U.S.$

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by trilinearmipmap

One barrier to buying from the U.S. is the cost of customs brokerage plus shipping, especially when you are buying a single item like one light bulb.

If you use USPS (Post Office), you don't have to pay brokerage. I have bought quite a few items from Premium Aquatics. I always have it sent by mail. I only ever pay GST plus the standard $5.00 handling charge.

[titus]

Hello,

I just bought some non-Aquarium items and had it shiped via USPS. The items took a long time to arrive. But before it arrives, the tracking number doesn't work, and it got lost somewhere after crossing border. Then I bought an additional item to have it shipped via UPS. The item arrived then arrived at exactly the scheduled date.

Titus

[trilinearmipmap]

I ordered some cf light bulbs, requested them to be shipped U.S. Postal Service, they shipped it UPS anyway, UPS tried to charge me about $60.00 brokerage fee, I refused the order and it got returned.

I do not like rip-offs like that, if UPS had any business sense they would realize that ****ing off your customers is not a smart way to stay in business.

My three favourite companies:

1. Telus
2. Air Canada
3. UPS

[Samw]

Originally Posted by trilinearmipmap

I ordered some cf light bulbs, requested them to be shipped U.S. Postal Service, they shipped it UPS anyway, UPS tried to charge me about $60.00 brokerage-fee, I refused the order and it got returned.

I do not like rip-offs like that, if UPS had any business sense they would realize that ****ing off your customers is not a smart way to stay in business.

My three favourite companies:

1. Telus
2. Air Canada
3. UPS

Most of the time, they try to trick you by delivering the goods first and then billing you later after you've accepted the package thinking that you have no additional charges. Sometimes they just drop the item at your doorstep and you don't have a chance to refuse the package. Then a few weeks later, you get a nice large bill and you can no longer refuse to accept the package since you've most likely opened the package already.

I detailed my experience with them here when I refused a shipment from Brineshrimp Direct. They tried to bill me for brokerage and taxes on the original item that I refused to accept and then also tried to bill me additional costs for sending the shipment back. They hired a collections agency as well. Took months to sort that out.

Originally Posted by BobI

If you use USPS (Post Office), you don't have to pay brokerage. I have bought quite a few items from Premium Aquatics. I always have it sent by mail. I only ever pay GST plus the standard $5.00 handling charge.

I think the handling fee is the same thing as the brokerage fee. In this case, the postal company is acting as a collections company for the gov't.

By the way, neither place charge brokerage fees for items under $20 because those are exempt from GST and PST, thus no labor is required for them to fill out paper work.

http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/to...b06-e.asp#c006

There's also a link for UPS that states this but I don't have that link handy.

[Samw]

Originally Posted by trilinearmipmap

I favour buying from a Canadian store when the item is available within 10% to 15% of the cost.

One barrier to buying from the U.S. is the cost of customs brokerage plus shipping, especially when you are buying a single item like one light bulb.

It might make sense to arrange a group order of drygoods on a regular schedule, say every 3 months, from the U.S., if anyone is interested.

Well, it wasn't much of a barrier in my case because it saved me 29% off for 1 bulb after taking brokerage fees and shipping into consideration. If I bought 2 bulbs, I would have saved 32%. The additional savings for multiple units wasn't that much because the shipping cost and brokerage fee was low relative to the cost of the item (1 bulb).

However, in the case of the $7 PCI extension card that I paid $14 to ship. It would have been cheaper to buy that locally if it existed locally (which it didn't). Luckily, I didn't have to pay a brokerage fee (and thus no tax) on that item.

[Chad]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere.. but in regards to UPS and their brokrage fee. you can refuse the delivery and clear customs on your own. I've done it a few times.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Samw

By the way, neither place charge brokerage fees for items under $20 because those are exempt from GST and PST, thus no labor is required for them to fill out paper work.

Canada post charges a 5.00 flat handling fee if the value is over a set amount and other wise all they collect is taxes. I just ordered a part for my motor bike and it was valued at 100 cdn.. I paid Canada post 14.50 to pick it up.

Ups has no minimum value for brokerage fees, if you order a 5.00 part you pay the minimum brokerage of 35.00 (which is why I refused an 8.00 shipment of LED's) as the value gets higher it is a minimum of 35.00 or a persentage of the declared value which ever is higher.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Chad

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere.. but in regards to UPS and their brokrage fee. you can refuse the delivery and clear customs on your own. I've done it a few times.

thats great if you live in vancouver for us we just refuse it and phone the company and ask them to reship it USPS. the 100.00 in ferry costs makes it not worth it.

Steve

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

UPS has no minimum value for brokerage fees, if you order a 5.00 part you pay the minimum brokerage of 35.00 (which is why I refused an 8.00 shipment of LED's) as the value gets higher it is a minimum of 35.00 or a persentage of the declared value which ever is higher.

Actually that's incorrect. If the value of the goods is less than $20.00 CDN they are not allowed to charge a brokerage fee. The same applies to Canada Post as well.

The shipper probably overstated the value.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

thats great if you live in vancouver for us we just refuse it and phone the company and ask them to reship it USPS. the 100.00 in ferry costs makes it not worth it.

Steve

I would have thought every major centre would have its own customs office.