Shipping can often be a tricky task especially if you are a small startup just starting out your business and have absolutely no clue about shipping rates, freight charges, taxes, and other minor details. When you are a small business supporting your startup and your employees, you realize the importance of big-scale target markets, and for a business in Canada, the United States poses to be a very big target market owing to similar cultural preferences and close geographic proximity. Whether you are just beginning your entrepreneurial journey, or are a seasoned businessperson, it is important to brush up on your memory every now and then. The following guide is a good resource for this purpose and is as follows:
Table of Contents
Tips You Need To Know To Ship To The US
First and foremost, you need to know how you are supposed to wrap and pack certain things that you are planning to ship. If the goods are fragile, you are supposed to bubble wrap and pack them in a way that the probable damage is minimized. If the goods are bulky, you should vacuum pack them to ensure that the package isn’t too bulky too.
Secondly, you should do some research on shipping companies and enquire about their rates, overhead charges, insurance charges, features, additional services, etc., prior to shipping your parcel to consignment from Canada to the US. Flagship is a great shipping company for all your shipping needs from Canada to the US. Not only are they very economical, but they also offer some of the best services and all their services are compliant with the US Customs and Border Protection.
Thirdly, you should also complete your customs form prior to bringing your parcel or shipment to the shipper’s offices. It would just streamline and shorten the process for you and save essential time that you could invest probably elsewhere.
Fourthly, you should be up-to-date with the US Customs and Border Protection department and check for the list of products accepted and denied into the US borders. While your shipping company must be in the know of this as well, it is your duty to be informed too.
What Are You Not Allowed To Ship Into The US
The United States Customs and Border Protection department does not allow any products to enter the country that is a threat to the American community’s safety, health, natural life, and national interests. For instance, you cannot ship any alcohol into the United States. You also cannot ship any prescription drugs or firearms to the country either, which is pretty obvious.
What Are The Basic Requirements Of The USCBP
The United States Customs and Border Protection department has certain minimum requirements that all formal shipments into the country need to follow which include the following:
- All shipments should have an importer ID which is basically a number that can verify the registration of your company or your personal social security number.
- All shipments should have a bill of landing
- All shipments should have an invoice that has details of the product being shipped, their value, and other details.
- All shipments that exceed the US Dollar value of 2500, should have an Electronic Export Information form attached to them.
- All shipments should also have a certificate of origin that details the tariff requirements for the shipment.
It is to be noted that Canada is the United States’ biggest trade partner and that this is precisely why as a Canadian business you should be very well-informed about the United States’ rules of shipping, customs, and border protection.
