Who's Going to Chilliwack Soon From USA?

[Ljswany]

I'm afraid I'm falling hopelessly in love with upholstery from JoAnn Fabrics but I'm fearful about the cost of mailing it to ETI. My hubby ordered a solar port about the size of a cereal bowl online and had it delivered directly to ETI. HE PAID $40 shipping and the UPS collected additional $128 CAN from ETI making this a very expensive delivery for a $25 item. So... I was thinking about saving myself from another such costly mistake and got wondering if anybody here is planning a trip to ETI before 7/30/17 and would be willing to deliver my fabric if I were to mail it to you before you go. OR, we could hand it off as you came traveling by if that would work. We're in Ft Collins CO, about an hour north of Denver and close enough to I-80 that we could meet there. Anybody willing to help out a fellow "Escapee"?

[Ljswany]

Oh! I'd be willing to pay something for the delivery service!

[cpaharley2008]

Contact ETI, they can tell you who is scheduled and then you contact them.

[rbrandenstein]

Has ETI requested the fabric that early? I see your due date is 12/13/17. I can't see them starting on the fabric that far in advance.
Our 19' is due for completion in mid-September. We are also planning to stop in Ft. Collins on the way to Chilliwack to visit friends. If you haven't made other arrangements and the timing works, we'd be happy to deliver your fabric.

[cpaharley2008]

Can't beat door to door service....

[float5]

People have used some fabric companies in Canada to avoid those costs. You might want to look at some companies up there, too.

I would say that we only paid about $45 for shipping many yards but that may well be different now.

[BCnomad]

Originally Posted by Ljswany

I'm afraid I'm falling hopelessly in love with upholstery from JoAnn Fabrics but I'm fearful about the cost of mailing it to ETI. My hubby ordered a solar port about the size of a cereal bowl online and had it delivered directly to ETI. HE PAID $40 shipping and the UPS collected additional $128 CAN from ETI making this a very expensive delivery for a $25 item. So... I was thinking about saving myself from another such costly mistake and got wondering if anybody here is planning a trip to ETI before 7/30/17 and would be willing to deliver my fabric if I were to mail it to you before you go. OR, we could hand it off as you came traveling by if that would work. We're in Ft Collins CO, about an hour north of Denver and close enough to I-80 that we could meet there. Anybody willing to help out a fellow "Escapee"?

UPS is great if one stays within country boundaries. International fees are ridiculous, as proven again above.

[Donna D.]

I understand your pain. I had my fabric shipped from Hawaii... it was delivered to me by a Pacific freighter. Fortunately, I was able to deliver it to ETI when I took the build sheet to ETI... that wasn't a trip considered free or cheap either... Yes, absolutely contact ETI for someone that may help you from the US to Chilliwack (beverages count!).

[emers382]

Whoever takes the fabric to Chilliwack will have to be careful at the border. I don't know about Americans coming into Canada but we are regularly asked when crossing into the US if we are leaving anything in the US. Since the fabric would not belong to whoever is carrying it, that could be an issue.

Alf, a Canadian, was asked crossing into Emerson three years ago with his soon to be our trailer whether he was leaving anything in Canada. He said no, then turned into town and left the trailer with us

Adrian

[Donna D.]

Hummmm. That maybe I just told the Border Guard I was bringing upholstery for MY custom Escape trailer build. HE waved me through... and that was more than three years ago at Sumas.

And it was a big, fat roll. 19 yards x 54"

[emers382]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Hummmm. That maybe I just told the Border Guard I was bringing upholstery for MY custom Escape trailer build. HE waved me through... and that was more than three years ago at Sumas.

And it was a big, fat roll. 19 yards x 54"

I agree Donna, Sumas probably is not an issue for anyone if they say they are going to Escape!

Adrian

[float5]

I looked at the regulations for this and it looked as if no extra charges should be owed on items that go into your trailer, however, when an item reaches the border, they may or may not know the purpose of it. If I were filling out paperwork, I could state it but when a company sends for you, no telling what they write. That said, we were not charged anything extra for our fabric sent by a company.

Could be that they want more at the border for anything in the electronics category, for instance, or more based on place of manufacture. Or if they do not know or understand the purpose.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by emers382

Whoever takes the fabric to Chilliwack will have to be careful at the border. I don't know about Americans coming into Canada but we are regularly asked when crossing into the US if we are leaving anything in the US. Since the fabric would not belong to whoever is carrying it, that could be an issue.

Alf, a Canadian, was asked crossing into Emerson three years ago with his soon to be our trailer whether he was leaving anything in Canada. He said no, then turned into town and left the trailer with us

Adrian

Hi: emers382... I just did my best Jack Benny impression then said no!!!
I had more problems with a 1/4 washed and bagged red pepper crossing at the Maine/ New Brunswick check point. Got flagged as a criminal element smuggler because I said no to his ?'s!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[caddoster]

I sent a solar port vis USPS flat rate box last month and filled out the custom declaration form ($10 solar port) it arrived at ETI office in a week without any issue. I wrote solar connector on the form and the lady at post office asked me what it was as she was typing something on the computer.. I explained what it was (connector that will go on a trailer that's being built) and she just nodded.. wonder if in your case UPS messed up on the custom declaration form...

[gbaglo]

UPS charges unreasonable amounts for customs brokerage. Use USPS and avoid these charges.
I always ask and if they only ship UPS, I don't make the purchase.

[War Eagle]

We shipped our 6 yards of fabric via US Postal Service (Alabama) to Canadian Postal Service, and I recall that it was around $36.00 USD and got there in 10 days. I think the person at our Post Office counter had us check the purpose box as "Gift" (or some term like that) because we were not selling it to ETI and neither we or they were going to further profit from it in any way.

[float5]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

UPS charges unreasonable amounts for customs brokerage. Use USPS and avoid these charges.
I always ask and if they only ship UPS, I don't make the purchase.

That could be it. They used UPS.

[Mike & Donna]

We purchased our fabric from a Canadian company and had it shipped directly to ETI. No border crossing, customs, etc. Just had to pay the regular shipping fee. Here is a link to the company I used to order our Sunbrella fabric. No problems. You might want to check them out.

Outdoor Fabrics Canada Inc. - - Sunbrella Outdoor Fabric Distributor

[float5]

Originally Posted by Mike & Donna

We purchased our fabric from a Canadian company and had it shipped directly to ETI. No border crossing, customs, etc. Just had to pay the regular shipping fee. Here is a link to the company I used to order our Sunbrella fabric. No problems. You might want to check them out.

Outdoor Fabrics Canada Inc. - - Sunbrella Outdoor Fabric Distributor

What did you pay for shipping?

[Mike & Donna]

Originally Posted by float5

What did you pay for shipping?

Prices are Canadian Dollar (CAD).

6 yards Upholstery Fabric $158.04
Taxes: $7.90
Shipping: $38.56
TOTAL: $204.50