Are there any 3rd party shippers that can help me with my Canada Post blues?

[drewkroeker]

Long story short our national postal service is on strike. But there are items that I want and money burning a hole in my bank account. I am looking for someone in the US who can purchase some items for me and either we figure out a way to ship them to me or just hang on to them until the Canada Post strike is over. I would be paying for the items with my credit card and then they go to your address. Nothing obnoxiously oversized or inconvenient. And I will give some decent coin for helping me out.

Thanks,
Drew

[Snowpuff]

Dude.... ups.. Purolator, FedEx...

[drewkroeker]

UPS has stated they are not currently shipping to Canada and Purolator is owned by Canada Post ☹️ FedEx might be the answer

[Chuck E Ducky]

Soon as it hits the border it goes to Canada Post though don't it? Regardless of who you start shipping with in the US. All international shipping goes through Canada post I think.

[Toestr]

No, couriers with an international presence will be delivered by that company. Some might hand off to Canada Post or other Canadian couriers if they have an agreement.

[Toestr]

Honestly just hold off unless there's an item you want for an event. You've already missed most Black Friday deals to be had. Any courier service will charge you unnecessary brokerage fees.

[Alexndl]

Never use UPS, they always overcharge the custom fees

[Jimmydee]

I would like to know sir where in our vast country are you located?

[drewkroeker]

Brandon, Manitoba

[Jordan]

Dude.... ups.. Purolator, FedEx...

Dude... Customs charges.... brokerage fees....

[Cdn_Cuda]

Learned about brokerage fees once the hard way, and not repeating that mistake.

[Snowpuff]

Lol dude lie ...write 50$... literally just got a warp from the states shiped FedEx and no fees just 30usd for ahipping

[Cdn_Cuda]

Snowpuff. I learned a hard lesson when USPS lost a Tippmann Factory FA that I didn’t put extra insurance on. Cost me several hundred out of pocket, but wasn’t purchasers fault so gave them full refund.

[Meleager7]

on the positive side, think of how much money Canada Post is saving Canadian MCB'ers !

[MullerTime]

Haha I never thought of it that way 😄

[Cdn_Cuda]

Cost me sadly. Have several markers that would have been sold and send by now. And I maybe have bought one or two more as well.

[Jordan]

I'm with 'Cuda... I've got two sitting here waiting to go out, plus four Walzmas gifts. I'm also waiting for a couple Amazon deliveries still and a Christmas present for my daughter, and some parts I ordered early November that all got caught in the strike.

Glad I sat out on the Secret Santa, I wanted to do it this year but missed the sign up date.

[jetenginekyle]

DHL? Pretty sure they are European so they shouldn't be affected by the strike. Not sure they ship to Canada tho as im in the States.

[Snowpuff]

Lol yee we have dhl

[Toestr]

Canadians can still use couriers all day long. The issue is that they charge outrageous brokerage fees on any items that are subject to duty. DHL is one of the worst offenders for brokerage fees.

[Santa's Elf]

Jimmydee

I have your Secret Santa mostly ready to go, but this post is scaring me, because I'm state side and you are Canada.

If you are cool with waiting the strike out, there are certainly parts I can focus on finishing in a little better and cleaning up a little more, but if you also just want it now I can try to send it out via FedEX?

Please just let me know if you are OKAY with waiting this out and getting Santa late.

[Toestr]

USPS isn't accepting mail to Canada ATM.

[Santa's Elf]

Toestr,

Thank you! I didn't know that. I'm doubly glad I asked now! So my options are UPS or FedEx then right?

[Toestr]

Yes, any international courier service will ship to Canada, but will likely subject Jimmy to unreasonable (and unnecessary) brokerage fees.

[smiffington]

I work for FedEx in the festering cesspool of filth that is London. If you're going to ship FedEx, do not ship FedEx ground, it will be lost or destroyed. Express is more expensive but you will actually get it, and generally decently fast. I deliver a pile of rock auto from the states that people say they only ordered the previous afternoon.

Don't know much about the business end but apparently there is a way to broker your own stuff and bypass fedex's brokerage fees, which are usually 12 bucks plus whatever taxes the feds want.

I saw someone suggest misdeclaring the value, you can't claim insurance then if that does happen. They're not gonna pay out a 500$ claim for a package you said was worth 20$.

Also I can't vouch for your experience with FedEx, it varies wildly based on where you live. My station is apparently one of the top 5 in Canada most of the time, this peak we were never more than 2 business days behind on anything. Meanwhile the station an hour up the road has stuff from November they haven't touched yet. Depends on your local station how good it is.

[Cdn_Cuda]

Purolator may be an option. It’s a royal pain as they won’t do online quotes, so have to go in person to see costs.

[RAZRBAKK]

Honestly most couriers put you through the rinse cycle. We use Purolator at work for all our parts and that place has been insanely busy since this started.

Hopefully our postal service is back soon. I actually can't believe the federal government is staying out of the dispute considering how much they like meddling with labour disputes.

I have a couple things in limbo that I'd really like to get before I move at the end of the month.

[drewkroeker]

A happy update: FedEx called me while I was driving around Brandon, saying they needed a physical address not a PO box to deliver to. I asked them if my package was in Brandon, and could I come pick it up? Five minute drive to the FedEx facility and I had my package from ansgear. Thankfully I was off work due to the cold, and actually had time to get to FedEx while they were open.