The Official TM3 Den "I Hate UPS" Thread

[whos ur daddy]

I knew I was going to get dinged customs brokerage, but thought maybe $30 total.

Bought a tranny filter kit plus 7L tranny oil + $27.74 shipping = USD$168.34.

then gst/pst/duty($9.44)/customs brokerage/sitting on a potty = CAD$74.24.

shoulda just bought local, but the terrible service at BMW parts and the ease of online shopping got to me.

How many times can someone (moi) be so stupid?

FACK YOU UPS!!!



DIE UPS! DIE!!!

[TheProfessor]

As soon as I see that a seller will only ship via UPS I say screw it......it's never worth it in the long run.

[S.F.W.]

I'm the same way. Ordered a pair of shoes online once. $40 shoes, $50 UPS fees.

[wtom]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/fullmulletalchemist/nelson_ha_ha.jpg

* goes and hides his $160 bill for duty on exhaust system

[Broli]

dont hate all brown because of one bad experience!

lol

[majic]

I knew I was going to get dinged customs brokerage, but thought maybe $30 total.

Bought a tranny filter kit plus 7L tranny oil + $27.74 shipping = USD$168.34.

then gst/pst/duty($9.44)/customs brokerage/sitting on a potty = CAD$74.24.

shoulda just bought local, but the terrible service at BMW parts and the ease of online shopping got to me.

How many times can someone (moi) be so stupid?

FACK YOU UPS!!!



DIE UPS! DIE!!!


are you for real??? dude.. fork over some of the money you waste every time u buy something online and i'll be drivin' a 3 series in NO TIME :D

[MAZDA Kitten]

As soon as I see that a seller will only ship via UPS I say screw it......it's never worth it in the long run.


+1!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I had my STI rims shipped by that DUMB ASS loser kid he shipped them via UPS after I SPECIFICALLY TOLD HIM to ship via USPS GROUND

Anyways; he put the value as $1300 - can you image my brokerage fee.....


$400!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[swales]

Ya UPS "handling" fees are crazy but in the end it's the seller's fault we get dinged with them. ALL UPS packages from the US can be shipped with NO "handling" fees but 90% of the sellers/shops are too lazy to fill out the paper work (it doesn't cost them anything extra to do it).

[whos ur daddy]

As soon as I see that a seller will only ship via UPS I say screw it......it's never worth it in the long run.


+1!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I had my STI rims shipped by that DUMB ASS loser kid he shipped them via UPS after I SPECIFICALLY TOLD HIM to ship via USPS GROUND

Anyways; he put the value as $1300 - can you image my brokerage fee.....


$400!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks, I feel much better now.

[CanadaGTO]

Hey guys,

My wife works as a customs broker, so maybe I can shed some light on all this.

Question 1) What customs charges am I going to get if I import something?

Answer 1) You will be charged GST, PST (HST depending on province) and possibly extra Duties.

Question 2) When will I be charged the extra Duties?

Answer 2) That depends on the type of item being imported and where it was made and what it is made of. The duties are dependant on trade agreements. For car parts, the rule of thumb is that if it's made in the US or Mexico, the item is free of extra duties, but you still have to pay GST and PST.

Question 3) What are the percentages for GST, PST and Duties (if applicable) based on?

Answer 3) Generally they are based on the declared value of the item on the attached commercial invoice. However, be careful not to have the sender under-decare the item. Although unlikely to be caught, if you are caught, there are heavy fines involved which is why most sellers will not under-declare. In addition, if you are caught, everything you import afterwards will be flagged for additional screening. Keep in mind also that you can not insure an item with a carrier (UPS, FedEx, etc...) for more than the declared value for customs amount. So if you import a Turbo which is worth $1500, declare it for only $100, then it gets lost or damaged and it is insured, you will only be able to collect the $100.

Question 4) What are all the extra fees I'm being charged?

Answer 4) Depending on carrier, they will all charge extra fees for the item to be cleared through customs. Canada Customs demands that all imported items are declared properly and that certain forms are filled out, such as summary sheets, NAFTA forms, etc.... The carrier is also responsible for paying the Duties and Taxes to Canada Customs on behalf of the importer, you. The people doing all this work are required by most carriers to be licensed and have a CCS designation. Keep in mind that you can designate an external broker to do the brokerage for you, however this usually means a delay in delivery and will also cost about the same or more. For these services the carrier will charge you fees, related to filling out the paperwork and submitting payment to Canada Customs. If you phone the carriers customer service department in advance you can find out what these fees are.

Question 5) Can I do this all myself?

Answer 5) Yes you can. However, it's quite a lot of footwork, and the paperwork is not easy to fill out. Canada Customs is also very picky about this paperwork, so be prepared to refill it out. The paperwork will also need to be dealt with at the port of entry (ie: Toronto Pearson Airport).

Question 6) So how can I save money on all this?

Answer 6) Tough question. You really have to do your homework when buying from the US or other country. Find out what the total cost of purchase will be. In all likelyhood you'll find out that buying in-country is cheaper.

Patrique

[iconicrocket]

^^^^^^^^^

Is there an easy way around this. I'm thinking telling the sender to ship it USPS ground all the time. But some online sites don't have that option, and in MK's case we get Dumbass on the other side. Is there a way to get some of the brokeage fees back from UPS. >:(

[CanadaGTO]

^^^^^^^^^

Is there an easy way around this. I'm thinking telling the sender to ship it USPS ground all the time. But some online sites don't have that option, and in MK's case we get Dumbass on the other side. Is there a way to get some of the brokeage fees back from UPS. >:(




According to law, the importer of record (recipient) is ulitmately responsible for Duties and Taxes on an item they import. If you accept a package from a carrier, you are also responsible for their fees for brokerage. So the answer is no.

If, however there is a mistake on the way it's rated, then you can put in a claim with the carrier as to the amount that it was rated for. However, this is not an easy process and they will ask for proof as to the value of the item. You could also end up having it rated at a higher amount and be responsible for the difference.

If the shipper ships it via a carrier you did not want, and you accept the item, then that's between you and the shipper.

Lastly, importing via Canada Post/USPS can be cheaper as far as brokerage fees, but it will take longer to get to you and the Duties and Taxes should be the same.

Patrique