USPS shipping to Canada with tracking?
 

For you guys who ship to Canada, whats the cheapest way to send a card with tracking? I need to ship a graded card to Canada and Post Office told me I had to send Global Priority Ecpress for $50 to get tracking, is that right?

Ask at a different post office for First Class (International?) with tracking. If it's an inexpensive card, I would suggest not opting for insurance. A graded card in a small bubble mailer should run no more than $3-4. If anything happens to it en route, be prepared to bite the bullet and give the buyer a refund out of your own pocket. I have had to live this way, albeit the other way around, as I am in Canada. Just a part of the pain that is mailing between the two countries.

If the card is more expensive and requires insurance, just add insurance to said First Class package. Canadians get hit pretty severely when it comes to high Customs declarations, so best to talk it over with your buyer prior to sending.

Whatever you do, make the postal worker check, double check, and triple check that all the necessary paperwork is there and filled out correctly. You'll need to recipient's phone number to put on the form and you'll also have to provide an invoice, even if it's not a "sale". If you pay $50 and miss one box, they'll return to sender at the border. Canada has super stringent rules.

^^^ I disagree with this (at least for the First Class method I suggested). Nobody has ever had to put a phone number on the paperwork and packages always make it up here. (Nor has an invoice ever been necessary if you're fine with shipping uninsured.) I can't speak to anything sent via Global International, but that's not the option you want to utilize, anyhow.

My #1 suggestion to getting it done right is avoiding any sort of USPS "outlet" and take your package to a main post office branch. The knowledge (or lack thereof) of the outlet workers tends to be all over the place. I hear it all the time from my American friends and have definitely experienced it myself way too many times!

I live in Canada and have had many cards shipped from the Unites States and have also shipped to the United states. I know you will need to fill out a declaration slip for Canada customs, just fill out the slip properly, If the value of the declared item is more than $20, The person the item is shipped to in Canada or United States may have to pay an additional duty (taxes)..The cheapest way to ship to Canada is by Small Packet, not a box..I would recommend sending the item, express post with tracking...The quote you got from the post office makes no sense, I just received an item shipped from Louisville, Kentucky to Toronto, and the cost was just under $10 with tracking.

Good Luck with your shipping, my advice go to another post office to deal with an employee who understands how international shipping works..

Thanks for the help everyone, I knew there had to be something wrong. The card is about $50 and I will not send without tracking. Id rather lose a few extra bucks on postage than lose $50 on a PayPal claim.

I don't know where anybody is coming up with $3 or $4 bucks for package tracking to Canada.............and if it's a graded card, that means the package is rigid and letter rates cannot be used.......so yes, it's a "package".

Minimum price if you go through Ebay labels and get a Powerseller discount on 1st Class International Shipping is $8.13. That's just the postage and doesn't count supplies and the fact both Ebay and Paypal take a cut out of the S&H costs. Paypal, like all merchant accounts, also charge more for International payments.

Stamps.com it's going to run close to 10 bucks and going to the Post Office and waiting in line will cost even more.

Not the 50 bucks the clerk told you, but not cheap either.

5 or 6 years ago, you might have been able to legitimately do it for $3 or $4 bucks, but not anymore.

The $50 is for global tracking not shipping in general. I had to provide a phone number of the recipient when I used it. There wasn't anything special about my package so I doubt they just decided to make me do it for no reason. My package was also insured though. Maybe that's why? I also had to provide an invoice even though I was just sending something to someone I knew.

I went to my local post office and spoke to the Postmaster who is my neighbor, he told me First Class International can only add tracking when sent registered for extra $15 but can send Priority Mail International flat rate envelope for $23.95 which includes tracking. I charged the buyer $6 shipping so I'm gonna lose either way. This is the last time that I ship outside the US, just not worth the trouble.

Different locations/States must have different rules as I have purchased the majority of my cards from American sellers, including more than a few from this site.

My last received 52 Topps cards were sent from NY and shipping was $3.37. I can't speak about tracking nor insurance, but if the member is a member here and has done transactions in the past and/or is an outstanding member, then I personally don't see the need for it.
Also, if you are still doubtful, ask for their E-Bay name and check their reputation.

The most I have paid is just over $9.00 dollars, but have heard of some crazy shipping fees, and in which case, the deal has fallen through.

Swarmee swears by Comc, and from what little I know, it sounds like a great idea to set something up with them. Ship to them cheap and trouble free then they ship to the purchaser.