If it comes via Canada Post, you should be good until $100. I've only been dinged by them once and it was when I crossed the $100 threshold. The courier companies do whatever the fuck they want and can charge "brokerage fees" (usually $30+) whether your shit actually qualified for duty or not. UPS and DHL are the absolute worst for this. FedEx is awful but seems a little more reasonable (barely!)
I'm not sure what the deal is with a lot of stuff shipped via DHL since most starts with them and switches to Canada Post at the border, but not always (and, I guess, TForce with VMP, which started my last few months as a member.) I've had some shipments start with UPS and switch to Canada Post as well.
Regardless, I still order (too) often from the US if I know it's being sent USPS and have never had an issue when under $100. Sure it takes 2, or 3 weeks, but I can live with that.
@Ethos99 has been consistently amazing for cross-border shipping for me, via Paladin and Apocalypse both. Apocalypse has a decent base rate and a very low per additional item rate. When I went over $100 with the Neu! boxset it was under $14 in additional charges when I went to pick my package up. They go through Global Logistics, who my postal outlet guy said always manage to get the lowest rates if fees do occur. I've also had great experiences with a bunch of labels and a few shops scattered around. Happy to advise fellow hinterland folk, if interested. (Perhaps we could even start a Canadian Shipping thread to share tips and tricks...?)
www.needlesandgrooves.com
www.vinylmeplease.com
www.kopsrecords.ca
