Article about how bad UPS Canada sucks!

[Paradigm-Shift Prime]

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/281890

I love the lame ways the UPS people try to defend themselves (that a Canada Customs person says they are lying right after, near the bottom of the article).

They try to say it is all tax and speeding parcels through the customs system when really they do the unreasonable damage with their 'brokerage' fees that are always around 30-50% of the damn cost of the item in the first place.

I never accept UPS unless I am buying something I really really need and can't get elsewhere. Once a seller from ebay shipped using UPS when I had paid for USPS so since then I always message sellers after a win and remind them to stick to the shipping method contractually agreed upon in their listing and my purchase.

[RavageX-9]

I had heard about this. Is it the same with FedEx? Is USPS the only service safe to use when importing?

[Paradigm-Shift Prime]

I had heard about this. Is it the same with FedEx? Is USPS the only service safe to use when importing?

Yep USPS is the only good method as far as I know.

[QuadESL63]

UPS... where should I start? :rolleyes:

The Calgary UPS pickup depot is the worst compare to the competitors. A couple of weeks ago I (and other people) have to wait for an hour in the cold just to pick up something because a) they have a tiny pickup office in Calgary in case you have missed the delivery attempts and b) there is only 1 person working! :mad: Oh, and this is not the first time I have been in the line for that long over there. They even posted a sign on the wall saying swearing, screaming, won't get you very far: they says they will decline service if you did. Go figure.

Also, a lot of people in the line who has arranged to pickup their stuffs after missed delivery attempts came out empty hand because the nice folks @ UPS screwed up the process. There was a folk who drove all the way from Red Deer because UPS told him his parcel is ready for pick up @ the Calgary depot turned out they have it somewhere in Red Deer instead of Calgary.

I don't mind if there is only one pickup location if you have missed a delivery attempt. FedEx has the same setup but at least they have 2-3 people working at the counters and have a big warm office for you to wait inside. Same for Purolator.

And their (in)famous "hidden" custom clearance fees with the Ground/Standard service. UPS at their finest.

[Spacemonkey]

For what i read about UPS excessive fees, it's freaking a little bit. I bought a digital camera on TigerDirect.ca (they have stores in ontario too I think) and the delivery is done by UPS, but strangely the camera is chipped from US. TigerDirect dindnt charge me sales taxes, only the camera and shippign so I don't know what will happen. In my idea, because i bought from the canadian branch of a retailer, except the sale taxes, i'm not suposed to pay anything else like costum brokerage for example.

[Super_Megatron]

Fuck UPS!

[-KG-]

UPS isn't the only one. I had to pay around $70 earlier this year in brokerage fees from DHL. I will not buy anything online unless it's shipped via USPS or Canada Post.

[Pascal]

USPS is the way to go.

[TTT]

Fuck UPS!
Boy....that says it all right there - 'nuff said !

For what i read about UPS excessive fees, it's freaking a little bit. I bought a digital camera on TigerDirect.ca (they have stores in ontario too I think) and the delivery is done by UPS, but strangely the camera is chipped from US. TigerDirect dindnt charge me sales taxes, only the camera and shippign so I don't know what will happen. In my idea, because i bought from the canadian branch of a retailer, except the sale taxes, i'm not suposed to pay anything else like costum brokerage for example.
OUCH !
Get your wallet ready at the door with cash !
If it goes over the border......well read what Super_Megatron wrote !

[tilallr1]

YEH !!! I second the FUCK UPS, DHL & FEDEX. FUCK them all. Only use USPS. Otherwise don't make the purchase.

The really funny thing is UPS, DHL & FEDEX all cost alot more than USPS to ship anything. So they fuck you on shipping then fuck you again to get your item? Don't let them fuck you folks. Fuck them, always use USPS.

[Paradigm-Shift Prime]

Thirdsies on 'Fuck UPS!'

They are scum. I'm glad that privatization leads to increased efficiency and reduced cost to the consumer (that doesn't count as a political statement does it?)

[cannabisprime]

They are scum. I'm glad that privatization leads to increased efficiency and reduced cost to the consumer (that doesn't count as a political statement does it?)

Aren't courier companies the privatized counterpart of a public postal service?

I'm no fan of the brokerage fees either; then again, Canada Post is no different with their "handling fees charge" every time your parcel gets inspected by customs.

..just saying..

[miasboytoy]

my words exactly will never ever use them again!!!! even if i really want/need it. their brokerage fees are rediculous. my girlfriend works at a customs brokerage so i kinda know what goes on now after she explained thins to me. its a overinfalted brokerage fee and doesnt reflect any extra work at all in speeding things up into canada!!!!! plain and simple they rip you off!!!

Fuck UPS!

[miasboytoy]

an $8 handling fee is better than a $40-45 brokerage fee from ups. i think that was what i got charged on top of taxes. the guy put down a $200 even though i only paid $100 for it. so all in all i got a final total of $75 in customs and taxes!!!! bs!!! btw the bill didnt come till 3 weeks after i recieved the toy.

Aren't courier companies the privatized counterpart of a public postal service?

I'm no fan of the brokerage fees either; then again, Canada Post is no different with their "handling fees charge" every time your parcel gets inspected by customs.

..just saying..

[Pascal]

And what happens if you just ignore the bill? Collection agency?

[MangaSpawn64]

When I bought my Iron-Man statue from Sideshow, it cost me 70 bucks shipping PLUS 70 bucks in brokerage fees and taxes :eek: That's more than half the statue's worth in shipping alone...

Let's hope if I can score the Stealth version (I'm on the wait list - finger crossed !) I can ask for USPS air mail shipping or something similar.

Edit: on another note, I bought a tv tuner card from NCIX (based in BC, Vancouver I think) on thursday 29th at around 11h am and it was at my door at noon the next day :eek: Purolator express really IS express !!!

[soundwaveCA]

Fuck UPS!

Pretty much says it all right there.

[Batman]

I bought the GTAIII Kubrick box set for $50 from Rockstar. UPS sent them and charged me $40 brokerage. MOTHERFU#$ERS!!!!!! Since then, never again will I buy anything shipped by UPS. There is a reason why they are called Brown.............

[Cobra Zartan]

Least you guys have other options for shipping companys. UPS in my city does fedex dhl and one other company. We had to remove them from all our accounts when we got items from our suppliers as everything was opened or had bootholes in the sides of them, and 99% of them couldn't speak english or were just plain stupid.

[Tech Spec]

Fuck it.... FUCK COURIER COMPANIES!

[RavageX-9]

an $8 handling fee is better than a $40-45 brokerage fee from ups. i think that was what i got charged on top of taxes. the guy put down a $200 even though i only paid $100 for it. so all in all i got a final total of $75 in customs and taxes!!!! bs!!! btw the bill didnt come till 3 weeks after i recieved the toy.
I don't think this applies to UPS (although they might have a similar process), I know it applies to taxes paid at the border when sent by USPS. If the value is incorrectly marked, you should be able to send them proof of it's value to try and get some of that money back.

Does anyone know if places like UPS and FexEx charge these over-inflated customs handling fees for gifts, or just merchandise?