How to avoid brokerage fees on UPS packages.

[Eeyore]

So my buddy drives for UPS and I askied him why UPS fucks everyone with crazy brokerage fees and he told me how to avoid the fee, now granted its a little work but it may be worth it in some cases to avoid high charges. So here's what you do...

First of all he told me for Lachine, not sure if they have other centers like this.

You have to call the head broker at Lachine, he said you can go to UPS and get the number. So you call the number well ahead of the custom getting to them and ask to speak to the broker, tell him you want to clear the package yourself as is your right. He said you may have to say those exact words, cause of course UPS wants to charge you. Then you give the broker the tracking number. They will call you when the package arrives. You will personnaly have to go down to Lachine and clear the package. This involves some paperwork, showing ID declaring the package has nothing dangerous in it etc...

An thats it, you may have to pay tax on the items but you won't have to pay the rediculous brokerage fees.

Now obviously this is more usefull to the people in Quebec but I thought I share this with you. Maybe they have a west coast distribution center as we..

[SHaKaL]

Better yet...

Dont buy anything that is shipped by UPS...

[Vince]

Originally Posted by SHaKaL

Better yet...

Dont buy anything that is shipped by UPS...

Best piece of advice. Self brokerage is just in case your package ever reaches you... And even when reaching you, chances are United Piece of Sh*t will have damaged it!


(I had bad experiences with them in the past USPS FTW)

[Danke]

The shipper needs to stipulate on the commercial invoice what broker will clear the item. If it's you, or your customs broker or whatever.

UPS makes that a very difficult process at the US end to set up though, they like the cash cow of acting as a broker and frieight carrier.

Just as an aside, the rules that folks like UPS play by were established back in the days when railroads were first crossing the continent, they are tilted towards giving the freight carrier all the cards in the deck when things go sour.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by SHaKaL

Better yet...

Dont buy anything that is shipped by UPS...

Yeah seriously.

USPS/Canada Post/HK Post/EMS/etc all let me broker my own package by default, and I don't have to call anyone or go anywhere.

[Eeyore]

Hey your choice guys , I'm just passing along an option.

[kamikaze]

Seems a lot of troubles but for sure it will work. But the best way to import ANYTHING from the US is to ship with UPS to an address in Champlain NY and then just get there , bring back your parts to Canada and paid your taxes.

I have an M715 US military truck and most of the parts are sold to US citizen only. With that way of shipping i can import anything LEGAL to Canada.

[Conker]

I'm bumping this for general benefit.

Also, I have a question about this:


In your experience, is it too late to do what Eeyore said in the first post?
Apparently they are asking me to pay about 70$ + standard CBSA import taxes. Almost 100$ more.

Fuck.

[ThunderCactus]

Originally Posted by SHaKaL

Better yet...

Dont buy anything that is shipped by UPS...

omg +1
UPS is the devil.

[Kokanee]

@Conker: It's too late, you'll have to either pay the brokerage fee or return the package to the vendor. You are really, really close to the US border; in the future I would recommend doing what I do. Have your items shipped to a UPS store just across the border and then drive over yourself, pick it up and bring it across. I've been doing this for the better part of a decade to avoid UPS brokerage, if you want details PM me and I will help you out no problem.

[Conker]

I just talked to an agent, and it looks like they called earlier to know which company/agency do I want to use for the brokerage. I told them I wanted to do it myself.

She told me someone would call me tomorrow or at worst monday for an appointement.

I would've had it shipped with USPS, but I totally forgot that... I though the shipped would have enough common sense to not use UPS

That being said it can be useful in the future, PM'ing you right now...

Thanks!

[Gunk]

Don't ship DHL either... I've seen the inside of their Hub... mystifies me how any packages get to their destination intact....

The repack dept. gets a lot of work.

[Stealthee]

Thanks for the info Eeyore, much appreciated, but yeah, I too try to avoid using UPS.

[VooDooPeteK]

UPS should give you a bottle of lube everytime you us them.

Avoid them and just use USPS if you can

[CDN_Stalker]

I ordered some mags for my Crosmam CO2 airsoft pistol back in Dec, total came up to $28US, I chose the cheapest postage offered, basic US Post Ground, and waited. A week or so later, I get a notice from UPS saying they popped by to deliver, they would try again the next day (seriously, I'm at work you idiots!) and if I wasn't around for the thrid time or make arrangements, they'd send it back. I had to call to make arrangements to pick it up at the depot, pay the $20 brokerage fee (ya, $20 brokerage on a $28 order)............. fuck UPS!!!!

I still don't understand how choosing basic ground 'Snail Mail' ended up becoming UPS shipping. I learned UPS sucks 8 years ago when I ordered my leather flight jacket, cost was $300US, exchange rate sucked back then, so $200 more........... shows up at the door, UPS guy wants $100 brokerage fee........ fuck!