F-ing UPS Brokerage fees: Fighting back and saving money

[Proudfoot]

I recently ordered two items for my 3. A gearshift came through the USPS without any brokerage charges.

I ordered a Passenger side mount from California. It was to be shipped through Fed Ex and I thought it was going to be a better experience than I have had with UPS. I was pissed to see that Revolution Performance Motorsports ended up using UPS to ship my item. They were cool but had no idea about the fees that were about to be thrown on me once it was "brokered" across the border.
So, check this: the fees for my mount for the brokering, including GST and PST and for the item, were to be $98. WTF! I learned this before the delivery guy showed up and thought that there is something I must be able to do about this. I did some searching on the Net and discovered that YOU can be your own broker and save some money.

What I did was this:
1. Let the UPS people know, once your item has crossed into Canada, that you wish to act as your own broker.
2. Have them email a form that is known as the "Cargo Control Document" to you.
3. Take this to the Canadian Border Security Agency (on Britannia Road at Lester B Pearson) + your invoice + ID and explain that you would like to act as your own
Broker.
4. They will review your docs and charge you and give you back the "Cargo Control Document" that you will send back to UPS (scan and email it) and then UPS will drop the bullshit fees they levy against us.

I went through this process and had my mount in 24 hours once I went out to the CBSA at Pearson AND my final Brokerage charge was only $33! I saved $65

If some of you have done this before, your procedure may have been different. I only got this idea from some dude in Calgary who was pissed about the whole process of being screwed over for fees and took matters into his own hands.

Have a wicked weekend, all!
Marc

[S.F.W.]

Have done this before, but generally find it easier to just pay a broker. I have used Bay city Brokers before.
The $33 savings is great, the time it would take me to call UPS, get the form, go down to pearson, pay the amount, etc. Not so great.

[optiklenz13]

Or just use bay city brokers.. There's a thread on this regarding brokerage. It should be stickied.

I would link it but I'm on my phone..

[SomeGuy]

Have done this before, but generally find it easier to just pay a broker. I have used Bay city Brokers before.
The $33 savings is great, the time it would take me to call UPS, get the form, go down to pearson, pay the amount, etc. Not so great.

On S.F.W.'s recommendation I used Bay City Brokers for all of the Corksport Group Buys I did...saved us a pile of money. Its strikes a reasonable balance between the crazy brokerage charges and full DIY.

Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy to figure out what things will actually cost.

Another couple tips:

On car parts...if they're made in the USA you can get NAFTA paperwork done to ensure you don't pay the 6% duty on car parts as well.

If paying in USD, get a credit card that doesn't charge foreign currency conversion fees. That's usually 2.5% over and above exchange on most cards, so it's one more place to save money. Amazon.ca has a Visa that is backed by Chase that doesn't charge it...I believe a lot of other Chase cards are the same deal.

[Proudfoot]

Thanks! I will check out these guys. It did take a lot of time, on my part.

[Thrizzl3]

Sometimes the charges can be outrageous. Most often they are half the price of the product ordered. The reaction on the customer face when I tell them the price makes me want to just back away...slowly and drive off

[trance|ghost]

also why I stopped using ups or purealator

[jeff7670]

I think everyone has been screwed by UPS before. I'm amazed they are in business. Why does it seem exclusive to them?

[Prezi]

I don't understand why people wont just ship to CBI USA and pick up their stuff?? laziness....

[S.F.W.]

I don't understand why people wont just ship to CBI USA and pick up their stuff?? laziness....

Time, not lazy. 1.5 hour drive each way, plus time waiting at the border, plus at least half a tank of gas. All that just gets you out of duty fees, not tax. Unless you don't declare the item coming back across the border, in that scenario, if you get caught, you are screwed, for a very long time.

[Prezi]

Time, not lazy. 1.5 hour drive each way, plus time waiting at the border, plus at least half a tank of gas. All that just gets you out of duty fees, not tax. Unless you don't declare the item coming back across the border, in that scenario, if you get caught, you are screwed, for a very long time.

It's a 50 min drive for me... but yeah, you're right - but it also depends on how much your are spending... and how much stuff. Waiting time at the boarder is negligible, depending on when you drive over (early Saturday mornings are light). I usually order a variety of stuff over time and make one pick up - also helps make it a day trip with the family.

[mazdaagain]

You only get ripped off if the shipping is UPS Basic service. If one of the higher UPS shipping services then the brokerage is included in the shipping charge.

Discount stores and eBay usually use the cheapest possible shipping.

[Como]

I ordered from revolution. They shipped with FedEx and I got dinged with brokerage fees.

[mazdaagain]

I ordered from revolution. They shipped with FedEx and I got dinged with brokerage fees.

The issue isn't brokerage fees. Most of the time you have to pay them. UPS brokerage fees are excessive.

[Thrizzl3]

You only get ripped off if the shipping is UPS Basic service. If one of the higher UPS shipping services then the brokerage is included in the shipping charge.

Discount stores and eBay usually use the cheapest possible shipping.

Not only the basic service..also the express, express saver and expedited. They will slap a C.O.D. charge on just about any service level nowadays.

[m_bisson]

I got a package in Monday from FedEx and it was only $10 for the brokerage fee.