I wrote previously about the extortionate “brokerage” fees charged by UPS and FedEx for imports into Canada. That post has attracted a huge volume of response from other enraged people. I have learned more since then, including an interesting response direct from the Canada Border Services Agency.
If you contact UPS, they’ll tell you that you can indeed clear your package through customs yourself, but you have to do so at the customs office in the same town as the UPS depot where your shipment is being held. For me, receiving shipments into Ontario, it would either be Fort Erie or Windsor. They can’t tell you in advance which it will be. But either way, it’s a long drive.
One option that might be acceptable for some people is to use a shipping depot inside the US. You just have your package shipped to the depot. They’ll hold onto it for you until you come get it. Some of them, remailing services, will actually ship it on to you themselves, but then you may end up getting the same brokerage treatment again.
I was considering trying CBI Usa in Niagara Falls, NY. Their rates seem very reasonable, they’re easy to use, and I’ve seen mostly positive experiences reported on the web. But still, it’s a regrettable amount of driving.
I contacted Canada Border Services Agency by email to get their take on doing your own customs clearance:
I’m trying to find a way to import a package by UPS from the US. I refuse to pay their extortionate brokerage fee. I would sooner burn the money than gave it to those bastards (more colourful terms come to mind, but I’m trying to keep this polite.)
As I understand it, I have no choice but to deal with the Customs office in the town where they hold my package, which is going to be either Fort Erie or Windsor. I don’t know why that is, there’s a customs office at the KW airport 15 minutes drive from me, but there it is. But UPS can’t tell me which in advance which office the package would go through. I’d guess Windsor.
After I found out which of those two offices it was, would it be possible for me to complete the clearance process by phone, fax or Internet? It’s a simple process, right? I just give you the Harmonized Codes, you calculate what I owe, and I pay you, probably by credit card. No part of this strictly requires my physical presence. I can’t see any good reason why, in this day of high-speed Internet in every home, I can’t do this whole process in my pyjamas from the comfort of my bedroom.
If we can’t figure out a reasonable way to do this without uselessly converting another tank of fuel into greenhouse gases, then it just won’t happen. I’m not going to pay off those UPS criminals to do this trivial thing (and probably do it wrong) on my behalf. Or rather, it probably will happen, but it will happen by way of me driving to the US to pick up the package myself from a maildrop service. It’s actually a shorter drive to Niagara Falls, NY than to Fort Erie.
But it would be really damn stupid for me to have to do that. There has to be a better way. Tell me what it is.
When I said UPS would probably do the clearance wrong, I wasn’t kidding. My first ever experience with courier brokerage was some X-10 home-automation gear imported via FedEx. After I learned more about this stuff, I figured out that they had use the wrong Harmonized Codes for some of the gear. Because they basically had no idea what the stuff was, they were just looking for similar-sounding words. Fortunately, the codes they picked had the same (ie, zero) tariff rates, so I didn’t get burned that way.
CBSA’s first response to this email was unhelpful, merely referring me to web-pages about Licensed Customs Brokers, and Importing Non-Commercial Goods By Mail. Both of which I had already read, and which did not address the essential question: can I deal with customs at my local office, or by phone, fax, or email, and if not, why not?
After a long delay, I received a second rather more helpful response:
This is in response to your e-mail concerning the clearance of non-commercial goods imported by courier. It should be noted that your inquiry was originally forwarded to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Client Services in Windsor, Ontario, who attempted to contact you in person to discuss your concerns. Client Services was unable to reach you, thus requiring the preparation of a written reply, and hence the delay in responding.
In some instances, an individual who has imported goods by courier may wish to pay the duties and taxes owing for a shipment released under the Courier Program rather than using the accounting services of the courier or agent. Such shipments do not have to be accounted for at the office of release, but may be accounted for at any CBSA office. In situations such as these, the courier does not automatically release the shipment to the importer, but holds the goods until the importer presents satisfactory proof that the appropriate duties and taxes have been paid directly to the CBSA. In most cases, this would be a copy of the B15, Casual Goods Accounting Document. The importer is responsible for contacting the courier to make the necessary arrangements for this type of transaction.
It should be noted that every person who accounts for casual goods should provide, at the time of accounting and before the goods are released, a commercial invoice, current price list, bill of sale, or other similar document that describes the goods and contains enough information to enable an officer to determine the tariff classification and appraise the value for duty of the goods. In the case of courier shipments, the importer must also provide the unique shipment identifier number assigned by the courier to his or her particular shipment.
Payment of any applicable duties and taxes on casual importations can be made in cash, by money order, traveller’s cheque, bank draft, cheque, Visa, or MasterCard. Payment by debit card is also available at a number of sites.
Although the CBSA allows approved clients to transmit data electronically, this is not the case for casual, non-commercial importers such as you. Accounting for your goods must be done in person, and any monies owing must be paid at the time of accounting.
For additional information and/or clarification on accounting for casual importations, please contact Border Information Service (BIS) by telephone. You can access the BIS line free of charge throughout Canada by calling 1 800-461-9999. If you call during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time, Monday to Friday, except holidays), you can speak to an agent by pressing “0″ at any time.
Thank you for contacting the CBSA.
Now that’s more like it! Straight from the horses mouth: UPS is full of shit. You can do your own customs clearance at your local customs office, you don’t have to drive to Windsor or Fort Erie!
Here’s a forum posting where a guy (“Drehkraft”) claims to have done it (“UPS REALLY hates this.”). He even used the same Kitchener airport terminal customs office I would use. I stopped by that customs office and asked them in person if I could do it, and they said it was no problem from their end.
That said, I haven’t yet actually done this myself. It remains to be seen if UPS will throw up arbitrary obstacles (“the B15 document must be faxed to us on yellow paper between 3:00am and 3:01am.”) But there is some homebrewing gear I’ve been planning to buy, hopefully I’ll get around to trying it soon.
Just to clarify, for everyone still confused about this stuff:
The amount you pay in brokerage fees on a shipment IS NOT RANDOM. UPS and FedEx have a table with which they calculate brokerage fees (see several posts above).
Not only that, but not ALL FedEx and UPS shipments incur brokerage fees. The only reason we think they do is because it’s only the most common method–plain ol’ ground shipping–that is socked with the brokerage fee, and guess which is the most commonly-used method of shipping? Yep–ground shipping.
So, here’s the deal:
UPS: All UPS shipping methods EXCEPT “UPS Standard to Canada” (which is a ground-shipping service) DO NOT charge brokerage fees. So UPS Worldwide Saver, UPS Worldwide Expedited, etc etc….the brokerage fees are included.
FedEx: The only FedEx shipping method that charges brokerage fees is “FedEx International Ground”. “International Economy”, “International Priority”, and any other FedEx package shipping method has the brokerage fees included, and you will not have to pay them.
US Postal Service: There are no brokerage fees associated with ANY US Postal Service/Canada Post shipping methods, INCLUDING ground shipping.
Note that no matter whether you use FedEx, UPS, or USPS, you will ALWAYS have to pay GST/HST tax. That is tacked on regardless, no matter what method you use.
The reason that the brokerage fees seem so exorbitant (“I ordered a $100 item and paid $70 in brokerage fees!”), is because you’re not just getting charged for the brokerage fees. That $70 in the above example is the brokerage fee PLUS the taxes, PLUS whatever other charges there are.
That being said, yes, it’s a crime how UPS and FedEx do their best to hide these usurious “hidden charges”, and that’s why I try to use USPS whenever possible.
Hopefully that clarifies things a little bit.
I am with you. I have had this happen in the past where brokerage fees were 60% the cost of my item!!!
I just orders a new laptop from Cali to Canada.
I used UPS Worldwide Exp for $152.24 which includes brokerage fees. All I will pay when it arrives at my door will the the duty (5% GST) and a $50 to $10 Canadian Postal Fee.
$5 to $10 not $50
Both the Post offices of the USA (USPS) and Canada (Canada Post) seen to have the least (if any charges). The problem is that most sellers on E-Bay don’t want to use them. The services are quite good, although I don’t know what happens when something is damaged in shipment. Would there be a lot of bureaucratic “red tape”?
I just called UPS Canada and they said the only way to ’self-clear’ is by going to Windsor or Fort Erie. Even though I had just got off the phone with a CBSA lady who said I could pay at the CBSA office in Barrie and fax the B15 to the courier. I guess she was speaking generically about “couriers” and not specifically about UPS. The UPS rep very clearly explained that they did not permit ’self clearing’ unless I was at the port of entry.
If you’re in Kitchener, there’s a customs just off Courtland on Overland Dr. that’s even closer. Just go to the back of the building, it’s on the side nearest Courtland.
NO-GO-UPS
GO-USPS
OR
MYUS.COM
If I can’t use USPS then I use MYUS.COM
HELL WILL FREEZE OVER before I go UPS ever!
You think thats bad. UPS screwed over every Canadian getting a free upgrade for Vista back when it first came out. UPS was charging a brokerage fee for delivering the “free Upgrades”. The value of the shipment was wrtten out as $21 (products valued at less that $20 are exempt from brokeradge fees) $21 which was actually the price most canadians paid to ship the product.
The actual value of the product for customs purposes was ZERO as it was already something they paid for in the original purchase of their computer.
I called UPS and they said it was the fullfillment companies problem. That they had likely filled out the forms improperly….. for every Canadian receiving the free upgrade … I kinda doubt that. When I called Microsofts fullfilment company they told me they had filled out the documentation as directed by their UPS rep…. for every canadian receiveing the upgrade….
I guess the commission on $2,000,000 of overcharged brokerage fees is pretty good.
Now that windows 7 is shipping using the same method, it will be neet to see if they overcharge everyone again.
Great page, but too late for me.
I purchased an time valued $40 from ebay, and paid shipping $18 (by UPS).
At the time of delivery UPS wanted to charge me $38.xx (close 100% of the value).
I refuse to accept the delivery. The Item is now on way back to seller. Ebay seller told me he will refund me the purchase price ($40) but not the S&H ($18).
So I lost $18 plus my time – but I did not bow to UPS extortion.
I will be filling a complain with BBB (so should others)
http://www.bbb.org/canada/
But I guess to hurt UPS at the right place – we have to spread UPS brokerage fee scam/extortion to as many Canadians as possible so not everyone learn by mistake.
Siskinds LLP (a London ON firm) filed a Statement of Claim against UPS in February, 2007, and were trying to get the action certified as a class action. The Certification hearing was scheduled for Spring 2009. I don’t have a more recent update; you may want to check it out:
http://www.classaction.ca/content/actions/ups.asp.
Quoting their website, the claim is “that UPS failed to obtain consumers’ consent to act as a customs broker; to disclose the existence and/or amount of the brokerage fee; and to provide consumers with the opportunity or disclose to them how to arrange for customs clearance by themselves.”
We should all file a compliant with the Better Business Bureau:
http://www.bbb.org/
I think they clear the package long before they’re at the border… Look : (Start from bottom to top)
Package Progress:
Location Date Local Time Activity
LACHINE, QC CA Dec 3, 2009 6:17 AM IN TRANSIT TO
SECAUCUS, NJ US Dec 3, 2009 6:12 AM DEPARTURE SCAN
LACHINE, QC CA Dec 3, 2009 5:33 AM REGISTERED WITH CLEARING AGENCY. SHIPMENT RELEASE PENDING CLEARING AGENCY REVIEW / RELEASED BY CLEARING AGENCY. NOW IN-TRANSIT FOR DELIVERY
LACHINE, QC CA Dec 3, 2009 5:33 AM REGISTERED WITH CLEARING AGENCY. SHIPMENT RELEASE PENDING CLEARING AGENCY REVIEW / SHIPMENT SUBMITTED TO CLEARING AGENCY, AWAITING FINAL RELEASE
SECAUCUS, NJ US Dec 3, 2009 12:36 AM ARRIVAL SCAN
FARMINGVILLE, NY US Dec 2, 2009 10:06 PM DEPARTURE SCAN
LACHINE, QC CA Dec 2, 2009 8:55 PM PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE
FARMINGVILLE, NY US Dec 2, 2009 6:59 PM ORIGIN SCAN
US Dec 2, 2009 5:30:05 PM BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED
a week ago I bought a padded bag from ebay valued 21 USD and now I have to pay 57 USD brokerage fee…. is it a joke ? I’ll better lose 15 $ paid for delivery to Canada and get my money back from honest US seller. UPS sucks big time, will never use their services because they are crooks.
Actually the shipping was cheaper with UPS this time :
25lbs
UPS : 40$ shipping + 30$ broker fee = 70$ (3-4days)
USPS would have been : 67$ (up to 10 days)
So 3$ more for a much faster service. It’s worth it!
Of course, UPS also charged the sales tax, but if you’re a business its no big deal.
so has anyone self cleared a UPS package at a local CBSA office?
The other frustrating thing is that UPS has a different fee structure for Americans than they do for Canadians:
American fees:
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs/fees.html?srch_pos=1&srch_phr=brokerage+fees
Canadian Fees:
http://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html?srch_pos=4&srch_phr=brokerage+fees
Americans don’t start paying extra fees until the value reaches $200 USD. Canadians start to pay fees at $20 CAD.
If your shipping/brokerage fee is approaching the purchase price of your item, contact the BBB with a well-written complaint and UPS will wipe away the brokerage fee.
Well, they did for me at least. Those guys will do anything to keep their name off of the BBB list.
I ordered a shirt off of the internet, and was not pleased when UPS came to my door and requested I pay $65.00 for brokerage. I have never had this happen with any other shipping company. UPS is a piece of trash, and they need to be held accountable.
OMG, I’m waiting on a delivery from UPS for some Christmas gifts I bought off some sellers on EBay..
Thing is, I paid S&H already…So why the heck would I have to pay a fee when he/she comes to my door? I wish I would have known about this sooner, I can’t turn stuff away. The stuff I bought, can’t be found in my little town unfortunately. I want to file a complaint but I don’t know where to go and/or how to start…:(
I’ve had this happen couple of times with UPS. Sellers in the States don’t always give you other options than UPS or FedEx. Last month after the New York City Marathon I ordered a couple of finishers shirts which get mailed to you after the race. The teehsirt and Sweatshirt cost me $36 in brokerage (includes the GST because as we all know, a brokerage fee is a service). The UPS delivery guy hinself seemed embarrased to collect the money, and actually told me that I could avoid the fee by selecting a costlier delivery option like UPS airmail. That seems to jive with what is being said above, about ground shipping triggering the fee. In Victoria, BC, our option is also to have a package shipped to a local ferry service called the Victoria Clipper. Their Seattle terminal automatically brings the package to Victoria. This costs $20 but it’s a flat rate. It’s a bit of a pain because you have to go to the ferry and get the paperwork, then take it to Customs, then go back to the ferry to pick it up. But it sure can be worth it. Expecially if the US seller offers free shippng within the US.
i got burned by UPS for the last time this week on this. I will never use them, or Fedex again (although Fedex hasn’t done it to me nearly as often as UPS).
I joined this class action suit yesterday: http://www.classaction.ca/content/actions/ups.asp
As e-commerce increases, these courier companies need to adapt the way they do business. These ransom fees are extortion. Does anyone know why they have escalating fees based on item value? Why should it be more costly (for UPS or the CBSA) to clear a $100 widget than a $200 widget? WTF?
I managed to convince a pet supplier in the US to ship via USPS by offering to pay an additional amount for them to take it to a postal service instead of letting UPS pick up my parcel. Though that method doesn’t work with large companies, if you’re dealing with a small company just keep pleading and offering bribes and hopefully they’ll come around.
Recently I purchased an item from US and shipped through UPS. I was charged $59 brokerage fee plus taxes. I vowed never to use this courier again. I think it would be cheaper to get the item in Canada.
With UPS I emailed them prior to purchasing the item and I got the reply without mentioning that I have to pay extra for shipping through USPS. Upon making my purchase (committed) I was told I had to pay an extra US$39 if I want to ship through USPS. What a scam?
Same story as the rest of you. I purchased some training DVDs from the USA and when they came to my door, there was an additional $65 charge applied to them. About $45 of this was brokerage fees.
I told them to return to sender and called the sender advising that I would like them to send it USPS. They said it was a problem cause they would have to go TO the post office, instead of UPS COMING to them. But they agreed instead of refund my money.
A subsequent call to UPS and I was informed that the best way is to choose anything but ground shipping and then the brokerage fees are included. But you need to be careful, because in some cases I was told it will be more expensive than ground + brokerage.
I have a question, if doing for business, importing and exporting from hong kong or china to canada, I wants to know how it counts which means, related fee and what’s the official procedure and how to declare, ups/fedex etc….and quantity, what kind of products
I got ripped off by FedEx a couple years ago. The brokerage fee was MORE than the thing cost! On top of that, the stupid FedEx delivery guy knocked lightly at a side door (not the obvious main front door) and waited approximately 2 seconds before getting in his truck and driving off. I ran down the driveway to get him, but he just floored it and left. Then, I was told I had to drive 35km to the nearest FedEx terminal to pick up my package. They were only open at times I was working. I had to take a day off just to get the damn thing.
I now boycott FedEx and UPS. I urge all Canadians to do the same. These assholes need to be stopped.
After reading the above I went to a website where I did want to purchase an item valued at $179.99 US. I contacted the company and they will only ship UPS which I won’t use. I got suckered once a few years ago. I thought I’d check the information given above and looked at having it shipped UPS Worldwide Expedited (no brokerage fees). Forget it.
– Standard shipping by UPS – $47.48 +brokerage fees +tax + duty.
– Worldwide Expedited by UPS – $181.02 +taxes +duty.
BUT GOLLY GEE I WOULDN’T HAVE TO PAY THE BROKERAGE FEES.
Okay.. Listen I bought a telescope which cost around 360 bucks from the states, shipping was 60.
So the UPS moron comes and shows me my two packages in his truck (Mind you he literally tossed 3 packages out of the way to show me mine) but said I needed to pay 99 dollars for a brokerage fee…..
So obviously I refused that shit, he didn’t seem too happy and told me I’ll never see the package again.
So I called UPS and all I said was that I wasen’t paying for a brokerage fee simply because I was never contacted about that and I never gave UPS my consent to act on my behalf. So they canceled the brokerage fee and told me where i can pick up my package…. GUYS just call them and they’ll cancel the fee.
So much for US customers being treated any better, and so much for UPS “pre-clearing” packages before they make it to the Canadian border: With *4 copies each* of 2 different customs documents in a clear bag on the outside of the box, (as instructed by the manufacturer,) declaring the value of the shipment as $100, signed by the manufacturer, and clearly stating that these were being returned for repair, my package has been sitting at a UPS depot in Richmond, BC for 5 days. We’ll see if they have the gall to collect a brokerage fee for this one. So far, it’s been in transit to Surrey, BC from Chicago for 11 days. Mind you this is an 8.8lb box of electronics, not a live Gorilla with Swine Flu carrying a bag of heroin. UPS has been great for my domestic shipments, (US), but they have burned with brokerage fees for imports from China, and now sending goods to CA. The worst brokerage fee I’ve been socked with was around $60, for around $5000 worth of goods, and the last couple were only $5. Non-postal alternatives are worse: Fedex ground will no longer let you insure a ground package for more than $100 (I guess they *know* they’re going to destroy it,) and DHL has closed 90% of their depots here, making their ground service for fulfilling air shipments worse than ever. (My last DHL order from China took 3 days to get to Chicago from Shenzhen, then 4 more days for them to deliver it to me in Chicago!) The moral: Shop local, trust the post office, or import “gifts”.
The 11 day (and counting) adventure:
RICHMOND, BC, CA 01/25/2010 2:59 A.M. REGISTERED WITH CLEARING AGENCY / SHIPMENT SUBMITTED TO CLEARING AGENCY
01/25/2010 2:59 A.M. REGISTERED WITH CLEARING AGENCY / RELEASED BY CLR AGENCY. NOW IN-TRANSIT
RICHMOND, BC, CA 01/20/2010 5:10 P.M. IMPORT SCAN
01/20/2010 2:26 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
01/20/2010 6:59 A.M. PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE
REDMOND, WA, US 01/20/2010 5:01 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
01/20/2010 1:41 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
HODGKINS, IL, US 01/15/2010 10:30 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
HODGKINS, IL, US 01/14/2010 9:15 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
CHICAGO, IL, US 01/14/2010 8:30 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
01/14/2010 7:05 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN
01/14/2010 6:02 P.M. PICKUP SCAN
US 01/14/2010 7:02 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED
Thank you for this.
I am in the midst of using this information to clear my own package. I will update on how it goes.
UPS is a bunch of misleading bastards. I just got off of the phone with them and the conversation went as follows:
Me: Hello I am calling to arrange to clear my own package through customs.
Them: OK no problem. Just so you know you will have to come to the point of entry of the parcel which is in Winnipeg, MB (I live in Regina, SK)
Me: I just got off the phone with CBSA and that isn’t true I can pay at any inland customs office and provide you with form B15.
Them: Oh you are right since it hasn’t cleared customs yet. (This was an immediate answer – she didn’t even pretend to look it up)
She flat out lied to me! She then confirmed my phone number and said they will call me when the package arrives at customs.
I have a package that has cleared customs, well, technically twice. I have no idea how much I am going to pay in all these ridiculous fees. Really, the shipping should be included in the cost. And how convenient they don’t tell you that you are going to have to pay a fee, you just get to find out on your own. Its too bad I didn’t read this site before or else I would have called them before it cleared customs and just driven the 40min to save some money.
I was looking forward to what I ordered, but now I am not so sure.
This is my tracking:
RICHMOND, BC, CA 01/02/2010 15:42 IMPORT SCAN
01/02/2010 13:56 PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE / RECEIVER’S CUSTOMS BROKER HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. THE SHIPMENT IS NOW RELEASED TO MOVE IN TRANSIT
01/02/2010 12:57 REGISTERED WITH CLEARING AGENCY / SHIPMENT SUBMITTED TO CLEARING AGENCY
01/02/2010 12:57 REGISTERED WITH CLEARING AGENCY / RELEASED BY CLR AGENCY. NOW IN-TRANSIT
RICHMOND, BC, CA 30/01/2010 13:32 ARRIVAL SCAN
REDMOND, WA, US 30/01/2010 8:09 DEPARTURE SCAN
30/01/2010 2:36 ARRIVAL SCAN
HODGKINS, IL, US 27/01/2010 10:20 DEPARTURE SCAN
RICHMOND, BC, CA 27/01/2010 3:35 PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE
HODGKINS, IL, US 26/01/2010 11:25 ARRIVAL SCAN
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US 26/01/2010 8:19 DEPARTURE SCAN
26/01/2010 7:08 ARRIVAL SCAN
LEXINGTON, KY, US 26/01/2010 3:16 DEPARTURE SCAN
LEXINGTON, KY, US 25/01/2010 22:42 ARRIVAL SCAN
SOMERSET, KY, US 25/01/2010 21:06 DEPARTURE SCAN
US 25/01/2010 13:18 BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED
Just got the notice today. I owe a whopping $71! Highway robbery. Seriously. What should I do? I am so pissed off right now. Btw, my order with shipping cost $174 CAD.
I just called the BIS line to find out where my local CBSA office is and they told me ” you must clear the package at it’s point of entry, that way if the officer wants to inspect the package, he can.” So now I’m confused…
It seems to me that the function of inspecting the package is separate from the function of collecting duties and taxes.
If CBSA wants to inspect the package, they can do so while it remains in UPS’ care. That inspection need only verify that the contents are legal to import, and that they match what is listed on the manifest. They can do those things without you being there. At least in theory.
There’s still no good reason why you can’t take care of the duties and taxes at your nearest CBSA office, using nothing but the manifest and your chequebook. No reason, that is, other than UPS’ deliberate obstruction to protect their cash-cow.
I just got nailed with a $57 brokerage fee….for using UPS Canada Standard ($15)….had I chosen the UPS Worldwide (at $59) entry into Canada would have been free.
Go figure… $72 vs $57
My case is a bit different. My shipment was sent using three (3) tracking numbers (UPS Worldwide Expedited).
1. I payed UPS $49.00 for the first (1) tracking number. Receiver asked if they have invoices for the 2nd and 3rd tracking when they arrived, but UPS said they’re already payed with the first (1) tracking number, so ok.
2. After a week, UPS then sent me a NEW invoice which contains all items in the 3 tracking numbers + $45 brokerage fee.
First off I shouldn’t be paying brokerage fees since they were sent expedited. Secondly, why the heck do I need to pay for the items in tracking number 1 twice? So I called UPS customer service, they asked me to send the commercial/import invoices, so I did. After another week I received a fax from UPS saying I wasn’t double billed and it’s not UPS’s fault. I called them again and the agent was as helpful as eating dirt, all he kept saying was that they did nothing wrong so they couldn’t help me unless I send them the commercial invoice (which I already sent/faxed a week ago). Round and round we go.
The documents so clearly state the items and classifications and tracking numbers and UPS doesn’t want to correct it. In the fax they also stated that IF any corrections will be made then they will add another $15 for “processing”. M—-r F—–s! I know I need to pay around $150 for taxes/duties and I get that. I’m willing to pay that. But to add $45 + $15 just for THEIR own screw-ups? Is that justice? Is there any way for me to personally pay these duties/taxes directly to CBSA without paying those UPS A—–es their “fees”?
Please note that I already have all my shipped items (worth around $1600 CAD). I just need to pay the duties/taxes for the items not included with UPS’s original invoice.
Help.
I love UPS. I have my suppliers write “No value-commercial samples for testing”…………thats all-no customs
a ups deliverer guy showed up at my door and told me I have to pay $36 on my package that is valued at $40.
needless to say it was not accepted.
Now I know to verify who is shipping so I can avoid ups.
For God sake, if you ever take the risk of having something come to Canada from the U.S. by UPS, be sure you make it clear with the seller and UPS that you don’t want it sent by air. The charges may be more than if you bought a ticket and flew there and back. The sellers in the U.S. don’t know about the fees we’re charged and may assume you want it sent my air. I can provide figures that UPS levied against me some 15 years ago. I can assure you they were even more exorbitant than any of the fees listed here. All I remember now is that the charges on a $300 order were in the hundreds of dollars. I will see if I can find it in my old files when I return to NL from BC in a week or so.
In fairness I should have added that they refunded some of the charges later, but only because I did not receive the air shipment in the short time I was supposed to have.
If I had known at the time that I would have no problem with the company giving me a refund. I would have refused the shipment at the door. I don’t know, though, if that would have freed me from later liability to pay some of the various charges that UPS had billed to me.
I import/export regularily and find only Fedex have hidden fees.
If you order something from the USA “UPS” there are no hidden fees. The Americans are clueless when it comes to fees into other countries. You as the consumer have had no contact with the courier so therefore are not hidden from fees.
NOW With Fedex it is a whole different story. Fedex makes claims then we find out that their brokerage fees etc… are lower or non existant, it is all the other fees they blatently don’t tell you about that add up.
Brokers cost money, they have a job that involves legal paperwork. It is our job as consumers to be aware of what is involved when purchasing out of the Country, the seller either won’t care or really has no clue.
I am sorry I don’t side with many on the fees however you need to discuss that with the Canadian Gov, they are the ones who have all the hurdles that cost you money.
When we ship into the USA the brokerage fee is small and the declared amount before a fee is incurred is $200 I think not $25.00 as it is coming into Canada.
The Canadian low declared value before Brokerage fees is all about collecting the taxes, Canada protects Canadian businesses by detering Canadians from shopping outside Canada for often pennies in savings (although there are some great savings to be had as well)
Canada Post is $5 brokerage for all packages (Unless the slip through customs)
$10 for USPS Global Express (which BTW once it hits the border comes on the same mail truck as all your mail) so the added cost of Global Express is just that, added cost and no added value plus it costs $5 more the receive the package.
Packages over $1600 require us to have a broker or we can go down to our local customs office and do it ourselves, simple to do, we do it often.
UPS pays Canadian taxes on our behalf at a risk of never getting the money from us if we avoid paying them.
They need to submit legal paperwork on our behalf and pay fees on our behalf, in return we pay them a fee for doing so.
I am not for fees, I understand them and hope others so as well.
C
Khanna.
That is all fine until your package disappears or the contents get broken.. the package won’t be insured.
Also if you get caught, it might not have been worth any money you have saved in the past.
F**C UPS.
Just FYI… I just spoke with CBSA regarding the email above and they categorically deny this is the case. The “official” rule is the package must be cleared at the point of entry.
However, just like a speeding ticket, the office (or officer) may have used discretion and bent the rule. The gentleman I spoke with actually brought up the example of the KW/FtErie story (I wonder if it’s this same one?).
So in my case, I have a package in Vancouver and I am in Toronto. I have no choice but to let it continue to be delivered to my home and then choose to either pay and fight the fee, or refuse payment and chase the vendor for a refund.
Lesson – Don’t use UPS. Ever.