Recently, CBC carried a news item about Canadians shopping across the border. The show featured a UPS store where Canadians came to pick up their shipment.

Does anybody know how it works? Do you get a POBox number? How do you pick your order? How do you pay the duty?

Yes, it must be a PO Box number, which you could provide for any online shopping from US stores and they ship to this number (UPS or FedEx store).Some (or I think all - not sure) online stores charge a higher shipping to international locations including Canada, hence a local US address does eliminate the extra shipping fee. However, remember not all online US stores ship to the PO Box number. You need to take this into consideration as well. If you go across the border and pick up your stuff from your PO BOx then while coming back to Canada you may be asked to pay the custom duty. This entirely depands upon the cost and size of your package and what is allowed/exempt.

To the best of my knowledge, people rent PO Box only in case they are interested in online shopping, or if they want the time to be reduced in order to receive their snail mail from US. I am not aware if there's any other use of PO Box in US for a Canadian.

I didnt see that piece fm CBC ... but sounds most likely to be PO Box number.

You Pay duty only when package crosses border - so technically, UPS should not care ...

If you are planning to purchase online n need address (& not PO Box) ... I know friends have tried http://www.cbiusa.com/index.htm

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Mumbai Maazi Ladki ...