Small Business Tips: Shipping Prices, Canada to Anywhere in the US

Small businesses have endured a lot during the pandemic. They continuously strategize on how to overcome different hurdles, especially with sales and logistics. Transporting their products from their headquarters to their customers has become more challenging, especially between two countries.

Here, you’ll learn about shipping prices, Canada to anywhere in the US.

Shipping prices: Canada to the US, what do small businesses need to know?

Shipping is a vital part of any small online business. These businesses fulfill orders of customers and ensure the quality of products until they reach the customers. Yet, when they turn items over to the couriers, the responsibility shifts to the logistics team.

It can be tedious and stressful, especially when many factors affect the company's performance. Online reviews affect how other customers and small businesses perceive them. One of the things that small businesses look for: a courier that they can fully trust with all of their products.

Shipping 101 for small businesses

Do you sometimes ask, “How much is shipping, Canada to the US?” Do you wonder, “How much does shipping from Canada to the US cost nowadays?”

Small business owners consider several factors before partnering with a courier to handle their deliveries and shipments. Some of those include the following.

Weight

Do your products fit into a small box? How heavy are your other products? One of the vital things that small businesses need to know about shipping their products is knowing how heavy these are.

It’s a must to own a weighing scale to know your products' weight, but not everyone can easily buy tools like that. So when you visit the nearest mall, make sure to grab a weighing scale for your business. If not, make sure you have the numbers of your trusted couriers on hand. Give them a call if you’re unsure about your parcels and consult them along the way.

Shipping demand

Most small businesses stick with one courier and work with them until they close, or until the businesses find something negative about the handling of orders or deliveries. Others find different couriers to work with because the ones they reached out to failed to take the level of demand.

Priority

Aside from managing your business, you also think of the daily operations. You set your priorities, including making sure that the customers receive their parcels on time.

Couriers who offer different services with different priority levels may come in handy, primarily if they ship internationally. Make sure they notify you about the shipping from Canada to US customs fee.

Defining customs duty

Customs duty or import tax refers to the tax imposed on products that move anywhere in the US that originate from Canada. Fees like this affect the shipping prices—Canada, which affects how sellers price their commodities. 

Some items are exempt from customs duty depending on the various international trade agreements. It is the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that ensures that these rules are well-implemented and followed.

Customs duties change depending on the kind of product and from where it originated. The Harmonised Tariff Schedule (HTS Code) shows the exact amount that you need to settle. Now, the minimum for import tax is at $800. Products priced lower than this amount are no longer subject to customs duty.

How do small businesses choose the right courier?

Customers only want simple things, especially when it comes to delivery. First, they check the transparency about shipping details. Next, they like to see where their parcel is—if it’s on its way or not. Lastly, customers want to communicate with the delivery company or the respective riders transporting the box.

On the other hand, small businesses know how much shipping prices—Canada to anywhere in the US cost. This helps them be informed about calculating shipping costs so they won’t be asking for too much from their customers.

What are the prohibited items?

Every country follows certain restrictions that help them regulate incoming and outgoing packages in their country. These regulations exist to check if there are harmful and hazardous parcels about to enter the country.

The United States prohibits the following items for import:

• Alcoholic drinks
• Animals that have been mounted
• Priceless art, pieces of jewelry, antiques
• Instruments that can be converted to cash (e.g. coins, bills, bonds, bank drafts)
• Corrosives
• Explosives (e.g., fireworks, flares, and matches)
• Toxic chemicals
• Highly combustible items
• Furs
• Hazardous materials like medical waste or biohazards
• Remains of humans or animals (cremated or disinterred remains)
• Poorly secured packages
• Perishable items like food, biodegradable items, other pharmaceutical products
• Plants, seeds, plant cuttings
• Pornographic materials
• Tobacco products like cigars, cigarettes
• Unaccompanied baggage

Shipping prices Canada Customs Fee

To come up with competitive fees, business owners need to know how much the charges are to give affordable rates. Due to different laws in every nation, different kinds of custom duties apply. For example, because of the North American Free Trade Agreement, Canadian citizens must not pay duties on most manufactured goods coming from Mexico and the United States.

You need to know that not all items you buy in stores or businesses are made in the US. Some import them from other countries and brand them as theirs. Then, they sell it once more. 

If that is the case, expect to pay some fees upon the items’ arrival in Canada. Therefore, make sure that you check every detail of an item to know where the parts are from.

On the other hand, duties on goods are diverse. They depend on the product and the country where it was manufactured. Generally, for products ordered from a foreign retailer, an assessment may not be necessary. Canada Customs may have to collect at least $1 for the duties and taxes. If you need to clarify some pieces of information, you may contact the Border Information Service.
To know more about how you can integrate Stallion Express with your online store, make sure to schedule an appointment with us!