Shipping to Canada...

Guru · February 22, 2008 5:12AM

I had an ebay buyer email today irrate because he had to pay extra for shipping when the item arrived. Is that normal. I mean I sent it via UPS and then he said when they showed up at the door he had to pay extra to get the item. He said he wants me to compensate him for the extra money he had to spend. He paid me via money order. I'm not sure what to tell him. Is this normal at all?

RipublicaninMass · February 22, 2008 5:15AM

Dunno maybe xbaggypants can weigh in on this?

fur72 · February 22, 2008 5:15AM

How much are we talking here? I doesnt make sense if you used UPS they should have that figured out when you shiped, UPS is international. I suggest checking the tracking number and call UPS to help remedy this.

jimq112 · February 22, 2008 5:15AM

Did he have to pay extra because the shipping fees weren't paid, or because of duty fees/taxes. I've had a few canadian buyers ask me to write "gift" on the customs form to save them money.

Guru · February 22, 2008 5:19AM

He didn't say whether it was duty or tax. I just sent him a response saying that I might consider sending part of it back via paypal, but he's refusing to take it via paypal. So, i'm pretty much firm on that. If he won't take an offer via paypal i'm not sending a MO or check. Besides, i don't think it's my responsibility to pay for the taxes if UPS doesn't tack that on when shipping.

xbaggypants · February 22, 2008 5:19AM

Hey Guru,

The only way he should have had to pay extra is if customs made a charge on the package. I have had many packages show up with an extra charge from UPS but it has always been a customs fee, not a shipping fee. If this is the case then should you not be liable.

Ryan

artistlost · February 22, 2008 5:23AM

I live in Canada and what he most likely had to pay with duty on the package. UPS also charges a $25.00 handling fee (which is shy ask never to have anything sent UPS) on almost all packages from the US to Canada. For the duty I would NOT give them any money as it is just the way it goes when you buy something worth $$$ and bring it into the country. If it is the $25.00 handling fee I could see maybe splitting it with him/her but not if you gave them options on shipping and they chose UPS.

hope this helps.

mathew

Guru · February 22, 2008 5:27AM

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it. He has very low feedback on ebay, so I'm not sure if he thought i was trying to stiff him or something. It was interesting, because the package left Indy, then wen to Ill., then to OH, then to QC, back to NY, then back to QC again. Is that normal? For it to go to Canada, then back to New York, then back to Canada again. Let me post what it said on the UPS website....

LACHINE,
QC, CA 02/22/2008 11:44 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN

02/22/2008 8:32 A.M. A HOLD HAS BEEN REQUESTED. PAYMENT MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO RELEASE / THE RECEIVER HAS AGREED TO ACCEPT THE DELIVERY CHARGES

02/22/2008 2:05 A.M. REGISTERED WITH CLEARING AGENCY / SHIPMENT SUBMITTED TO CLEARING AGENCY

02/22/2008 2:05 A.M. REGISTERED WITH CLEARING AGENCY / RELEASED BY CLR AGENCY. NOW IN-TRANSIT

E. SYRACUSE,
NY, US 02/22/2008 1:30 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/22/2008 1:02 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN

LACHINE,
QC, CA 02/21/2008 9:20 P.M. A HOLD HAS BEEN REQUESTED. PAYMENT MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO RELEASE

MAUMEE,
OH, US 02/21/2008 3:40 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/21/2008 2:48 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN

HODGKINS,
IL, US 02/21/2008 9:44 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/21/2008 4:49 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN

INDIANAPOLIS,
IN, US 02/21/2008 2:38 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/21/2008 12:14 A.M. ORIGIN SCAN

INDIANAPOLIS,
IN, US 02/20/2008 4:31 P.M. PICKUP SCAN
US 02/20/2008 4:08 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

hotmush · February 22, 2008 5:32AM

OH GOSH. Whatever you do, folks. DO NOT send packages to Canada via UPS. They charge OUTRAGEOUS handling charges that you have to pay at the door in order to get your package. It's notorious up here, so much so that there are lawsuits against UPS.
Just TODAY my wife bought some clothes online and they shipped UPS. She bought 24 bucks worth of clothes and paid 20 bucks shipping. The company shipped UPS and when UPS arrived at our door, they wanted to charge us 59 bucks EXTRA for delivery. The clothes and the initial shipping weren't even that much. UPS is a huge rip off in Canada. It's criminal. Another example: I bought a 200 dollar box of OPC cards and UPS wanted to charge me 150 extra bucks at the door. SERIOUSLY!

PLEASE ship USPS instead.

Guru · February 22, 2008 5:37AM

See, I wanted to use USPS, but everytime I send something via them it gets lost. Even if purchasing insurance it gets lost. Then you call in and there's like nothing you can do about it. This was a $200.00 item. We have a UPS store here at work and they wanted it quickly. Because we had such horrible weather I told him he could wait till I could get it to the post office later in the week or he could use UPS that day. He decided that he wanted the item so bad, so he picked UPS.

torc · February 22, 2008 5:40AM

02/22/2008 8:32 A.M. A HOLD HAS BEEN REQUESTED. PAYMENT MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO RELEASE / THE RECEIVER HAS AGREED TO ACCEPT THE DELIVERY CHARGES
looks like from that it is for delivery charges and not taxes

hotmush · February 22, 2008 5:47AM

No, they're called Brokerage Fees. There is a flat $25 charge for any item sent to Canada via UPS. Automatic rip off. Then, more fees are assessed via Customs. The Class Action lawsuit against UPS in British Columbia is because UPS doesn't advise you that they are going to charge you these fees. They just show up at your door and hold your parcel hostage until you pay it. If you refuse, the package is returned to sender and UPS tries to extort the money from the sender.

Guru · February 22, 2008 5:48AM

Great! I can see this quickly spinning out of control.

smtjoy · February 22, 2008 6:10AM

Humm I have sent many items to canada by USPS and never had a problem, on any sale I make out of the US I always mark "Gift" so the person can avoid any tax or levy.

MooseDog · February 22, 2008 6:30AM

Likewise I've sent lots of things via USPS to Canada and while occasionally slow, never lost one in 10 years.

fur72 · February 22, 2008 6:35AM

How much money are we talking here? If you sell alot its not worth the hassle of getting a neg from this canuck tell him you will send him a money order or tell him to eat it. I can see both sides here but I always favor the seller.

hotmush · February 22, 2008 6:47AM

Clarification:
UPS is United Parcel Service. They wear the Brown Shirts. They charge the outrageous brokerage fees.
USPS is the United States Postal Service. They're the good guys.

cashmanrules · February 22, 2008 7:03AM

Good ole ups brokerage fees!! Never use them,usps is the best way and mark gift as someone mentioned and with a 10.00 value.If it is a big ticket item and it has to be insured,your gonna pay gst-pst to get that item.1000.00 insurance declaration =130.00!!

Carew29 · February 22, 2008 7:21AM

hotmush---don't get all gushy on our USPS here. I had six hockey card packages from Vancouver,WA, take anywhere from 2 days to Vancouver,B.C. to 22 days (last week) to Nova Scotia.

hotmush · February 22, 2008 7:25AM

Yeah, but at least you weren't charged an extra $25 once they got there. You're right, USPS can be ultra slow, but don't forget, Canada Post has a part in it too. Once the package crosses the border, it's up to Canada Post to bring it to you. I guess USPS is the lesser of two evils... at least until somebody invents that transporter from Star Trek.

WinPitcher · February 22, 2008 8:19AM

Guru

Did your auction state that you use UPS?

Or, did the buyer have a choice?

If he had no idea you use UPS. I would then split it with him.

He may not want a postal mo because I think they are tuff to cash up there.

Maybe one of out Canadian friends can add to that.

I assume your auction states how you ship?

Steve

jimq112 · February 22, 2008 8:45AM

Pink money orders cost more here but work ok in canada.
Green money orders are cheaper here but can't cash in canada.

Tabe · February 22, 2008 4:20PM

<< <i>Or, did the buyer have a choice? >>

The buyer had a choice:

<< <i> He decided that he wanted the item so bad, so he picked UPS. >>

Since the guy picked UPS, I don't think you owe him anything.

Tabe

nightcrawler · February 22, 2008 7:34PM

I've had hundreds of cards come from the US into Canada via USPS, I don't think any were lost??? But I think the pay pal printing label thing can cause some trouble... I don't know what that is, but I've had some trouble with it, lol.

I've had good luck with USPS... knock on wood.

Guru · February 23, 2008 4:54AM

We are just having some problems with our local USPS. I don't give the group a bad rap as a whole, but I live in a town with a maximum population of 16,000. We have 2 clerks here. Someone just recently vandalized the stamp machine. So, they've removed that. So, you either print out via paypal and drop off or stand in line for 2 hrs waiting for someone to decide whether they want flags or Jimmy Stewert stamps. Believe me, I'm a very patient individual, but literally standing in line for sometimes over 2 hrs is ridiculous.
Now with that said, recently, a large body of individuals drafted a petition to expand our postal office or to figure out a solution. The mayor refused to sign this petition, but we passed it on anyway. The person in charge of this particular office rejected our petition and is unwilling to speak to us about solutions. So, recently, and I'm not sure if the poor service has anything to do with it, stuff has either been coming back or shown up missing.
Now, everywhere else we've lived we havent' had any problems. And I'm all for USPS, but this is not good.

WinPitcher · February 23, 2008 5:01AM

The longest i have ever waited online at a PO is 20 minutes. The average time for me is less then 5 minutes.

Surely you are exagerating?

As for the Original post.

If the buyer chose UPS then it was his choice.

I would not refund anything.

Simply email him and tell him that his choice and thank him for saving you 2 hours that you would have
had to wait in line at a Post Office.

Steve

storm888 · February 23, 2008 5:08AM

Depending on the time of the year, and staffing, the waits
in small towns can be VERY long.

Many of the little towns have "contract stations," that are
run by contracted agents. They can be great, and they
can be terrible.

The USPS website is a good place to communicate with the
top dogs in the system about local needs.

Guru · February 23, 2008 5:09AM

Steve, when they told me the wait was long when I moved here I thought it meant 30 mins max. Then I went to mail stuff the first week we lived here and stood in line for almost 2 hrs. I kid you not! Now, it's not like that all the time mind you, just most of the time. I've tried going at different times, but it seems no matter what, they can't get there stuff together. I mean, one time I was in line just to pick something up. One of the clerks yells at the manager because the line is going out the door to get up there and take slips for pick-ups. They ended up getting into a yelling match about it because the manager or the head dude said he didn't get paid enough to lower himself to go out there.
So, that's how it's been. People have been putting up with this for a long time apparently. It was myself and 2 other people that decided to start the petition. We got all but a couple of businesses to sign it, but the mayor (crazy lady) said she didnt' want to stir the waters and refused to sign it. We've tried to bring it up at town council meetings, but we are always told that it's not the towns job to do anything about it.
He did have a choice, and decided to pick UPS. Whether he knew about the extra cost or not, is not my fault since he had a choice. He threatend to neg me and I said, dude that's fine because I have 100% and one neg isn't going to affect my store.

I'll add one more thing. We have a small university here in town that refuses to have a post office on campus. So, since it's close to campus, all the students have PO boxes. So, that adds to the monster of being there.

WinPitcher · February 23, 2008 5:12AM

After 20 minutes i would have left.

I live in a small town too, I have seen the line go to the door.

Even then the wait was barely 30 minutes.

Guru I believe you.

Steve

Guru · February 23, 2008 5:16AM

Yeah, it's crazy to say the least. I mean, to the point where I've made more friends here in town by standing in line then going out with people. I've considered going to the next town over to mail things, but then I have to raise the pricing of shipping for my items to account for gas.

WinPitcher · February 23, 2008 5:18AM

Surely your time is worth more then the gas to the next town.

I have 4 PO within a 5 mile radius to choose from.

Where the heck to you live?

Bugtussell?

Steve

Guru · February 23, 2008 5:23AM

LOL, that's funny. Actually the closest post office is about 10 miles from my town. We are off the beaten path to say the least. The closest "progressed" post office is 40 mins away.

wolfbear · February 23, 2008 5:28AM

"See, I wanted to use USPS, but everytime I send something via them it gets lost."

That has to be the most ridiculous statement I've ever read on these boards.

Guru · February 23, 2008 5:33AM

Wolfbear, read the other posts and you'll see why.

Shipping to Canada...

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