50% UPS Brokerage fee????

[kazoobers]

I bought an item that was $99.95 US. The Seller charged me $16.00 for UPS standard shipping to Canada.

The package arrived and here is a Brokerage C.O.D. due to UPS for $54.17. What a rip! The seller said nothing about additional fees due IN ADDITION to the $16.00 I paid him for the shipping. By looking under Help in eBay, I see there is nothing I can do about it.

[db0n3]

First, Canuckchat = TROLL.

Second, I can also confirm the 50% fees which are NOT set by Customs Canada. If they were, why would they charge so much LESS?? Furthermore, if UPS cannot legally open packages to assess their value and still charge Customs fees, it is not really a Customs fee, it it?

I have also been dinged by paying in cash where the driver does not issue a recipt - UPS policy - and am then chased around for months by their bogus collections agency.

Anyone who sympathizes with UPS and says that they are simply running a business obviously hasn't felt the sting of injustice.

[purplelavapixie]

I think that UPS is being maliciously maligned unfairly.

If Ford charges MORE for their pickup trucks than Dodge, then are they going to be chastised like this for being a rip-off company and all manner of other nasty things that are said?

UPS is a courier company. Fedex is a courier company. Purolator is a courier company. DHL is a courier company. And there are lots of others as well, some lesser known perhaps than the "biggies".

Each is allowed in their own right to charge what they see fit (and obviously what the marketplace will bear) for their services when handling goods across an international border.

The GST and/or PST amounts will be the same no matter which courier company handles the goods incoming to Canada.

The brokerage for the handling of the incoming goods will be determined by each company.

Obviously if UPS is charging more, then they will either bear the brunt of that by reduced business or they will see the "light" so to speak and adjust their fees accordingly to be inline with the other courier companies.

Discussing this ad nauseum online at this site will serve no purpose other than to make those who say inane things look foolish.

Some of us deal in bonafide large businesses (outside of eBay selling) and we understand the concept of brokering goods into the country.

Personally, I have dealt in accounting in big businesses since the 1970s and nearly all of those businesses have dealt in cross-border trade. Ergo, I have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of transaction fees charged by most of all the courier companies in business.

UPS has been around a long time. Yes, they will charge you a brokerage fee.

Instead of whining about it, make it a high priority in your transactions to buy from sellers who will use the postal service EXCLUSIVELY to ship to you.

[lokijeep]

LOL... Canuckchat is no troll!!

[canuckchat]

Why, thank you kindly, loki, thats so nice of you to say!

:)

[kazoobers]

Purple,

First you suggest that "UPS is being maliciously maligned unfairly."

Then your very last statement suggests "instead of whining about it, make it a high priority in your transactions to buy from sellers who will use the postal service EXCLUSIVELY to ship to you."


So then you agree with most people on this Board that UPS should be boycotted. Good for you. There is no good reason to use UPS. They are no faster than the postal service using priority services, and they gouge the consumer with their exhorbitant brokerage fees.

[purplelavapixie]

kazoobers - You would be incorrect in your assumption.

I state that UPS is a business and is entitled to charge the brokerage that they do, same as Ford Canada is entitled to set the vehicle MSRP that they do.

It is my suggestion when purchasing items from outside of Canada to pick sellers who ship via the postal service. This is because you will pay the Canada Post nominal $5 brokerage fee when it comes to you by postal delivery.

There is in no way any comment of mine that said at all "boycott UPS" - I repeat: I did NOT say that.

Similarly, if you ask me which brand of vehicle to purchase, I would suggest one maker over another - that does NOT mean if I suggest you purchase Toyota, that I then am saying you "boycott" Ford or GM or Chrysler.

[rhounsell]

After reading the link provided to UPS's brokerage fee page:
http://ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html

Am I correct in reading as long as your seller is using UPS Express Plus, Express, and Expedited Services then there is no brokerage fees.

Is this a possible way to get a seller who will not use USPS to still send your package and avoid the many horror stories I have read to this point. This way it gets shipped faster and any extra money you are spending at least goes to getting your package faster and more securely.

I only asked because I ordered several times from a great eBay seller globalgolfusa and they ship by UPS express. I have bought several expensive items, paid about $30 for shipping, got the package fast and received very minimal border fees (like $9 I think). This may just be a agreement this seller has with UPS. It's also the only seller I have dealt with in the USA who has used UPS (trust me I was VERY concerned the first time)

I know this won't really apply to lower cost items, hopefully I'm not way off base here, just trying to provide some help.

[purplelavapixie]

I"m not sure but I believe that certain methods of UPS shipment will come without the regular $25++ brokerage fees and perhaps your seller is kind enough to have investigated these methods and found one that helps their buyers!

[coco*and*co]

Interesting how the UPS brokerage fees go up according to the value of the item.... How does the value of an item increase the amount of paperwork???? Note that the fees posted here are in US$, wonder what they use as a conversion rate. http://ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html#Disbursement+Fees

[coco*and*co]

Joining the class action lawsuit against UPS, which I believe is free, may get you a refund of some of those fees in the long term ~ http://reviews.ebay.ca/UPS-LAWSUIT-IN-CANADA_W0QQugidZ10000000002180422

[aquafina_green]

Gee, Canada Post just keeps looking better and better. High shipping rates, yes, but love those low brokerage fees! 🙂

[alzhp]

Well, Canada Post doesn't have such high fees... They are somewhat lower than UPS and minus the brokerage fees...

[canuckchat]

Canada Post has a negotiated $5 rate for brokerage fees

[heather_elaine]

Quick Question:

I often send large parcels to my US customers via PUROLATOR, lower cost to ship overall and it gets there faster.

So far none of my US buyers have complained about brokerage fees-

does anyone know if they are getting hit with these as well? If so I will probably send via Canadapost to prevent any negs.

[marniel2005]

Americans have an exemption of $200 USD. Doesn't look like that would be a problem with the items you sell, so you can ship them however you wish to.

[dragnit02]

always ask seller if they can ship the item by USPS is they are not in Canada. USPS does not charge any brokerage fees. I think all courier companies will.

[bwv772]

I was just screwed (again) by UPS, my error actually, in that after bidding the seller informed me that they only shipped UPS, I should have asked *before*, but anyways, they collected $22.72 fees on a $23.14 item.

Avoid UPS!

[canuckchat]

Ahem... avoid COURIERS.... use POSTAL DELIVERY....

[knpikalov]

Hello E-Bay fellow!
You can access BIS (This is Canadian government agency) free of charge throughout Canada by calling
1-800-461-9999. If you are calling from outside Canada, you can access BIS by calling 204-983-3500 or 506-636-5064 (long-distance charges will apply).

They stated that you can send gift up to 60$CAD free of any duties. If there is no duty there is no Brokerage fee. You can put as many items in one parcel as you want.
UPS Brokerage will charge you if you declare more then five gifts in single parcel. (They just suggest that they have no rooms in declaration form to put more lines. That is why you have to pay them. 🙂 )
But if you declared five or less gifts in one parcel and each gift costs les then 60$CAD – any so-called import charges are illegal. ANY!!!

This is phone number of UPS Canada: 1-800-263-8125 (It seems you have to press #3 to reach right agent).They are responsible for this scam.
Call them and rape them as hard as better. They MUST return your money!!!
If you are able to charge them through court, do this. Because these are not just mistakes, but general style of UPS’s business. Unfortunately it is hard to do since they share business with Canadian government: government collects taxes, UPS collects brokerage fee. As much taxes, as much brokerage fee.

Share this information as much as better!

BUT BEST CHOSE: DO NOT USE UPS!
DO NOT BUY ITEMS SHIPPED BY UPS!
IGNORE UPS AS MUCH AS BETTER!

[adam12adam12]

I would never buy an item that is shipped by UPS or any other courier across the border. I always stick with USPS delivery only!!
As said before

UPS=bad
USPS=good

Keep this baby bumping to the top as well.