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Originally Posted by KaliEyes
Does anyone have any recent shipping experiences from Canada to the DR?
Can anyone who has had success update the rest of us on which company, contact info, shipping costs and length of time for arrival to the recipient?
I'm looking at sending some things, but have NO CLUE about shipping. And it seems that there's no proof of reputation and reliability for those companies already mentioned in this thread.
Also, if I want to donate to DR residents, but no one in specific does anyone know to whom I can address my donations to? Or...if you know someone who needs some things, let me know.
How much can I send via Canada Post - not that I would neccessarily use them for larger packages, but for smaller ones. Does anyone know how long it takes to ship a large envelope via Canada Post to the DR?
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It really depends from where you are shipping and what.
If you are shipping from the Toronto area, I have a company that ships almost any size container to pallet for you, at various prices.
Do NOT ship via Canada Post. It will never get here. Ever. If it actually does get to this country, it has no where else to go as the postal system does not work.
You can send UPS, or you can send to Business Mail in Miami who will then send it to whichever city you are in. You have to sign up and get a card but it is only about $250 pesos a year, so it is worth it.
One thing you need to know though - When you ship from Canada, it has to go through the US and has to go through customs. For that, you have to pay $100 extra Canadian dollars.
If you have a lot to ship, such as a container, you need to ship by sea. The Canadian freight forwarder trucks the container down to Florida and then it is put on a freighter and shipped to Santo Domingo, where it goes through customs. There, everything is checked and assessed and you have to pay fees and import taxes.
You absolutely have to have a detailed inventory of every single item in your shipment and well labeled and inventoried. The customs people will still open everything and check it but if you don't have an inventory, you are likely to lose a good deal of your shipment as it will quickly 'disappear'. The inventory helps them assess the charges and protects you a little against loss.
Once it passes through Customs in Santo Domingo (could take a week - could take a month) then your forwarder can send it along to you wherever you are. That entails an additional fee.
No one can tell you what the charges will be once your items get here. I can tell you more or less what it costs to get from Toronto to Miami for a container and for pallets of various sizes as I have done that.
Also, it is impossible to find out what a particular type of item will be taxed because the Customs people still use a huge hand-written book and the decisions are subjective, at best and arbitrary all the time. I've brought in clothing and was charged a different rate for men's shorts and women's shorts. One was almost double the other and there was absolutely no rationale nor explanation given and it is impossible to discuss it with anyone who really knows. If one argues too much, one risks having the whole shipment reassessed and the whole thing coming out to a higher amount or your shipment laying there on the docks for several more days and even weeks.
You might find that it just isn't worth it to bring down 'donations' as the cost is prohibitive usually. The airlines will not give you a break of any kind and don't care it what you are trying to bring are donations for the poor or not. Too many requests have made them become somewhat jaded and they just won't do it.
WestJet out of Toronto allows for 2 suitcases (60 pounds) now and each additional suitcase if $75.00 right now. That many change, but for now, it is the best deal in town.
After several years here and many, many trips down here, I've learned that even though things seem (and are) much more expensive here than in Canada, it is far, far cheaper in the long run to just buy whatever I need here (or online) and not have to deal with customs, etc.
The only things I bring now are books that I can't get here and personal items that cannot be purchased at any price. I clean out my closet regularly and donate my clothing and shoes and things I no longer need instead of trying to bring things down here.
I have found that there are very, very few things I can't get here at some price and I wouldn't be bringing anything in personally as I have to do it all the time for my business and that is enough of a headache. I've completely given up buying in Canada and only buy product in the US now as the process is expensive, time consuming, insecure and a big pain.
If you have questions or need details of an excellent freight forwarder out of Canada (Toronto area) pm me and I'll fill you in.
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canada post tragedy!!!!
