brokerage company

[Evil Baby]

Does anybody have any experience dealing with a brokerage company? My new printing company is based in the U.S.A. and most of my material will be shipped to Canada.

Since I live so close to the border I have two options.

Get a brokerage company(not sure what their fees are usually like), pay them and not have to waste my time doing anything else.
Get the package shipped to a U.S. address near the border and pick it up myself, then re-ship from Canada.

I'm thinking option A may be better but I guess it would depend on the fees I have to pay. I have no experience dealing with brokerage companies so I'm just looking for a little feedback.

[badur1]

I've used Dilas for my commercial brokerage. works well and super easy. Not sure if they are the cheapest but they are quick and efficient.

For some basic prices you can check here.
http://www.dilas.ca/prices.php

[PianoGuy]

I just imported $32 of product from the USA. DHL charged me $10 to clear it through customs. Because of where I live, it's not practical for me to do it myself any more. Are there any cheaper solutions for low value shipments?

[Squageli]

Last time I imported a sizable order from Taiwan for my business I did all the brokerage work myself. The customs office near Toronto is open 24/7 and they have computer stations where you input your information. It was sooooo easy and I was out of there in under 30 minutes. I went late on a Saturday night and there were 2 other people there. If they have an office in your area you can do it yourself and save $$.

[Evil Baby]

thanks.

I'm looking at 20 orders in the next few weeks then expect 2 to 3 orders a week to come through customs. Guess I'll have to decide how my time and effort are worth? The first link was charging $25 flat fee which is too much. I'd just get it shipped to the States for that price. I can get a 24/7 UPS store for 180 for the year( a little pricey but they are 24/7 and then they charge me $1.50 per package.

The one benefit of that is, the UPS store is down the street from Sams Club so it makes it easier for me to drop over and gas more than once a week.

I'll just have to hope the self service center isn't in Fort Erie. If it is at the Rainbow, Lewiston or lower bridge then I'm set for the most part.

[NEMESIS_2008]

Last time I imported a sizable order from Taiwan for my business I did all the brokerage work myself. The customs office near Toronto is open 24/7 and they have computer stations where you input your information. It was sooooo easy and I was out of there in under 30 minutes. I went late on a Saturday night and there were 2 other people there. If they have an office in your area you can do it yourself and save $$.

Where is this office located? I want to make a fairly large sized order of uniforms from america and don't want to get raped on brokerage and customs fees from ups like from before. Is the office located in fort erie? That is what ups told me if I want to clear by myself, which is too far for me to drive.

[Squageli]

Where is this office located? I want to make a fairly large sized order of uniforms from america and don't want to get raped on brokerage and customs fees from ups like from before. Is the office located in fort erie? That is what ups told me if I want to clear by myself, which is too far for me to drive.

It's in Mississuaga. Here is the link http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/contact/listin...fice810-e.html. It is quite the ride to this place. It feels like you're going to drive on to a runway.

Just make sure you have all of your paper work ie. original bill of lading, commercial invoice & I can't remember if there is anything else.

[NEMESIS_2008]

So how come ups is saying I have to clear it in fort erie? How does the clearing process work? Do I clear it in Mississauga and then fax ups the documents?

[Squageli]

I don't know the answer to your question. My order that I cleared myself enter Canada in B.C. and I cleared it in the GTA but it was held in a GTA warehouse. UPS probably has to arrange that the shipment be cleared at its destination? I am sure Canada Border Services can answer your question.

[grant]

I imagine a discount brokerage can help you out for about $10/order. Especially since all of your shipments should fall under the same code.

However, if you can wait and do all the orders at once (let's say weekly) then maybe it's worth your time to do it that way.

To start with, you should visit the brokerages that inevitably cluster around your preferred port of entry and ask them what you could do.

[Evil Baby]

I ended up just getting a US address at one of the local UPS stores. $90 for six months which is a little pricey but it gives me 24 hour access to the store which is great for me. Its only about a 13 minute drive from my house and I can hit Sams Club while I'm there(hours dependent of course). The company shipping my product from the States to Canadian addresses was charging too much for the Canadian leg of the shipment. So now everything gets shipped to NF New York, and I will just reship from NF Canada.

It should help me save $15 - $70 an order depending on where in Canada it is has to go.

[Lizz__20]

I've used Dilas for my commercial brokerage. works well and super easy. Not sure if they are the cheapest but they are quick and efficient.

For some basic prices you can check here.
http://www.dilas.ca/prices.php

I am going to look in to them. My shipments are all low value and my broker is charging fees of $33 up to $50 value, $38 up to $500, and $68 for up to $1600, $8.75 per additional classification line, and a minimum disbursement fee of $10. The first few shipments were of higher value and they were cheaper than the first place I called so I stuck with them, but Dilas looks way cheaper. I'm going to start using USPS for really small orders, but some items are too big or heavy. Too bad about the extra $50 for the first shipment, but it won't take too long to recover that in savings.