Frequently Asked Questions

On August 22, 2025, the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced that starting August 29, 2025, they will no longer accept shipments under DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid). This means that all shipments to the U.S. must have duties and taxes paid upfront to the US Government (DDP – Delivered Duty Paid) before leaving our Canadian warehouse.

We want to ensure you fully understand what this means for your orders.

What's Changing?

• Before Aug 29: Many parcels shipped DDU, and duties were collected by USPS directly from U.S. customers upon delivery.
• Now: Duties and taxes must be calculated and paid to the US Government before your parcel leaves our warehouse in Canada.
• Brokerage Fees: If sent through USPS, shipments may also be subject to brokerage fees of about US$50 per item on top of duties.

End of the $800 De Minimis Rule

Previously, most shipments valued under US$800 entered the U.S. completely duty- and tax-free. That rule has now ended.

• From August 29, 2025, every parcel — no matter how small the value — will be taxed from the very first dollar.
• Example: A $50 t-shirt that used to arrive duty-free may now be taxed at standard U.S. tariff rates.

This change is one of the biggest reasons you may see higher charges than before.

Why Does This Matter?

U.S. tariffs are not always a flat percentage. Summary found here: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2025-08/20250820_tariff_factsheet_0.pdf. Multiple tariffs can stack depending on where your product was made and what materials it contains. For example:

• Goods from China → 25% Section 301 tariff
• Finished electronics → +20% duty
• Products with aluminum components → +50% duty
• General base tariff on some imports → up to 35%

Example: A $100 gadget from China could end up costing $250+ after tariffs and fees.

How This Affects Your ShipByMail Orders

Regular Forwarding

• If you order items yourself and ship to your ShipByMail Canadian address, duties and taxes will now be added to your forwarding invoice.
• You will see the duty/tax calculation before your parcel ships.

Buy-For-Me Service

• Previously, you only paid for the product cost upfront.
• From now on, duties and taxes will also need to be paid before we can ship your parcel to you.
• In some cases, duties and taxes may exceed the original product price.

What We're Doing to Help

• Transparent Estimates: We will do our best to give you accurate duty/tax estimates at checkout, so you know the true landed cost before shipping.
• Clear Communication: You'll always be notified by email once your parcel arrives and before any duties are charged.
• Flexible Options: We continue to explore alternative carriers and shipping options to minimize extra brokerage fees.

What You Can Do as a Customer

1. Check country of origin before ordering. Items from China, aluminum products, and electronics are most affected.
2. Budget for duties and fees that may be higher than expected.
3. Use Buy-For-Me wisely — for some products, duties may outweigh the savings.

Questions?

We know this is a big change, and we're here to help. Please contact our support team if you'd like a duty estimate before buying, or if you're unsure how this change affects your order.

ShipByMail is committed to making Canadian shopping as easy and transparent as possible — even with these new U.S. rules.

Because shipping 5 pillows (although lighter in weight) costs more than a laptop! Let us explain...

Actual weight is the weight of the package when put on a scale.

Dimensional weight is based on the size of the package.

When shipping any item through "AIR" on an airplane, couriers charge the higher of the two (Actual vs Dimensional) because of the space it occupies in the plane's cargo area.

So therefore, large items that have a low actual weight relative to their size, like pillows and lamp shades, will result in a larger dimensional weight.

• Charges based on Dimensional Weight in LBS = Length x Width x Height (inches) / 139
• Charges based on Dimensional Weight in KG = Length x Width x Height (cm) / 5,000

Example #1: Pillow

Dimensions: 40cm x 40cm x 20cm
Actual Weight: 1 KG
Dimensional Weight: 40 × 40 × 20 / 5000 = 6.4 KG

This pillow's shipping charges will be based on the greater of the two, in this case its Dimensional Weight: 6.4 KG.

Example #2: Cellular Phone

Dimensions: 20cm x 20cm x 10cm
Actual Weight: 1.8 KG
Dimensional Weight: 20 × 20 × 10 / 5000 = 0.8 KG

This cellular phone's shipping charges will be based on the greater of the two, in this case its Actual Weight: 1.8 KG.

Most Canadian merchants are set up to accommodate international shoppers, but at times our members will encounter a Canadian retailer that:

1. Only accepts Canadian credit cards and/or a Canadian billing address
2. Requires payment through PayPal or money order
3. Won't accept payment by check or wire transfer

Fortunately, ShipByMail's BFM service removes these obstacles, giving you access to more of the products Canada has to offer!

Yes! BuyForMe customers do not pay any sales tax on their item(s) when they use this service. This adds up to large savings for our members.

There are no restrictions around how much you can purchase using our BFM service. The more you buy, the more you save!

You can simply follow the steps on your Dashboard to complete a BFM order, and one of our BFM Experts will proceed to purchase the item(s) on your behalf. As always, you will be notified every step of the way!

The payment method on your account with ShipByMail will be charged the cost of the order, plus a small processing fee.

Once you have placed an order, you can click Check the status of your BuyForMe order to see a list of your recent orders.

Once the order arrives and is processed in our warehouse, you will receive an email advising you. You can then log in and pay for shipping to your home address.

If the order is greater than CAD $0.00 in total, BFM customers will require a wire transfer.

If the order is greater than 5 different items, there will be an additional CAD $0.00 per item ordering fee.

All BFM orders are to be sent to the ShipByMail facility, and cannot be shipped to any other addresses. To ensure all items are received correctly, ShipByMail opens and inspects each order for accuracy. Photos of the items are also taken so the member can verify the order before shipping.

ShipByMail cannot modify or cancel a BFM order once it has been placed with the merchant. If you decide you do not want the purchase, please check with the merchant's website regarding their return policy. If returns are permitted, please notify our BFM department to request that the order is returned when it arrives in your suite.

A CAD $0.00 fee applies for all returns, in addition to the return shipping cost (if applicable). Once the merchant receives the returned package and issues a refund, we will issue you a refund for the refunded amount minus any service/processing fees. Please note the following:

• BFM service fees are not refundable.
• There is an additional 5.5% processing fee for refunds, including if the item is out of stock on the merchant's website.

Yes! Besides offering exceptional shipping rates and a BuyForMe service for our customers, ShipByMail manages many returns for International Merchants from Electronics to Accessories to Toys. We offer our Business Customers a safe, secure and transparent return process for them to manage all their customer returns in Canada and have the ability to control when they ship those return items back.

Yes! You can use our services once you receive your dedicated address from us, after you have completed our registration and fraud verification process.

Please ensure all your shipments include the ShipByMail facility address and your unique suite number. Any packages shipped to ShipByMail with an incomplete or inaccurate address will cause delays.

ShipByMail members order many items from clothing, shoes, baby accessories, to electronics, sports equipment, and books. Members can order almost anything which is sold online.

In order to minimize the shipping costs you can consolidate your packages and ship them together.

Shipping chemicals, alcohol, flammables, explosive and/or sharp items, legal/illegal drugs and weapons are strictly prohibited (see the FAQ "What can't I ship from Canada?" for a more complete list). Some countries may have restrictions on cash, currency, checks, bonds, jewelry, vitamins, dietary supplements, cosmetics, grocery products, cell phones, cigarettes and vape products. Please check your country's customs regulation.

Depending on the volume incoming parcels, it usually takes between 1-2 business days (USA CUSTOMERS CAN EXPECT 5-6 BUSINESS DAYS) for your parcel to be processed during which the following takes place:

• Matching (ensuring that packages are assigned to their rightful owners)
• Package condition checks (e.g., for leaking/damaged packages)
• Inspections for International Air Transport Association (IATA)
• Repacking and adding of protective materials for international shipment (if necessary)

Once your package has been assigned to your account, you will subsequently receive a system-generated email informing you that it is ready for international shipment. We will also notify you in case of any issues with your package.

From there and once payment to ship your package is made, it will take between 2-9 business days to reach your home address.

No, your Suite ID is unique and dedicated to your account. It is very important that you use the Suite ID which is assigned to you when making purchases with the merchant to avoid delays.

To EXPEDITE your shipments that you have purchased, notify us of your incoming shipment on your Dashboard by entering your tracking number and the value of your incoming shipment.

We allow packages to stay in the warehouse for up to 60 days and offer your first 30 days of storage for FREE! After 30 days, your account will be charged CAD $0.00/kg per day of storage. If you have not shipped your package within 60 days, we will have to treat your package as abandoned.

Yes! Simply contact the retailer you have purchased the item from for all exchanges and returns. Item exchanges and returns are between you and the retailer and ShipByMail does not take any responsibility for these transactions.

We can assist you to return the items using the return label, if any. Without a return label, we can also provide you with a return shipping label (shipping charges apply) to send your package back to the retailer.

Please note we charge a CAD $0.00 processing fee per package to be returned, excluding return shipping fees.

No, unfortunately we do not take any pre-orders nor do we place any bids on any items at this time.

If you plan on sending us a Wire Transfer, please contact us for details as well as important information. There is a CAD $0.00 fee for each wire transfer.

Irrespective of whether the goods that you purchased are for resale or personal consumption, new or used, you have to accurately declare the value accurately.

You may face delays, fines (from your country's customs department) or insurance claims rejections if values are inaccurately declared.

Customs duties and taxes are payable by the receiver (the customer) for any shipments that depart from our warehouse to any international country. If you are unsure if you will be charged any of these fees, please contact your local Government's Customs Office for clarification.

• Controlled substances such as but not limited to MARIJUANA, THC PRODUCTS, CBD PRODUCTS, ANY PSYCHEDELICS INCLUDING ALL MUSHROOMS and EPHEDRINE
• Alcoholic beverages (to certain countries INCLUDING USA)
• Vape products (to certain countries INCLUDING USA)
• Any financial credit or debit cards, pre paid cards, phone sim cards, financial transactions or records from financial institutions
• Cigarettes
• Certain food products (please check with us prior to ordering)
• Firearms and accessories
• Logs (wood)
• Military and strategic goods
• Softwood lumber
• Steel
• Bodies, bodies parts of humans or animals
• Live animals
• Precious metals, currency, bonds, bullion, etc
• Hazardous Waste
• Explosives
• Fish and seafood
• Insulin
• Ozempic or any other prescription/items that requires climate controlled environment

If you are unsure if we can ship your items, please contact us.

Insurance is always optional and can be chosen at time of shipout/checkout of your package(s). Insurance will cover any loss or damage during transit to your home address with the exceptions listed below.

Insurance fees are CAD $0.00 per every $100 of value. Here is a chart for quick reference:

• CAD $0.01-$99.99 total value of shipment: Insurance is CAD $0.00
• CAD $100.00-$199.99 total value of shipment: Insurance is CAD $0.00
• CAD $200.00-$299.99 total value of shipment: Insurance is CAD $0.00

Please note we do not insure the following:

• books that have been damaged during transit
• food products that arrive damaged during transit
• vape products that arrived leaking due to cabin pressure on aircraft
• glass or breakable items

Claims can only be initiated if the customer has paid for insurance. There may be a requirement where we will require the damaged goods to be shipped back to our warehouse for inspection. If you would like the items shipped back to you after inspection, please advise us ahead of time. Any shipping back to your home address for these items is payable by the customer.

If your package contains any of the items that are not insured, and you have paid for insurance, you will only be covered for the amount paid for the shipping.

When receiving a refund for a shipout of a package(s), a full refund minus a 5.5% processing fee will be provided through the method of payment used.

When receiving a refund for a BuyForMe order:

A full refund minus a 5.5% processing fee and a CAD $0.00 returns processing fee (if the order has already been placed) and any return shipping fees to the merchant will be provided through the method of payment used.

Sorry, but we do not offer shipping within Canada at this time.

Yes, this is not a problem and is a common practice.

To ensure your shipment is eligible for insurance coverage, the declared value must accurately reflect the actual value of the item being shipped. The declared value is the amount used by the insurance company to determine both eligibility and the maximum compensation in the event of loss or damage.

What is required for an insurance claim?

To process a claim, you must provide:

• An official purchase receipt or invoice from a bona fide retailer or merchant.
• The receipt must clearly show:
  • The item purchased
  • The purchase price
  • The purchase date
  • The retailer's name
• In most cases, the receipt must be for a purchase made within the past 30 days.

Why does the declared value have to match the purchase price?

Insurance is based on the principle that the declared value represents the item's true value.

For example:

• You purchase an item for $700.
• You declare it for $300 to reduce duties and taxes.
• The shipment is damaged.
• You then submit a receipt showing the item actually cost $700.

Unfortunately, the insurance claim will be denied.

This is because insurers do not allow items to be insured for only part of their value. A significant discrepancy between the declared value and the documented purchase price indicates that the shipment was not accurately declared. Since the insurance policy was issued based on an incorrect value, the insurer will typically consider the coverage invalid and will not honor the claim.

What items are not eligible for insurance?

At this time, we cannot insure personal or used items that do not have a recent retail purchase receipt, including:

• Used laptops or computers
• Used mobile phones
• Used clothing or shoes
• Personal effects
• Collectibles or household items without proof of purchase

If an item cannot be supported by an official retail receipt from a bona fide retailer (generally issued within the last 30 days), it is not eligible for insurance coverage.

What does our insurance cover?

Eligible shipments may be insured against:

• Loss in transit
• Physical damage during transit (subject to the carrier's terms and packaging requirements)

Insurance coverage is always subject to the insurer's terms, conditions, exclusions, and claim requirements.

Our recommendation

Always declare the true purchase value of your shipment and keep your original purchase receipt. While declaring a lower value may reduce duties and taxes, it can also invalidate your insurance coverage, leaving you without compensation if your shipment is lost or damaged.

No. All delivery times quoted by ShipByMail are estimated transit times, not guaranteed delivery dates. These estimates exclude the time required for customs processing, inspections, and clearance in the destination country, as well as any customs-related delays.

Customs procedures and processing times vary by country and are beyond ShipByMail's control. For example, a service advertised as 4–8 days means an estimated transit time of 4–8 days plus any time required for customs clearance. Customs processing may therefore extend delivery beyond the quoted timeframe.