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UPS and other private carriers use their own brokerage and those fees are outrageous! For example I bought a Bud sign with a closing bid of $12.00 from Florida. With shipping I ended up sending a US Funds check for $30.23. I thought at the time shipping was a bit much and rechecked the rate with the seller. No change was indicated. Knowing it was UPS would have explained the higher shipping costs. Not to mention... you are required to be there for days during only 2 shipping attempts. Other wise its off to Purolator or UPS to pick the item up. So I paid for that? By the way none of the specialty couriers mentioned herein deliver to a PO box so endless days of delay and constant reminding them of what the new re-directed address follows along with the item. Read ON! You won't believe your eyes! But this is FACT!
When the item arrived much to my surprise by UPS
there were additional charges of $43.62 on the item.
UPS opened the item and figured the item was worth $149.50! How they
came up with that I am not sure since the sellers invoice contained inside
read only $12.00. UPS charges as per their invoice to me on this item are
as follows:
UPS charges:
Additional fees charged on package arrival...
$10.00 Customs & GST
+1.89 Brokerage GST
+0.28 COD GST
+$22.50 Entry Prep Fee
+4.50 Disbursement Fee
+4.00 COD Surcharges
_______
$43.17 sub total
+$28.07 CNDN-- ($18.23 US original shipping fees paid to the seller)
______
$71.24 TOTAL FEES COLLECTED BY UPS!
+$18.48 CNDN--$12.00 US Item closing bid.
$89.72 TOTAL-- in CNDN dollars
do do this $12.00 deal!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S BIGTIME
NUTS!
This kind of "HOSE-JOB" is absolutely intolerable and grossly unnecessary!!!!!!!!!!!!! No American would put up with this if we did it to them! Now if you send to the US using UPS this same event will occur for your US buyer and believe me they will be pissed off at you bigtime! No end to negative feedback there... SCREW THAT! You as seller or buyer can control all of this in advance by getting informed.
Now if the seller had followed our original agreement and sent the item via Airmail as originally requested & agreed on the additional charges would have been as follows....
$12.50 shipping via Airmail insured.
7.35 Customs GST
5.00 Entry Prep fee
______
$24.85
+18.48 CNDN- for the item.
______
$43.33 total.
All items sent via private courier services
arrived with charges as you saw above.
BEWARE most Ebay sellers DO
NOT TELL YOU HOW THEY WILL SHIP YOUR ITEM.
Make sure you know how that will be done and even check those rates
with the carrier yourself. You have the opportunity to specify this during
your conversations with the seller. Some say postage and they ship via
UPS. UPS type carriers generally costs about 25% more just for shipping.
Estimated shipping costs can be calculated for you on the USPS United States
Postal service site, Canada Post site and even on the UPS web site. Using
these web sites, shipment costs can be estimated within $1.00! Make sure
the seller understands how to ship your item.
GET INFORMED BEFORE YOU SEND YOUR MONEY!
Here are the URL's:
http://www.canadapost.ca
http://ircalc.usps.gov/menu.asp
http://www.purolator.com
http://www.ups.com
On closer inspection of the UPS invoice I also found my original quote from the seller for $18.23 was also over what the actual UPS cost was of $14.00! What???? $4.00+ for looking good? SCREW THAT TOO!
What happened to the customer is always
right?
I happen to be both seller and very active Ebay buyer and that gives
people like myself an unique perspective as to how to better serve and...
be served internationally.
When you are the customer it is your preferences which should be followed.
After all... you pay for it! Sure Ebay is fun and handy but when it comes
down to it... its BUSINESS! Canadians or others should not be made to feel
that its a privilege to buy from our American friends just because its
Ebay. Having lived in Arizona for 15 years and now back in Canada for 22
years, served in the US military, been in business for 25 years on both
sides, married an American... (imported you know) ...I found... business
is business on both sides of the boarder its not just some CB club as some
seem to think! Some will say "well that's exactly why I don't ship out
of the US. Its a hassle." That's BS and a "cop out"! Its no skin off anyone's
nose to have to go to the post office. After all the buyer has to in order
to send their money! Its the least they could do to ensure a successful
transaction with you.
BEWARE... UPS, Purolator &
Fed Ex will charge $25.00+ brokerage fees on items valued at $12.00 US
and up.
Yes... I find it unreal that some unqualified UPS idiot opens my $12.00
package and figures its worth $149.50! Needless to say I am fighting these
charges big time. This will definitively explain why I have adopted the
policy of refusing UPS type carrier shipment of my items and demanding
a refund. I know its not fair to the seller but its not fair to you as
the buyer in the first place primarily when your agreement said nothing
of using a private carrier.
Worried about Negative feedback? So what! That
can work both ways too folks when agreements such as methods of shipping
are broken or ignored!
INSURANCE CLAIMS:
Always pay for the insurance!!! It is worth it
and generally cost about $0.85US per hundred value.
2- Insurance claims to US Postal Service are completed and paid within
30 days of product damage date.
5- Insurance claims for damaged goods shipped via private carriers
are all still outstanding from January 1999!
This total is $300.00 US!
With all due respect... Do the math! Get informed and make your shipping requests clear to the seller. Its your money and after all you are bringing the seller the business! If you are a buyer setting up a US funds account is recommended and most banks can support this request offering very nice options. Using international Money Orders is also suggested. Note that USPS offers two different kinds of MO's. One for use in the US and Possessions only and one for us internationally. MO's that say "Negotiable only in the US" can not be cashed in Canada. These simple times ultimately make your transaction much smoother when dealing in US funds.
When arranging delivery simply inform the Canadian/ US seller all they
have to do is fill out a 2"X 3" CN22 form & possibly a CP72 Customs
Declaration form, depending on value and mail the item. That's ALL! These
forms are the same for use in North America and abroad. If any Duty and
Taxes are owing Canada Customs or the US Postal Service will apply those
and charge you about $5.00 for the
brokerage of the item which you will have to pay at either end. Its
the law in both Canada, the US and most other countries. Always,
always pay for the Insurance if you need it as its cheap about $0.85 per
$100.00 in value. It only takes one time... that will make you realize
you should have bought it. Communicate more as buyer or seller! Remember
there are real people reading your email and they do care! Don't be afraid
to ask questions to clarify and document matters. Be friendly and kind
as that same treatment will be bestowed on you in return. Be fair. Over-use
email and find those ways to make your transactions enjoyable, smooth and
cost efficient. 99% of sellers are very happy to comply with any requests
on both sides of the boarder as are 99% of buyers in accommodating
methods of payment.
CLICK HERE
FOR "KINGOFBUD" PREFERRED & SIMPLIFIED SHIPPING
PACKAGING/ SHIPPING:
When shipping internationally take care to adequately
package your items. The rule of MORE IS BETTER
applies nicely when sending breakables or anything through the mail. The
more you can do to protect the item... the better! Pop corn fillers (styro-foam)
are highly recommended as they don't add much weight but provide superior
protection for the item. Find a box in mint condition twice the size
of the item. If the item is a plastic or glass device, sign, tray or such...
bubble pack the item first then encase it within an adequate layer of popcorn.
Bubble packing all item types for safety doesn't hurt. Place the item in
the middle and firmly pack the rest of the box to cover the item with 2-3
inches or better with popcorn on all sides. Over filling the box with popcorn
just a bit to snug the item before taping the box closed also works to
ensure the item is secured to the best of your ability. Two things are
considered by the postal services when figuring shipping costs. Package
size and weight so keep that in mind. Use the calculators in the links
above. They work! Typically using newsprint to package items weighs
more and really does not provide much in the way of protection as it
compresses from travel allowing the item to move within the box. Popcorn
does not do this. Using the above simple method will ensure you have done
the very best you can do for that items long journey! Use common sense!
