UPS C.O.D. amount due, Payable to sender????
I recently bought a lot of SNES and N64 stuff for $250 + $39.00 for shipping to Canada. The guy sent it through UPS, and I was not confident at all but went through anyway.
I wasn't home today to receive the package, but on the UPS note, it is written that I have a "C.O.D. amount due of $92.67 payable to sender".
Anybody know what's this. The seller can choose to send the package and charged me the amount at my door?
If it is the case, there must be a way to contest him the method. I mean, he already charged me $39 to send it and now I have to pay a stupid amount at my door?
Please any input on this would be great help. I'm sure some of you guys are knowledgeable on the topic.
I wasn't home today to receive the package, but on the UPS note, it is written that I have a "C.O.D. amount due of $92.67 payable to sender".
Anybody know what's this. The seller can choose to send the package and charged me the amount at my door?
If it is the case, there must be a way to contest him the method. I mean, he already charged me $39 to send it and now I have to pay a stupid amount at my door?
Please any input on this would be great help. I'm sure some of you guys are knowledgeable on the topic.
Comments
~~NGD
When I have had customs fees from UPS/FedEx (packages going China -> USA) they always deliver the package immediately, then decide how much to charge and send a bill later. No way to refuse it, or dispute the customs fee. No idea about the legality...
I had this happen before. USP just left the package on my door step (didn't get ANY signature), and about 6 weeks later, I got a bill in the mail for $45.
What would have happened if someone stole that package? Morons.
I tried to dispute the charge. They told me that if I didn't pay, all future shipments would be held at the border, and I would be red flagged for ALL packages to be inspected and charged duty / tariffs, etc.
UPS is a scam. The end.
The buyer told me the only way to get around the customs fee is to send it as a gift. But sometimes thats not even foolproof. Too stupid if you ask me
The government gets GST/QST. All items are taxable. They usually don't bother if it's declared at a low enough value.
The government gets duties - don't even try to understand it. It's IMPOSSIBLE. For example, alpine skis and bindings are exempt from duties, but cross country skis and bindings are subject to something like 7% duty (?). For used vintage games I find the government sometimes charges duties. So who knows.
UPS charges- a brokerage fee. This is the charge for crossing the border with your package. You're basically just paying for someone to take the time and effort of dealing with customs. For an item declared at $250, you have to pay UPS $41.50 to bring it across the border with no exception.
UPS Carges - a Bond fee - if you don't pay duties and taxes in ADVANCE, UPS has to post a bond to get the item through customs. They charge 2.7% for this. So if taxes and duties are, say, 20 bucks, you'd have to pay like 60 cents to UPS right? WRONG THE MINIMUM CHARGE IS $5.85.
There are other secret charges, like if you have more than 5 classification lines, they charge you $4.50 for every line after the 5th. So if what you bought is itemized for customs, you're basically fucked.
They can also charge a minimum of $4 if the invoice is screwed up. So like, if they feel like it, $4 more. Here, check it:
Duty and Tax Amendment $50.00
Import Permits (each) $23.00 each
Other Government Departments (O.G.D.) Processing Fee** $16.00 each
Outport Entry Fee (for non-UPS carried shipments only) $10.00 each
As you can see it gets very expensive very fast.
I know some sellers like having the delivery confirmation but UPS is way way too expensive. USPS's border fees? 5 dollars in advance. 8 if it's express. You can't really get mad at the seller, though, he/she probably doesn't even know about the extra charges. UPS doesn't really advertise them!
they charge us canadians twice on taxes,when stuff is shipped with UPS.
Yep. They charge provincial and federal taxes on the provincial and federal taxes they had to pay to the government and the fee they charge for having to pay that tax to get the package out of customs. Because technically, that's part of their fee. Tax on tax on tax.
How they get any business at all is beyond me.
I knew from the beginning it was probably only those outrageous custom fees UPS charge. But something really bug me in the way it is presented by UPS, it clearly says that it is an amount due to the sender, but does the sender paid for it previously and now I owe this to him? If not, UPS are quite confusing with their custom/brokerage fees. When Canada post charge you custom fees, at least, you clearly pay the $5 treatment cost + the exact value in taxes of the declared value, and all this make sense. But with UPS, I really don't know how they come to this amount.
Today, the carriage got here for the second attempt and I receive the employee in my house. Looking at the size of the box, I had difficulties imagining 33 games (with 21 being in boxes) + a SNES and a N64 systems fitting into the box. I thought something like, or the item is not as described and he did not shipped me all the games included in the lot, or he packed this like shit and it is probably damages (The packaging box shows serious wear on corners).
What if I have to start a dispute after paying those crappy fees, and then need to send the package back as a whole, and lost about $120 just for this...
I think I'm going to take bunnyboy's advice and let the package return to him without paying out the fees. And if they left the package like it happened for Batty and Aaron, maybe I'll takes Aaron's advice about ask the future UPS fees collector to blow out.
What do you guys think?
I THINK someone's getting stuck with either the $92.67, or a different fee and no goods. You'd have to ask the carrier. If the seller is on the hook for the charge, then I'd be worried about actually getting a refund. When I was in your situation, I just paid the fees and learned an expensive lesson. I'm pretty sure every Canadian buying online has had to learn about UPS the hard way.
I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think if you refuse to pay the COD they ask the seller if they should ship it back. If your seller refuses it, he'd have to authorize payment of abandonment charges.
I THINK someone's getting stuck with either the $92.67, or a different fee and no goods. You'd have to ask the carrier. If the seller is on the hook for the charge, then I'd be worried about actually getting a refund. When I was in your situation, I just paid the fees and learned an expensive lesson. I'm pretty sure every Canadian buying online has had to learn about UPS the hard way.
Well thats how they get u,because i believe UPS is actually cheaper on the front end then USPS for bigger packages being shipped internationally(could be wrong) but they get u on the backend big time when the item arrives.If u haven't received the package yet guillivoie and they left u a notice were to pick it up at a warehouse somewhere because that is usually what they do if no one is home to sign for it,then i would just leave it and i imagine it will be sent back to the sender and get your money back.I am sure u got a good deal on it but now that it has been shipped UPS, JUST KILLED IT!!!Thats what i would do if u haven't signed for it or received it yet.
I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think if you refuse to pay the COD they ask the seller if they should ship it back. If your seller refuses it, he'd have to authorize payment of abandonment charges.
I THINK someone's getting stuck with either the $92.67, or a different fee and no goods. You'd have to ask the carrier. If the seller is on the hook for the charge, then I'd be worried about actually getting a refund. When I was in your situation, I just paid the fees and learned an expensive lesson. I'm pretty sure every Canadian buying online has had to learn about UPS the hard way.
Unfortunately, I've learned the hard way more than once. Batty's right, UPS is a scam.
I use UPS all the time to Canada. I send as a gift with a value of $5. I've never heard of these things you guys speak of. But then it is just a few items at most. A prototype or a sealed game. I've never had to send a complete system with 40 games etc.
It doesn't matter what you put on the customs form. If they see ANYTHING electronic you get dinged for taxes on $100. I had ordered some new PLASTIC joysticks and PLASTIC buttons for my arcade cabinet (nothing electronic about them as standalone objects). The customs form said "PARTS" and valued at $20.
On the UPS / Border customs form, they determined that they were electronic devices and rated them with a value of $100. So I got hit with 15% tax rate, plus $5 handling fee, plus whatever dumb brokerage fee they wanted to assign.
They give you a number to call to dispute charges. It's just a recording that says you're screwed, so don't bother calling again and then it hangs up on you.
I use UPS all the time to Canada. I send as a gift with a value of $5. I've never heard of these things you guys speak of. But then it is just a few items at most. A prototype or a sealed game. I've never had to send a complete system with 40 games etc.
If it's declared under 20 dollars, UPS doesn't charge a brokerage fee. If Canada customs decides to collect tax, we'd still get hit with a bond fee ($5.85 minimum). I think they don't ever do it for items declared under $10 or $60 marked as 'gift'. If it's declared at $20 UPS will charge us a brokerage fee minimum $7 - whether it's declared as a gift or not. But yes. Looks like you beat the system. I sincerely hope your packages never get damaged, so UPS is the one getting punished and not you or your buyer.
Here's one for you Canadians out there, if someone insists on shipping UPS and declaring your package at full value, you can call UPS in advance and tell them you want to broker the package yourself. At least, I think they still let you do it.
I'm pretty sure you'll need their tracking number for this, so it's a race against time. When your package arrives, you have to go down to the local UPS depot to pick up the waybill and paperwork. Take that stuff to a Canada Customs building. Wait for them to process and stamp it. Take the forms back to UPS and pick up your package. You'll still have to pay bond fees and duty/tax though.
You can pay the taxes and duties in advance to avoid bond fees. Damned if I know how to figure them out though. Guess, maybe?
In any case, I'd prefer not to give them any business at all, even if I am able to work to get around their shit. Doesn't take too many $90 burns before you want to boycott a company, but I might as well help you take money out of their pocket if you insist on using them
On the UPS / Border customs form, they determined that they were electronic devices and rated them with a value of $100. So I got hit with 15% tax rate, plus $5 handling fee, plus whatever dumb brokerage fee they wanted to assign.
Damn, Batty. I've never heard of that one. That's a real boner.
Now I have a few questions for you UPS screw expert.
If I don't receive the package in the end, do I'll still need to pay for the $92.67 of duties?
If I let the note on the door next time the UPS guy comes to my door, and check the part where it says "Please leave at" ---- Front door, Back door, Side Door, Garage --- The UPS guy will left the package where I tell him to do so?
If I let the note on the door next time the UPS guy comes to my door, and check the part where it says "Please leave at" ---- Front door, Back door, Side Door, Garage --- The UPS guy will left the package where I tell him to do so?
He'll leave the package wherever you want him to, but they'll send you a bill in the mail. Not sure what happens if you never actually receive it. They may just get ballsy and leave it on your doorstep and send you the bill later like they did to me.
I also don't know if they'll release the package with COD fees outstanding if you check the 'please leave at' box. Maybe? I bet if you tried it, and they aren't allowed to leave it, it would still eventually get sent back with enough 'failed to deliver' notices. But I seriously don't know so if you do try it, let me know what happens
also:
http://www.thefinalcost.com/shipments/calculate/
BAM. It's a calculator so you can figure out what you're getting into when shipping to Canada.
I will try my luck with this strategy, and I'll let you know what happens.
And that calculator is almost correct, with all the conversion it cost me about $398, and it predicted $386.56.
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/8552/dscn0559u.jpg
Why oh why didn't he ask me first?
Bahahaha, speaking of this very thing, my dad just now got dinged for $100.64 by FedEx on a piece of china for my mom for her set:
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/8552/dscn0559u.jpg
Why oh why didn't he ask me first?
Funny! What was the valuation on the customs form?
The box was pretty big though it's probably a tea pot~
I know UPS is notorious for custom and handling fees, but this could be an alternative explanation for the wording of the invoice.
Either way - NEVER LET SOMEONE SEND ANYTHING TO YOU WITH UPS. I always ask for USPS and say, I'll happily pay the extra shipping costs.
I use UPS all the time to Canada. I send as a gift with a value of $5. I've never heard of these things you guys speak of. But then it is just a few items at most. A prototype or a sealed game. I've never had to send a complete system with 40 games etc.
It doesn't matter what you put on the customs form. If they see ANYTHING electronic you get dinged for taxes on $100. I had ordered some new PLASTIC joysticks and PLASTIC buttons for my arcade cabinet (nothing electronic about them as standalone objects). The customs form said "PARTS" and valued at $20.
On the UPS / Border customs form, they determined that they were electronic devices and rated them with a value of $100. So I got hit with 15% tax rate, plus $5 handling fee, plus whatever dumb brokerage fee they wanted to assign.
They give you a number to call to dispute charges. It's just a recording that says you're screwed, so don't bother calling again and then it hangs up on you.
I dunno what to tell you. I've been trading buying and selling videogames since the mid 90's. I always mark it as a gift and place the value $5 or $10 and have never had any problems. As I said before it is always 3-4 games at most or perhaps 1 system. I've never shipped a huge lot this way. I think when I shipped a system I said it was "Obsolete Broken unit". Value $5 and marked it as a gift. For videogames put down "old" or "closeouts" or "obsolete" followed by videogames in the description and also as a gift.
All of MY problems came from the Canadian post office. Where a single PS1 game can take a month or more to reach the customer. I've had many items not show up at all. Plus you can't get real tracking without going to express mail.