Exporting to the United States – A Team Canada Inc Publication

8.4 Shipping methods

There are several ways of transporting your product to your buyer. Which one you select depends on the nature of the product, where it's going, how much of the product is in the order, and so on. No matter which you choose, however, all shipments will require some form of customs documentation, according to whether they're an informal entry (valued between US$200.00 and US$2,000.00) or a formal entry (valued at more than US$2,000.00).

The most common shipping methods are:

Truck

Many trucking companies carry Canadian exports to the United States. Rates depend on whether you're sending a full truckload (TL) or less-than-truckload (LTL).

Bus

If your product is relatively small and light, bus shipment may be an efficient, cost-effective option.

Air

Air shipment is fast, with reasonable insurance and warehousing rates.

Rail

Large bulk shipments are well suited to rail shipping. This method can also involve truck movement to transport the cargo from the rail terminal to your buyer. You get a lower rate for a full carload than you do for a partial carload.

Mail

For small shipments that comply with Canada Post's size, weight and content regulations, mail can be a cost-effective delivery method. All mail shipments to the U.S. are diverted to U.S. Customs for checking and for assessment of duty where applicable.

Courier

Couriers don't offer COD service when shipping directly from Canada, so you'll have to use some other means to get paid. Also, if your shipment requires formal entry because it's valued at more than US$2,000.00, the customs brokerage fees can price your product out of the market. To get around this, couriers recommend that you send several items at a time as a consolidated entry. This means that they're considered a single entry for customs purposes, so you pay only one brokerage fee. After clearing customs, the packages continue to their indivudual buyers.