It is a big hassle... and with only a Canadian address to send things to it sucks...
A few recomendations... if you are going to buy.. buy only .999. Anything less and you will also be charged duty...
Sometimes the shipments are also charged duty b/c of the declaration tab.. so to get your goods you pay and then you have to file for a return from Customs. That only happened to me once but it was enough of a nuisance for me NOT to go that route ever again.
Now anything I buy from the states goes to a mailing address I have in the states. I have two accounts for buying gold and silver .. one in CAD and one in USD and given the exchange rates I DEFINETLY play the money market game... When the dollar is high I top up my U.S. account.. when the dollar is low I'm topping up my CAD account.. you can save almost 8% right there.
As for dealings with
APMEX I have never had an issue with service.. and I've never had an issue with delievery times... you will get things a bit faster using a Cdn. supplier like silvergoldbull .. but that's only because you don't have to go through the border.
I like the fact that the price is locked in right when you order.. and then you make payment.
As far as extra charges... I think the biggest one may be the exchange rate if you're paying them in CAD... there may be a "waiting fee" of something like .30 cents per oz and while I can't remember I don't think the fed ex fees were too crazy... but I do remember one package being just left at my back door.. (I didn't sign to receive it) but that was an issue I had with fed ex.
Since then.. I now have all my important items shipped to my place of employment ... the receptionist signs for the package and then gives it to me and I don't have to worry about another package being left on my doorstep.