As Canadians, we’re often limited when it comes to where we can shop online. While buying products from e-commerce shops outside Canada is often possible, many merchants may not offer shipping to Canadian addresses.
Luckily, there are package forwarding service providers available to circumvent this issue.
By providing you with a US address, these companies make it possible for you to have your goods sent to your home here in Canada, even if the retailer doesn’t offer this service themselves.
Let’s go into a little more detail about package forwarding services, how they work, and some of the best companies to work with.
What Is A Package Forwarding Service?
A package forwarding service is a company that provides you with a US address to which packages are shipped. When you shop online at US-based retailers that only deliver to US addresses, you can use a package forwarding service to deliver the goods to your US address. The company will then forward the package to you in Canada.
Some package forwarding services also work in other nations across the globe and will help you get packages from international companies that don’t ship directly to Canadian customers.
How Does Package Forwarding Work?
The package forwarding service you sign up with will provide you with a US address. When you shop online with US-based merchants, you’ll enter your US address at checkout.
When the package you ordered is received at that address, the package forwarding company will then collect the package and forward it to your Canadian address.
How Much Do Package Forwarding Services Cost?
Depending on how frequently you use such services, you can choose from a pay-per-use plan or a monthly plan where you pay a monthly fee to cover a specific number of packages per month.
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READ ARTICLEBest Package Forwarding US-To-Canada Services
There are several package forwarding services available to Canadians, including the following:
AmForward
AmForward ships packages to customers all over the world and uses big names in shipping, including FedEx, UPS, and DHL. The company offers three package forwarding plans, all of which include a US address and online tracking tools. You’ll receive a notification when you receive a parcel at the US address.
- Pay-per-use plan: $9.50 per package.
- Standard plan: $4.75 processing fee per package, plus $10.75 a month or $59.90 a year in registration fees.
- Premium plan: $2.70 processing fee per package, plus $204.90 a year in registration fees.
Stackry
Stackry ships to more than 200 countries and has been shipping packages internationally since 1986. The company uses shipping services including FedEx, USPS, and DHL Express.
Storage is free for up to 45 days, and there are no monthly or membership fees. However, there is a $2 fee to consolidate a package and a $5 fee for repacking each package. There are also special handling fees, including $25 to edit invoices and $7.50 for returns.
Shipito
Sign up for Shipito to get a US address, shop with any store in the US, and have your goods shipped to your US address at checkout. There are no signup or setup fees required, and you can choose from a variety of extra services, including photos of your packages, repackaging, and package consolidation to save up to 80% on shipping.
There’s also a personal shopping service available. Just tell Shipito what you want, and they’ll check the availability for you. Shipito has no membership fee, monthly fee or package receipt fee, however, they do charge for storage, package consolidation and repackaging.
- Storage Fee: Get 45 days of free storage. Each additional day after 45 will cost you 8 cents.
- Consolidation Fee: $2 per package
- Repackaging Fee: $5 a package
Other special fees may also be included such as hazmat process fee and address correction fee. The final cost will also depend on the package weight and delivery service.
BorderLinx
With BorderLinx, you can shop at any merchant in the US and UK and have your parcels delivered anywhere in the world.
The service uses major carriers like DHL, as well as some discount carriers, and deliveries are made within two to five days. When your order arrives at your BorderLinx address, you’ll receive an email notification of its delivery. All you need to do is sign in to Borderlinx.com and authorize the package’s release.
You can shop even where your credit card isn’t accepted. In this case, BorderLinx’s concierge service will shop on your behalf.
When you combine more than one order under one tracking number, you can save as much as 80% on shipping rates. And the free repacking service will cut down on your package volume and provide better protection.
MyUS
MyUS lets you register a US or UK address so that you can shop from e-commerce stores in both countries and have your packages delivered to Canada. You can choose your own carrier and receive your package in as little as two days.
When you consolidate packages, you can save as much as 80% off the cost of shipping. Plus, there’s no sales tax, so you’ll save 7% on each purchase. There’s also a tracking service that lets you keep tabs on your shipment.
MyUS services offer 3 membership plans:
- One package from one store: Free membership includes a US shipping address, shipping discount and no US sales tax.
- Multiple packages from several stores: $9.99/month or $60/year (free 30-day trial). This membership includes everything from the basic one plus free repackaging and package consolidation.
- High package volume: $10/month. This plan includes additional perks such as free storage and a 10% shipping volume discount.
Viabox
Shop at any US merchant and ship the package to any country with Viabox, a package forwarding service that gives you a free US address from which to direct your products. Viabox also offers its Assisted Purchase feature for free, which lets you shop online even if you don’t have a credit card. Instead, Viabox will buy your items on your behalf.
You’ll get photos of your packages and 90 days of storage for free. In fact, the only fee you’ll pay is the shipping. No registration or membership fees apply.
You can also cut down on shipping fees by consolidating your packages. Shipping costs vary based on how quickly you want the package delivered and the weight of the package.
Boxinus
Sign up to Boxinus for just $1 to get a US address, shop at any US store, and have your goods shipped to your home in Canada with delivery within three to five days.
Boxinus offers free consolidation and repackaging services, free photos of your packages, and an Assisted Purchase feature that shops for you if you don’t have a credit card. Plus, you can download the Boxinus app and shop with your mobile device.
Total shipping costs depend on weight and dimensions.
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Fishisfast
With Fishisfast, you’ll get a tax-free US address in Delaware with no membership fees and a free locker in our warehouse. Packages can be stored for up to six months for free.
Fishisfast also offers a handful of extra features and services, some for free and some with an additional fee. You’ll get a free photo package, or pay an extra $2 to have your packages automatically unpacked with every shipment and photos taken of each individual item. You can also pay an extra $10 for the FastLane service that puts your package at the front of the line, which can come in handy during busier times of the year.
CrossBorderPickups
CrossBorderPickups lets you have your US-based packages sent to your Canadian address. Or, you can pick up your packages at their Ontario locations in Mississauga or Markham. The company also helps businesses with international shipping and return package services from Canada to the US.
CrossBorderPickups covers all import taxes and duties, though there is a 3% transaction fee.
Fees are as follows:
- Up to 1lb: $7.50/package or $5/consolidated package
- Up to 10lbs: $10/package or $7/consolidated package
- Up to 30lbs: $15/package or $12/consolidated package
- Up to 100lbs: $18/package or $15/consolidated package
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Global Shopaholics
Register with Global Shopaholics for free and get a tax-free US address to have your goods shipped to when you shop at US retailers, then have your goods shipped home to Canada. There are no membership fees; instead, you’ll pay a minimum of $5 for each individual service.
You’ll get six months of storage at no extra charge and the ability to ship dangerous or fragile goods that may not be compatible with other package forwarding services. Use the shipping calculator to find out how much shipping will cost, then choose your preferred courier service.
In Out Parcel
In Out Parcel is a 24/7 package pickup facility located in Point Roberts, WA with over 2,000 automated lockers. You’ll get a free US address to have your packages shipped to. You can pick up your packages yourself, as the facility is just south of the Canada-US border near Vancouver.
Otherwise, In Out Parcel will forward your packages to you after you’ve purchased them from a US merchant of your choice. You can choose from various courier services, including UPS, DHL, Fedex, USPS, TNT, and others.
Costs to house packages in the automated lockers start at $3.75 with a 14-day initial storage period. Shipping costs vary.
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MyMallBox
MyMallBox is another package forwarder that ships products from the US to Canada thanks to the tax-free US address you’ll be provided with. In addition to the forwarding service, MyMallBox also offers a Buy For Me service, where they make purchases for you if you don’t have a credit card.
Packages are stored for up to 90 days for free and can be shipped to any country. Use the shipping calculator to calculate exact shipping costs based on package weight, dimensions, and speed of delivery. Rates are as low as $5 to send an 8oz package to Canada.
NYBox
Get a New Jersey or Delaware US address with NYBox, then have your package shipped to Canada. NYBox provides real-time updates about your package, free storage for up to 30 days, and several shipping options.
Membership plans are as follows:
- Standard plan: Free, and includes a Buy For Me service and discounts on shipping costs. Parcel consolidation with re-packing is available for $5 per package.
- Premium plan: For $15/month the plan includes all the above features, and parcel consolidation and re-packing are free.
OPAS
OPAS has been around since 1990 and specializes in package and mail forwarding. The service offers competitive international shipping rates, helping customers cut down on shipping with its package consolidation services.
One of the more unique features of OPAS is its rewards program which lets you earn one point for every $1 spent. You can redeem these points for future shipments. You can also take advantage of its personal shopping services to do the shopping for you, in addition to their inspection services and insurance coverage.
Membership plans are as follows:
- Basic plan: Free. Package consolidation costs $10.
- Premium plan: $15/month or $100/year, and includes free package consolidation and discounts on shipping.
- Distributor plan: $20/year for distributors, including consolidation services, discounted shipping fees and shared member options.
All plans come with complimentary storage for up to 30 days.
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Planet Express
Get a US or UK address with Planet Express to shop online, and have your packages forwarded to your home in Canada. The service’s fees are relatively low, and you only pay for the services ordered. The website features a shipping calculator to help you determine how much it’ll cost you.
Membership plans are as follows:
- Free plan: Packages are stored for up to 10 days for free. A fee of 1¢/pound/day applies afterwards.
- Premium plan: $10/month or $50/year, and includes package consolidation and free package storage for 45 days. Afterwards, the cost for storage will be 1¢/pound/day.
Both plans include free photos of your packages. There’s also a Shop For Me service that takes care of the shopping for you if you’re without a credit card.
Pros Of Using A Package Forwarding Service
Here are a few key benefits to using a package forwarding company to get your packages sent to Canada:
- Access US-only stores. If there are US-based merchants that you love but they only ship domestically, you can still have their products sent across the border with a package forwarding service.
- Save on sales tax. Certain states don’t charge sales tax, including Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Alaska. If you get a US address based in one of these states, you can save on sales tax.
- Save money. Many American retailers sell goods for a much cheaper price than comparable items here in Canada. Further, some US stores may charge Canadians higher fees than Americans. With a US address and a forwarding service, you can save a lot of money on the ticket price of the products you’re buying, as long as you’ve factored in the fees to have your packages forwarded to your Canadian address.
- Access American credit cards. With a US address, you may be able to gain access to US-based credit cards, which can be mailed to the US address provided to you by a package forwarding service. American banks require that their credit cards be mailed to a US address. With a US mailing address, your credit card application is more legitimate to the financial institution because it tells them that you have a residence in the US.
Cons Of Using A Package Forwarding Service
Along with the perks come some drawbacks of using package forwarding companies:
- Fees – Depending on the weight and size of your package, shipping fees can be pretty steep. And while some companies may not charge additional; storage fees, others do. Furthermore, there may be some hidden fees that are not outwardly advertised, such as duty fees, brokerage fees, and sales tax, depending on where the US address is located.
- Service may be prohibited – Not all US companies may allow shipping to package forwarding services. Unfortunately, you might not find this out until your package is sent out. Also, there may be certain types of items that won’t be shipped because of their status as “dangerous” substances, like perfume and batteries.
Package Forwarding Service FAQs
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Are there package forwarding services for international stores?
Final Thoughts
Package forwarding services make it possible for you to get your hands on just about anything you want from anywhere in the world. If you’re willing to pay a little extra, these services can open up many doors to the type of merchants you can shop with online.
