What to expect when Canadian Customs Refuses your Shipment

[VinnieVapor]

A 510 from one China outlet is $37.00 USD. Which is $41.57 cnd. Then you have to pay for shipping which is 15-25 usd, so thats $52 to $61 USD, or $58 to $68 Cnd for a 510 kit, with a 2 week wait.

Can_supplier, don't start on the prices you cannot win it and every vaper that read this forum knows it.

As an example, Eastmall have their 510 kits at US 33$ which is less than CDN 35$. Their shipping is 15$. HappyVaper got the 510 at $55 but he have shipping too: +8$. Total 1 kit: $50 vs $63. You are right, for the long delay and the (small) risk of not getting it because of customs it is not worth it at $13.

But once you got your initial kit and read ECF you realise you will need more atomisers and more batteries. You will probably buy at least 4 more batteries and 4 more atomisers.

• 2 kits: $85 vs $118
• 3 kits: $120 vs $173

Do I mention eJuices** prices ? No need to go further...

Don't get me wrong, I even bought a kit and a battery spare at HappyVaper and I just wish you and all other canadian suppliers a lot of success so you can :

• Continue to supply us
• Make a buck from it
• Lower your prices trough a bigger volume of sales

The sweet point between a premium from buying it here and from china is not met. I do not know exactly what the premium should be but for the moment 50% to 100% is a bit high and you will not be able to rise your volume.

So, for the moment, I will continue to use both canadian and chinese suppliers.

**The only reason I would pay a big premium for juices would be knowing canadian juices are exempt from contaminants. Canadian suppliers have either no nic-juices or chineses juices (Exception made of www.electronic-cigz.com that have JC juices made in USA - I will possibly try them when I run out.). At least my chinese supplier is Dekang that may or may not be good but at least is a known player. You cannot even name your eJuice supplier (this is nothing against you, it is a simple fact of the actual canadian market).

Regards,
VinnieVapor

 

[medic05]

My purchase was a 510 kit, PCC, 10 Carts, 30ml Dekang Juice, a small case to carry one fully assembled vaporizer, and 3 10ml bottles. All that shipped was $112cdn.
But I will say that if I had known of the ECF forum prior and the amount of canadian vendors I would have bought here in canada. I'd have it by now, and have the whole analog business tossed.
But I do beleive I may order a kit before I go to bed. That will still be here before the other stuff, and the the other stuff will my spare parts.

 

[Can_supplier]

Hey Vinnie,

I hope you didn't take what I was saying the wrong way. I fully agree with what you are saying, for price.

I think of it like a hamburger. You can buy a box of meat patties from the store for a heck of a lot cheaper than the hamburger from McD's. But McD's is right there when you need a quick meal.

About the markup, its hard to keep a low margin on lower priced items. If I were to order something from a supplier for 1 buck and marked it a huge 100%, that means at the end of the day there is only 1 dollar profit in it, for overhead, packing, shipping ect. The smaller items are also hard to order in a volume. I'm sure everyone is aware of the circumstances.

If you are in a pinch for e-juice, a Canadian Supplier will have it at your door within 3 days. Some have supplies and flavors in found from China..

At Evapers, we have started to offer a low price Try-It kit, something I haven't seen offered from China. We have also ordered a few of the disposable units, again to keep the costs down for someone to see what vapeing is all about, where its not practical to order a few dollar item from China.

Vinnie, I thank you for your suggestions and promise to work as hard as I can to keep the costs down. I understand you and other will shop where it makes the most financial "cents", as money is tight for all of us in this economy. Most of all I do appreciate your support of Canadian vendors.

 

[VinnieVapor]

Hi Can_supplier

I really appreciate your answer. I also totally understand competition against china is a hell of a challenge !

You said "At Evapers, we have started to offer a low price Try-It kit, something I haven't seen offered from China". And I think you are totally right. You have to offer things the chinese do not have.

They do not have:

• Speed of delivery
• Good reputation about quality

Now you have to find more things that they don't have.

A lot of US and UK suppliers tried the custom juice/flavoring, other are selling modded PVs (you have the DSE905 !), etc...
I am not in this business and do not plan to do so but this forum contains a ton of information about our needs (carrying cases, DIY stuff, enhanced PCCs, etc...). Customization also seems a good lead (colors, distinct looks, etc).

Anyway, those are all thing you already know since you got the guts and started your business !

I'm really glad to be able to have a conversation like this with a supplier and I'm not even (yet) a customer!

Best wishes.

Vinnie

 

[VinnieVapor]

My purchase was a 510 kit, PCC, 10 Carts, 30ml Dekang Juice, a small case to carry one fully assembled vaporizer, and 3 10ml bottles. All that shipped was $112cdn.
But I will say that if I had known of the ECF forum prior and the amount of canadian vendors I would have bought here in canada. I'd have it by now, and have the whole analog business tossed.
But I do beleive I may order a kit before I go to bed. That will still be here before the other stuff, and the the other stuff will my spare parts.

Go ahead medic, it's exactly what I've done !

My first order from China was stupid (only one battery) and I realized that eCigs were really working! A second order would not come fast enough to keep me out of real cigarettes. I find a canadian supplier, he was really friendly and I got my stuff in two days!

 

[smokum]

Just a note people......

Even though the latest discussion is interesting/resourceful, it is straying too far off the OP to the point of being OT.

Please don't derail THIS thread.

ThankYou & VapeOn,
Greg

 

[medic05]

Sorry about the derailment.
Back to the topic, my package is still in customs

 

[medic05]

Well. Its still showing to be in customs. I ordered a kit from here in canada. that'll probably be here before the china one, if the china one makes it.
Can't trake the canadian one either. Aparantly canada post only scans at the begining and maybe when it is delivered. WTF is that S#*T?!?

 

[Can_supplier]

Canada Post's tracking isn't that great. You will also find their scans lag, so that the package will be at your door, before it shows up delivered on the site. Fortunately their delivery is their best feature.

IF your supplier used Xpresspost, as will be shown on the tracking, it will be there within 1-3 days depending on the distance. The expected arrival date will also be at the top the the tracking screen.

Hope that eases your mind Waiting to get your stuff, to get it ripped off by customs is enough to put anyone on the edge!!

 

[medic05]

Yeah, I feel good about the canadian stuff. Its the stupid customs that got me frazzled with my china stuff. They said they'll resend the order if I haven't received it within the next 2 weeks. But they'll send it a different way. I guess I'll just get them to leave out the Liquid.
But I'm sure customs has seized it. The company said they have only had 1 order returned and a few seized by customs. Probably a bunch of customs officers kicked back with their feet up on the desk smokin e-cigs.lol..but customs is my hold up, and its been showing to be in vancouver since the 21st.

 

[medic05]

So, I got my letter from health canada today saying that the shipment was refused because of nicotine:24mg. Thats it. dosen't say if it'll be sent back of its going in the garbage. I contacted health cabin and they said they would refund me 50% of the price. Thats a good thing. But I'm still out a wack of money. had I known about this site I wouldn't have been so oblivious as to order from anywhere other than canada.
Health cabin also said they would reship without the nicotine. Is this a wise idea? They will only reship this once.
If anyone has any input as to weather or not I should reship without the nicotine, or get my money back. Please comment.

On a more positive side I have received my other order from within canada. I got a 510. have it charging as I type. The light turned green on the charger after aobut 45 minutes. So I'm waiting another 6 hours (already 2 hours in) and then I'll have my first vape. woohoo.

But I'm still out $56
anyway. please leave your input.

 

[VinnieVapor]

I'm sorry for you.

I just hope someday Health Canada will wake up.

Refund ? Reship ? It will be your decision. Some had success but I can understand you not willing to try again after such an experience.

 

[medic05]

Hey all. I got a 50% refund. I called health canada and the packagae should be on its way back to healthcabin. so amy said she will give me the rest back when/if they get it less the cost of the shipping. I will stick solely to canada from now on. I may try just some atty and cats later but maybe not.

 

[bg458]

Do not know if your stuff was shipped by air or not. But usually the stuff shipped by air gets threw.

Hey all. I got a 50% refund. I called health canada and the packagae should be on its way back to healthcabin. so amy said she will give me the rest back when/if they get it less the cost of the shipping. I will stick solely to canada from now on. I may try just some atty and cats later but maybe not.

 

[medic05]

It wasn't by air. by ems ground

 

[Val D.]

My last order was refused by Canada Customs and I got exactly the same letter from Health Canada. Contacted the supplier (Heaven Gifts) and he refunded the cost of goods. Very nice guy, no complaints at all. Will buy from him again definitely. Called the customs inspector in Vancouver and she said the package will be returned to the shipper. No threats, no comments. 7 small orders did go through, 8-th did not. Everyone knows that the customs can not check every single piece. It is lottery. Just reordered same thing again. Heaven Gifts has currently free shipping to Canada as promotion. I asked him to put "scented oils" as description of the package. Let's see what is going to happen with this one.

By the way, just got my first order from local supplier evaper.com. Very fast delivery, same Dekang e-juice. Not a big flavors choice but not bad for backup source. Camel 24mg is very good e-liquid, for example.

 

[bg458]

This is weird since my last order from China had over 400ml of liquid at 26mg nic is was marked as that, customs opened the package retaped it with the yellow customs tape and sent it to me no problem. I really think they do not even know what they are doing.

 

[Val D.]

Looks like it depends on the customs agent who inspects the package. There is no word "nicotine" anywhere inside or outside but it is says "24mg" on the bottles. The agent who opened my package knows what "e-juice" and "24mg" means, and the cause of "refuse entry" status is "contains nicotine". As I mentioned above, 7 small packages did go through (untouched) but I was out of luck with the last one. The best thing we can do is to separate e-juice from the hardware and to order from trusted suppliers with refund policy in case of customs refusal. Hardware is just "electronic parts" and there is no restriction. I have the same order on the way plus another with atomizers and batteries. Will let you know guys if any problems.