Ordering from Canada

[ryux]

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone ever ordered stuff from o-cha or den's and got it shipped to Canada before? my Zencha and Sugimoto orders arrived earlier than expected (took ~4 days) but it's already been over 20 days and I haven't received anything from o-cha or den's yet.

Their shipping section says it takes ~5-11 days. I wanted to know if it's normal to wait this long (then I'll just wait another week) or else I am going to have to contact them and see what happened.

Sorry for such a boring post but I am so excited about getting my new tea (and a tokoname pot). Thanks alot!

[xuancheng]

It may be your package got selected for a customs inspection. That sometimes holds things up.

Not to upset you, but last time I sent tea to a friend in Canada about half of it was gone when the package made it to him. But he said he didn't think it was Canadian customs.

[Chip]

Several online vendors including O-Cha have told me that Canadian customs can be most difficult. Anytime US customs decides to delve deeper into a package, I figure an extra 5 days added to the delivery time. Canadian customs could be longer.

We have pretty many Canadians here, I am sure they will be more specific. However, I would likely contact the vendors and let them know about the situation.

[ryux]

Thank you for the replies. I'll contact the vedors first and let them know of this. I hope noone drinks half of my tea on the way!

I wonder what time zone everyone's living in...Chip seems to be up 24/7 haha

[chamekke]

It takes ages to get almost ANYTHING from the United States. I allow a good 2 weeks minimum for any shipment sent via USPS First Class International. The more expensive (plus trackable and insured) USPS Priority International is arguably faster, but if you use it for more expensive things, then IMO it could also be likelier to be held up by Canada Customs, so... what you gain on the swings, you lose on the roundabouts.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

I wonder what time zone everyone's living in...Chip seems to be up 24/7 haha

He is in a tea cave atop mount Fuji... where I can only assume by either excess Theanine, or other mysterious magic, there is no time, only an internet connection.


Oh and plenty of tea!

Mount Fuji is Heaven

[murrius]

usually my O-cha orders (Japan) arrive much more quickly than my Den's (US) orders. I know things get held up at Canada Customs but it is unpredictable. For example my last order from Japanese Green Tea Shop (Japan) got to me so quick it made my head spin. It was in my mail box in around 5 business days.

[Salsero]

...Chip seems to be up 24/7 haha

Chip has overcome sleep.

[stanthegoomba]

Last summer an order of teaware from Taiwan came with online tracking information, which I monitored with some fascination. My package took only three days to cross the Pacific and make its way to BC—where it sat in a Canada Post hub for two weeks, before making an early morning trip to Toronto and showing up at my door the same day.

[Chip]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[ryux]

that's horrible...but then again Canada post sucks. Hope I get mine soon.

[teaguru]

I can't see Canada Border Services Agency (aka Customs) holding up a package like that. I've had multiple orders come through CBSA, and I've never had any trouble with packages being opened or items missing.

Actually, my mother's a CBSA officer, and she said that she would have been very surprised if one of my packages had been searched. I've ordered everything from teaware to tea to strange exotic herbs and had them arrive with no trouble within 3 days to 2 weeks.

My money's on Canada Post taking their sweet sweet time with your package.

[snafu]

My last order from O-cha, about two weeks ago, took a few hours more than 4 days to get from Japan to my doorstep. That's faster than normal, but not by much.

In over 6 years of ordering tea from abroad, Canada Customs hasn't opened a single package of my tea. On a few occasions they've opened shipping boxes, but it's a tiny minority. I even like Canada Post. *shrug*

[ryux]

I just got my package from O-cha after waiting for 3 weeks! The teapot is so much smaller than I thought it'd be. I fits in my hand. And Yukata Midori was sooo good!

I never disliked Canada Post either even though they are very slow...only because I've never had to pay duty tax for dozens of stuffs I've ordered from US, France and Japan, etc. I do hear my friends complaining about paying $$ for duty though. Maybe I am lucky.

In any case, thanks to everyone for the replies!