UPS outrages brokerage charges

[parkbrau]

Originally Posted by L78M22Rag

I've gotten to where I don't insure any international postal shipments because both Canada Post and USPS hand-off the shipment. The one time I had a claim, USPS simply blamed Canada Post, and vice versa. I never got a dime out of either of them.

I have also had issues with UPS and will avoid them at all cost! They've tried to charge me $50 brokerage on a $9 item and, when I told them to return it to the sender, they caved in. They've also tried to charge me four separate brokerage fees on four tires (marked 1 of 4, etc.). That took a couple of hours on the phone over several days with numerous "managers" to straighten out. I'd rather pay USPS more than what UPS quotes, because a UPS quote costs more when it arrives.

Back at Christmas, I had a UPS driver get stuck at the end of my driveway. I offered to pull him out, but he said his tow was on its way. When I came back with our dinner, there were two UPS trucks back to back... tied together with a ratchet strap. You guessed it... they were both stuck. Five minutes later, I had them both out (with their tires just a spinning as I pulled them out).

Should have sent them a bill.

[CamaroNOS]

The best way to handle this issue is do what I do.

I live an hour away from the Port Huron MI border.

So I have the parts shipped to a UPS store in Port Huron (or any other company that accepts parcels and that is a BIG business these days along the Canadian/US border) and then I go over and pick them up myself. Because the parts are for personal use, there is no need for a broker and you do not get hammered with any extremely high brokerage fees or crazy shipping rates that exist here in Canada. The company I have them shipped to in Port Huron only charges $5/box handling fees and that is a great deal.

You then cross back into Canada and pay the duty (if any) and the lovely GST and you are done!

Paul