Other How to order iPhone directly from Apple Canada and get it shipped to USA?

[AirpodsNow]

I am staying in the USA for a few months and plan to buy the iPhone when released next month. However I can’t survive on an esim only model, so plan to get one from Canada. I have read quite a few stories from people that have managed to order from Apple Canada and get it ‘reshipped’ through UPS centres/shop in Canada to the USA. However no-one seems to provide any detail on how to accomplish this and what it’s called. Does anyone here can share some info on this?

Questions I have:
1) some have difficulties using non-Canadian credit cards on the Apple site, how else to do it?
2) shipping to UPS centres (or other ways), the provide you with a ‘real’ address, how to obtain those or request this service, and what it‘s called? Often I read it cost $10 or so? What UPS centres to choose, does it matter?
3) how long does it take to get it shipped and are there options to choose?

I am planning to send it to New Hampshire, if that matters.

Thanks for anyone who can share their experience.

 

[JPack]

In general, Apple won't ship to a forwarding service address for security reasons. But you can Google and try your luck. This means you'll want to visit Canada to pick up the iPhone.

You can use Apple Pay on the Apple Canada website or Apple Store app and choose a pick up option. And of course, you can also pay in-store using Apple Pay.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

You can also have it shipped to a friend/family member in Canada, and they can then ship it to you.

 

[4sallypat]

As @FreakinEurekan said - have a Canadian family member or friend ship to you.

I use UPS stores to ship to my destination and hold my packages whilst on travel.

I ship packages directly to the UPS Store and mark it: "HOLD for CUSTOMER".

Then anytime after it arrives, I show up with the tracking number and identification and pick up.

When it's time to leave, I do the opposite.

 

[AirpodsNow]

As @FreakinEurekan said - have a Canadian family member or friend ship to you.

I use UPS stores to ship to my destination and hold my packages whilst on travel.

I ship packages directly to the UPS Store and mark it: "HOLD for CUSTOMER".

Then anytime after it arrives, I show up with the tracking number and identification and pick up.

When it's time to leave, I do the opposite.

Hi there, thanks for sharing. Bit of a noob, but do I need to contact UPS store first? Do you need to setup something with them, or you just provide the UPS store address for shipping with your comment and then you go pick it up?

 

[SpotOnT]

If you’re in New Hampshire, your best bet might be just to drive to Canada and buy one from an Apple Store there. Montreal is only going to be 1-3 hours away - depending on where you are in New Hampshire.

Could even consider making it a vacation weekend to visit up there.

 

[SpotOnT]

I ship packages directly to the UPS Store and mark it: "HOLD for CUSTOMER".

I too am curious how you ship packages directly to the UPS store.

Don’t they want to confirm that the address on the package matches the address on your ID?

I guess I’m just clueless and how you would do that.

 

[AirpodsNow]

If you’re in New Hampshire, your best bet might be just to drive to Canada and buy one from an Apple Store there. Montreal is only going to be 1-3 hours away - depending on where you are in New Hampshire.

Could even consider making it a vacation weekend to visit up there.

I do hope everyone understand that it‘s obvious to me that i could drive to Canada and pick one up. I was wondering about how to avoid that, since due to circumstances I am unfortunately not able to do so.

 

[SpotOnT]

Fair enough.

 

[Konrad]

I looked into it (Canada) when the iPhone 14 Pro came out introducing the simless era in the US, and I quickly discovered a Cuban-like tight system about having anything shipped from our neighboring country, from Apple that is. Europe and other markets can be an option as long as one physically buys it in a respective country. If you travel often to say EU, there is a way to recoup full VAT during your following visit. Well calculated by Apple to essentially built another profit center for roaming from their telecom partners. And Americans didn’t complain enough. Too bad.

 

[AirpodsNow]

I looked into it (Canada) when the iPhone 14 Pro came out introducing the simless era in the US, and I quickly discovered a Cuban-like tight system about having anything shipped from our neighboring country, from Apple that is. Europe and other markets can be an option as long as one physically buys it in a respective country. If you travel often to say EU, there is a way to recoup full VAT during your following visit. Well calculated by Apple to essentially built another profit center for roaming from their telecom partners. And Americans didn’t complain enough. Too bad.

Well, on internet (reddit etc) there is mentioning of mail forwarding companies like reship, shipbymail or myusaddress. But I haven’t seen anyone being explicit about it how they did it, almost as if all responses are vague. Then there are people saying using UPS stores which have mail forwarding (it’s not a po box, but an actual address) which they charge $10. Also, vague answers without much detail.

The more I look into it, the more costly it becomes, not only for the shipping, but also the ‘reshipping’ fee. Then there is an import duty on anything above $800 worth, so people must somehow pay that as well, which no-one really mentions. If you look at the entries on Reddit for shipbymail, it comes mainly from one user spamming a default text on multiple subs, so it looks more like an employee than somehow genuine.

So I was hoping to hear someone here with some experience. Alternatively I can wait, and get it later when I am back in Europe. But what is the fun of that right?

 

[4sallypat]

I too am curious how you ship packages directly to the UPS store.

Don’t they want to confirm that the address on the package matches the address on your ID?

I guess I’m just clueless and how you would do that.

Whenever I travel and need my gear (hunting or fishing) to/from destination because of the airline restrictions, I send my packages via UPS to the nearest UPS store or customer counter (hub) where I will be landing.

It's addressed direct to the store/hub and with the words "HOLD for CUSTOMER PICKUP: (your name) & phone #".

When I arrive, I present the tracking number to the UPS rep and they verify my ID as the person and I sign for it.

When I leave my destination, I always have a pre-paid label (UPS discounted account), roll of tape and re-use the box shipped direct to my home.

 

[SpotOnT]

That is really good to know!

I have used general delivery through USPS before when camping, but recently they have gotten so difficult about it.

I had no idea you could do essentially the same thing with UPS stores/hubs. I will have to give that a try.

 

[Momof2.1107]

I’m in the US and of course we’re dealing with the blood oxygen sensor ban, which is a sensor that I need on my Apple Watch. I have three choices. 1 - I can hope and pray that my battery replacement Ultra1 has the sensor activated which I doubt, but one can hope, 2 - I can buy whatever version of Oura ring is out and use that alongside my replacement Ultra, and 3 - I can travel to Canada for a weekend vacation and buy a new Ultra there with the sensor activated. The easiest would be to buy the Oura ring which I don’t want, but we’ll worry about that when that time comes.