Canadian Supplier

Is there a Canadian supplier that others have used and can recommend?

I'm looking to save a bit on shipping and duty.

I'm not sure if Metina is kewl with me posting competing companies. As the forum has it's own shop. I've been doing research on where to get stuff that is no coming from the US. The shipping/brokerage/duty is getting out of hand.
It's cheaper to get it from over seas half the time.

The duty and brokerage fees are more than the products, sometimes. I feel that Metina has the best selection/price and shipping. I have it sent to my Aunt's home in Detroit and I pick it up from there.

Metina can ship stuff to me faster than from Dotsy the Clown in St. Thomas. Our Canada Post SUCKS. I pick things up from Hiscott's. The service is surly. They have okay prices. The Hokey Pokey Shop still faces the evil Canada Post. The FacePaintForumShop STILL has the better prices.

We are supposed to have a Free Trade Agreement in the NAFTA. I do not think the brokerage and duty houses have ever heard of that agreement. I am sticking with ordering from Metina. I am trying to put in fewer, larger orders to get the biggest discounts. I fill up my Wish List and then when there is something I absolutely need, I order.

Happy Painting!

Yes, Canada post can be a royal PITA. They aren't the fastest that's for sure.

I hope that this post is not offensive to you Metina. It wasn't meant to be at all. I've been burned by ordering (not face paint) from the US before where I ended up paying more than double for brokerage fees than what the cost of the product was - and that was on top of shipping. I'm just trying to cover my butt, and meant no disrespect to your shop:)

Hi Christina, I think the Forum's shop is great, but I know exactly what you mean, my husband breaks out in a cold sweat every time I order supplies from the US I swear his eyes have actually done that!
With trying very hard not to offend Metina and her wonderful store I would say give Hokey Pokey a shot, I have gotten stuff the next day from them provided I order it in the morning, or two days if I order it after noon, but their prices are higher then the prices in the states so it is a little bit of a give and take kind of situation.

The last airbrush tattoo paint order i got.. the extra fees and everything added up to $170 ish.. good thing my BF picked it up. I'd lost my Sh!t completely.

I just got some wolfe bros stuff from dotsy, a friend of mine just found a couple places in Montreal. She is going to order some stuff from one of them and i'll see how that compares

I ordered some stuff from Kryolan in San Fransisco... a friend picked it up for me and mailed it. I had to pay $84 dollars to the postie at the door before they would let me have my package. The order was less than that.

Ouch! Shannon - that's crazy! There's nothing worse than getting smacked with charges like that when you aren't expecting them.

Have you guys had to pay duty when you've ordered from the shop here?

Yes, but not consistently.
It is not the fault of FacePaintForumShop.
It is Canada Customs & Duty.
I always declare my face paint when I return to Canada. I have never gone over my allowed amount for purchase for duty-free exemption. I have never had to pay when I brought it back. Mind you, I was going to Detroit, anyway. The cost of driving to Detroit and back is more than the duty I have been charged.

What boggles my mind is the cost of shipping in Canada and the craptastic service. I have ordered from Dotsy the Clown in St. Thomas, Ontario (a 2 hour drive from my home) and received my order THREE WEEKS later for $15 shipping. I ordered from Metina at the FacePaintForumShop the exact same day and received my order at my Aunt's home in Detroit 32 HOURS after my initial purchase, with $5 shipping.

I will do my purchasing from FacePaintForumShop.

Lisa, I TOTALLY get that it is not the fault of the shop when it comes to duty charges.

I have found that it is really inconsistent with respect to which stores seem to flag customs. i've never been charged duty when ordering from LLBean, but both times from Lands End - similar stores, so I don't get the difference.

and don't even get me started on the craptastic service we get from Canada Post. I just had an incident with them a couple of weeks ago, and got absolutely nowhere when I called to voice my concern.

Dear kingsmeadmama:
The next time I place an order with the FacePaintForumShop, I will give you a week's notice to tell me your wish list. It may take me a month before I get to Detroit and back. I do "tradesies" and Show and Tell with Jessica every 3 months or so in Georgetown.
Create a WishList on FacePaintForumShop and you can keep it there for reference for when you order.

Happy Painting!

I do enjoy our tradesies

PS I LOVE the Snazaroo large round for petals and dots! My dots have never been better.

I placed an order with the forum shop, and got a notice from Canada Post, had to go to the post office to get it and paid an additional $24 in order to get it.

They are not consistent... it is just "luck"...

I've had Canada Customs hold packages for months, damage them, lose them...

I found it's cheaper for me to order from the US then it is here in Canada. Most of the paints are sold double the price here in Canada plus (paint costing $11 for a cake in the state would cost $15 even some $17 in Canada). At that price you add shipping and handling which ends up costing more to order then just to have to pay a bit extra for having it shipped from the States. So far I really love ordering from Matina. I have never had to pay duty on it and I get my orders farely fast.

I also have loads of trouble with Canada Post and have had hit and miss with customs. Sometimes I have had to pay $50+ to UPS just to pick up my package and other times it comes to my mailbox with no extra fee. I think it depends on whether or not UPS / Canada Post needs extra for beer money or something. Sheesh! I've had excellent service from Metina and also from Dotsy's so it depends on the luck of the draw after that. I really like the selection in the FPF Shop though.

Duty costs skyrocket when shipping from the US to Belgium as well.
Mainly because you pay Duty + VAT ( which is 21% on the value of your goods AND on the paid shipping cost) + a variable administrative fee for having to offer it to custums to determine the duty fee. Especially the latter can amount to a huge sum, as there is no legislation regulating it, and you have NO control over it as it depends on which expeditor is handling your goods at the point of entering the country, and all the big firms work with subcontractors.

I once bought a shirt on ebay for 10$ - the seller marked it as value of 75$, with the addition of the shipping cost and all the taxes and fees calculated over that amount, that is about what I ended up paying for it...

This is the time to create a place to announce if we are going overseas, or, to Canada, to pick up and deliver face paints for each other. I am sending my youngest daughter to the Gold Coast next summer for a month to be with my sister and her family. I can have Holland bring something from the FacePaintForumShop in her luggage for anyone in that area! I will tell people when she is going.
xoxox

I have shipped to the States as well in Canada and I find the turn around time to be no more then 4 to 5 days at the most.
Although, I don't get a ton of orders so as soon as I do...I am off to the Post Office.

I order from Dotsy's about once a year - BIG orders. I've always been very happy with the service...

They've special ordered things for me, rented me wigs, etc.

But shipping things to my location is a nightmare for any retailer or anyone... "overnight" couriers take a minumum of four days and then they leave a card and make me go to their depot to pick it up even though there is someone home.

Shelley at Dotsy's says I live in a black hole.

I get things faster from the forum shop than I do from Dotsy and she's only 2 hrs away from me. Of course, I hate paying duty and I've had trouble getting the snaz colours I want from the shop a few times. I often just end up going to Michael's even though they don't carry the sparkles or metallics.

We can buy Snaz locally for 8 bucks or so for a 30g cake i haven't found much else. We have a "party" store type place, but all they have are the pre packaged "vampire" "werewold" ect halloween kits

There is a place in Montreal called Perfect magic that my friend just ordered from.. apparently free shipping for orders over $100
Their website is a painful hot mess mind you.

Montreal is a big eclectic city.. i imagine there had to be something there *shrug

Ps canada post is the devil

Canada Post and Canada Customs are a match made in hell.

It takes a week for a letter to travel across town... and the sorting depot is a mile down the road.

Michael's charges $3 more than Dotsy's, per cake.

Metina, please set up a European based FP shop - and a Canadian too while you are at it!

Hokey Pokey Shop in Toronto is super fast usually. I get Snaz from Currys for around 7 bucks.

If I were Metina:
I would open a shop in Hawaii,
and invite all the Canadians to come and work for her.

xoxox