It’s a busy time for shoppers. During the holiday season, nearly 3 billion packages are expected to be sent via mail carriers. That’s a lot of packages, and it doesn’t leave a lot of room for error if you want your package to get somewhere on time.
If you’re planning on shipping out of the country to Canada, you’ll need to take the time for even more preparation work. Learning how to ship to Canada isn’t difficult, but there are a few things you’ll want to make sure that you understand.
Ready to learn more? Read on and we’ll walk you through the basics.
Challenges of Shipping to Canada
What makes shipping to Canada so difficult? There are some complications that simply don’t exist when you’re shipping within the US that will apply to these shipments.
Canada has a different import tax, meaning that any item valued over a certain amount is going to cost more to be allowed into the country. Customs is likely to delay your package as well, meaning you might need to pay expensive surcharges to get your package to your destination in a reasonable timeframe.
As you can imagine, this makes cornering a Canadian marketplace for your business somewhat difficult. Between the delay and the shipping taxes, it can be hard to make a profit when you need something to get into Canadian hands quickly.
How To Ship To Canada
That doesn’t mean finding a way through this scenario is impossible, however. You’ll just need to determine the cheapest way to ship your goods based on what you’re sending and where you need it to arrive.
UPS and FedEx both offer different rates for shipping to Canada. You can also use USPS to get your goods over the border and into the proper hands.
Relatively speaking, FedEx seems to offer lower rates when sending to Canada than UPS. However, this might vary in a case-to-case scenario. Awkward package shaping or a busy season might push prices upwards.
At the end of the day, the USPS is likely to offer you a just slightly better deal to deliver your package, though it will take much longer to arrive. Depending on your need for speed, your preference might vary.
The most important thing to do is make sure that you have all the necessary paperwork filled out ahead of time.
There is a lot of information Canadian customs will need to allow your package through. This is the area where those new to Canadian shipping often slip up, make a mistake, and lose time and money.
Shipping to Canada: What to Know
If you’re planning on sending a package up to the Great North, you’re going to need to understand how to ship to Canada. The above information can help cover the basics and ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
Need more business advice? Keep scrolling our blog for more.
