I was reading over the shipping to Canada discussion and in the process of researching I found a pretty sweet little program that allows you to print a label/customs form all in one and print it on your home computer. It doesn't allow you to pay for postage but it cuts down on Post Office time dramatically. In fact if you have a postage meter at work or correct postage yourself (like stamps) you can just hand the package to your mail man apparently.
Anyways here is the USPS Shipping Assistant from the official USPS website. (It's Free and easy to use)
http://www.usps.com/shippingassistant/
Sign up and register and you are on your way. I will probably switch my settings to trade to Canada after finding this.
I had two slight hiccups using the program.
1. You have to enter an exemption code for shipping under $2500 worth of goods. CHOOSE 30.37(a)
2. Check the box that says "Mailing Conditions, Customs Information, Insurance Conditions."
Then you can hit PRINT and it'll print out your customs info and shipping label all in one. Here is what the final print out looks like.
Does that look Kosher to everyone? Then of course attach postage. If you have a stamp machine in your office you might be able to write a check for 4 dollars (my office allows that). Or you can take it down to the post office and just pay for it there. I'd probably guess it's weight towards the safe side so as not to get to the post office and have an under weighing label or whatever.
It's probably weird that I've never shipped games to Canada and posted this but it seems helpful to me.
Mods if you think this is redundant can you merge it with whatever thread you think it belongs in.
Gary Johnson For President 2012!
Strange how you can give it to your mail carrier but you cant drop it in a USPS collection box. I wonder if I can just leave it in my mailbox?
tylermitc: Strange how you can give it to your mail carrier but you cant drop it in a USPS collection box. I wonder if I can just leave it in my mailbox?
I'm gonna ask our office Post Man what he thinks. I think it requires a Stamp or something so it needs to not go straight to processing.
$4 seems high to ship to Canada...
acsguitar:I think it requires a Stamp or something so it needs to not go straight to processing.
Its always bothered me how I cant just drop it in the collection box but when I take it to the retail window they never check my ID or anything to verify that it is truly my information I put on the customs form.
Nice post! Will keep it bookmarked since I now have to send like 5 games to Canada all of a sudden (just opened my region to Canada). Will see how it works tomorrow.
PSN: Neonightmare
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kwaz28: $4 seems high to ship to Canada...
I always put 10oz....I think thats probably 3 oz to much. Which may be why. I also put First Class International Parcel.
You can tweak the settings in the program to get the shipping that fits your package. I'm also in Denver pretty far from Toronto
BTW printing the label/customs is 100% free!
You do have to ship the same day you print it though. But if you can't just print another tomorrow. No biggie I assume.
Hopefully this works out well for some people. Maybe I'll open to Canada now :)
He put it in as 10oz which is alot more than a typical game will weigh.
Edit: You beat me to it.
tylermitc: He put it in as 10oz which is alot more than a typical game will weigh. Edit: You beat me to it.
Yea what does everyone usually put in. I admittedly play it safe
acsguitar:Yea what does everyone usually put in.
I got a $5 diet scale at Walmart. I usually weigh the game and round up to the next oz (generally 7oz total).
Great post acsguitar! TOo bad we can't rep on this site
vanyel: acsguitar:Yea what does everyone usually put in. I got a $5 diet scale at Walmart. I usually weigh the game and round up to the next oz (generally 7oz total).
Nice I'll look for one of those!
I generally just use:
https://webapps.usps.com/customsforms/sender_recipient.jsp
It prints the attachment via a web form and is generally a bit faster. I just drop them in the box like any other mail and haven't had an issue with over two dozen packages.
If your browser supports saving form information, it's basically all filled in on the left side when you load the page.
Goozex Forum Moderator
I was just wandering through the USPS site when I found this:
It turns out that while the customs form is nice to have (mostly just to use as proof that the game was sent), it isn't actually necessary for anything under 16oz/$400.