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UPS Brokerage Fees?
Anyone have an idea why these fees are charged going to Canada sometimes, but not others?
Bought a $40 record from a guy in the States, and it had a $43 brokerage fee.
So bitter.
Sometimes I have paid small ones but never anything like this. Wondering if anyone knows anything about it so I can avoid it in the future cause a $40 record just turned into $80.
Thanks.
Bought a $40 record from a guy in the States, and it had a $43 brokerage fee.
So bitter.
Sometimes I have paid small ones but never anything like this. Wondering if anyone knows anything about it so I can avoid it in the future cause a $40 record just turned into $80.
Thanks.
"Born on third, thinks he got a triple."
Post edited by Unknown User on
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#1 Rule - Don't use UPS for international orders. They will rape you on brokerage fees.
If you order USPS (US Postal Service) they give it to Canadian Customs who give it to Canada Post. Canadian Customs lets so much slide. The legal amount that can get by mail without having tax assessed is $20 ($60 if the customs declaration has the gift box ticked off). In practical experience they let most things slide under $100. If its over $100 the odds seem higher your package will be inspected for the tax charge. If it is Canada Post charges $10 for the brokerage (on top of the GST+PST (or hst) for the province you live in).
The problem with UPS is they seem to have a financial incentive to check every package. Unlike the superslack UPS to Canada Post method, UPS checks everything to the letter. It's a sliding scale:
http://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/shippi ... rance.html
They must have a deal with the "brokerage" agent and get a kickback. I don't see any other reason why they are so anal (or why the fees are so expensive).
UPS has the highest brokerage fees. Other couriers charge less. USPS to Canada Post is still your best bet. As a Canadian you need to be super diligant in how your item is being shipped. Very rarely do I order something that isn't shipped USPS (btw dhl/ups mail innovations are ok because they hand it to usps before it crosses the border).
If you find a really good deal in the US and your only option is UPS, try and see if there's a more expensive ups method to ship. I think its "ground" or "standard" that has all the brokerage fees. They start to include them if you ship it via "worldwide express".... ie they include it in the more expensive shipping methods (But you still pay the tax).
You probably could of found out all of this by googling UPS Sucks Canada.... but I thought I'd be helpful.
There brokerage fee's are slightly less but they bill you after delivery. They're super sneaky. The drop it off and get you to sign for it (like there's no charge). Then a month later you get a brokerage/tax bill in the mail.
UPS screws you over, but at least they do it to your face (and hence give you an opportunity to refuse delivery).
edit: I've been ordering stuff off the internet since the 90s which is probably why I know a lot on this topic. My recent trend has been a move from ordering stuff in the US to ordering stuff in the UK. Especially if amazon.co.uk sells it. They remove the VAT for foreign customers which is usually more than shipping. This means foreign customers often pay less than the advertised price. Shipping costs are pretty low companred to the US and UK to Canada Delivery seems to take half the time. Needless to say I order a fair amount of blurays (if region free) and vinyl from the UK these days....
Just to add, if you are near a local CBSA office, you can "broker" the package yourself by bringing them a copy of the invoice, and the shipment tracking info. In most cases I just clear the package, email or fax UPS the stamped customs invoice and they drop it off at your door. However sometimes I've been lazy, just let the driver bring it to me, ask me for the fee, I tell him to bring it back to their depot and I will pick it up after the people on the other end of the fax release the package.
If you can't find an office, most airports that have international flights will have an office.
I've been lucky enough recently to find and use a service that allows people to use a C/O mailing addy in Blaine Washington (seawingsexpress.ca). For $17 (first 5lbs, 50cents every pound over), they bring your packages over to you where I live in Victoria BC, I pick it up at their depot. I still have to go into the CBSA office at the airport next door with a piece of paper they give to you and invoice of your contents, it's hit and miss if they even charge you, I've had some guys just stamp it and tell me to have a great day.
I will have to look into that next time, worth the $40 or whatever.
I'm also in Victoria. I assumed we didn't have a CBSA office here because everything (When you follow tracking) seems to clear customs on the mainland. I'm going to have to check this out. $17 could be a lot cheaper in a number of circumstances.
I often wondered if Port Angeles had any mailboxes one could set up. Then you could take the ferry over to grab stuff, but the ferries run so infrequent and you have to arrive so early, that it would make it a day trip every time (even though it's a 90 minute ferry).
Seawings has been great. Last couple of times I've got the angry lady with an attitude taking out her authority on me and I've been dinged taxes. My mother and father in law have been 5 for 5 on no charge this year, and a guy I work with only gets dinged on $500 and up he says.
Good luck.
I did a trade with a member here this past fall and he shipped UPS. $47 brokerage fee! He had no idea we would be charged that. UPS was faster and the same cost as USPS, so I think that factored into his choice. He shipped as a gift, but listed the value over $60, that may have factored into the charge. We worked it out and split the brokerage fee and each paid half, but it was an extra shipping cost neither of us planned on!
If you ship from US to Canada, please don't use UPS!