Cross-Border Wholesale Between Canada and the US: The Basics

The Canada–US border is the busiest trade crossing on earth, and small wholesale shipments cross it every day. If you're a US retailer eyeing Canadian stock — or a Canadian buyer tempted by a US supplier — the basics are the same in both directions.

The three cost layers beyond price

• Duties and tariffs: depend on the product category and where the goods were originally made (not just where they ship from). Rates change with trade policy, so current rates matter more than remembered ones.

• Brokerage: someone must clear the shipment through customs. Courier companies bundle basic brokerage into cross-border services; freight shipments may involve a customs broker. It's a real line item — ask how it's handled before ordering.

• Currency: CAD–USD movement quietly reprices everything. Know which currency your invoice is in and what your card or bank charges for conversion.

Paperwork, demystified

A commercial cross-border shipment travels with a commercial invoice describing the goods, quantities, values, and origin. An experienced shipper prepares this correctly — which is most of the battle. Errors here, not distance, cause the horror-story delays.

When cross-border makes sense

When the product, price, or availability genuinely beats domestic options after the three layers above — not before them. Run the full landed cost on a realistic order before deciding.

Our side of it

We ship to US retailers regularly from Toronto and handle the documentation on our end; shipping and any applicable costs are confirmed during order review, before payment. For a US store, Canadian supply can be surprisingly close — the border adds paperwork, not months.

Frequently asked questions

Can US retailers buy wholesale from a Canadian distributor?

Yes — we ship to US retailers regularly from Toronto and handle the documentation on our end. Shipping and applicable costs are confirmed during order review, before payment. Register to get started.

What extra costs come with cross-border wholesale?

Three layers beyond price: duties (based on product category and country of origin), brokerage (often bundled into courier services), and currency conversion. Run the full landed cost on a realistic order before deciding.