Hey everyone!
Due to an account deactivation, I’m planning to ship my inventory (mostly personal care products) from the USA to Canada through my prep center. I’m wondering will I be paying any tariffs or duties on these items?
Also, if anyone has done this before, what key things should I be mindful of when shipping from the U.S. to Canada?
Any advice, especially when working through a prep center, would be really appreciated! thanks!
This depends on local policies. You can consult the transportation company for the special line from the United States to Canada. I recommend using the railway.
Using railway? How?
Recently, most of your made in USA products will be hit with a 25% tariff. Look up country of origin + HS codes to determine the exact tariff as it varies per product and country of origin.
You’ll also need to setup a brokerage account if you don’t wish to use UPS brokerage (I do not recommend them or you could use shippsy and/or cross border pickup to move your inventory in Canada they’ll take care of brokerage. Check with your prep if they do it. If needed, I can give you a recommendation (www.prepkingz.ca)
Yes, when shipping inventory like personal care products from the U.S. to Canada, you may be liable for duties and GST/HST depending on the product’s classification under Canada’s customs tariff schedule; the exact rate will depend on the HS code assigned to each item, and if you’re importing in bulk, it’s advisable to use a customs broker to ensure compliance and avoid delays. When working with a prep center, ensure they include accurate commercial invoices, label products properly (including bilingual labeling if required), and clearly declare the items’ country of origin; also check that the products meet Canadian regulatory requirements (e.g., Health Canada rules for cosmetics or OTC items) to prevent seizures at the border.
Thank you so much for the detailed response, why don’t you recommend UPS?
UPS has very expensive brokerage fees, always something messes up and they have no customer service.
Ak okay thanks, i’ll check other options then, anything cheaper from FL to AB!
Brokerage fee is around $200cad and transportation you can use LTL carrier.
Not entirely true. Brokerage varies a lot. For 95% of our imports, we charge our clients between 105 and 110 cad tax in (around 90$ before tax).
LTL is a good option if you have the volume for it. Otherwise SPD will be cheaper.
What’s the better option in my case, since I have no experience importing items into Canada? Should I ask my prep center to sell on eBay for me, or should I import the products here and sell them myself? I’m not sure about the demand, as it’s such a small market, and I don’t want to import personal care items, pay heavy fees, and end up with a loss. The process of importing from the USA seems a bit difficult for someone new like me, I’d really appreciate any suggestions!
Please DM me with your product I’ll give you a correct estimate so you can see what’s best for you.
Selling on Amazon Canada is a whole different game than USA.
EBay in Canada is “IN MOST CASES” but not all cases dead. It depends on the type of products you sell, some categories are very in demand, others dead.
Yes, you might need to pay duties or tariffs when shipping inventory from the USA to Canada, especially for personal care products. It depends on the product’s HS code, value, and country of origin. Items not made in the USA can face up to 25% tariffs. Avoid using UPS for brokerage as their fees are high-try Shippsy or CrossBorderPickups instead. Make sure your prep center can handle cross-border shipments, and ensure all customs documents (invoice, HS codes, origin) are accurate to avoid delays.