So, putting the pieces together... Order from the States and make sure it's shipped by USPS?
Since you're in Toronto, you might check with ACA TMetrix just in case they actually have stock in Miss.
As far as Fedex/UPS go, it's the standard ground service what carries the ridiculous brokerage fee.
Higher classes of service like International Priority etc don't have that. I routinely get shipments from Monoprice, Digikey without problem. But when in doubt USPS is he way to go.
For Canadian major cities, check Electro-sonic
www.e-sonic.com, and Active,
www.active123.com. I tend to use them for heavier or bulky components (i.e. transformers & cases) and tools. There are other suppliers, but I don't have any experience with them. I also don't know of any reasonable surplus test equipment dealers.
Digikey and Mouser ship with an arrangement that they handle (or contract) the brokerage service themselves, rather than leave it to the courier's own to go through customs, which does two things, it's gets processed faster (on my desk in under 24 hours of ordering to Eastern Ontario), and they build in the brokerage fees into the price as far as I can tell. With them, I always use FedEx, though I use to use USPS for small Mouser orders. I think that's their defaults shipping values are $8 and $20 flat rate if I remember correctly.
There are some small/home business importers in Vancouver and Toronto areas that sell Chinese products on eBay with reasonable prices as well. I pick up two low-end "lab power supplies" from a seller in BC.
Canada Post, which handles USPS (US Postal Service) and Post from other countries charges $8 handling fee I believe it is, and the current exemption value is for parcels is anything under $75 or $80 value I believe nowadays. It might be as high as $100, as I've had very few parcels arrive with HST/GST owing. Normally you won't encounter any duty based on my own experience. Though I did have one shipment containing electric motors (hobby / robotics size) arrive with a NAFTA declaration or statement.
So, for smaller parcels / packages I typically use USPS or other Postal Service (airmail is fast from HK, China, Western Europe). Another limit (beside size and weight restrictions) is insurance for values over $100 may not be available for international post from all countries.
For larger or bulky items like a fair bit of test gear, power transformers, electric motors, using a courier (in my personal order of preference): Purolator (very little availability in US), FexEx (more expensive but fair and good service), DHL (cheap-ish but not as good as FedEx, avail in much of US), and just avoid UPS -- I've had nearly 50% loss / major delaye with UPS
domestic parcels and their handling fees are nearly random.
Home
Help
Search
Login
Register
