There are two key questions when you think of shipping whether it be local or international—cost and time of delivery. For normal deliveries, these two factors are always considered, but their importance is even more highlighted when deliveries are for your business.
With the continuous rise of e-commerce especially exchanges between Canada and America, the demand for shipping options that fit e-commerce owners and managers. More than this, the customers on the other end also have their demands on delivery speed and their expectations with the costs they need to pay.
Hence, answering how long does standard shipping take from US to Canada and vice versa is important both on the seller and buyer’s end. The costs are something to talk about and be aware of as well.
For your standard shipping from US to Canada, you need to take note of the type of products you are sending, the customs fees you need to pay, and the delivery speed you need.
The first thing you need to know about standard international shipping from US to Canada is the allowed, restricted, and prohibited items to send to Canada. Take note that the following items are prohibited to enter US: nail polish, gasoline, cigarettes, dry ice, ammunition, airbags, fresh fruits and vegetables, and more are prohibited items. Save your time and energy by not trying to send items as they will not pass in customs checking.
Standard shipping from US to Canada varies for every shipping provider, but what is consistent is the customs fees you need to pay or you need to pass on to the receiver.
In Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency handles every import that comes from abroad. It is important to take note that the type of shipment and the country of origin your products are made of will also be considered when computing the duty and tax you need to pay. Canada charges duty and import tax depending on the province you are sending your shipment.
Hence, in standard international shipping from US to Canada check the province destination first.
If you are sending in the provinces of Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon, you will be charged with a Goods and Services Tax (GST) that is 5% the cost of your product. For the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick, New Foundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, they charge a Harmonized Sales tax (HST) which is 13% in Ontario and 15% the cost of your product for the other four mentioned provinces. For British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, aside from the GST, they have an additional Provincial Sales Tax (PST) you’ll need to pay when sending in their areas.
Knowing how to compute duty and tax rate is important knowledge you should have as a seller because this will be added to the cost you will incur when sending to specific provinces in Canada and will add to your standard shipping from US to Canada cost. As a seller, it is upon you to decide whether you’ll handle these costs or give the burden to your buyer.
UPS is a shipping company that delivers internationally, and it has different shipping options that fit your delivery speed needs and will answer your question “How long does standard shipping take from US to Canada?”
Here’s what you can expect from the different shipping options:
1) Express shipping is available, which delivers 24 hours a day every day of the year.
2) Time and day-specific delivery speed are also available for a less rushed shipping time frame.
3) Means of shipping—truckload, air freight, and ground shipping—are all available.
4) For shipments that are lightweight or those which are too heavy and packed in multiple packages, you can choose a shipping type for these needs as well.
In picking which shipping option to choose, here are the things you should consider:
1) Do you need to deliver immediately or the item and receiver are willing to wait? Choose express delivery for rushed shipment.
2) If you have planned your shipping calendar well, there wouldn’t be a need to rush and cram. Hence, you can choose for time and date specific delivery. This type of standard shipping from US to Canada is the best as it can save you money from the extra charge for express shipping.
3) Is the item you are sending mail, package, or multiple heavy-weight boxes? Consider shipping options that cover the type of weight and size your shipment has, so you are sure that your goods will be handled properly.
The answer to the question “How long does standard shipping take from US to Canada?” really depends on you and how well you plan your delivery calendar.
For some e-commerce sellers, they send the bulk of their product ahead of time and store them in a warehouse in Canada, so when they get an order from their customers, the delivery time will be cut as the items are already in the country.
There are a lot of trusted Canadian shipping companies you can partner with in doing the last mile of your product delivery.
Know the allowed, restricted and prohibited items, the customs fees you need to pay, and the shipping speed you will avail for you standard shipping from Canada to US.
Not knowing that the items you are sending to the US can spell increased cost for your shipping, and you may even face higher penalties from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is the office that checks all imports to the US.
Some items you should not ship are plants, seeds, perishable food and medication, drug paraphernalia, smoke pipes, fireworks, explosives, flammable goods and matches, and more! Make sure to have quick research about the US prohibited and restricted items. Though time-consuming and can lead to information overload, it is better to know the basics than face the consequences of not knowing.
Computing the customs duty and tax you need to pay for your standard shipping from Canada to US can be complicated and difficult to understand if you are new to international shipping, but as you continue to learn about it, you’ll figure out that it is quite simple.
The first rule on US customs fee is if the value of the item you are sending is less than USD800, no duty and tax will be charged unless told by the CBP. For goods costing more than USD800, duty and tax rate computation applies.
Next, you need to remember is the classification of formal and informal entries. If your products cost more than USD2500, that will fall under the formal entry and will be taxed accordingly. Informal entries are items that cost less than USD2500. The main difference between the two is that formal entries require a customs broker to handle all the paperwork and clearance for your shipment when they reach the US.
In standard shipping from Canada to US cost computation, including the payment you need to make for the customs broker. The CBP can assist you in finding a customs broker.
Again, knowing how to compute duty and tax rate and how much you need to spend for a customs broker will help you check the totality of your spending for your standard shipping from Canada to US. You can decide if it’s feasible to handle all these costs as a seller or share the payment with the buyers.
UPS is an international shipping company that also has a Canadian arm. There are also shipping companies in Canada that are partnered with UPS. Hence, the shipping delivery time and options are wide, and you can surely pick something that fits your needs.
Here is what you can expect from UPS Canada:
1) There are express shipping options that can deliver your item on the same day or the next day—worldwide. This service is available 24 hours on all days of the year.
2) There also time and date definite types of shipments, which is perfect if you are not in a rush.
3) If you are on a budget, but you still need to stay true to the delivery time you promised your receiver, UPS has shipping options that target both timeliness and economic budget.
Which shipping option should you choose?
Ideally, you should pick the standard shipping from Canada to US that is less costly, but at the same time will send your items to the receiver on time. If you want this type of standard shipping from Canada to US, you need to level-up your shipping calendar planning, and you need to partner with experienced shipping companies that will make sure that your timeline will be executed.
Stallion Express is a Canadian shipping company that is experienced in partnering with e-commerce business owners to do standard international shipping from US to Canada or standard shipping from Canada to US. We are partnered with UPS and USPS, and they do the last mile of delivery for us. Contact us at 877-863-7447, so we can discuss how our standard international shipping from US to Canada and standard shipping from Canada to US work.
Diana leads the growth marketing initiatives at Stallion Express. As a personal trainer turned digital marketer, Diana is obsessed with equipping eCommerce entrepreneurs with everything they need to scale their online businesses. You can catch her doing yoga or hitting the tennis courts in her spare time.
Read all posts written by Diana Zheng
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