Don't ship UPS to Canada!!!

[jsoong]

I am sure you all know this, but just in case .... a warning about using UPS to ship stuff from US into Canada.

I just received an order from the US, and UPS charges over $30 for their brokerage fee ... this to collect $3 in GST!!

They charge $20 as a brokerage fee, then $6 for the "bond fee" for the GST, and finally to top it all off, a $5 fee to collect their fee!!!

<And all the fees are hidden under layers of fine prints in their website.>

Needless to say, all these fees ate up any savings we had ordering on-line.

Well, my advice to all Canucks: DON"T ship using UPS. The Post Office (USPS) is far more reasonable & just as reliable!

 

[Ruadh]

I'm sorry to hear you got nailed like that.
I got nailed seveal years ago and havn't used them since.
There are venders in the States that won't use anything else, I won't do business with them either.
We sure get ripped off enough, don't we?

 

[mgamer20o0]

what was it? i sent some wood there last year but the guy never said anything about any fees on his end. i been looking into shipping some hardy plants to canada to see if they make it. i am always asked if i will ship there but i been saying no.

 

[Ruadh]

what was it? i sent some wood there last year but the guy never said anything about any fees on his end. i been looking into shipping some hardy plants to canada to see if they make it. i am always asked if i will ship there but i been saying no.

Shipping to Canada via US postal service is just fine, never had a problem.
Sometimes it comes through without any duty at all.
The problem is UPS themselves, they screw us something awful on extra duties.

 

[mgamer20o0]

yea i sent it ups since it was heavy and i could ship ground with them vs air with usps. what happend to the open boarders crap nafta was about lol

 

[GoldfishNewbie]

this is obviously super old, but does anyone know where to order fish in BC? our local pet store has a terrible selection, and they overcharge on everything

 

[Mr. Limpet]

and finally to top it all off, a $5 fee to collect their fee!!!

That's got to be illegal.

Sent from my Epic 4G using Aquarium

 

[jsoong]

this is obviously super old, but does anyone know where to order fish in BC? our local pet store has a terrible selection, and they overcharge on everything

You might want to set up a new thread so people can see & answer.

I know Gold Aquarium in Calgary will ship livestock. They have good quality fish & prices are good. I've never use their shipping service tho, as I usu. just drive the 3 hr on my way to visit my mom.

J&L Aquatics from Vancouver is a good place from what I heard. They have mostly SW fish, and prices are higher than others.

For Dry goods, try MOPS out of Toronto, or Big Al's (various stores in all provinces ... even one in Greater Vancouver.)

 

[Hazzard]

I had similar problem. They charged 60 brokerage fee!
I live 1/2 hour from the border so what I've done is signed up for American address rental. Costs 5 bucks per package and usually web site offers free shipping
Along with there vastly cheaper pricing and sales tax
Load the family in the truck and head to the states for the day fill up your gas tank for half price and get some groceries and drive home !
So far have used foster and smith
And big ALS USA site. Way cheaper

 

[j2112j]

this is obviously super old, but does anyone know where to order fish in BC? our local pet store has a terrible selection, and they overcharge on everything

I have been told a place in Burnaby called Islandpets is nice. The owner bought out BigAl's. He also owns his own coral farm.

On another note.
I had priced a few things out on BigAl's website and then went in to my local outlet. The prices however were much higher.
The short version is that I left feeling the guy I had spoken to was untrustworthy. I couldn't even access the USA site using his laptop, kept redirecting me to the Canadian site. Guess they had it blocked. Not cool.
He did say that the USA stores will not ship to Canada.
I found that to be hard to believe but I tried filling out an order on the USA site and it would not allow me to enter a Canadian address... ?

 

[Hazzard]

I have been told a place in Burnaby called Islandpets is nice. The owner bought out BigAl's. He also owns his own coral farm.

On another note.
I had priced a few things out on BigAl's website and then went in to my local outlet. The prices however were much higher.
The short version is that I left feeling the guy I had spoken to was untrustworthy. I couldn't even access the USA site using his laptop, kept redirecting me to the Canadian site. Guess they had it blocked. Not cool.
He did say that the USA stores will not ship to Canada.
I found that to be hard to believe but I tried filling out an order on the USA site and it would not allow me to enter a Canadian address... ?

Call them directly and give them your address
However you will still have to deal with brokerage fees
I had the guys from fosters and smith quote me for shipping a forty dollar item and it was 123 plus any brokerage fees
If you live close to the border use one of the address services

 

[jsoong]

It is almost a scam ... BigAl's & PetSmart both have US sites with prices up to 50% less than the Canadian counterpart, and they will not ship to Canada.

If you are in Burnaby, you might just as well drive rent a PO Box & drive across the border. There are also cross border shipping services springing up on the net ... no idea how good those are tho.