Shipping question US -> CND

[evilgabbie]

Want to purchase a set of rims from the states

FEDEX AIR quoted me $420 USD
FEDEX GROUND quoted me $180

But if I ship via GROUND, there will be brokage fees.. which Fedex can tell me how much it is.

What other options do I have ?

[Siggiepop]

hmm the place you're ordering from they don't have any other companies for shipping method? i personally hate UPS/DHL brokage fees all the time...

[evilgabbie]

well i called a few.. and UPS / DHL / FEDEX ground all charges brokage fees... what are these fees...

[ed@mtl]

Here use this site: http://www.thefinalcost.com/

[headshok2002]

I want to try one of those "us address" companies... ship my stuff to a border city, and go pick them up myself. Anybody done that, yet?
Brokerage fees are lame...

[MagnusS4]

Taxes are a PIA... what rims were you looking at maybe you can find a better deal in canada>?

[evilgabbie]

HREs....

I have tried the US thing, but with high value items, I don't trust those depots.. you can find a TON around the Buffalo area. But then I will have to drive to Buffalo with steeles (more money), throw them out, and drive back w/ new shiny HREs... not a good idea with the 401 being like this @ this time of the year

[gtimart]

I think you will also get brokerage fees for AIR shipping. Brokerage fees are for customs forms right ?
I have heard that you can fill in your own customs declarations and skip the brokerage fees, but unfortunately I don't know the steps required.

[headshok2002]

Meh, don't do the steels thing... that's a pain in the arse. Just drive down and drive back with them... declare them for 1000, a reasonable amount for wheels, and cross the border with them shining in your trunk.

EDIT: and he's right about the air shipping not having brokerage fees. They are built into the enormous price.

[evilgabbie]

air has no brokage fees.. only ground..

and yes you can declare whatever you want but if you want insurance for your package.. then you will only be covered for the declared amount

as well if it's too low.. canada customs can ask for receipt and reasses your package.. making it more costly...

thanks for the website ed@audiyo.. all because u took ur CH off the market.. i gotta shop for HRes =(

[ed@mtl]

thanks for the website ed@audiyo.. all because u took ur CH off the market.. i gotta shop for HRes =(

You can clear custom yourself and save the brokage fees. How you ask.

Just inform the sender to write down on the Way Billl "Clear Own". Ask for the tracking number as well and then call the courier right away to inform them that you wish to clear custom yourself. They will make a note of it. Make sure your phone number is on the Way Bill and when you call the courier, make sure you tell them your phone number just in case. Once the package arrives, the courier will contact you and provide you with the necessary forms to clear customs. They will even tell you where to go.

That's how I did it with UPS.

[orangelmo]

The delivery guy from UPS told me next time I order something, tell the seller to expedite it. He said if you do it that way it negates all the brokerage fees. Not sure if I'm 100% sure that its going to work, just going by what he says

[Siggiepop]

doesn't expedite mean just faster delivery?

[Audized]

doesn't expedite mean just faster delivery?

in most cases, brokerage is included in expedite.

To the OP, do what Ed said. If you are located near the border, you could ask the vendor/seller to send the rims to a shipping depot at the border in the States and bring them into Canada yourself. You will save around $100 on shipping and won't have to pay for brokerage.

[white fish]

Here use this site: http://www.thefinalcost.com/

I brought this back from the dead because it scared me
I am to afraid to buy anything from the states

I want Sway bars for my allroad
on sale now 305 bucks shipping 42 bucks, fedex shippping

finalcost says 520 bucks cnd

does that sound like alot?
anyone know how correct that site is?

thx

[hoganalley]

what I do is send those things to a border agency. In Niagara Falls I use CBA. There's a small fee ($15?) drive down and pick em up. Did that with my suspension. On that trip I brought over $1500 in stuff and didn't claim a cent. It's up to you, but you have to figure out whether it's worth it to drive to pick it up or not, usually, for me it's worth it. Border is only 1-1/2hrs away!

[Louis J.]

I buy lot's of stuff from the US and have it delivered to a shipping depot in Blaine, WA. I've been doing this for years and I've never had an issue. Having a shipment get delayed at the border or paying those stupid brokerage fees really pisses me off so this works for me. I make a drive out of it and fill up for 2/3rds of what I pay here anyway so the trip pays for itself.

When crossing the border, I always, always declare. Trust me, you do not want to get cought importing something you haven't declared. If it's less than $100, they usually let it go anyway and if it's a part you can install on your car right away...maybe...but for the most part, always declare.

Keep in mind that if someone ships you something marked "warranty replacement" you don't have to pay any taxes or duty.

[headshok2002]

UPS World Ease is the greatest shipping method EVAR.

[hoganalley]

When crossing the border, I always, always declare.

True, and you should always declare. However, it depends on the guards. I actually had wheels on my car for 2 months, went across the border, and on my way back the guy thought I bought them in the states and swapped them.

When I brought back the suspension, the chick didn't even question it. I just told why I was gone, I didn't have anything from duty free, and she let me walk through. I was probably riding low too.....that's a bit of weight!

In the end it's up to you.....do what you feel is best.

[sakimano]

the difference is currency and duties/tax...USD cost 1.257 CDN right now, according to Bloomberg.

While fedex charges $42 to ship, they also charge $30 brokerage and you pay 5%pst/8%pst (ON).

Adds to 500 ish.

I brought this back from the dead because it scared me
I am to afraid to buy anything from the states

I want Sway bars for my allroad
on sale now 305 bucks shipping 42 bucks, fedex shippping

finalcost says 520 bucks cnd

does that sound like alot?
anyone know how correct that site is?

thx

[white fish]

"Keep in mind that if someone ships you something marked "warranty replacement" you don't have to pay any taxes or duty."

hum very interesting

[Louis J.]

"Keep in mind that if someone ships you something marked "warranty replacement" you don't have to pay any taxes or duty."

hum very interesting

Indeed.

[02B6]

i heard as well.. marked as "gift"

[MacDaddy]

pick it up on the other side of the boarder, call the closest US post office and ask if they can hold it for you, if not, ask if they know of a holding company that can do it for you.

[hoganalley]

the gift thing is true....however, if you're trying to give someone a boat it won't work. There are limits. I used that one for quite a while and then I actually started getting charged even though it said gift on it. Also, depending on the company, they may not want to mark it as a gift because if something happens they could be held partially liable. Each item and company is different. Never hurts to ask!

[headshok2002]

For all intents and purposes... the gift thing -doesn't- work.
The max value is like 40 bucks... what do we buy that's less than 40 bucks for these cursed cars?

[WingsnHorns]

Actually the "gift" thing works as long as the value is under $100 and it is being shipped from an individual to another individual. Be careful of this method though as it can be stopped and cause even more headaches.

[headshok2002]

Hrm, UPS told me it was 40 bucks. Maybe it varies between shippers.

[sakimano]

i heard as well.. marked as "gift"

urban myth

use the postal service...no brokerage charges, easy to lie about value, and to be honest, not that bad from a delivery time point of view

[sakimano]

For all intents and purposes... the gift thing -doesn't- work.
The max value is like 40 bucks... what do we buy that's less than 40 bucks for these cursed cars?

hahahahahaha...

[evilgabbie]

just got hit with another surprise, becareful of "fuel surcharges"

[drevil2k2]

Keep in mind that if someone ships you something marked "warranty replacement" you don't have to pay any taxes or duty.

It works sometimes, the German seller sent my RNS-E as 'repaired work order/item on radio'. Stupid UPS phoned me and said that the item has a screen on it and would like to know the value of the unit. After some arguing, saying that it was a repair job and the unit actually came with the car, I finally gave a nominal value; I guess the idiots can't put zero as declared value.

Paid some duty but the brokerage fee was charged.

In the past, I did get away with duties and taxes with certain items as sample, and replacement.

I try to get things shipped via USPS with insurance, takes a little longer, might have to pick it up, but no brokerage fees, just potential duty and tax.

[Louis J.]

It works sometimes, the German seller sent my RNS-E as 'repaired work order/item on radio'. Stupid UPS phoned me and said that the item has a screen on it and would like to know the value of the unit. After some arguing, saying that it was a repair job and the unit actually came with the car, I finally gave a nominal value; I guess the idiots can't put zero as declared value.

Paid some duty but the brokerage fee was charged.

In the past, I did get away with duties and taxes with certain items as sample, and replacement.

I try to get things shipped via USPS with insurance, takes a little longer, might have to pick it up, but no brokerage fees, just potential duty and tax.

That's because you had it shipped to Canada. Had you requested to have the item shipped to a US address and crossed the border with it, you would've paid zero fees or taxes.

[Steve.T]

I want to try one of those "us address" companies... ship my stuff to a border city, and go pick them up myself. Anybody done that, yet?
Brokerage fees are lame...

I've done that but make sure you bring your bill of sale with you when you bring your item back from the states. Last time I got nailed for not having an invoice.

[buck]

Here use this site: http://www.thefinalcost.com/

Anyone have experiences dealing with DHL? I've got some stuff coming from US, and when trying to estimate brokerage fees with the final cost site, DHL is not listed.

DHL claims to charge min. $7 or 2.5% of the taxes/duties that they pay on your behalf as their "brokerage charge". That doesn't seem all that bad, seeing as how electronics are not subject to duties.... However, when looking up DHL and what people were paying for final fees, they were being charged crazy amounts similar to UPS.

[CONTROL ONE]

Have it shipped USPS if possible.

[Retsujou]

Do what I do. Drive over the border, have the wheels and rims mounted, drive back over the border. Declare the old rims as less than X amount of dollars and pay 0 in duties and taxes. No wait, I would never do that

[buck]

Have it shipped USPS if possible.

Yes, if that was an option, I would have for sure. It was from Amazon and their options were Standard (DHL) or Expedite (UPS). I've been hosed on UPS's brokerage charges before so that was not an option.

Guess we'll see.