I've read various reports of the problems when MSC (or someone
else) shps to Canada via UPS. UPS insists on being the customs broker,
resulting (sometimes) in brokerage fees greater than the cost of the
merchandise shipped.

Well ... I was making an order from MSC earlier this evening (I
live in the USA, so the problem is not one which affects me), and
towards the end, after she mentioned when it would be shipped and I
commented on how quickly things usually arrive, I brought up the problem
that our Canadian members have.

She said that they can request an alternate shipping method,
even though they have a contract with UPS, other methods are available.
She explicitly mentioned Federal Express, and I don't know what others
would be available -- but she said that anyone with the problem should
ask when they place their order. (This presumes a phoned-in order I
guess, since I doubt whether the web-based ordering would have that
option available.

I hope that this is a help to some here.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Never have anything shipped from US to Canada by UPS! You have outlined the
reasons.
Fedex have been OK as has USPS. You still have to pay the taxes but not the
extortionate "brokerage fee".
I will not deal with any company who decline to ship any other way than UPS.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...
I've read various reports of the problems when MSC (or someone
else) shps to Canada via UPS. UPS insists on being the customs broker,
resulting (sometimes) in brokerage fees greater than the cost of the
merchandise shipped.

Well ... I was making an order from MSC earlier this evening (I
live in the USA, so the problem is not one which affects me), and
towards the end, after she mentioned when it would be shipped and I
commented on how quickly things usually arrive, I brought up the problem
that our Canadian members have.

She said that they can request an alternate shipping method,
even though they have a contract with UPS, other methods are available.
She explicitly mentioned Federal Express, and I don't know what others
would be available -- but she said that anyone with the problem should
ask when they place their order. (This presumes a phoned-in order I
guess, since I doubt whether the web-based ordering would have that
option available.

I hope that this is a help to some here.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

DoN. Nichols wrote:
I've read various reports of the problems when MSC (or someone
else) shps to Canada via UPS. UPS insists on being the customs broker,
resulting (sometimes) in brokerage fees greater than the cost of the
merchandise shipped.

Well ... I was making an order from MSC earlier this evening (I
live in the USA, so the problem is not one which affects me), and
towards the end, after she mentioned when it would be shipped and I
commented on how quickly things usually arrive, I brought up the problem
that our Canadian members have.

She said that they can request an alternate shipping method,
even though they have a contract with UPS, other methods are available.
She explicitly mentioned Federal Express, and I don't know what others
would be available -- but she said that anyone with the problem should
ask when they place their order. (This presumes a phoned-in order I
guess, since I doubt whether the web-based ordering would have that
option available.

I hope that this is a help to some here.

Enjoy,
DoN.


Oh be still my heart.

FedEx.

whee.

They pull the same ripoff as UPS, to Canada. Except they don't bother
to either ask you to pay, or even notify you of it, when you pick up.
Too many self brokered or refused shipments, I suppose.

My last (and I do mean last!) package that came via Fedex was a bit of
a surprise, as I asked specifically, when picking it up, if there were
any additional charges, and was told by the counter drone at the drop
place, that there were no other bills due.

30 days later, the Fedex collections outfit printed up the bill. $6 in
taxes, and over $50 in fees.
The Post Office charges me a flat $5 to do the EXACT same thing that
Fedex and UPS did, as far as collecting the Gov't cut is concerned.

I found out that there is currently a class action suit being brought
to bear on both these outfits, over their billing practices. Never
thought I'd be happy to hear about a Lawyer goin' to town on someone.
YeHaaa!

Cheers
Trevor Jones

On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:27:21 -0700, "Michael Koblic"
wrote:

Never have anything shipped from US to Canada by UPS! You have outlined the
reasons.
Fedex have been OK as has USPS. You still have to pay the taxes but not the
extortionate "brokerage fee".

BTDT when UPS demanded C$35 "brokerage fee" on a manufacturer's sample
labeled as having no commercial value. The item was refused at the
door on arrival and left between the doors three weeks latter.

I will not deal with any company who decline to ship any other way than UPS.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

On 2008-04-24, Trevor Jones wrote:
DoN. Nichols wrote:
I've read various reports of the problems when MSC (or someone
else) shps to Canada via UPS. UPS insists on being the customs broker,
resulting (sometimes) in brokerage fees greater than the cost of the
merchandise shipped.

[ ... ]

She said that they can request an alternate shipping method,
even though they have a contract with UPS, other methods are available.
She explicitly mentioned Federal Express, and I don't know what others
would be available -- but she said that anyone with the problem should
ask when they place their order. (This presumes a phoned-in order I
guess, since I doubt whether the web-based ordering would have that
option available.

[ ... ]

Oh be still my heart.

FedEx.

whee.

They pull the same ripoff as UPS, to Canada. Except they don't bother
to either ask you to pay, or even notify you of it, when you pick up.
Too many self brokered or refused shipments, I suppose.

So -- ask whether they will ship via USPS. I didn't know that
FedEx did the same thing.

[ ... ]

The Post Office charges me a flat $5 to do the EXACT same thing that
Fedex and UPS did, as far as collecting the Gov't cut is concerned.

I found out that there is currently a class action suit being brought
to bear on both these outfits, over their billing practices. Never
thought I'd be happy to hear about a Lawyer goin' to town on someone.
YeHaaa!

Good!

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Ppl,

Let me clarify on this issue. There is always custom duty on
cross-border
postages BUT for postages sent by state post (whatever it is) there is a
threshold (not big but reasonable) when there is no duty and there is NO
custom clearance process. All other 'courier' postal services do not
have
this benefit and all postages are going through custom process.
There still
be threshold but brokers do 'forget' to apply it very frequently. But no
matter how low is custom fee then there is hefty brokerage fee!

So the only 'fee free' solution is (here in the US) to use USPS and EMS
(EMS is state service even if this is private outfit). Any other
services
(UPS/FedEx/DHL, you name it) have the same problem with custom.

A.

DoN. Nichols wrote:
On 2008-04-24, Trevor Jones wrote:

DoN. Nichols wrote:

I've read various reports of the problems when MSC (or someone
else) shps to Canada via UPS. UPS insists on being the customs broker,
resulting (sometimes) in brokerage fees greater than the cost of the
merchandise shipped.


[ ... ]


She said that they can request an alternate shipping method,
even though they have a contract with UPS, other methods are available.
She explicitly mentioned Federal Express, and I don't know what others
would be available -- but she said that anyone with the problem should
ask when they place their order. (This presumes a phoned-in order I
guess, since I doubt whether the web-based ordering would have that
option available.


[ ... ]


Oh be still my heart.

FedEx.

whee.

They pull the same ripoff as UPS, to Canada. Except they don't bother
to either ask you to pay, or even notify you of it, when you pick up.
Too many self brokered or refused shipments, I suppose.


So -- ask whether they will ship via USPS. I didn't know that
FedEx did the same thing.

[ ... ]


The Post Office charges me a flat $5 to do the EXACT same thing that
Fedex and UPS did, as far as collecting the Gov't cut is concerned.

I found out that there is currently a class action suit being brought
to bear on both these outfits, over their billing practices. Never
thought I'd be happy to hear about a Lawyer goin' to town on someone.
YeHaaa!


Good!

Enjoy,
DoN.