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exporting to the us

updated wed 23 apr 08

 

pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on fri 18 apr 08


Hi Melissa,=20





So much for 'nafta' huh?


Prolly best just to pick a smaller Farm Road which goes 'across' and =
just drive the things to their 'consignee'...and make a little Vacation =
out of it.


Too, if the consignee/recipient/customer had not agreed upfront to =
paying high 'brokerage' fees, they likely would have been displeased to =
be stung with the surprise, had the things gone through.



Good luck with any further Exports...

I know it is a real challenge to find a workable solution...





Phil
l v


----- Original Message -----=20
From: Melissa Schooley=20




I live in Ontairo, Canada and I sell some of my pottery wholesale.=20
This past January picked up an order for a woman from a gallery in=20
Wisconsin (sp?). I got it all together, packed it up, shipped it out =
Canpar
rather naively assuming that they would act as my broker. 2 days later
I get a call. Can't send it. need a broker.

Okay.=20

So I get set up with a broker. Not too concerned, I had checked the =
little=20
box on the pro-forma that said consignee will pay for brokerage and =
duty.

2 more days later, another phone call. Can't send it. Broker doesn't =
know
who to bill. I told them bill the consignee. Okay. No problem. "so the =
boxes are=20
on their way?" "yes".

Okay.

Another 2 days goes by, followed by another phone call. Can't send the =
order.=20
1. Consignee doesn't have an account with my broker.=20
2. It's pottery and I'm told that I need a bond issued by the FDA to =
get it across the border.
That's! at least an extra $100 on top of shipping and brokerage and =
duties. For crying out
loud it was only a $400 order!!!

There has got to be an easier/cheaper way to do this. Does anyone out =
there know
anything about this that can help me out? It seems to be impossible =
for me to find
any information on how to do this. No one seems to be able to be =
straightforward with
me and I really don't understand any of this.=20

ughhhh!!!!!

Is there anybody out there that's here in Canada that ships orders to =
the States that=20
can give me some advice?

It would be MUCH appreciated.


Melissa Schooley
Raging Bowl Pottery
www.ragingbowlpottery.com

Handmade Porcelain Celebrating the Art of Fine Craft

Claudia MacPhee on fri 18 apr 08


Hi Melissa,
Hard to believe, but it is really easy if you do it the way they want.
The easiest way is to walk it through the border yourself. If your order =
is
under $2000US all you need is to fill out the paperwork-you need a certif=
icate of origin, a copy of the invoice and
an 'entry and manifest of merchandise free of duty, carrier's certificate=
and release'. Fill out the papers, give them $10.75
you go to the nearest post office (in the US) and mail your parcel off.
Since 1986 I have exported most of my work. The rules have changed and =
are changing every year.
Always trying to worm around the free trade agreement that did away with =
the duties. Send your pottery as works of art =20
entry number 9703.00.0000, no duty, no surchrages, no bs. They are all di=
ffrent aren't they, being handmade?
I get copies of the forms from the people at US customs. Sometimes ther=
e is a person who is a jerk on duty, but my experience has been that they=
have been very helpful. =20
Good luck!

Claudia MacPhee Tagish, Yukon
www.paintedbyfire.blogspot.comGet more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer d=
ownload : http://explorer.msn.com

Melissa Schooley on fri 18 apr 08



I live in Ontairo, Canada and I sell some of my pottery wholesale.
This past January picked up an order for a woman from a gallery in
Wisconsin (sp?). I got it all together, packed it up, shipped it out Canpar
rather naively assuming that they would act as my broker. 2 days later
I get a call. Can't send it. need a broker.

Okay.

So I get set up with a broker. Not too concerned, I had checked the little
box on the pro-forma that said consignee will pay for brokerage and duty.

2 more days later, another phone call. Can't send it. Broker doesn't know
who to bill. I told them bill the consignee. Okay. No problem. "so the boxes are
on their way?" "yes".

Okay.

Another 2 days goes by, followed by another phone call. Can't send the order.
1.  Consignee doesn't have an account with my broker.
2. It's pottery and I'm told that I need a bond issued by the FDA to get it across the border.
That's!
at least an extra $100 on top of shipping and brokerage and duties. For crying out
loud it was only a $400 order!!!

There has got to be an easier/cheaper way to do this. Does anyone out there know
anything about this that can help me out? It seems to be impossible for me to find
any information on how to do this. No one seems to be able to be straightforward with
me and I really don't understand any of this.

ughhhh!!!!!

Is there anybody out there that's here in Canada that ships orders to the States that
can give me some advice?

It would be MUCH appreciated.


Melissa Schooley

Raging Bowl Pottery

www.ragingbowlpottery.com



Handmade Porcelain Celebrating the Art of Fine Craft








Jim Willett on sat 19 apr 08


Hi, I hesitate to say too much...maybe we have just been lucky but we have
shipped orders to the US by Canada Post and Fed Ex with no problems at
all. Also via Greyhound Express (which becomes DHL Air). These are retail
orders, which may be the difference. I'm really not sure why a $400 order
would encounter so many problems.Just checked all the boxes and sent it
away.

Jim Willett
Out of the Fire Studio

Lee on sat 19 apr 08


I have never had any trouble from Japan. I ship both Sea mail and economy air.

--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that
can be counted counts." --(Sign hanging in Einstein's office at
Princeton)

Dale Cochoy on sun 20 apr 08


We've talked about shipping fees many times. I have given my impressions of
DHL a couple times. I will NEVER use them again and have instructed my
supplier in Holland to NEVER use them again. Their prices and 'gravy fees'
are ridiculous compaired to postal fees. ( Ditto w/ UPS) Brokerage fees are
a serious gravy fee ripoff and not to mention their 'paperwork' fees once my
packages get to the US. In my opinion, when a shipper goes to a place to
ship and says "How much to ship this to such-and-such in the USA?" and are
given a price, THAT should be the price, not another $100 added on by the
same company once it's half way here!
Dale Cochoy


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Willett"
To:
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 3:11 AM
Subject: Re: exporting to the US


> Hi, I hesitate to say too much...maybe we have just been lucky but we have
> shipped orders to the US by Canada Post and Fed Ex with no problems at
> all. Also via Greyhound Express (which becomes DHL Air). These are retail
> orders, which may be the difference. I'm really not sure why a $400 order
> would encounter so many problems.Just checked all the boxes and sent it
> away.
>
> Jim Willett
> Out of the Fire Studio

Jim Willett on sun 20 apr 08


On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:30:28 -0400, Dale Cochoy wrote:

> We've talked about shipping fees many times. I have given my impressions
of
>DHL a couple times. I will NEVER use them again and have instructed my
>supplier in Holland to NEVER use them again. Their prices and 'gravy fees'
>are ridiculous compaired to postal fees. ( Ditto w/ UPS) Brokerage fees
are
>a serious gravy fee ripoff and not to mention their 'paperwork' fees once
my
>packages get to the US. In my opinion, when a shipper goes to a place to
>ship and says "How much to ship this to such-and-such in the USA?" and are
>given a price, THAT should be the price, not another $100 added on by the
>same company once it's half way here!
>Dale Cochoy
>
>

Dale,
The original question regards exporting from Canada.
When we use Canadian Greyhound Courier Express (yes the bus people) there
are no "hidden" or fees added from what we pay at the counter and they do
use DHL as their carrier and delivery service.
Brokerage is included in the reasonable shipping fees we pay at the
counter, delivery is almost always within one to two days (including to
Hawaii once in 36 hours!), and to date (over five years) we have never had
a shipment arrive damaged or become lost. I stand by what I said earlier.
If you have had bad experiences with DHL on shipments from Holland that
really has no bearing on the original topic in my opinion.

Cheers,
Jim Willett
Out of the Fire Studio
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Where it is -9 degrees celcius and has snowed
all day with another 10 cm forecast for tonight!)
http://www.outofthefirestudio.com

Jim Willett on mon 21 apr 08


On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:11:54 -0400, Dale Cochoy wrote:

OK Jim,
>Just re-giving my opinion on DHL as I told them I would do at every
>oportunity!
>Sorry to upset you.
>D.


Hey Dale,
You haven't upset me. I know how frustrating it is dealing with companies
and/or their representatives who seem to have no idea of customer service.
Sometimes the little guys only recourse is to be very vocal about their
experiences, and jump on the soapbox when ever an opportunity avails. I
just wanted to make sure that someone considering using Greyhound for
shipping to the US was not put off by your experience with DHL.

Jim

Dale Cochoy on mon 21 apr 08


. I stand by what I said earlier.
> If you have had bad experiences with DHL on shipments from Holland that
> really has no bearing on the original topic in my opinion.
>
> Cheers,
> Jim Willett


:>) OK Jim,
Just re-giving my opinion on DHL as I told them I would do at every
oportunity!
Sorry to upset you.
D.

Dale Cochoy on tue 22 apr 08


Jim,
I DID want to make clear however that the problem with DHL didn't lie with
Holland, but the USA,. In NYC to be exact, as the packages came into
handling by USA DHL authorities at the airport.
Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Hartville, Ohio

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Willett"
To:
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 6:27 PM
Subject: Re: exporting to the US


> On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:11:54 -0400, Dale Cochoy
> wrote:
>
> OK Jim,
>>Just re-giving my opinion on DHL as I told them I would do at every
>>oportunity!
>>Sorry to upset you.
>>D.
>
>
> Hey Dale,
> You haven't upset me. I know how frustrating it is dealing with companies
> and/or their representatives who seem to have no idea of customer service.
> Sometimes the little guys only recourse is to be very vocal about their
> experiences, and jump on the soapbox when ever an opportunity avails. I
> just wanted to make sure that someone considering using Greyhound for
> shipping to the US was not put off by your experience with DHL.
>
> Jim