Shipping to Canada (from US)

[SuperChuck]

After going through the hassle of shipping the Review These PIF up to pyrofish in Alberta, I thought I'd put together a couple tips to make your life easier if you have to ship stuff to Canada...

#1 Get the recipient's phone number (I think it's in case there's a problem on that side of the border)

#2 Prepare to Declare (I said it was a gift of cigars with a low value)

#3 Pack cigars in a small USPS box

#4 Drop the box into a Global Priority Tyvek Envelope

#5 Stick a Customs Form Envelope to the back

#5 Do the online order thing and place the Post Office Copy and Customs Declaration into the Customs Form Envelope

The supplies are free, so they're not a bad thing to have around. Those links are:
Global Priority Tyvek Envelope
Customs Form Envelope

I assume shipping to the UK and Europe would be a similar deal, yes?

[centurycigar]

SC, good suggestions.
If you dont want any risk of seizure or taxes, just label them as a book and mark as a gift. I have a very understanding supplier in the US that does this for me and they come through with no hassle everytime.
Sometimes I would like to partcipate in the Box splits or Review these, but dont want to get screwed by customs or put my fellow US cigar lovers through that hassle.

[CoventryCat86]

I just put them in a box and send them parcel post, no need to "declare" anything nor did I fill out any "customs" paperwork. I haven't had a problem yet.

[centurycigar]

Sounds like a good way to ship CC
If you ever want to do a box split, let me know.

[stjohnroe]

Sorry if this is marginaly off topic.

It is a problem that I have faced, apparently you must attach a customs label when sending to the US. I generally mark things as "******" or "**********" or something else when I send them and list a low value (£*?), sometimes I throw in some ***** just to mix things up a bit.

I have had stuff opened by Customs and Excise on the way to me before (it was in one of those cigar international boxes with the smokin smiley), but they have not chosen to charge me anything yet.

I sympathise with centurycigar on the split thing, I would like to participate in passes but the idea of customs seizing a box full of cigars makes me cringe.

The same problems can apply when ordering stuff from the rest of Europe when you live in the UK.

[centurycigar]

the idea of customs seizing a box full of cigars makes me cringe.

Amen !
As a Coin and Stamp dealer in Canada, a lot of my UK customers ask me to put lower values on items, because they even tax collectibles....heavily !

[thepyrofish]

CC's suggestion is a good idea for anybody shipping to Canada in the future. I just recieved my 'review these' cigars, and customs is chatging me over 18 dollars in garbage to pick them up. I'm not bitter, it's definately not superchuck's fault...just something to remember for future reference.