Calling all Canadians

[Pressfan]

The brokerage charges seem very high.  When I receive items by mail, Canada Post collects PST, GST, the $5.00 handling charge and any duty.  Brooks Brothers uses DHL and several weeks after shipment, I receive an invoice for PST, GST and any duty as well as the $5.00 handling charge.  I have never been charged a higher brokerage fee, although the delivery charges can be high if rush delivery is required.

The problem with using USPS/Canada Post is the lengthy delivery time.  Packages from Brooks Brothers take 2-3 days using DHL; J. Press uses the post and packages take at minimum 2 weeks and often longer.

It pays to examine the tax/duty invoice carefully as I have been overcharged on occassion.  This requires filing a Customs Informal Adjustment Request, which you would also complete if the goods were returned so taxes/duty would be refunded.  The $5.00 handling fee is non-refundable.

 

[Ed13]

FIHTies,

Yes USPS/Canada Post is much cheaper than UPS, FedEx or Purolator. I will either refuse to buy from a seller who only uses these couriers for shipping or have the package delivered to a friend in the US. If the speed of delivery is an issue I think USPS has an expedited mail service for an additional fee.

 

[Heron]

Originally Posted by fkl118,10 Dec. 2004, 11:14

You are saying that if I were to ship goods via USPS the brokerage fees would be significantly lower? Â In fact the most recent situation was a woman who ordered a coat on sale for her kid and then didnt want to pay the $50 COD charge that UPS had waiting for her when it arrived which effectively killed the bargain on the coat. Â I assumed that it was the customs fee not the brokerage fee. Please clarify. Thanks in advance. JJF
I was nailed last year when I purchased a set of golf clubs on eBay from the US - the shipping was $25, the taxes around $40, duty was something like $30 but the UPS fee was $80+ The couriers really over charge. When ordering other items using USPS the charge is a flat rate $5.