Online shopping: Germany->Canada. Anybody done this?

[Plimogz]

I'm looking to order some bicycle tires from Germany. The price is right. The only thing holding me back is some bad experiences with brokerage fees when stuff I ordered from the States was shipped via UPS Ground a couple of years back.

So this German site uses DHL to ship to Canada. Bike tires don't get duty levied on them. Tax will be 13.9. The only question mark that still remains is brokerage. I believe it'll be 2.5% or 7$, which is fine, but maybe somebody around here's done this kind of thing before. (well I'm sure somebody has...question is, will they notice this thread...)

Thanks for any help anyone can come up with.

 

[Colt45]

I'm fairly sure DHL charges more than that for brokerage, fedex and UPS certainly do, but I can't recall if I've gotten anything out of country via DHL.

Although going from here it sounds right:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/dhl-brokerage-accurate-information-547986/

 

[Plimogz]

Thanks for the reply, Colt45! Both you and that thread have been extremely helpful. I'm cautiously optimistic that 7$ is all I'll have to pay extra.

Cheers 🙂

 

[Jimmah]

From what I poorly remember you can pay in advance at a gov office the brokerage fee then take this reciept to dhl/ups and tell them to eff off on their ridiculous 'convenience' fee.

I'm probably off a bit on the details, it is tequila night.

 

[Plimogz]

I'd consider paying in advance if it amounted to saving 20+$. On the other hand, if 7$ affords me the convenience of just sitting on my backside and waiting for my delivery to come to me, I'd do that without hesitation. And beyond 40$ I'd pretty much have to reevaluate how good of a deal this really is.

**

So I was reading that thread over at RFD, and was all keyed up to pull the trigger when a so-called DHL "Customs Brokerage Fee Schedule" in the very last post sort of spooked me.

What does it say about me that I can't identify which of these items apply to a box-full of German bicycle tires?

 

[Plimogz]

dp