For Sale Comment about shipping from USA to other countries

davela · Nov 2, 2011

Eric Rose said:
I had a friend who did their Phd thesis on US banking and their inability to deal with international cheques etc. It also delved into America's inability to fathom a world outside of their borders. Mind you this was in the 90's but I'm sure things haven't changed much. I've done business all over the world and have only had problems with American banks. They make it very hard for their clients to accept payment from outside the US unless it was via credit card. Maybe things are better now.

US Banks and Americans have not needed (at least perhaps until recently) to accommodate the rest of the world, so it's not been much of an issue, i.e. despite your friends thesis work, the need for most Americans say to change Canadian dollars to US dollars is irrelevant. I hear that banks in Japan are much worse (from my Japanese friends). My experience with banks when I lived in South America was nothing short of horrific.

The Canadian banks are not too bad (I've lived there), but I hear they are basically government sanctioned monopolies now - like a lot of Canadian businesses (such as Air Canada, Rogers Wireless, etc.). I'm not sure that's an improvement. Maybe many Canadians need to learn to fathom a world outside their own borders. Many might learn that their country, while certainly nice place to take a holiday and maybe even to have a vacation home, is not really an important player on the world stage generally.

ggervais · Nov 2, 2011

davela said:
The Canadian banks are not too bad (I've lived there), but I hear they are basically government sanctioned monopolies now - like a lot of Canadian businesses (such as Air Canada, Rogers Wireless, etc.). I'm not sure that's an improvement. Maybe many Canadians need to learn to fathom a world outside their own borders. Many might learn that their country, while certainly nice place to take a holiday and maybe even to have a vacation home, is not really an important player on the world stage generally.

Yeah Canadians are so self-centered... We really need to look outside our borders. Maybe not, look what's just South of us... NOT a nice place.

You need to look up the definition of monopoly in the dictionary or maybe Google it.

Canadian banks, Air Canada & Rogers are really not monopolies. At least our banks didn't need any bailouts.

Toffle · Nov 2, 2011

davela said:
The Canadian banks are not too bad (I've lived there), but I hear they are basically government sanctioned monopolies now - like a lot of Canadian businesses (such as Air Canada, Rogers Wireless, etc.). I'm not sure that's an improvement. Maybe many Canadians need to learn to fathom a world outside their own borders. Many might learn that their country, while certainly nice place to take a holiday and maybe even to have a vacation home, is not really an important player on the world stage generally.

How condescending can you be, my friend?

nsurit · Nov 2, 2011

I've shipped all over the world including a place or two I should not have shipped to and have never lost a package. I had one I thought was lost in Italy a number of years ago, It finally showed up. Always used camera gear and none has ever shown up broken. Bill Barber

davela · Nov 2, 2011

Toffle said:
How condescending can you be, my friend?

Don't worry, unlike the aforementioned Canadian above, I won't be spending the better part of my youth and considerable government treasure working on Ph.D. research devoted to bashing the Canadian people - no need.

Joooorsh · Nov 2, 2011

Vaughn said:
Your typo reads to me: "its free and its bullshit". As in a cartoon caption I saw on Facebook referring to Facebook -- "If it is free, then you are not the customer, but the product being sold."

You're misappropriating the cartoon: it specifically relates to market research and It's employment through the Facebook platform.

Oh and the post above is great. I hope the world displays a similar level of condescension after the US economy collapses. Or continues to collapse.

MILK

Ian Grant · Nov 2, 2011

davela said:
Don't worry, unlike the aforementioned Canadian above, I won't be spending the better part of my youth and considerable government treasure working on Ph.D. research devoted to bashing the Canadian people - no need.

Didn't I see this US/Canada war on TV . . . . . . . . . . . .; .

Oh now I remember South Park Bit that's real isn't it . . . . . . .

The very different reality is that compared to Europeans US Citizens have a very low percentage of passports, and few have travleed outside the US except on Military service.

In Europe it's a very high percentage that travel abroad every year but then in Ei=urope we also have a better system for holidays and a mandatory number of days off work.

In many respects countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc take the best from both cultures.

Ian

davela · Nov 2, 2011

While I wish everyone would travel and see the world (I have lived and traveled extensively worldwide), most Americans don't really need to. We are an enormous country with plenty do see and do here. We also get substantial exposure to foreigners too - they all want to come here - by the millions in fact - for all kinds of purposes.

MattKing · Nov 2, 2011

davela said:
While I wish everyone would travel and see the world (I have lived and traveled extensively worldwide), most Americans don't really need to. We are an enormous country with plenty do see and do here. We also get substantial exposure to foreigners too - they all want to come here - by the millions in fact - for all kinds of purposes.

Cheap eggs, beer and gas being at the top of the pile .

I enjoy my visits to the USA - I was just down there this afternoon. I got eggs and gas and US stamps. The stamps are for the APUG postcard exchange.

Our "monopolist" Canadian bankers actually have been visiting the US a lot lately. Due to the restrictions they operate under, they are both solvent and well capitalized, and as a result have been buying a lot of interesting assets (apparently at very favourable prices) from the so-called "banks" in the USA.

Rant over:munch:

hoffy · Nov 2, 2011

Cool! This is getting interesting. Can you guys hold off for a sec while I go make myself some popcorn and find an ice cold beverage.... This is going to be fun

:munch:
:munch:

OK, good to go now

lxdude · Nov 2, 2011

Photo-gear · Nov 2, 2011

For an order of 330 USD from Freestyle (to be delivered by USPS to Montréal), I got a 45$ CAN border fees.

And our politicians talk about "free trade"...

davela · Nov 2, 2011

Photo-gear said:
For an order of 330 USD from Freestyle (to be delivered by USPS to Montréal), I got a 45$ CAN border fees.

And our politicians talk about "free trade"...

Yup free only for the big boys. To the above Canadian posters slamming US Banks, I agree with you. Had I been in charge all the failed ones would have been liquidated in 2008, not bailed out with our tax money, to once again prey on the same tax payers. I dearly hope the Canadian banks buy property down here, the market needs a boost.

hoffy · Nov 2, 2011

davela said:
Yup free only for the big boys. To the above Canadian posters slamming US Banks, I agree with you. Had I been in charge all the failed ones would have been liquidated in 2008, not bailed out with our tax money, to once again prey on the same tax payers. I dearly hope the Canadian banks buy property down here, the market needs a boost.

Interesting you should say this. Recently I have seen a few businesses locally promoting 'Buying property in the US'. Bargain for us, but buggered if I would do it.

Eric Rose · Nov 2, 2011

One of the main tests in the thesis was how a US bank would deal with a Canadian cheque made out in US funds. They would either totally refuse it or try and charge their client exorbitant fees to process it. In some cases they would put a hold on the funds for months. I have to agree with an earlier poster that up until recently the banks isolationist attitude was probably good business as far they were concerned. They were the big dogs and didn't have to bend to anyone.

With globalization banks all over the world (talking G20 here not banana republics) have had to suck it up and quit being so snotty. Their customers demand it.

I have certainly found out who I will not do business with here on APUG even if they do ship outside of the US. The circle the wagons mentality of some when a dysfunctional, archaic, and some would say dishonest business institution is called out is rather pathetic. It's like vehemently defending a relative who has been convicted of murder, just because he's your relative. How do you think that makes you look?

Joooorsh · Nov 2, 2011

Why are Canadians and Americans comparing dicks? This is a thread about postage.

MattKing · Nov 3, 2011

davela said:
Yup free only for the big boys. To the above Canadian posters slamming US Banks, I agree with you. Had I been in charge all the failed ones would have been liquidated in 2008, not bailed out with our tax money, to once again prey on the same tax payers. I dearly hope the Canadian banks buy property down here, the market needs a boost.

Sorry about the strength of my reaction.

The Canadian banks aren't buying property - they are buying (at very favourable prices) the business assets of "banks", brokerages and other financial institutions .

The strange thing about all these discussions is that until very recently we were respectively each the largest trading partner of the other (China just recently passed Canada on the US list).

So our (Canada's) banking and shipping systems are well attuned to the requirements of the US.

But strangely the reverse really doesn't apply.

I expect if there was more reciprocity on those two issues, most of those who won't ship to Canada would consider changing their rules.

And by the way, some of my best friends are " 'Mericans"

lxdude · Nov 3, 2011

MattKing said:
I expect if there was more reciprocity on those two issues, most of those who won't ship to Canada would consider changing their rules.

It is stupid the way it is. We think of you as family and then treat you like that weird brother-in-law.

The banks have gotten more arrogant with us common folk, too. It used to be if you received a check from someone you could go to their bank and cash it, just showing ID. Now you have to have an account at that bank or they refuse to cash it. A PITA when my boss' bank was around the corner from work and I couldn't get home before my own bank closed.

Diapositivo · Nov 3, 2011

lxdude said:
The banks have gotten more arrogant with us common folk, too. It used to be if you received a check from someone you could go to their bank and cash it, just showing ID. Now you have to have an account at that bank or they refuse to cash it. A PITA when my boss' bank was around the corner from work and I couldn't get home before my own bank closed.

Not to defend inept banks, but that is common banking practice also in Europe. A check can be "uncovered", i.e. the current account might not have money to satisfy it. The bank will pay cash a cheque only if the cheque is drawn on an account residing on that same bank branch, because they can immediately debit the account. If the cheque is drawn on another branch (be it or not a branch of the same bank) normally the branch will not pay it cash. If you have an account at that branch, it will be credited to your account with reserve to re-debit it if the cheque is not covered. You will typically see the sum as "present" but not as "withdrawable" so to speak until the cheque is cashed by the branch. This is all quite normal and I am quite surprised that any bank would cash a cheque drawn at another branch even if of the same bank. Your mileage may vary, especially if you are rich or well-known by the bank (or the cheque is signed by somebody rich, well-known etc.).

As a general rule, you can go to the the issuing branch and cash a cheque, or go to your bank and deposit a cheque.

Fabrizio

Graham_Martin · Nov 3, 2011

While my original topic has gone a little off topic, I would like to react to a couple of comments made about the US banking system. I worked in International Banking all my life including British, Canadian and US banks. Here in the US, and if you bank with a fairly large institution, then you can generally deposit checks right into your bank account which are drawn on Canadian banks in either Canadian or US$. Generally speaking there is no charge for these items (at least at all the banks where I worked). As with deposited checks drawn on US banks a hold may be placed against the funds. The hold time for Canadian checks is longer because it takes longer for a check to bounce, plus there are some Canadian banking regulations that allow them to bounce a check quite a bit later than here in the States. Not saying that as a criticism of our Northern neighbors. It's simply a fact.

It is kind of interesting to watch the banking strategies of the Canadian banks when it comes to US acquisitions. The Royal Bank of Canada started expanding rapidly in the US many years ago by buying up some local regional banks. My most recent pre-retirement employer went through a merger, and RBC purchased many of our branches. A few months ago RBC announced that they are selling off all of their US retail branches due, in part, to problems with the real estate meltdown.

On the other hand, Toronto Dominion Bank has been going in the opposite direction and buying up well run US regional banks at a fairly rapid clip.

waynecrider · Nov 3, 2011

Eric Rose said:
I had a friend who did their Phd thesis on US banking and their inability to deal with international cheques etc. It also delved into America's inability to fathom a world outside of their borders. Mind you this was in the 90's but I'm sure things haven't changed much. I've done business all over the world and have only had problems with American banks. They make it very hard for their clients to accept payment from outside the US unless it was via credit card. Maybe things are better now.

They make it very hard for us Americans.

Graham_Martin · Nov 3, 2011

Well it's not so much as the inability of US banks to process international checks as it is a lack of demand for that service. There simply aren't enough checks drawn on overseas banks coming into the US banking system that would provide the economies of scale to justify setting up a clearing house for non US items. On the other hand, Europeans historically have sent personal payments through their postal system which is (or used to be known as) the Giro system. I'm pretty sure that the Giro system has now been replaced by electronic payments. Regardless, the US banks have yet to develop an equivalent system for cross-border payments other than a wire transfer which can cost as much as $50.

Electronic payments between the US and Canada are becoming more automated through ACH. However these are for corporate payments as opposed to personal remittances. There is also the whole issue of Know Your Customer regulations which are designed to identify money laundering and money going to terrorist organizations. 9/11 changed the world in many, many ways including the diligence that banks are required to maintain in all banking transactions.

hadeer · Nov 3, 2011

In the European Union cheques for international payments are totally outdated and abolished since decades. The same applies to the giro system. If I have to make a payment to someone in England or Germany I will use Paypal or an international account number. The latter will cost you nothing because the European Council has installed the regulation that an international bank transfer cannot cost more than a national one; hence nearly every bank decided to charge nothing for fear of losing their customers. Maybe an idea worth following?

hoffy · Nov 3, 2011

In Australia, cheques are just about obsolete as well. Personal cheques are very seldom used. There are way too many risks involved and very few retailers (if any) will take a personal cheque (not to mention a minimum of 2 days to clear). Yes, corporations still use them, but they highly encourage customers to transact electronically, as I am sure they would prefer to see them gone as well.

lxdude · Nov 3, 2011

Diapositivo;1254679 As a general rule said:
That's what I can no longer do-go to the bank branch whose address appears on the check, and cash it. Some local banks do allow it, though.

For Sale Comment about shipping from USA to other countries

davela

ggervais

Toffle

nsurit

davela

Joooorsh

Ian Grant

davela

MattKing

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hoffy

lxdude

Photo-gear

davela

hoffy

Eric Rose

Joooorsh

MattKing

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lxdude

Diapositivo

Graham_Martin

waynecrider

Graham_Martin

hadeer

hoffy

lxdude

For Sale Comment about shipping from USA to other countries

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