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Topic:
UPS Ground Shipping Guide for Canadians
This thread has 7 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Friday March 5, 2010 at 01:01
Daniel Tonks
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I've had a lot of dealing with shipping items from the USA to Canada, and yet I still see people who opt to use UPS Ground and get stung with their horrible brokerage fees. So here's what you can expect to pay.

Value of Shipment (converted to Canadian), Brokerage Charge
$0 - $20, Free
$20 - $40, $7.00
$40 - $100, $19.45
$100 - $200, $29.00
$200 - $350, $42.95
$350 - $500, $48.25
$500 - $750, $54.85
$750 - $1000, $61.40
$1000 - $1250, $67.95
$1250 - $1600, $72.25
$1600 - $5000, $76.20
Each additional $1000, $5.90

They also charge tax on the brokerage fee.

Only UPS Ground charges for brokerage clearance; it is FREE for all UPS air services (including the inexpensive 3-day option). So take that into account when pricing your shipping - it is often cheaper to ship by air, and you'll get your package faster.

Extra stuff they will charge you on for clearance (even for air shipments):

Bond Fee - 2.7% of duties and taxes, minimum $5.85, if they collect COD at the door.
COD Fee - $4.25, for collecting their money at the door.

You can avoid both Bond and COD fees by calling UPS and putting a credit card number down on your shipment before it clears customs. If you ship to a business name UPS will typically call you in advance to ask if you want to use another brokerage firm (businesses often contract all customs clearance out to a single firm - you even could set up an account with one if you wanted). When they call, you can opt to pre-pay your brokerage and avoid those extra charges (although you'll only get an estimate of the fees). Note that they VERY RARELY call if you ship to a personal name, and usually just show up at your door with a huge COD bill (so be pre-emptive and call them).

USPS (postal service) is always the better way to go for ground shipments, with a flat $5 to $8 clearance fee (sometimes they don't even charge). However the faster air mail services are generally more expensive than the lowest UPS Air offerings, so if you need it faster you can use UPS safely if you know what you're doing.

I have also noted that UPS is more likely to charge duty on items (that really should have duty), than Canada Post - I don't think I've ever been charged duty on anything from them.
Post 2 made on Friday March 5, 2010 at 12:14
djy
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Following on from Daniel's post, I was going to offer some guidance on importing into the UK, but I've since found this very helpful DHL link that covers it all.
OP | Post 3 made on Friday March 5, 2010 at 23:11
Daniel Tonks
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Yeah, the main problem over here is that UPS overcharges on ground-based customs clearance. It's very common to have a $50 item that you paid $20 shipping on, to also come with a $35 COD bill. When the same thing sent through the postal system may cost $10. This can be an issue as a lot of US companies *only* ship by UPS, because it's super cheap for internal US shipments.
Post 4 made on Wednesday March 10, 2010 at 00:33
anyhomeneeds
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Why is it such a PIA to ship anything to Canada?
"You can't fix stupid."
Post 5 made on Wednesday March 10, 2010 at 09:54
Trunk-Slammer -Supreme
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Fedex similar?
OP | Post 6 made on Wednesday March 10, 2010 at 17:43
Daniel Tonks
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FedEx Ground has *similar* brokerage charges to UPS, but are somewhat less expensive (maybe 15-25%). FedEx Air, like UPS, includes brokerage in the initial shipping cost.
Post 7 made on Friday March 12, 2010 at 12:08
EXT
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On March 10, 2010 at 00:33, anyhomeneeds said...
Why is it such a PIA to ship anything to Canada?

It is not "shipping to Canada" that is the problem, but that shipping companies capitalize on excessive charges to complete the paperwork to cross the border, both directions. I have done some importing on my own without a broker and it is easy, but curriers insist on either their own or a third party licensed broker to clear customs for the parcels that they are carrying.

Actually, shipping to the US, involves much more paperwork to be completed than shipping into Canada. I have done both. One example is that US customs requires either the receiver individual's social insurance number or the Company's tax number for items imported plus other red tape they throw at you.
Post 8 made on Friday March 12, 2010 at 15:29
djy
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And I thought it was bad enough importing into the UK.


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