damn UPS & brokers stuff
That story happened to me twice so I'd like to warn other people who could fall in the same situation.
Several weeks ago, I ordered non-free sample (in my case, lcd character display) from an american company (and I live in Canada). I paid roughly 15$ for it. Normally, Canadians customers don't pay duty when ordering from the United States and vice-versa. However, I received today an invoice with a nice 150$ broker fee to pay because UPS has decided that the parcel needed to be duty freed.
Same story happened a few months ago when ordering PLCs parts from a well known web-based automation parts distributor. Again UPS, has shipped and we got another 150$ invoice from the broker.
I don't understand why I should pay duty when UPS is shipping and nothing to pay when Purolator is taking care of my parcel.
hey 300$... Come on, for less than 50$ worth...
Well, if you order anything and you have the possibility to choose the shipment company, please avoid UPS... Well, at least check carefully the terms.
That story happened to me twice so I'd like to warn other people who could fall in the same situation.
Several weeks ago, I ordered non-free sample (in my case, lcd character display) from an american company (and I live in Canada). I paid roughly 15$ for it. Normally, Canadians customers don't pay duty when ordering from the United States and vice-versa. However, I received today an invoice with a nice 150$ broker fee to pay because UPS has decided that the parcel needed to be duty freed.
Same story happened a few months ago when ordering PLCs parts from a well known web-based automation parts distributor. Again UPS, has shipped and we got another 150$ invoice from the broker.
I don't understand why I should pay duty when UPS is shipping and nothing to pay when Purolator is taking care of my parcel.
hey 300$... Come on, for less than 50$ worth...
Well, if you order anything and you have the possibility to choose the shipment company, please avoid UPS... Well, at least check carefully the terms.
I don't know where you gotthe idea that normally you don't pay duties or taxes when ordering from USA. In my experience there is always someting to pay, unless declared value is very low or declared as NCV.
There are companies, like Digi-Key or Amazon, that has already duties and brokearge fees already included in the product price, that's why it seems that you don't pay any aditional fees. And they ship by Purolator.
Just today I received 4 trtansformers from Apex Jr by US Post, and the taxes/duties were $25 CAD.
In case of horrendous brokerage fees from UPS, I just simply refuse to pay, and they don't bother me again
There are companies, like Digi-Key or Amazon, that has already duties and brokearge fees already included in the product price, that's why it seems that you don't pay any aditional fees. And they ship by Purolator.
Just today I received 4 trtansformers from Apex Jr by US Post, and the taxes/duties were $25 CAD.
In case of horrendous brokerage fees from UPS, I just simply refuse to pay, and they don't bother me again
It's why I'm prefer to find parts on Digikey vs. Mouser or most of the others. Digikey has a Canadian price list and a warehouse in Winnipeg. They've already imported it when they send it to you.
I'd rather pay the prices at Parts Connexion knowing that they are shipping out of Canada than attempt to save a buck or two by dialling 10-10-USA.
Until customs on both sides of the border actually respect the NAFTA, I'll let the firms do the importing for me. It's a shame that my selection of affordable parts is limited somewhat by this trans-national situation.
ensen.
I'd rather pay the prices at Parts Connexion knowing that they are shipping out of Canada than attempt to save a buck or two by dialling 10-10-USA.
Until customs on both sides of the border actually respect the NAFTA, I'll let the firms do the importing for me. It's a shame that my selection of affordable parts is limited somewhat by this trans-national situation.
ensen.Use USPS!
UPS from the US to Canada is a rapacious disaster for users: in short, don't use it. Their "brokerage fees" seem to be a form of arbitrary extortion.
There are typically no duties on electronic stuff coming from the US, but you will have to pay GST and (in relevant provinces) PST on the declared value or the insured value--whichever is *higher*; don't over-insure!
The really cheap way to get things from the US is to convince shippers to send things via the US Postal Service. Canada Post charges only a $5.00 handling fee for "brokerage" on such packages.
Norman
UPS from the US to Canada is a rapacious disaster for users: in short, don't use it. Their "brokerage fees" seem to be a form of arbitrary extortion.
There are typically no duties on electronic stuff coming from the US, but you will have to pay GST and (in relevant provinces) PST on the declared value or the insured value--whichever is *higher*; don't over-insure!
The really cheap way to get things from the US is to convince shippers to send things via the US Postal Service. Canada Post charges only a $5.00 handling fee for "brokerage" on such packages.
Norman
I've shipped many times to Canada and have always used the USPS. Shipping times varies wildly from a week to 5 or 6 weeks. The west coast seems to be better then the east. UPS has always been too expensive although I've never heard of the brokerages fees. The funny thing is, I have no problem ordering from the Toronto area. Ususaly just 2 weeks with reasonable shipping fees.
BTW Peter, I have a new job so our Oakville connection is gone. Oh well, we saved a fee bucks.
BTW Peter, I have a new job so our Oakville connection is gone. Oh well, we saved a fee bucks.
Nafta
I suppose that NAFTA only works in the favor of large business.
Cant you avoid the duty penalties by refusing shipment? It doesnt seem right that they can stick you with such a high fee that you havent authorized. I think Peter said that this has worked for him, but then I guess you do have to forfit your merchandise.
Not Another @#$%^ trade agreement. Geesh.
We can buy booze and cigarettes duty free at stores along the border; perhaps we need to lobby our governments for duty free electronics (parts only) stores too?
I suppose that NAFTA only works in the favor of large business.
Cant you avoid the duty penalties by refusing shipment? It doesnt seem right that they can stick you with such a high fee that you havent authorized. I think Peter said that this has worked for him, but then I guess you do have to forfit your merchandise.
Not Another @#$%^ trade agreement. Geesh.
We can buy booze and cigarettes duty free at stores along the border; perhaps we need to lobby our governments for duty free electronics (parts only) stores too?
Send air-mail if you want to avoid the brokerage fee. I actually got this tip from a UPS delivery guy.
I've had several bad experiences with UPS. In the last year they lost two shipments to me, one was a french copper pot worth $400 US, and the seller failed to get any reimbursement for it. I'll never send anything UPS.
Canada Post and the USPS aren't prefect either. They just lost a money order I sent by registered mail to the US to pay my credit card, and after I put a trace on it, they failed to find it!
I've not had FedEx problems yet, but I guess it's just a matter of time. Wanna save on shipping? You get what you pay for.
I've had several bad experiences with UPS. In the last year they lost two shipments to me, one was a french copper pot worth $400 US, and the seller failed to get any reimbursement for it. I'll never send anything UPS.
Canada Post and the USPS aren't prefect either. They just lost a money order I sent by registered mail to the US to pay my credit card, and after I put a trace on it, they failed to find it!
I've not had FedEx problems yet, but I guess it's just a matter of time. Wanna save on shipping? You get what you pay for.
Yup,
Been in the DC area for a number of years now.
I get to vote for 4 of our elected representatives (1 Congressman, 2 Senators and the President), the other 600+ representatives (and the often colorful people they bring with them) get sent to us from all you guys "outside the beltway".
Having grown up in Buffalo, I know that the Congressmen who represent districts on the US/Canadian border are usually fond of taking up issues that have to do with US/Canadian relations, its high profile stuff, usually easy to resolve, and gets'em a lot of votes when elections role around.
I think in both countries these elected representatives make a good resource for resolving issues like this. Its not that they are going to drop work on fund raising for re-election, (uhm, I mean working on foreign policy and budget legislation) and make things happen for you, but their office staffs can often be great resources. These representatives tend to hear too much from big business looniest and not enough from the people who actually elect them.
I actually moved to DC for a cool job with C-SPAN where I got to build a lot of audio equipment used for covering the House of Representatives and the Senate.
-Dave
Been in the DC area for a number of years now.
I get to vote for 4 of our elected representatives (1 Congressman, 2 Senators and the President), the other 600+ representatives (and the often colorful people they bring with them) get sent to us from all you guys "outside the beltway".
Having grown up in Buffalo, I know that the Congressmen who represent districts on the US/Canadian border are usually fond of taking up issues that have to do with US/Canadian relations, its high profile stuff, usually easy to resolve, and gets'em a lot of votes when elections role around.
I think in both countries these elected representatives make a good resource for resolving issues like this. Its not that they are going to drop work on fund raising for re-election, (uhm, I mean working on foreign policy and budget legislation) and make things happen for you, but their office staffs can often be great resources. These representatives tend to hear too much from big business looniest and not enough from the people who actually elect them.
I actually moved to DC for a cool job with C-SPAN where I got to build a lot of audio equipment used for covering the House of Representatives and the Senate.
-Dave
Okay, then... you are hereby ignored for all things political.
There is a way to get USPS and Canada Post to ship things and still have them traceable - use the courier level service. I think they call it Priority Post and Priority Mail. These packages get a bar code tracking number. I don't know if you can get insurance, but for traceable shipments that usually available.
As to duties. I had a publisher send me a US$50 technical book by USPS and Canada Post collected a Cdn$5 duty and handling fee at delivery. While that is not cheap (~8%) it is typical. That $300 fee is not only outrageous, it's likely inaccurate or even illegal. The worst I've ever heard is having to pay the full import tariffs plus the fine, which is usually never more than the actual value of the goods. I would ask customs about the actual tariffs on it and when you have that, show it UPS and demand that they eat it or face you going to FedEx. If you pit them against each other, you'd be pleasantly surprised how quickly they become accomodating.
ensen.
There is a way to get USPS and Canada Post to ship things and still have them traceable - use the courier level service. I think they call it Priority Post and Priority Mail. These packages get a bar code tracking number. I don't know if you can get insurance, but for traceable shipments that usually available.
As to duties. I had a publisher send me a US$50 technical book by USPS and Canada Post collected a Cdn$5 duty and handling fee at delivery. While that is not cheap (~8%) it is typical. That $300 fee is not only outrageous, it's likely inaccurate or even illegal. The worst I've ever heard is having to pay the full import tariffs plus the fine, which is usually never more than the actual value of the goods. I would ask customs about the actual tariffs on it and when you have that, show it UPS and demand that they eat it or face you going to FedEx. If you pit them against each other, you'd be pleasantly surprised how quickly they become accomodating.
ensen.
A package or letter sent to Canada is not tracable unless hte sender opts for one of the USPS special services for an additional fee.purplepeople said:
http://www.usps.com/global/intlspecialservices.htm
Packages or letters send via Priority Mail in the US or Global Priority mail elsewhere, including Canada, are not, by themselves, tracable.
Thanks Sy. I was working for the Germans and now I'm working for the Japanese.
I just realized that shipments to the US from Canada go rather smoothly, but when they go the other way, they get bogged down in Canadian customs and brokers and such. I think the Canadian customs aren't living up to the spirit of NAFTA.
I just realized that shipments to the US from Canada go rather smoothly, but when they go the other way, they get bogged down in Canadian customs and brokers and such. I think the Canadian customs aren't living up to the spirit of NAFTA.
roddyama said:
I work for a firm that exports over 85% of its products into the US and has about half of all materials come from there so our shippers know a bit about the import/export game. They've told me a number of times that the problems stems from the size of the two economies and the relative number of goods being shipped back and forth.
Our warehouse staff has said that ost Canadian firms that send anything to the US on a regular basis know to fill out the right paperwork prior to shipping so that the package goes as smoothly (and cheaply) as possible. They say that many US firms do not have much experience with exporting (to anywhere) since only a very small portion of their business is conducted outside of the country. They don't fill out the necessary forms, or make enough copies of pro-forma invoices or even know to send a pro-forma with the package. The reason that the really big fabs know what to do is that their shipping departments have done it before, and enough times to remember. Our guys in the warehouse say that typically, shipper/receivers in Canada know how to ship to the US and most shipper/receivers in the US do not know how to ship to Canada. They've even learned how to export from the US into Canada so they can "coach" some of the more time critical imports.
ensen.
Jensen,purplepeople said:
I work for a firm that exports over 85% of its products into the US and has about half of all materials come from there so our shippers know a bit about the import/export game. They've told me a number of times that the problems stems from the size of the two economies and the relative number of goods being shipped back and forth.
Our warehouse staff has said that ost Canadian firms that send anything to the US on a regular basis know to fill out the right paperwork prior to shipping so that the package goes as smoothly (and cheaply) as possible. They say that many US firms do not have much experience with exporting (to anywhere) since only a very small portion of their business is conducted outside of the country. They don't fill out the necessary forms, or make enough copies of pro-forma invoices or even know to send a pro-forma with the package. The reason that the really big fabs know what to do is that their shipping departments have done it before, and enough times to remember. Our guys in the warehouse say that typically, shipper/receivers in Canada know how to ship to the US and most shipper/receivers in the US do not know how to ship to Canada. They've even learned how to export from the US into Canada so they can "coach" some of the more time critical imports.
You've made a very good, and probably very valid point. However, it does not explain the amount of duty being imposed on Canadian imports from the US.
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