Damn UPS & brokers stuff - Page 4

Prune · 22nd June 2004, 06:19 AM

Yep, Purolator really sucks. I recently bought something from eBay and the guy shipped USPS Global Express Mail from the US. Left the US on the 15th according to the USPS tracking system. On the Canadian side the carrier is Purolator. Called them up, they don't have an item with the tracking number. Called customs, they said if Purolator doesn't have the number, then they don't have it either. Rotten maggot infested c#%ts!!! I can't even start a trace now as I'm not the sender... ARRRGH!!!!!

RHosch · 22nd June 2004, 11:20 PM

I've only sent one shipment to Canada... via UPS. Shipment was relatively inexpensive, no brokerage fees that I was informed of by the buyer on the Canada side, and the package arrived quickly by standard UPS ground.

However, the comments in this thread have certainly made me take notice, and I figure I may have just been lucky. Perhaps in the future I'll try USPS, or maybe just not ship to Canada at all!?!

DSP_Geek · 23rd June 2004, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Prune
Yep, Purolator really sucks. I recently bought something from eBay and the guy shipped USPS Global Express Mail from the US. Left the US on the 15th according to the USPS tracking system. On the Canadian side the carrier is Purolator. Called them up, they don't have an item with the tracking number. Called customs, they said if Purolator doesn't have the number, then they don't have it either. Rotten maggot infested c#%ts!!! I can't even start a trace now as I'm not the sender... ARRRGH!!!!!

Purolator's still around? Jeez. They've been gawdawful for at least 20 years. Back in '83 I knew a guy who sent his grad school application to Dalhousie via Purolator. He figured it had lots of time to get there - a whole week - but as it turns out the paperwork arrived ten days after the deadline. Dalhousie didn't care, a deadline was a dealine, and Purolator couldn't be arsed to even refund the shipping fee.

My father used them as well, twice, the second time because he figured the first time was an accident. Nope. They screwed up his shipment so badly the second time that a copy sent via FedEx two days later arrived at its destination a week before the Purolator truck.

You also want to avoid the FedEx office for Berkeley/Oakland/Emeryville. It's staffed by surly baboons who have a habit of getting packages to their destination weeks late. The rest of the FedEx operation that I've used is fine, but the above office is ludicrous.

Francois.

The Peasant · 23rd June 2004, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Perhaps in the future I'll try USPS, or maybe just not ship to Canada at all!?!

There's no reason for people in the USA to stop shipping to Canada, shipping with USPS is inexpensive, easy, and reliable! But yes, UPS is terrible and should not be used unless you have your own customs broker.

Take care,
Doug

Nixie · 10th March 2006, 04:42 AM

Here's yet another horrific UPS story: I ordered a small magnesia crucible (MgO makes one of the highest temperature and most intert ceramics) from the US for about $50 (so $56 Canadian), and they shipped UPS for $18. I had no choice as the cheapest equivalent in Canada was over $100. The customs charge was only $7, however UPS added a ludicrous brokerage fee of $40!

OK now, how does this make sense? It's not even a hazardous material (though one common use is for melting uranium and plutonium alloys). UPS is one of the biggest legal ripoff operations in existence today.

EC8010 · 21st March 2006, 08:19 AM

I had $50 worth of semiconductors sent via UPS from the USA to the UK. UK Customs charged £9.98 ($17.43) and UPS charged me £11 ($19.22) brokerage fee for the privilege of paying that £9.98. The sender has been requested not to use UPS again...

SY · 21st March 2006, 10:26 AM

Guilty as charged.

Similar experience, but in the reverse direction. My wife bought a toy from England for about 25 pounds, then got hit with a $60 brokerage charge. She will also not be using UPS again...

bluesmoke · 28th March 2006, 02:59 AM

yup yup yup

Definitely seen the UPS (oops! we stepped on it!) brokerage mafia arm-breaking. Made me change to using FedEx Ground, or USPS... Both seem to do a decent job. Canada post inside Canada is rediculous, and Purolator is worse than UPS.

If you ever ship something big, try and find a cartage or trucking company. You end up having to broker the customs charge yourself, but you save a lot in the end.

21st March 2006, 08:19 AM	#36
EC8010 diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Near London. UK	I had $50 worth of semiconductors sent via UPS from the USA to the UK. UK Customs charged £9.98 ($17.43) and UPS charged me £11 ($19.22) brokerage fee for the privilege of paying that £9.98. The sender has been requested not to use UPS again... __________________ The loudspeaker: The only commercial Hi-Fi item where a disproportionate part of the budget isn't spent on the box. And the one where it would make a difference...

21st March 2006, 10:26 AM	#37
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Austin, TX Blog Entries: 1	Guilty as charged. Similar experience, but in the reverse direction. My wife bought a toy from England for about 25 pounds, then got hit with a $60 brokerage charge. She will also not be using UPS again... __________________ “Listening to records is like ****ing a picture of Brigitte Bardot.” - Sergiu Celibidache

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
My DoZ for headphones won't bias... damn...	Lisandro_P	Solid State	11	3rd August 2003 07:17 AM
Identifying this damn cap?	cm961	Parts	6	25th June 2003 12:10 PM
Damn	Steve Eddy	Everything Else	4	20th February 2003 11:25 AM

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Search Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

22nd June 2004, 06:19 AM	#31
Prune Account Disabled Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Vancouver	Yep, Purolator really sucks. I recently bought something from eBay and the guy shipped USPS Global Express Mail from the US. Left the US on the 15th according to the USPS tracking system. On the Canadian side the carrier is Purolator. Called them up, they don't have an item with the tracking number. Called customs, they said if Purolator doesn't have the number, then they don't have it either. Rotten maggot infested c#%ts!!! I can't even start a trace now as I'm not the sender... ARRRGH!!!!!

22nd June 2004, 11:20 PM	#32
RHosch diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: SouthEast	I've only sent one shipment to Canada... via UPS. Shipment was relatively inexpensive, no brokerage fees that I was informed of by the buyer on the Canada side, and the package arrived quickly by standard UPS ground. However, the comments in this thread have certainly made me take notice, and I figure I may have just been lucky. Perhaps in the future I'll try USPS, or maybe just not ship to Canada at all!?!

10th March 2006, 04:42 AM	#35
Nixie Banned Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC	Here's yet another horrific UPS story: I ordered a small magnesia crucible (MgO makes one of the highest temperature and most intert ceramics) from the US for about $50 (so $56 Canadian), and they shipped UPS for $18. I had no choice as the cheapest equivalent in Canada was over $100. The customs charge was only $7, however UPS added a ludicrous brokerage fee of $40! OK now, how does this make sense? It's not even a hazardous material (though one common use is for melting uranium and plutonium alloys). UPS is one of the biggest legal ripoff operations in existence today.

28th March 2006, 02:59 AM	#38
bluesmoke diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Great White North	yup yup yup Definitely seen the UPS (oops! we stepped on it!) brokerage mafia arm-breaking. Made me change to using FedEx Ground, or USPS... Both seem to do a decent job. Canada post inside Canada is rediculous, and Purolator is worse than UPS. If you ever ship something big, try and find a cartage or trucking company. You end up having to broker the customs charge yourself, but you save a lot in the end.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)