https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 26 Apr 2026 06:07:04 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1334661 Tue, 19 Aug 2014 02:50:16 +0000 abc 1334661@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lyn, I feel your pain - I now live south of the border (Mexico) and experience the same issues you do. &nbsp;Luckily I get back to the US quite often because of business, but I want to throw this out there. &nbsp;I know previously when I was in an old job where I didn't travel to the US for work but I was still based here in Mexico, I did the math and when I found a cheap flight to the US (say around $200-250usd) it actually made it worthwhile to FLY to the US, do my shopping (can you say whirlwind trip?)&nbsp;and come home with a suitcase full of goodies. Now this might not work depending on the total cost of the trip (hotels add up, I know) - but if you figure $20 an item, after 10 you may have paid for a flight already.</p> <p>Just an idea...trying to make lemonade here...</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1333271 Sun, 17 Aug 2014 14:10:58 +0000 catherine 1333271@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ah, Lyn*. That is a lot of money for shipping. It must be so aggravating. I do, however, envy your universal health care system </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1333208 Sun, 17 Aug 2014 10:44:38 +0000 Style Fan 1333208@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have been hit in the past with extra costs and inconvenience (pick up at depots in the middle of nowhere) when I bought clothes online.&nbsp; I stopped and only buy clothes in real life.&nbsp; I live in a remote area of Ontario (Canada) but make shopping trips to Montreal and Toronto.&nbsp; I can not see spending money on shipping, customs, etc. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332570 Sat, 16 Aug 2014 16:05:42 +0000 Mia 1332570@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The way I look at it is that it keeps me in check. Frustrating for sure. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332537 Sat, 16 Aug 2014 15:24:54 +0000 lyn* 1332537@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@ Laura - That must have been really frustrating: I didn't know that you could ship frozen goods as "solids" - hmm, that may help me next time I need to bring more lotions on my trip!</p> <p>@ Carter - That's very kind of you to offer, but I don't want to burden anyone I don't mind paying the taxes on things (My province is only a 4% tax rate, so I'm pretty happy about that! vs. 18% in Quebec!)</p> <p>@ Caro - Oh yes, you'd feel my pain too - We have a rule that if it's under a certain amount the tax % is low too, but you have to pay your basic shipping/handling. I'm only paying $2-5 in taxes, but the $20 basic is their fee for touching your package, so it kinda stinks that way...</p> <p>@ Jackie &amp; Torontogirl - Thanks for your support :)</p> <p>@ Gigi - I guess all companies have to recoup their costs some way, either if it's from the seller or the buyer. DHL has very high brokerage fees and handling charges - for example, it is $20 starting for them to "touch" your package and then there are additional fees on top of that, including a $5 "convenience fee" for paying at the door even if you pay online in advance (which I've asked them about a lot of the time but they won't refund that $5 to you). There are also very few pickup depots as opposed to UPS or Purolator. Fed-Ex is another one who has the only pickup depot being 45 minutes away from where I live (funny, it's next to DHL!) - so they're very annoying that way. Re-delivery will cost $10 starting.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332297 Sat, 16 Aug 2014 02:56:18 +0000 Gigi 1332297@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It is funny that there is so much rancor toward DHL. What is it about them that's annoying? When I was investigating ways to ship my flute to Canada, DHL was by far the fastest and most cost-efficient way. FedEx was the most expensive. UPS was in between the two but was going to take twice as long as FedEx. I didn't check with USPS. Enlighten this American, please! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332272 Sat, 16 Aug 2014 02:14:52 +0000 Helena 1332272@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>How annoying!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332264 Sat, 16 Aug 2014 02:03:48 +0000 jackiec 1332264@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Crazy frustrating. Crazy. I feel your pain. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332245 Sat, 16 Aug 2014 01:39:24 +0000 Caro in Oz 1332245@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Feel your pain too :)&nbsp;We don't have the customs fees (as long as the cost of the item is under a certain amount)&nbsp;but the shipping costs to Australia are ridiculous &amp; we either can't return stuff (Nordstroms I'm looking at you) or&nbsp;it isn't worth&nbsp;returning because we pay the return&nbsp;postage which&nbsp;is so expensive. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332233 Sat, 16 Aug 2014 01:24:14 +0000 carter 1332233@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow! I had no idea that shipping/handling/duty fees were that out of control. Do you still deal with the duty and package inspection if you have a stateside PO box? What if you have it shipped to a US fabber? Are there still hurdles to get it to you? I'm happy to help any Canadians if I can make it less expensive for you.</p> <p>@Laura, yes, I have had one DHL experience, and it was shockingly good. I had ordered from a UK company in January. $10 shipping through DHL expected to take 5-6 days. At the same time, I had ordered from Amazon with 2 day Prime shipping through UPS. Then the snow and ice storm hit Atlanta. DHL rerouted and got my package here 3 days early. UPS---who is based in Atlanta---took almost 2 weeks! 11 of those days, it was just sitting in the Atlanta area depot. I was ballistic. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332161 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 23:58:29 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1332161@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Does DHL work well for anyone? Maybe the Germans. It sucks here too, and Purolator (does that even exist anymore?). I'm having flashbacks to past shipping trauma. And UPS Surepost and whatever FedEx's version is called, where they partner with the USPS - UPS is fine, FedEx is fine, USPS is actually great, but something horrible happens when a package is transferred between them and the shipping takes aaaaaaages.</p> <p>All the ivory regulations remind me of what happened with my brother earlier this week, when we were all traveling home from a vacation in Wisconsin. They'd bought some cheese spread (as one does in Wisconsin) and frozen it the night before, but by the time they got to security at the airport it'd defrosted. TSA wouldn't let them take it in their carry-on luggage because it was a gel and/or paste. Frozen would have been OK, apparently. Ignoring the fact that on a cross-country flight, anything you froze and then wanted to use nefariously would be defrosted halfway across Nebraska anyway. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332138 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 23:37:08 +0000 lyn* 1332138@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@ Gigi - We crossposted! That is such a&nbsp;<i>terrible</i> situation with the flute. *palmface* I have no idea what these people are doing sometimes - it's all about the rules and not about the big picture sometimes: this drives me nuts.&nbsp;</p> <p>Maybe it was a good thing you didn't risk it - my conducting baton was seized at the border when we were returning from a family trip (they searched our car because of "random" reasons) - and they couldn't decide what material the baton was made out of. I'm pretty sure it was plastic, but they weren't too sure about it - and thought it was some type of ivory.&nbsp;</p> <p>I guess someone has to create jobs for these yahoos. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332134 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 23:34:37 +0000 lyn* 1332134@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@ Laura - Anthro is usually pretty good about the customs: they actually fill out the country of manufacture which makes a huge difference in customs, unlike ModCloth who puts "unknown" - which means I pay through the nose even for things made in the USA (because of free trade, the % should be lower vs. from India or China). The handling kills me. It "starts" at $20 for handling</p> <p>@ Emily - I have tried to contact Anthro multiple times and I'll let you know if I hear back from them. Usually they ship through USPS and then Canada Post, but at times of "high volume" they will swap to DHL. I had this problem last year around Christmas time and was assured it was a holidays thing only - so I don't know what's up now with that. Drives me bonkers.</p> <p>@ Glory - I suppose I can also avoid this by buying used and shopping locally ... or from the UK. It looks like Boden is getting a lot more of my business this year.</p> <p>@ Mona - Thanks :)</p> <p>@ Suz - URRRRRR. DHL. URRRRRRRRRH. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332133 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 23:32:56 +0000 Gigi 1332133@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh my. Really frustrating.</p> <p>Can you go to the store and have them order the stuff for you? Will that give you the option for getting a cash refund for stuff that doesn't work?</p> <p>I had a recent problem trying to ship something to Canada. It was a wooden flute, made circa 1970,&nbsp;with some bone ornamentation on it at the joints. The gal who wanted to buy it (who was in Canada) said that the border services personnel would not allow me to ship the flute to her unless I got an export permit and she got an import permit, and then the flute would probably still be seized at the border because of the bone (which is from an unidentified animal but is clearly not ivory). Then the border services official would have to decide whether he wanted to send the bone out for identification, to see what kind of bone it was, and if it was from an endangered animal, and so forth. If it would turn out to be from an endangered animal, then she would be fined. She said even if she physically drove over here and picked up the flute she would not be allowed to travel with it across the border.&nbsp;We both just gave up in the end, which is too bad, because I really can't see how a wooden flute poses a risk to Canada's national security or the safety of its residents.</p> <p>It sounds like the border personnel and customs people do an awful lot of "busy work." </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332116 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 23:15:08 +0000 Suz 1332116@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>URGHHHHH!!!</p> <p>Sending hugs of sympathy.&nbsp;</p> <p>DHL&nbsp;</p> <p>Hate them.&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332112 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 23:06:55 +0000 Mona 1332112@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I hear you, lyn. This is so frustrating.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332087 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 22:22:45 +0000 Glory 1332087@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh Lyn that is just so maddening! I really can relate to this as you know from my previous rants on this&nbsp;subject. My only solution is to buy nothing that is cross border because of it. It is really hard to be strong when your favourite store is in the US. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332086 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 22:22:23 +0000 Emily 1332086@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>DHL is the WORST. &nbsp;<br />Every time I have bought from Anthropologie, though, my things have arrived via Canada Post...?</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332077 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 22:14:06 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1332077@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Bleh! Customs is something that retailers can't control but all those handling charges, and only getting store credit on refunds, are complete nonsense as policies. Seems like they're shooting themselves in the foot with those changes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/vent-canadian-shipping#post-1332066 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 22:05:54 +0000 lyn* 1332066@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I know this has been said time and time again, but I'm sick of being penalized because I am Canadian.</p> <p>I usually shop Anthro Online because they have a large selection of sale items - my last order I was penalized in fees over $60 for not customs, but handling, because Anthro decided to send my order in three separate boxes. $22 to $25 a pop, and I have to sit around waiting for DHL.</p> <p>I have emailed Anthro repeatedly to say that they need to warn us when they are doing this: I was assured that it was a "Christmas rush only thing" - so I have no idea why in the middle of the summer they have decided to go to this business model again.</p> <p>I cannot afford to pay $60 + $20 shipping for Anthro things - I'd rather buy things full price in store! And they changed their return policy so I can't get cash back if I bought things online: store credit only! I was so angry at the cashier (although not her fault) that I have not had problem with this before - she explained that some people were "abusing the system" - although I'm not really sure what that means.</p> <p>My love for Anthro is going out the window, which makes me sad because I like their clothes. I just can't afford to pay $100 for a dress and tack on an additional $80 plus inconvenience for no reason at all. </p>