Frequently Asked Questions

Questions



Answers

  • Who is Canada Post Borderfree?

    To understand Canada Post Borderfree, remember 3 simple words - convenient, easy and secure.

    Convenient: Shop Direct the Borderfree way from your office, home, or just about anywhere you happen to be. Through Borderfree and its retail partners, you can instantly access more brands and a wider selection of merchandise.

    Easy: Shop the way you want - browse through a catalogue, pick up the phone or get online. Friendly, customer service representatives are available to help you find exactly what you're looking for and accurately answer your questions regarding currency conversions, taxes, and duties. If you sign up as a Smart Shopper, you'll even know in advance of promotions, sales and special offers that you can take advantage of.

    Secure: As a service of Canada Post, Borderfree allows you to make your purchases with confidence.

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  • Who are some of Borderfree's merchant partners?

    Borderfree strives to bring you a wide selection of brands and merchandise. Our ever expanding retail partners include:

    • Sephora
    • Guess
    • Crate & Barrel
    • Brookstone
    • EBags
    • Ecost
    • Lane Bryant

    Check out a complete listing of our merchants at http://www.borderfree.ca/en/consumers/shop/index.jsp

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  • How does Borderfree make shopping easier?

    We've all experienced it when shopping direct: the limited choice of foreign retailers who will ship to Canada, the surprise of paying C.O.D. for taxes, duties, and currency exchange for what you thought was a 'bargain' at the time of purchase, and poor customer service when you want to return your purchase.

    Shopping direct at any of our Borderfree retail partners eliminates those barriers. You can shop in Canadian dollars and you will receive a guaranteed price of what you can expect to pay in shipping, duties and taxes. No brokerage fees, no CODs and no surprises at the door.

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  • How do I place an order?

    From Borderfree.ca, you can browse and shop on any of our retail partners' websites. Order as you would normally, when you find items that interest you, add them to the shopping cart.

    Depending on the retailer, you will either click on a Canadian customer checkout link — for example:



    or follow the retailer's existing checkout process. You can select the level of delivery service required. If any items in your basket cannot be imported into Canada, you will be asked to remove them.

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  • How do I pay?

    Select your payment type as per the options provided by each retailer and follow the retailers payment instructions. When the checkout process is complete, you will be provided with a landed cost in Canadian dollars and notified that your credit card will be billed by Borderfree on behalf of the retailer from which you've made a purchase.

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  • How do I return an item?

    You initiate the return process by contacting the retailer directly. Their customer service number can be found on their web site or in their catalogue.

    The retailer's customer service representative (CSR) validates the return according to their policy. The CSR generates a return transaction and will inform you how much your refund will be in Canadian dollars (inclusive of duties and taxes originally paid on the returning items) and provides you with an address to which you are to send your return.

    The retailer receives the return and reimburses you in the same manner in which you've originally paid.

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  • How am I billed?

    Your credit card will not be billed by Borderfree until your order clears the Canadian border. When you get your credit card statement, the description of the charge will appear as: [MERCHANT NAME] WEB/PH ORDER (BORDERFREE). Where [MERCHANT NAME] is the name of the online retailer you purchased from. Alternately, you may see WEB/PH ORDER BRDFREE for some retailers.

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  • How often is the exchange rate updated?

    Borderfree currently updates the US to Canadian dollar exchange rate on a daily basis.

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  • What costs can I expect to pay when buying cross-border?

    Borderfree will calculate your total landed price before you approve your purchase, this will include:

    • Product price in Canadian dollars - You will see a price of your selected item in Canadian dollars. A daily exchange rate is applied in order to ensure accurate currency conversions.
    • Duties - Duty rates can vary from 0-20% of the product price. The duty rate is dependent on specifics such as material content, country of origin, etc.
    • Sales Tax - Canadian customers must pay a Goods & Services Tax (GST) to the Federal Government and a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) to the respective Provincial Government. For some provinces, these two taxes are combined as Harmonized tax (HST). These taxes are consistent across all consumer transactions (retail, e-commerce, catalogue, etc.) and are paid by customers regardless of the channel in which they shop.
    • Excise Tax - A few select products, such as jewellery, might be subject to additional excise tax.
    • Shipping & Handling - Please refer to the retailer's policy for further information.
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  • What happens if a package does not get to me?

    The retailer is responsible for managing any order inquiries. Please refer to the retailer's policy on their web site for more information.

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  • What happens if a product is damaged?

    If your item is defective or damaged, please contact and notify the retailer from which you made your purchase. Their customer service team will be pleased to assist you and manage your claim according to their policies and procedures.

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  • What types of products are restricted for sale in Canada?

    It is your responsibility to ensure that the products that you purchase may be lawfully imported into Canada. If you try to purchase a restricted item, you will be informed by the retailer and will not be allowed to complete your purchase. Some items that may be restricted for sale include:

    • Perishable food items that are not vacuum packed
    • Pornography
    • Weapons
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  • Will I be able to track my purchases?

    Yes. Borderfree allows you to track items from the border to the final delivery destination. A shipment notification email is sent to you that include the carrier name, track and trace number and link (URL) that will take you directly to the Canada Post track and trace web page for your package. Please refer to the retailer's policy for further information.

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  • Who do I contact if I still have a question or concern?

    If you have a question or concern regarding your order or any particular offer from a retailer, please contact the retailer directly. If you have a question or concern regarding the Borderfree.ca, please contact borderfree customer service at customerservice@cs.borderfree.net

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