Don't use UPS to ship to Canada

THECUSCUS · Jun 23, 2011

Thanks for the insight. I have a sail that I'm waiting to send there. I guess its good I decided to wait, rather than send via UPS. Any word up there when this strike might end?

Dave D · Jun 23, 2011

just wondering... can you sue the Canadian post for the difference? they forced you to use alternate services to get your purchase by going on strike. maybe class action time!

Joe · Jun 23, 2011

Dave D said:
just wondering... can you sue the Canadian post for the difference? they forced you to use alternate services to get your purchase by going on strike. maybe class action time!

BTW Onions (unions) stink, IMHO

Well, he could have sent it FEDEX and saved $50.. Maybe he should sue himself for not reading the fine print.

Dave D · Jun 23, 2011

Joe said:
Well, he could have sent it FEDEX and saved $50.. Maybe he should sue himself for not reading the fine print.

LOL

Richard Bryer · Jun 23, 2011

I think you would have a pretty hard time suing anybody for the Federal Sales Tax you are legally obliged to pay. Not saying I agree with it but it is the law

Maine Sail · Jun 23, 2011

I ship my Bed-It Tape to Canada all the time but this morning was a different story.

USPS wanted over $72.00 when I usually pay $29.65 (including customs etc.). Seems that during the strike they are only accepting "Global Priority" packages and nothing else from USPS. Had to refund a customer on an order until the strike is over. UPS and Fed Ex are ridiculously $$$$$ to Canada...

I once had to overnight a 4 page standard 8 1/2" X 11" document to Guatemela and used Fed Ex. When I got my statement the damn delivery cost me $138.00!!!!!!

Bob 04 H260 · Jun 23, 2011

I have found the couriers (Fedex, UPS etc.) add an additional $60 or so as "customs clearance charge", there are not any federal duties, or excise taxes on products from the USA under NAFTA. You will have to pay the gst/provincial sales tax the same as if you bought it at home.

When it is sent by US postal/Canada post they only charge a $5 customs clearance charge, but many companies will not use US postal service. I often ship US orders to a receiver in the USA and drive across the border to pick it up and I clear it through customs myself. The receiver I use only charges $3 per package.
Bob

Bob S · Jun 23, 2011

Same goes for shipping UPS from Canada to the US. I don't remember the actual costs but I remember being shocked when I got the bill for my Campbell Sailor Prop.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jun 23, 2011

The best solution for many Canadians

If you live within an hour or two of the border, rent an address in the US at a Mailboxes Etc or UPS Store or similar independent operation. It costs very little and they can accept and hold UPS, FedX and Postal shipments till you come for them. This saves "customs brokerage" fees and international shipping rates, which can double the price of your purchases and also get your orders to you in days instead of weeks. I had several Canadian customers who did this...a couple who even went together with dockmates for the same US address. It's completely legal as long as you declare what you're bringing home.

Won't work for every Canadian...you have to be close enough to the border for it to make sense to cross it to pick up your stuff. But for those who are, it's the best solution to save shipping costs on goods ordered from US retailers.

woodster · Jun 23, 2011

you can also try BAX air freight ...i sent a chane saw to australia one time for $99.00 and every else was in the $275.00 range worked for me....

regards

woody

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jun 23, 2011

Woody, the problem is...

Except for items that have to be shipped common carrier (iow, can't be UPSed, Fedexed or mailed, which would apply to your chain saw), the buyer really has very little say in which one the retailer uses, 'cuz large retailers almost always have a negotiated rate contract with UPS or Fedex...so that's the one they use. Even if they don't have a contract with one of 'em, shipping dept employees aren't paid to think, just pack boxes and pull shipping labels off a printer and slap 'em on the boxes. Anything more throws the system into a tizzy. Some will ship via USPS to Canada, but not all will.

Sam Salter · Jun 23, 2011

Most marine suppliers let you specify the shipper. If I tell then to ship it by post, it's usually not a problem.
I thought all Canadians knew about UPS. (I blame George Bush!!!)

Emerald Lady II · Jun 24, 2011

Hi, just as a point of clarification, it isn't a strike, it's a lockout. The management at Canada Post LOCKED the unions out.

kenn · Jun 24, 2011

alexco38 said:
I have no problem with sales tax. That's the society we live in. Health care, welfare etc. By the way it is 13% since they "harmonized" the federal and provincial sales tax last year.

What got me was the custom clearance fee. UPS is 50% more than FedEx and 10 times more than Post office.

I guess that's one thing the Post office is good for.

I've had exactly the same experience with UPS over the years. One time, the shipment was in two pieces... and they tried to hit me for the brokerage fee TWICE.

Joe said:
Well, he could have sent it FEDEX and saved $50.. Maybe he should sue himself for not reading the fine print.

Have you read the fine print? FedEx also tacks on an oversize brokerage fee. All the private carriers do that.

It boils down to the fact that the private carriers just don't much care for doing little cross-border shipments unless there's a hefty brokerage to collect as well.

Rick Belew · Jun 25, 2011

So I am buying a bad boy wifi systems from Canada and it will be shipped fed ex to TN. The total weight maybe 10 pounds max. Cost around $500, What can I expect for customs cost etc?

RichH · Jun 25, 2011

Rick Belew said:
So I am buying a bad boy wifi systems from Canada and it will be shipped fed ex to TN. The total weight maybe 10 pounds max. Cost around $500, What can I expect for customs cost etc?

The BadBoy Extreme usually ships from Buffalo NY so therefore there should be NO customs charges, etc.

Rick Belew · Jun 25, 2011

thats great news but the company suggest it would come from
Canada and it would only use fed ex due to UPS strikes. When I look at my order it figure shipping etc but no mention of customed etc.

RichH · Jun 25, 2011

Rick Belew said:
thats great news but the company suggest it would come from
Canada and it would only use fed ex due to UPS strikes. When I look at my order it figure shipping etc but no mention of customed etc.

I'd check with Bitstorm then for the exact shipping origin as you dont really need to pay excessive customs duties. My recent Bitstorm (BadBoy Extreme) unit was shipped from Buffalo.