canada, it tells you how to format the address correctly
https://www.royalmail.com/sending/international/country-guides/canada
Hope that’s useful!
Hopefully Lynn’s response answered what you wanted, but if you wanted to know about possible issues:
I’ve posted to Canada a number of times over the years and have had a number of missing packages too! I do still post to Canada but for anything with a retail value of over £15, I will only post tracked (tracked only, no signature). Canada Post have been the flakiest postal service I’ve ever had dealings with but I guess we can allow it to some extent given the weather and vast expanses they have to operate in!
My worst experiences all happened in the Christmas season and some of the packages that did get lost did even turn up again, some time later - some to the address I sent them to and some back to me
Thank you @thecrimsonrabbit and @LooneySpoons That all sounds fairly straightforward… hopefully the packaging thing I had in my head was another country!!!
Much appreciated
Years ago … Memory Bear off to South Africa. Never arrived. But had enough fabric for a replacement. Held on to the replacement for over 2 years until Hubby was meeting up the gentleman that placed the order. It had been in ‘storage’ in Jo’burg all that time.
Was redirected back to the UK but to some kind lady down south who contacted me from the ‘Sender’ details on the back of the package!!! Happy ending as they had a second grandchild so each one got an identical bear.
How wonderful!
I’ve had some hilarious and irritating ones over the years. One of my favourites was a returning client from the US, placed an order, I sent it (not tracked), after a few weeks she got in touch to say she didn’t have it, we waited a few more weeks, still no sign so I remade and resent, which she safely received. Some 3 or 4 months later, she got in touch to say that she’d found the original package in a pile of packages in her crafting room - apparently, she had so many subsription boxes arriving at the time that she’d been piling them up and didn’t realise mine was amongst them! She was SO apologetic - I was just impressed she was so honest to get in touch and tell me!
My other favourite was for a US client who buys cat toys in bulk from me every year for her 2 beloved cats. One year I was so stupidly busy (oh to have those days again!) that I accidentally sent her package to another customer who didn’t even have cats. They took a week to make and long story short, everyone was super understanding, I remade them all and sent them to her and managed to arrange for the wrongly directed box to be donated to a local cat charity. I definitely learned to check twice before posting anything after that!
Blimey, that’s a complicated journey
Thank goodness for a happy ending
One of my return customers in the US messaged me middle of last year to say she had received a lovely package with 2 bears that she had ordered 3 months earlier… best thing was she had totally forgotten about the order so it was a lovely surprise. I couldn’t believe someone could lose an order for £170 and not realise, made us laugh though.
I have posted to Canada successfully in the past and just used CN22 label, nothing extra on the parcel
Canada is easy - pop parcel in hand bag and hop on a plane over there, have an epic time eating beaver tails and drinking ice wine whilst hiking in the fall colours, remembering to visit the local post office before getting on the plane back.
If that is not an option, then Royal Mail works as well. The threshold before GST is payable is only CAN$20 so I always stick an invoice on the outside so that customs can work out how much is payable (may or may not be needed but I feel happier knowing it’s there, I put the recipient contact details on the invoice in case there is an issue). CanadaPost drop a letter through the door of the recipient letting them know how much they have to pay and how to pay it and once they have done that the package gets delivered. It normally takes about a week in my experience but my parcels have been going to the major conurbations it would take longer if it’s heading out to the sticks. I always use some sort of tracking so I can keep an eye on it and see if it’s stuck in customs/ waiting on payment to be made.
Thanks Sasha. In the absence of plan A, I’m gonna have to go with plan B . Unfortunately he’s also asking how much the tax will be but I’m just going to have to claim ignorance on that one
And that reminds me, I have a bottle of Canadian ice wine hidden (not really hidden) away somewhere
Tax varies by province/ what the item is/ where it’s made so is difficult to estimate.
This will help but doesn’t include the CanadaPost handling fee.
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/gst-hst-businesses/charge-collect-which-rate/calculator.html
Frank says he’s on his way for the ice wine…
I would love to visit Canada, I am a huge fan of maple syrup for a start, then a lovely foodie friend suggested I try making Poutine (cheesy chips with gravy, what’s not to love there?) and Nanaimo Bars. OMG this nation uses custard powder as a baking ingredient… Sensational. Although maybe not for every day…
My best ‘missing’ package ever was one sent to me from the US when I was living in Scotland. Took six months to arrive and when it finally showed up we realised it had been routed via Nova Scotia
That’s great thank you …and tell Frank it’s only a small bottle
Hahaha, Scotland, Nova Scotia…easy mistake to make
Thank you everyone for your help and your fab and funny stories …and after chatting with the customer who enquired, I now have my sale to Canada
Oh and she’s also now a new Folksy customer after having found me first on Etsy
Hooray, I love a happy ending! Congratulations on the sale (and on luring a customer away from the Dark Side lol), here’s hoping your package has a smooth and speedy journey!
Thank you …and finger crossed x
I wish I was as clued up with it all @SashaGarrett, you make it sound so easy, no idea why I struggle with it, perhaps my ears are full lf bear fluff and that accounts for why it just doesn’t go in lol
I also think plan A of hopping on a plane sounds like a good plan, I might need to get a passport just in case and I’m sure I could manage that …sounds easier than sending post overseas anyway
Fordite is popular in Canada so I’ve shipped there a few times, and after shipping drugs/ hazardous chemicals round the world sending the odd bit of jewellery in the post is relatively straight forward.
A passport definitely helps if you want to visit Canada - hardest part with that is making sure your photo meets the requirements.