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Foreign shipping brokerage costs and UPS - (Was: Re: Slik Stik - Any Word)
CheffoJeffo:
Thanks, O Supreme Chancellor !
BobA:
Thanks Saint.
Always good to know info for newbies in Canada. Sure companies have a right to charge for brokerage but we have a right to know how much. I always get US to Canada shipments via US Postal Service (USPS) and am very happy to pay the $5 that Canada Post charges when it crosses the border. Anything higher is gouging.
Zakk:
--- Quote from: BobA on January 03, 2008, 09:44:48 pm ---Thanks Saint.
Always good to know info for newbies in Canada. Sure companies have a right to charge for brokerage but we have a right to know how much. I always get US to Canada shipments via US Postal Service (USPS) and am very happy to pay the $5 that Canada Post charges when it crosses the border. Anything higher is gouging.
--- End quote ---
Well now, there's the thing. You pay UPS to ship the package across the border. UPS says "great it will cost this much". So you pay that amount. Now it goes through customs and the government tacks on a duty fee (so much for free trade). So that has to be paid at the door (this happens with USPS all the time, I don't have a problem with it). But hold on a sec, UPS is suddenly asking for a THIRD amount...a brokerage. So when you ordered the package, and UPS agreed to bring it across the border, they quoted and charged a price to the shipper. However, I'm to believe that they have never sent a package across the border before, so they have no idea what their OWN BROKERAGE DEPARTMENT will charge for brokerage?? They can't include that in the original shipping amount, they have to tack it on after? This is the 'premium' service I'm paying for??
So why is it that USPS never tacks on a brokerage fee (I've never had one from them, EVER), and their charge to deliver it to me is less? Okay it might take a couple more days to arrive, but at least it shows up for the price quoted.
So duty and taxes aside, why can't UPS tell you that there is a brokerage fee, and how much it's going to be, and include that in the price in the first place? Why is it that UPS seems to be the only company that has some sort of brokerage problem at the border? Purolator has never called me to ask me who I plan to use to broker the parcel they are holding through customs. Neither has Fedex. Neither has DHL or USPS. ONLY UPS. It's BS, and it's not right.
I'm not the one that started this, and I'm not the only one to be charged a 'magic 8-ball' value brokerage. I'm also not exactly poor, and I don't need to squabble over $20 here or there. What isn't right is a company charging extortion.
Hey, if you need to ship a package fast within borders, UPS is a fine, inexpensive choice to get something there the next day. If you're ordering something from the States to come up here, pick another service. You'll thank me in the morning.
BobA:
Just to add a bit more info to the UPS outrage. Here is the statement of claim being used in one of the class action lawsuits.
http://www.classaction.ca/pdf/UPS_Statement_of_Claim.pdf
Zakk:
--- Quote from: BobA on January 04, 2008, 01:48:58 am ---Just to add a bit more info to the UPS outrage. Here is the statement of claim being used in one of the class action lawsuits.
http://www.classaction.ca/pdf/UPS_Statement_of_Claim.pdf
--- End quote ---
That's awesome, where do we sign up for reimbursement when they are found guilty (which they will!)?
I had no idea this was happening. Hey UPS employee guy, what do you say to that? Seems like we're not just making this up, eh?
I's say that court document is good reading for anyone who thinks "oh UPS can't be trying to rip people off..."