Hey,
I recently won myself a new Alcatel Speedtouch DSL Modem off of eBay for about
$47 Cdn ($32 USD) and unfortunately the seller shipped it to me via UPS. Many of
us already know that shipping items to Canada via UPS is a terrible thing to do
- and this proved to be no exception, with the package arriving with a $61 Cdn
($41 USD) brokerage/duty fee when I should only have been charged about $7
Cdn ($5 USD) in taxes. I declined delivery and requested an explanation as to why
their fees were nearly a third greater than the value of the package and was told
by the UPS guy that they would look into the matter and then re-attempt delivery.
So I have three little questions:
1) Why does UPS charge such obscene brokerage fees?
2) Why does UPS charge borkerage fees when Fedex, DHL, Purolator and Canada Post don't?
3) If I refuse delivery, will the sender be asked to pay these fees upon return?
I figure that unless they drop their fee to < $15 cdn, I'll refuse delivery and then pay
the vendor to re-send my package via USPS at a likely savings of roughly $44 Cdn
($30 USD).
I recently won myself a new Alcatel Speedtouch DSL Modem off of eBay for about
$47 Cdn ($32 USD) and unfortunately the seller shipped it to me via UPS. Many of
us already know that shipping items to Canada via UPS is a terrible thing to do
- and this proved to be no exception, with the package arriving with a $61 Cdn
($41 USD) brokerage/duty fee when I should only have been charged about $7
Cdn ($5 USD) in taxes. I declined delivery and requested an explanation as to why
their fees were nearly a third greater than the value of the package and was told
by the UPS guy that they would look into the matter and then re-attempt delivery.
So I have three little questions:
1) Why does UPS charge such obscene brokerage fees?
2) Why does UPS charge borkerage fees when Fedex, DHL, Purolator and Canada Post don't?
3) If I refuse delivery, will the sender be asked to pay these fees upon return?
I figure that unless they drop their fee to < $15 cdn, I'll refuse delivery and then pay
the vendor to re-send my package via USPS at a likely savings of roughly $44 Cdn
($30 USD).
