Shopping Discussion

how much should i expect to pay for UPS if item valued @ 500?

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  • Jul 16th, 2011 9:49 pm
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Deal Addict
Sep 14, 2005
1425 posts
107 upvotes

how much should i expect to pay for UPS if item valued @ 500?

I'm debating whether i should get it .. seller from the states only uses UPS
how much should i expect to pay at the door?
thanks
13 replies
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 19, 2010
1800 posts
625 upvotes
Vancouver
Try to buy it some place else that does not use UPS. I would expect to pay atleast $50 if not more because most likely duties will be added. If the product was made in the USA they can't charge you for duty.
Deal Addict
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Jan 31, 2010
1722 posts
90 upvotes
Barrie
Ask the seller to use an Expedited UPS service instead of standard. That way brokerage is included in the cost of shipping. You'll still have to pay tax, but you wont have to pay brokerage.

If you cant do that I wouldnt bother, I've had some brokerage costs equal the cost of my item :( not saying that would happen to you but its really hard to guess what they'll charge you
Deal Addict
Feb 11, 2005
3419 posts
2071 upvotes
GVRD
chickibum wrote: Ask the seller to use an Expedited UPS service instead of standard. That way brokerage is included in the cost of shipping. You'll still have to pay tax, but you wont have to pay brokerage.

If you cant do that I wouldnt bother, I've had some brokerage costs equal the cost of my item :( not saying that would happen to you but its really hard to guess what they'll charge you

+1.

Ask the Seller to use UPS Worldwide. The Brokerage fee is included with this, and the service is also very fast from my experience.
Deal Addict
Apr 13, 2007
2344 posts
131 upvotes
scv wrote: +1.

Ask the Seller to use UPS Worldwide. The Brokerage fee is included with this, and the service is also very fast from my experience.

+1

But it may be a bit pricey, so you gotta weight the importance/speed/value...etc
Deal Addict
Jul 2, 2006
1668 posts
1441 upvotes
Toronto
You would have to pay close to $70 for UPS brokerage fee if you use UPS Standard and their customs clearance service. However, if you choose your own customs broker such as Bay City Brokers instead of UPS, you only need to pay $16 for shipment up to $499. Because your package is valued at US$500, the customs value would be less than CDN$499 so you only have to pay $16.

This way you can still use UPS Standard and avoid UPS fees.
Deal Addict
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Nov 26, 2007
1226 posts
130 upvotes
Barrie/Toronto
Find someone or somewhere to send it in the US or use a brokerage service. Last time I ordered something worth $500 seller said they would not send by UPS but did anyway, when it got to my door UPS said I had to pay almost $200 in brokerage & fees, I told them to shove it up their asses & to send it back.
My Ebay items for sale: HERE! :)
Newbie
Jul 23, 2005
12 posts
Toronto Ontario
depends where and the size or weight of the item... g'luck
Deal Fanatic
Mar 21, 2002
6826 posts
1482 upvotes
Manitoba
I think one of your kidneys should almost cover it :cheesygri
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 26, 2007
1226 posts
130 upvotes
Barrie/Toronto
woof wrote: I think one of your kidneys should almost cover it :cheesygri
+1

OooooR, first born child, that might work. No child? Sign here.... we'll be by to collect later.... muahahahaaha :twisted:
My Ebay items for sale: HERE! :)
Deal Addict
Mar 28, 2008
2076 posts
902 upvotes
ON
bst wrote: You would have to pay close to $70 for UPS brokerage fee if you use UPS Standard and their customs clearance service. However, if you choose your own customs broker such as Bay City Brokers instead of UPS, you only need to pay $16 for shipment up to $499. Because your package is valued at US$500, the customs value would be less than CDN$499 so you only have to pay $16.

This way you can still use UPS Standard and avoid UPS fees.

Be careful with BayCity, a bit of a scam, or at least very false/dishonest company. Only use them if you are willing to default to UPS fees if it doesn't work out. I got a less than $500 package and they still charged more than the $16 they quoted me in email. Asked them about it and He said I got similar stuff before so commercial rates apply (even though it's personal), no notice no explanation, just stick it on without saying anything (hoping I wouldnt notice). And the exchange rate was marked up about 2% over the rates Canada Customs sets for customs, and charged extra HST (like $2 higher than on the old UPS invoice still on the package - not big bucks, but still there). And so on it goes.

Tried to ask nicely about these things, got what seemed like a bit nasty reply, with several lies and contradicting information between paragraphs of even the same email, and said most people don't care (in other words don't check), and that if I wasn't happy with the invoice He would refuse it and send it back for UPS to handle (this was after receiving the package). And said that if I didnt pay by Monday morning (this was Saturday) He would reject it and wasn't going to talk to me again about it.

So I didn't have much choice but to pay the increased amount, since it still was some less than UPS. But it was too late to use USPS, which is what I would have done if I had known it was going to be that instead of the quoted rate. I thought for a little more it would be nice to use UPS, but not that much more.

FYI, The fees are based on the original value, not customs value (or probably whichever is higher actually). I had a package $500.09USD ($485 CDN) and it was still $25 fee.
Deal Addict
Jul 2, 2006
1668 posts
1441 upvotes
Toronto
^.....thanks for sharing your experience about Bay City Broker..... I personally never use them before so I can't give any comments about them. It seems like they shouldn't be trusted. :evil:

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