UPS Standard to Canada

Pros: Fast delivery
Cons: BROKERAGE CHARGE RIPOFF

I placed an order from an online store in the States a few months back, and it shipped by UPS. Well, for this $40 order, I was charged an additional $30ish for "Brokerage Fees". I paid, after being angry, and promptly forgot about it.

Well, this evening, I got home to a "Service Notice" notifying me about a $56.02 charge for an item that I bought on eBay for just over $120. NO MORE.

I WILL NEVER USE UPS TO SHIP FROM THE STATES EVER AGAIN.

Pros: none relative to other shipping methods
Cons: insane surprise brokerage fees

I shipped an item to Canada via UPS for the first time last week. My customer was hit up with $55 US in fees on two items worth $193 in total.

I pick up the majority of the fees for the customer. I would like to suggest to Canadians that when they ask that a seller not use UPS, they spell out United Parcel Service. It is too easy to confuse UPS with USPS. Similarly, when you ask for USPS shipping, spell out US Postal Service.

Pros: The package showed up.
Cons: HIDDEN FEE'S

I ordered a 52 dollar item off ebay and was hit with a 36 dollar charge.. only 6 dollars was actually money that went to customs.

These hidden fees are horrible I am not going to touch this company again with a ten foot pole.

Pros: Definitely none.
Cons: Slow shipping, incredibly high brokerage fees, trashed package

A week ago I bought for 44,32 US $ worth of goods from an Ebay store based in the United-States. The company wasn't overcharging me, or so did I think, making me pay 15,12 US $ for the shipping for two items.

When the package got home, however, I was charged 43,88 CAD $ brokerage fees for the items, which is 39,25 US $ with the current rates. All in all, I paid 54,37 US $ only to send the package a couple miles north across the border, which represents almost 123% of the items net value.

The box used to ship is a total wreck, at least the shipper took care of putting some bubble wrap inside, it barely saved its content.

Pros: NONE
Cons: everything you can think of

this is the most ridiculous fee. i was just delivered a package that was worth about 100$ and ended up paying 59$ in brokerage+taxes. since when was there some fee where you were required to pay almost 50% of the products worth!?!? definitely never using UPS again.

Pros: Brown trucks are sure nice to look at!
Cons: Just about everything else!

It's already been said numerous times but I will say it again. UPS brokerage charges are an absolute scam. Overpriced compared to other shipping companies and even more drastically overpriced when compared to actual brokerage companies that specialize in clearing items.

UPS and customer service are words that simply do not go together. In a nutshell, they don't have any.

Heaven forbid you should have a problem with a shipment as trying to get insurance out of them is like pulling teeth and more often then not your claim will be denied.

I have also just recently learned that most of their delivery guarantees into another country are null and void if there are any customs delays. How cool is that! UPS is going to charge you a ton of money for not only shipping the item, but also to look after clearing it with customs.............but if something goes bad, don't look to us to honour our service guarantees as we just blame customs in your country! UPS offers a guarantee and then has a dozen different ways to get out of it! PERFECT!

Pros: great way to waste 2 hours of your day on the phone!
Cons: brokerage fee is highway robbery!

I customized shoes at the adidas store in NY and they said they would ship it to me in Toronto free of charge (I paid for the shoes in store) To my suprise and utter disdain I was being charged an $85 C.O.D fee... $34 in taxes and $51 in brokerage fees on an item that is listed as $0 duty!! What can brown do for me? At least they chose an appropriate colour to describe themselves!! Anyways, I called UPS and the lady told me that any item that is being shipped with a CAD $20 or less value will not be charged a brokerage fee for ground shipping. If the item is shipped by air, there is no Brokerage fee (incl in shipping fee). Moral of the story: NEVER USE UPS TO SHIP FROM US TO CANADA!!

Pros: tracking system via the internet is interesting in determining the whereabouts of items.
Cons: extraordinary fees attached, without prior notice, to any items being shipped from usa.

I have now been "burnt twice" by using ups. Our friends made the mistake of shipping us a gift from Boston. The gift (worth 89.00) cost us 67.00 more upon delivery. A dress recently purchased online, was shipped ups and an cost an extra 55% upon delivery. I would suggest that if buying from the states, even new items, that you determine what shipper is being used beforehand. Anything that I have purchased using fedex has never had a brokerage fee attached. Down with UPS!!!

Pros: None. Average delivery time, nothing special.
Cons: HUGE rip off. Brokerage fees almost $50 on a documented NAFTA covered item ($0 duty)

Buying a product from the States that fell under NAFTA, I simply assumed my shipping costs were paid and I was not going to be putting out any more money. Well, UPS made sure that wasn't true. Despite knowing that there was no duty, I was charged almost $50 Can. by UPS to figure out the duty. Yup, they charged my to figure out a duty that they knew was not applicable. I didn't mind having to pay the GST on the product, but having to pay UPS to have them calculate duty on something they know will be duty free because it's been shipped with documentation that it falls completely under NAFTA is ludicrous and, in my opinion, nearly criminal.

Pros: They ship things. Also, they update their tracking numbers often.
Cons: USPS is cheaper in every respect, and just as dependable.

I'd rather just post a picture than describe how I feel about UPS's deceptive, mediocre service. http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=upsstandardvg7.jpg

Pros: None
Cons: You name it, they rip off Canadians!!

I ordered some camping equipment which arrived via UPS in three boxes. I was charged $35 for each box even though they arrived in the same shipment and were cleared at the same time. Regardless of the cost UPS automatically adds $35. Somehow, the post office can clear items for only $5.

Pros: Nothing
Cons: Everything

I recently had an item shipped from the United States to my home in Calgary. When it arrived I was shocked to learn that I owed UPS over $85 in tax and brokerage fees. That is over 1/5 the value of the item and a complete rip off! A couple of years earlier I had a new set of golf clubs shipped from Texas, there again, I was charged outrageous fees of well over $100. What really made me angry is that they left the golf clubs sitting on front porch in plain sight for anyone to steal!

Pros: There are other companies out there!
Cons: Poor customer service, problems happen everywhere, it is how they are dealt with that matters.

UPS has the worst customer service ever! They do not care about their customer. They will not admit their mistakes and when you insist to talk to a supervisor, they put you on hold forever. Being put through to a voice mail and being told they will call back within 2 business days is not my idea of customer service. They are certainly not the only courier company out there. I have had an account with them for 3 or 4 years, but no more. A simple apology is all it would take from them but they are too arrogant for that. Consider yourself warned, when there is a problem, they don't want to deal with it.

Pros: None. Offers similar to any shipping company. Potential financial incentive for shippers.
Cons: Massive hidden fees. Lousy customer service which borders on rudeness.

United Parcel Service (UPS) charged me $16 to import an item worth $20 from the U.S. into Canada.

It's possible to reduce this charge by calling UPS by phone and paying all the fees in advance by credit card. Tracking number is required so the item should be en route!

UPS acts as its own broker when shipping items across the border, allowing the company to charge outrageous fees comparable to the price of a relatively cheap package.

First try to get the shipper to use another shipping company. Failing that, review the following page for UPS customs fees:

http://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs_clearance.html

Note that the following services: UPS Express Plus, Express, and Expedited Services offer to waive the Brokerage Fees. However, keep in mind that these are much more expensive services, and you'll still have to pay taxes on the value of the goods over $20 for a commercial shipment (and $60 for a personal shipment), and note that there are also "disbursement" fees AND a separate fee for COLLECTING the money from YOU! This fee is the one UPS waives when you pay willingly by credit card beforehand.

My advice is to stay away from this cheater of a company.

Pros: Tracking... not much else.
Cons: Same speed as USPS airmail, ripoff hidden charges that you wouldn't be charged with UPS.

I had a package sent from California to here, in Toronto. It took 5 business days exactly. That's not much faster than USPS airmail. It costs more too, but you get tracking and insurance included.

The item I received was marked as a gift worth $10US. I got slapped with $21.34 Canadian for brokerage fees, customs duties, handling fees, taxes, and some other stuff I never heard of. Wow, absolutely ridiculous. AVOID UPS AT ALL COSTS!