Postage from Canada

[badgecollector]

Hi all
A mate of mine won some badges in an auction in Vancouver last week. He is trying to get them shipped to Australia. He's been quoted to pick up, pack and send, between $500-800 Canadian.
Does anyone have any suggestions or know any companies who could do this cheaper?
Cheers
BC

[colin 17]

Have him get it shipped to someone in Canada who can then send it on at a more reasonable rate. It can be me if needed but maybe better someone out west.

Colin

[badgecollector]

thanks colin
the other problem is that if he ships within canada he has to pay GST?
crazy
bc

[48th]

I am assuming the high shipping cost is do to insurance as the badges are valuable?

The Canada lost web site has a shipping calculator and you can determine the actual cost on there.

Shipping to Canada might be a viable option, might be the lesser of two evils as I am sure the Aussie customs will see how much they are worth and charge duty in comparison to the tax here in Canada.

[altcar73]

In my experience to attempt to have anything valuable sent from Canada via their postal system to the UK is nothing short of a nightmare. I no longer buy from there for this reason. I appreciate that this question relates to an Australian destination. However, friends there tell me that they to have had similar difficulties in having valuable mail sent from Canada.

Dave.

[Roy]

Hi BC,

Not sure if it will help but I'm happy to have it shipped to me here in the US and I can ship it on at cost.

Let me know if I can help.

Cheers, Roy.

[Ian B]

Good day bc,

No matter how the package is shipped, Canada Post or a courier company, within Canada or foreign, your man is going to have to pay the 5% to the Queen. With some exceptions for certain items, all companies that provide "Goods and Services" in Canada have to collect it and forward to Ottawa.

Canada Post charges for packages (boxes and the like) by weight AND volume. Not the larger of the two but the combination thereof. Cost me CDN$80 to send a piece of kit worth about CDN$40 to a friend in the UK a couple of years ago. And don't think about asking for the surface rate as the parcel will go to the nearest port (probably Vancouver), be put in a container, sit until the container is full, and then take a nice leisurely ocean voyage down under. Total delivery time: about four to six weeks!

If your friend bought a large lot of metal badges, the high price might come from weight. If it is a couple of expensive badges, the cost might be for insurance. Personally, I think the auction house is using a courier service as they tend to be more expensive than CanPost in my experience.

So, best of luck to your fiend. If someone in N. America is willing to be the middle man in this to save him some coin....good on 'im.

Ian

[Vix Steel]

Either way doesnt the buyer have to pay GST and premiums?

[badgecollector]

thanks all for the replies.
i am negotiating at the moment and will let you know the outcome.
as i understand it, the buyer has to pay both GST and premiums but as an international buyer, as long as its posted internationally, the GST will be returned. that is my understanding anyway.
will lt you know how i go
bc

[Censlenov]

If he wants you can have him send them to me i"m in Alberta. $500-$800 for shipping sounds outlandish even is the items is expensive and you get it fully insured. I bet its being sent priority courier with additional charges for the packing and handling.

I routinely send packages to the UK for $40-70 cdn fully insured with tracking. I don't send as often to NZ or Australia but it is a bit more for sure. but no way can i see $500.

Cheers
Chris