Canadian Supplier

I'm in

The price for Snaz as an example is all over the map!!

If Curry's has it for $7, Dotsy's for $10.99, Michael's here is $13.99...

I have picked up a lot in the UK (while I was there) for 2 Pounds each (about $4)

ARGH!!!!!!!!

Shannon Fennell wrote:Canada Post and Canada Customs are a match made in hell.

Amen to that! LOL! You summed it up beautifully!

I live 20 minutes from the US border and have a friend that lives right in Sumas so I'm pretty lucky. I only have to pay duty if it's a really big order, so I make sure it's under $100 and get lots of groceries at the same time

Metina is lightning fast...I've ordered other items on ebay for example and if they miss the US address I include and send it to my Canada address it's at least 3 weeks before I get it. With ebay items not sent from a store they sometimes write 'gift' on the package and then you avoid duty.

I'm thinking I need to find a friend in Bufalo!

I wonder if Metina would be willing to write "GIFT" on the outside of her packages to me.
Technically, It IS a gift..
for ME!
Um, FROM me.

xoxox

Border crossings usually have a few places like 'Ship Happens' where you can send a package to them for a very small fee. then you go across when it's convenient to pick it up. I met a gal in Bellingham through a mom's online group that I used to ship things to before my other friend moved to Sumas.

Lisa, I've had to pay duty on actual gifts before. I don't think it would work. That said, maybe Metina would be willing to GIVE you a gift

I was told that the only way to avoid duty is to remove the packaging from new items, use them once and then write "used personal effects" with no indication of value and no commercial documents attached or included.

So basically impossible for any professional vendor. Might work for a used item on ebay, but still...

Yeah, that would be illegal for a professional business to do that. I used to make chocolates and ordered giant 10 kg bags of imported Belgian chocolate through a US supplier... I once got 3 of those bags delivered at once, NO DUTY... but they sent me a sample chocolate bar once (I didn't even pay for the chocolate bar) and I got a $30 brokerage/duty fee!! They would put the value of $25US on everything, no matter what it was.. but when our dollars would fluctuate against each other, sometimes that would put it over or under the limit on when they would charge.

If anyone wants to send me some Callebaut ... I miss it terribly since I stopped making chocolates

Canada Post and brokerage! EVIL!!! AND completely unpredictable and random!
Canada post before stepping up to your door, coin in hand: "To pay 'hostage' fees or not....flip a coin and see if this is the unlucky sucker today!'
or maybe its "I feel like a new pair of shoes...this target is as good as any!!"

I usually take an 'inventory' and stock up at conferences and bring what I need back that way. I have taken a flight out of fargo so I had an order send to a border 'package site' with a group called Kinects (sp) and they have stores in border towns that hold packages of all and any size for $5 for up to a month! After my plane landed, I stopped in on the way to the border, picked up my booty and declaired it. Allowed $800 duty free if you are in the states longer than 48 hours!!

haha..."HOstage fees:...so appropraite. What are we suppose to say "no, we don;t want our already paid for items...send it back bc the brokerage fees are crazy."
It is usually the brokerage fees that are the worst. $25 just to process out item/s. So kind of them really.

Callebaut with nuts? milk or dark? Shipping abroad is rather expensive from Belgium though, I have to look into that!

OMG... you'd be my bestest friend in the entire universe!! of course, if you're going to pay all that shipping, you might as well put some of everything in there ... seriously guys, the BEST chocolate in the world. Going back to north american chocolate when I stopped ordering it was torturous.

I've sent packages back before - when it showed up with a $70 brokerage fee for a replacement part that the company had put $2 value on.... especially when I told the company to send it USPS and they chose to send it UPS ground....

For the most part I purchase in person - either Hiscotts, Industry (when they were open), Malabar, Jordane, that costume shop on Mount Pleasant that I can't remember the name of right now (just north of the cemetery on the west side), or at the trade show in November (next weekend! not sure I can get there this year though).

I'm exceedingly fortunate in that I'm close enough to get to Toronto regularly (or when I'm out of stock of something), and often when I am near one of these locations these days it is perfect to kill time for a bit because I'm driving someone and their advocate to a hospital or doctor appointment (then waiting to drive them back). Or I'm coming back from visiting the graves at Mount Pleasant (this hasn't been a good couple of years in our family).

Perry Noia wrote: If anyone wants to send me some Callebaut ... I miss it terribly since I stopped making chocolates

Perry, Costco.ca is selling Callebaut now! No cross border issues!

http://www.costco.ca/CatalogSearch?storeId=10302&catalogId=11201&langId=-24&keyword=Callebaut

I grew up making chocolates with my family and my sister's carried on the yummy tradition. I love the vanilla creams the best! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......

bligh me! Even cheaper than in Belgium???? 10 kg here costs 128 $ (without shippping)

Mind you, 10 kg of chocolate is A LOT - our kids once had 10 kg of easter eggs ( in white and milk chocolate) and it took us almost a year to eat them all...

I just ordered some stuff online, it's in Canada now.. and i just noticed that they sent it UPS.. I am going to have a cow if they tag that $60 on it..
Even Canada is a PITA sometimes..
I'd love to support my American friends, but this is getting out of hand.
I'm actively hunting down places to buy stuff that is not in the US, i just can't afford it.

UPS Air is fine - the brokerage is included in the price.... it is UPS ground I always have issues with.... I like USPS because the brokerage is only $5 (but then there are the taxes and duty - if any).

I ordered from Metina before never have been charged the extra fee until two weeks ago...picked up my package from the post office with a $25ish some odd fee attached. They said it was random how they charged the customs fee. I buy stuff locally for basic colours and then order my splits and glitters. I can buy from Turkeys party makers which is down the street from me they carry the paradise paints line and a few rainbows too. Maybe they could ship? They are reasonably priced too. I also have picked up snazaroo at Opus before but I have decided to stop using snazaroo because the coverage is not as nice as mehron paradise brands. I know Michaels also carry mini pallets and you can have coupons for those. Toys R us are also carrying the mini pallets of snaz too. Another place in Canada that I know of that carries more brands is hollynorth productions but they seem to have a lot of sold out issues all the time. But they do carry lots of brands and offer a student discount of 10% ) I think they ship too. These stores are all in BC. I have tried Dons hobby shop too before and dotsy the clown and jest paints... I agree they all seem quite pricey after shipping. But eh what can you do?

http://shop.turkeyspartymakers.com/ here is a link to the BC store it says pick your country so they must ship too... But they don't carry the selection that Metina does and I don't think they are as friendly either )