US/Canada Customs delay

[Zetterchuk]

UPDATE: CARD ARRIVED SAFELY IN VANCOUVER ON 2/13!


Hey guys,

Just looking for some advice...

I sent a package to Vancouver back on 1/5/09 via Express International Mail. The tracking number showed that it left the US and arrived in Canada on 1/6/09. It later showed that it had entered Customs, and would be "reviewed" as of 1/8/09...which is where, as of tonight, 1/27/09, it still sits. :|:|

Now I'm a pretty patient guy, but in my years of cross-border trading, I have never had a package tied up in Customs for more than a week or so, and I'm getting a bit worried about this one.

I've never tried it before, but would it do me any good to try to contact the Mississauga, Ontario Customs office? USPS is not able to give me any more info than what the tracking number provides...and since the delay is on behalf of Customs, I cannot even get a refund from USPS, as their "guaranteed delivery time" does not take into account any delays at Customs. :foottap:

 

[winniescards]

Good morning.In my opinion they have a lot of crooks working at the Mississauga, Ontario Customs office. I made a trade back two years ago with a person in Japan. The deal was that he was going to send first. He sent his cards by registered mail. They could be tracked to the Mississauga, Ontario Customs office. But no record of them ever leaving. It was a total lose. He got absolutely nothing back from them and I never got anything either. He was out well over $500.00 in cards. They would not allow me to help by asking questions since I was not the sender. An absolutely disgusting ordeal. Good luck with your situation. Thanks, Winston.

 

[quincy]

There are a couple things to try first:
1) If you've got a tracking number, run it through the Canada Post website as well. Once it leaves the US, the only tracking updates will be there.
2) The recipient can try contacting his Member of Parliament. I did this a few years ago when I had a card held up six weeks in Customs - very effective.

 

[Zetterchuk]

Thanks for the posts, fellas.

Winston-That sounds like a bum deal, for sure. I'm a bit confused as to why my package, which was en route to BC, even went into Canada via Ontario...it seems as though in the past, anytime that I've ever sent anything via Express Mail to Central or Western Canada, the package goes from here to Chicago, then into Canada...and when sending to Eastern Canada, the package goes from here to Detroit, then into Canada.

Steve-Actually, the tracking status that shows that the package went into Customs on 1/8 at the Mississauga office is from the Canada Post site. The USPS site also shows that the package is being processed by Customs in Canada, but doesn't specify the date of the action, or the specific Customs office.

Contacting a Member of Parliament is an interesting idea...it sounds as if they are a bit more motivated than our Representatives. I will mention that to the recipient in Vancouver...he has actually been pretty laid back about the whole deal to this point...he seems to think that Customs is just trying to verify the declared amount on the package, so that they know how much to tax him. He says that if either the package or a letter from Customs does not arrive to him by the end of this week, he will see what he can do on his end.

 

[pssteve]

I'm not sure if the position exists but you might try finding the office of NAFTA Ombudsman cuz having a government agency hold up a small package for weeks certainly doesn't seem to be in the spirit of that Act.
Good luck and let us know how this comes out.

 

[quincy]

NAFTA doesn't apply here, as it's not an issue of trade holding things up. It's an issue of Canadian tax law with an unaccountable enforcement arm.

 

[pssteve]

I was grasping for an avenue to use.
This"unaccountable agency" must have some body of oversite. Somebody signs their pay cheques. Steve maybe your local MP's office could provide that info.

 

[pathshot]

eBay is starting to recognize the issues with Customs as being a serious problem.

International bidding is popping up a warning message now.

eBay has also stated that they can retract feedback directly pertaining to customs delays, but the wording on the policy needs work.

-m.

 

[quincy]

No. Border services/Customs have far more sweeping powers than anyone realizes. There was a rather famous case against them a few years ago brought to bear by an "alternative lifestyles" (the censor won't let me use "*** and *******") bookstore in Vancouver. Their orders kept getting randomly confiscated as "obscene material". Meanwhile other bookstores in the area - mainstream and non - were able to bring in the exact same books without trouble.

They mounted a successful suit that Canada Customs was essentially running amok. They won the suit and a year later they were STILL subject to the same jackassery, court or no court.

 

[hextall27]

Did this get worked out? UPDATE?

 

[Burner]

My father received merchandise once from Fedex. He was to pick it up straight from the Vancouver airport at their Fedex office there. The tracking shows the package (expensive, $15,000 worth of goods) arrived at the facility but never made it out. Luckily it was insured, but apparently the police do not have jurisdiction in this area and cannot do a damn thing if they are called on. Basically the Fedex employee(s) got off without a problem as the police couldn't step into the area of the airport.

 

[Zetterchuk]

Morning folks,

Well, no change in tracking status as of this morning. However, after speaking with all 3 entities involved this week (USPS, Canada Post and Canada Customs), I have at least learned a couple of things about the system...

1-After speaking to my local USPS Post Master (mail system's equivalent to The Soup Nazi ) about this situation the other day, all that she was able to do was check the tracking number online through the USPS and Canada Post websites (which I had done myself about twice a day since 1/5 from my home PC :crazy, basically said to me "yup, it's in Customs", and told me that there was nothing that they could do since it was no longer in the US. :| She said that if it had already cleared Customs, but had not yet arrived to the recipient in Canada, then perhaps they could try contacting Canada Post, but since it was still "in Customs" (see item #3 below ), it was out of the hands of the mail syatem...and essentially...NO MAIL FOR YOU!! :laugh::foottap:

2-After speaking to the very friendly representative at Canada Post (although I could feel the love for USPS dripping through the phone ) on the phone this morning...she said that Canada Post has a mutual agreement with USPS that allows for either agency to place a "trace" on a given package that is feared lost or stolen while in transit between the two Countries. So for example, if a package was sent from the US to Canada via USPS, it could be "traced" by USPS; and a package sent from Canada to the US via Canada Post could be "traced" by Canada Post. She stated that many USPS customers are often ill-advised by their local Post Masters (who are either misinformed or just plain lazy) to contact Canada Post in situations such as this, when in reality, it is the responsibility of USPS to put a trace on the USPS-mailed package (and vice-versa for Canada Post). At this point, she gave me an 800 number for Canada Customs, and told me that if they could not help, I should try calling a representative for USPS separate from my local Post Master.

3-After speaking with the (again very friendly) representative at Canada Customs (although even more love for Canada Post was felt dripping through the phone ) on the phone this morning...she said that International mail to/from Canada is not physically "held" at any Customs facility...it is held at a "mail storage facility" owned and operated by Canada Post. She said that Canada Customs officials at the Canada Post storage facility simply review packages at random, but at no point do they take possession of a mail item unless it is deemed suspicious (and in that event, I'm sure that I would have heard from Customs by now), so if the tracking number shows that my package has entered into Canada (which it does), but has not yet been delivered to the recipient (which it hasn't), then the delivery is being held up by Canada Post, NOT Customs. She said that Canada Post refers US mail customers to Customs all the time in these situations, and she advised me that if in the future I am referred to Customs by Canada Post, that I should take down the person's name and badge number.

I guess this might also explain the change of wording that I've noticed on the tracking status of this package as opposed to the wording used in the past on previous Express packages that I've sent...this one states "International item arrived in Canada and will be reviewed by Customs", whereas before, when packages were at this point in the process, it use to say "Item entered into Customs", and later, "Item has left Customs", which may lead one (not familiar with the system) to believe that their package physically passes through a Customs facility after crossing the border.



So my next step will be to call and talk to a USPS rep about putting a "trace" on the package. Stay tuned ...

 

[Zetterchuk]

Hey folks,

Just in case anyone was curious about the status on this...the card actually arrived (safe and sound) at it's new Vancouver home on 2/13! The recipient said that the package appeared to be 100% intact (not resealed/bagged by Customs), so I have no idea what the hold up was on this thing. :crazy: So all is well, and I don't have to worry about returning my end of the trade!

 

[hextall27]

Let hope this is the one out of the hundred that falls through the cracks, glad to hear your cards made it safe and sound.

 

[CGS28]

I got my first Neutral on ebay because of customs delay 5$ card.. shipped it on 1/5 or 1/6 they asked a couple of times about it, I explained how it can take from 1 week to 6 weeks.. then they responded after 5 weeks with.. I am begining to think that you did not ship the card... well I was going to respond to that but decided not to... felt it would be better to not respond... well then they leave neutral feedback after receiving the card.... said I bad comunications and said that I said it was shipped on 1/6 and they said it was postmarked 1/30 its like no it wasn't but oh well... can't please everyone...