[Cougar429]

This one can go on forever!

Have to agree about the differences in costs. I have often sent RC stuff around the world for less than it takes in the same province.

Then there is their varied efficiency. My kids live all over the country and I can never tell how long a letter or package will take to get to them.

In my own experience, their "Express Post" is a joke and not worth the expense. Frequently, regular parcels arrive sooner than ones with E/P and if you ever ship those outside the country, the tracking number they assign is now useless.

Want a good one? My oldest lived in Yellowknife for a few years. We did the annual Christmas Packaging and sent off the boxes E/P. From what we were told they were on the last ferry to run and it froze up. Those packages sat there all winter, only to arrive back at my door in the spring! So, rather than unload the mail, (anyone watch Ice Road Truckers?) and continue on to their destination, (you likely could see her house from there!) they worked most efficiently to wait till the ice broke up, mark them "Undelivered", and hump them all the way back to Southwestern Ontario! Gotta love their thinking!

And yes, although I hate going through the hassle of sending anything anywhere anymore, (they're now closing the closest P/O at the local Home Hardware, something I hear is across the board) I have to agree it sure beats UPS by a mile. I bought some wheels from a guy in the U.S. for $25. Rather than USPS he ignored the first "S" and when they showed up at my door last Wednesday there was a brokerage bill for $21!!!!!!!!! (*^&$#) ME SILLY!

[reo]

I ran a mailorder business for many years and have had a lot of experience with Canada Post and overall it has been very positive. That said, I agree that postal rates are quite a bit higher here than they are in the US. I think part of the issue is that Canada Post has a mandate to serve ALL of Canada, however remote the outpost may be. Taking into consideration this mandate covers the whole Arctic and every little small and out of the way community in the country I'm sure the rates we pay in the southern part of the country go to subsidizing the service in the north, etc. Are the rates into the NWT higher?, sure they are but not high enough to cover the real costs of getting stuff up there....Ron

btw, if you want to save when shipping by mail get a Venture One card......it has some nice features....

[bobreib]

Something else that really hurts is the crazy 8% sales tax here in Ontario.
( 13% with the GST )
It is often cheaper to buy from an on line store in another province even with the high shipping cost.

My most recent purchase from China arrived without any duty or tax !

[imported_paintball_kidz]

Originally Posted by bobreib

Something else that really hurts is the crazy 8% sales tax here in Ontario.
My most recent purchase from China arrived without any duty or tax !

British columbia is 13%

[Arceenut]

I notice in the paper Canada post is again asking for an increase in postal rates.

[DaveJohansen]

Originally Posted by Cougar429

I bought some wheels from a guy in the U.S. for $25. Rather than USPS he ignored the first "S" and when they showed up at my door last Wednesday there was a brokerage bill for $21!!!!!!!!! (*^&$#) ME SILLY!

A fella I know had a FREE automotive catalog sent to him. UPS showed up with it and demanded a brokerage fee of something like $15-$20

[pogo]

Slightly off topic but maybe of interest: I ordered a large (56" w/s) F-86 EDF ARF from HobbyCity on the 17th. Using the tracking # informs me it arrived at Mississauga on the 20th, and is "being reviewed" by customs. After 6 business days, there it still sits.
HC and the Hong Kong postal service expedited the shipment of this parcel admirably. I'm really enjoying waiting for over a week to learn what those fine folks at Canada Customs decide I owe them. I'm thinking they can't believe the declared value (140 USD) is legitimate for such a large box.
Question: Does one have any recourse when a parcel simply disappears into the black maw of Canada Customs?- I should be more patient but this just pisses me off.
Tom

[Cougar429]

Wait till the next time you see one of them flying and ask the owner if he works for C/P.

[DaveJohansen]

Originally Posted by pogo

Slightly off topic but maybe of interest: I ordered a large (56" w/s) F-86 EDF ARF from HobbyCity on the 17th. Using the tracking # informs me it arrived at Mississauga on the 20th, and is "being reviewed" by customs. After 6 business days, there it still sits.
HC and the Hong Kong postal service expedited the shipment of this parcel admirably. I'm really enjoying waiting for over a week to learn what those fine folks at Canada Customs decide I owe them. I'm thinking they can't believe the declared value (140 USD) is legitimate for such a large box.
Question: Does one have any recourse when a parcel simply disappears into the black maw of Canada Customs?- I should be more patient but this just pisses me off.
Tom

For anything I have had come through Customs, you are still on schedule. My stuff has been 1 week at the quickest, 3 weeks longest. I've also had stuff from Hong Kong, if it shows up in an envelope (small stuff like ESC, cables), it shoots right through bypassing the taxman.

Dave

[Sparhawk]

Originally Posted by pogo

Slightly off topic but maybe of interest: I ordered a large (56" w/s) F-86 EDF ARF from HobbyCity on the 17th. Using the tracking # informs me it arrived at Mississauga on the 20th, and is "being reviewed" by customs. After 6 business days, there it still sits.
HC and the Hong Kong postal service expedited the shipment of this parcel admirably. I'm really enjoying waiting for over a week to learn what those fine folks at Canada Customs decide I owe them. I'm thinking they can't believe the declared value (140 USD) is legitimate for such a large box.
Question: Does one have any recourse when a parcel simply disappears into the black maw of Canada Customs?- I should be more patient but this just pisses me off.
Tom

I got that beat! some 14ga wire, bag of Dean connectors, 4 batteries, servo connector ends, a Turnigy 80A ESC and program card....... Time spent in Customs?

JUST OVER 1 MONTH! and not a thing I could do. I finally called my company's broker to see if she could light a bonfire under their collective @sses.

Dan