shipping and handling + additional cost?
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free skin care · Thu May 24, 2007 10:47 am

When i bought a swimsuit online from the states they charged me shipping and handling ofcourse.... but then later a notice came in the mail from FedEx telling me to pay an additional $25
I am quite new to buying things online that isn't based in canada but why do you have to pay an additional cost after you have already recieved your package? And is FedEx the only company who does this?

I want to buy a flat iron from Folica.com, and it is supposed to be $22 shipping and handling... but are they going to charge me more later when my package has already arrived?

free skin care · Thu May 24, 2007 11:17 am

Hi BCgirl,

It's probably a "customs clearing charge". UPS is the worst for that ... you end up paying almost as much for the customs clearing charge as you did for the item you ordered!

I haven't dealt with FedEx before ... but if they sent you a notice at least they didn't hold your shipment hostage. UPS won't give you your parcel until you pay IN CASH the additional charge.

Just as a note ... providing your item costs less than $20 Canadian, UPS doesn't add a customs clearing charge. Over $20 ... and figure on almost as much again.

I had a shipment that cost me $39 U.S. ... and UPS's customs clearance charge was $36 Canadian.

Mary

Thu May 24, 2007 12:07 pm

You will be charged GST and duty, if you're importing from the U.S. It's the law, and unless it's a gift, duty & GST will always be applied. UPS and Fedex likely have Customs brokerage fees.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/postal/ind_duty_free-e.html

http://www.ups.com/content/ca/en/resources/customs/index.html

http://www.fedex.com/ca_english/international/customsservices/customsbrokerage.html

free skin care · Thu May 24, 2007 12:57 pm

I've never had a GST or PST charge on any UPS order that amounted to less than $20 Canadian. They just leave the parcel.

However, in every case where I had shipments from UPS that were over the value of $20 ... the "customs clearance charge" was within $3 of the value of the declared value.

It was when I phoned UPS Customer Service that they told me if the shipments were $20 or less in value there were no additional charges.

Even at the Post Office, GST and PST aren't routinely charged. Sometimes they are ... sometimes they aren't.

At the Post Office in addition to the GST and PST there is a $5 handling fee. However, that will only be charged if the parcel has been tagged for GST and PST payment.

Nor do these parcels have to have "gift" indicated on them to be picked up without any additional charge at the Post Office. I picked up a parcel yesterday with a listed value of $25 ... and while I had to pick it up from the Post Office because it was too big for our mailbox ... there was no additional charge associated with it.

Now I generally get a couple of shipments a week from the U.S. via either the Post Office or UPS ... and I'm only relaying what has been my experience.

If I'm not mistaken, that $20 "rule" also applies to when you are travelling across the border. I think you can bring back $20 worth of stuff almost anytime "duty free" ... regardless of your "annual" duty free "allowance".

I could be wrong on that ... but I seem to recollect that in my travels across to the U.S.

Mary

Thu May 24, 2007 3:16 pm

They told me at the post office yesterday that the Canada Post handling fee for packages entering Canada is variable and based on the declared value of the package. It can be anywhere from $3, $5, $8 and up. An individual is allowed a declared value of less than $40, marked gift or not, before PST/GST + handling fee is charged. I believe they said a family is allowed $120 but that each family member's name (x4) must be clearly indicated on the address label. Anything over $40 may be charged PST, GST + a variable Canada Post handling fee--I say *may* because, as you know, it can sometimes be luck of the draw--sometimes they ding you and sometimes they don't.

And then there is also duty....

free skin care · Thu May 24, 2007 3:23 pm

hpjrt wrote:

Hi BCgirl,

It's probably a "customs clearing charge". UPS is the worst for that ... you end up paying almost as much for the customs clearing charge as you did for the item you ordered!

I haven't dealt with FedEx before ... but if they sent you a notice at least they didn't hold your shipment hostage. UPS won't give you your parcel until you pay IN CASH the additional charge.

Just as a note ... providing your item costs less than $20 Canadian, UPS doesn't add a customs clearing charge. Over $20 ... and figure on almost as much again.

I had a shipment that cost me $39 U.S. ... and UPS's customs clearance charge was $36 Canadian.

Mary

Any time that happens to me now I just send the package back and e-mail the company telling them I won't be ordering with them again. Some companies assure you that you've paid up front all the duties and fees and it's at the front door of your home you will find out that isn't so.

free skin care · Thu May 24, 2007 8:05 pm

what does "customs brokerage fee" mean?

free skin care · Fri May 25, 2007 1:29 am

havana8 wrote:

They told me at the post office yesterday that the Canada Post handling fee for packages entering Canada is variable and based on the declared value of the package. It can be anywhere from $3, $5, $8 and up. An individual is allowed a declared value of less than $40, marked gift or not, before PST/GST + handling fee is charged. I believe they said a family is allowed $120 but that each family member's name (x4) must be clearly indicated on the address label. Anything over $40 may be charged PST, GST + a variable Canada Post handling fee--I say *may* because, as you know, it can sometimes be luck of the draw--sometimes they ding you and sometimes they don't.

And then there is also duty....

I think hjprt is right according to Canadian Customs (not Canada Post). Because it's Canadian Customs that charges, from what I remember from their official site (which has all of these laws that I googled), when marked gift somewhere between $25-30 (can't remember which) and when not marked gift $20 is the LIMIT. It is legal for them to charge you a commercial package that is valued at $25 this I'm sure of. But most of the time they do let these run but I have been charged ONCE when my IFP package was valued at $25. Customs handling is always $5 regardless of the value, if you have been charged more by Canada Post they are obviously taking advantage of you. Canada Post is NOT supposed to charge you anything, you get charged by Canadian Customs. If Customs ever charge you more than what is specified in the law there is an appeal form you fill out to get the amount you were overcharged back. There is a procedure for these things and customs have tried to charge people more than they need to pay before.

Customs brokerage fee is a fee for courier services like Fedex and UPS to clear customs for you.

free skin care · Fri May 25, 2007 7:24 am

This has been my experience, UPS charges a brokerage fee based on the value of the parcel plus the Cad. taxes. Canada Post charges a $5.00 handling fee and also the taxes.
It is pointless to send a parcel back to the seller seeing as it is not their responsibility and they has absolutely no jurisdiction over customs and duties.
Folica does not put the full retail value on their parcels whereas some companies will not devalue the parcel.

Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:06 pm

sormuimui wrote:

havana8 wrote:

They told me at the post office yesterday that the Canada Post handling fee for packages entering Canada is variable and based on the declared value of the package. It can be anywhere from $3, $5, $8 and up. An individual is allowed a declared value of less than $40, marked gift or not, before PST/GST + handling fee is charged. I believe they said a family is allowed $120 but that each family member's name (x4) must be clearly indicated on the address label. Anything over $40 may be charged PST, GST + a variable Canada Post handling fee--I say *may* because, as you know, it can sometimes be luck of the draw--sometimes they ding you and sometimes they don't.

And then there is also duty....

I think hjprt is right according to Canadian Customs (not Canada Post). Because it's Canadian Customs that charges, from what I remember from their official site (which has all of these laws that I googled), when marked gift somewhere between $25-30 (can't remember which) and when not marked gift $20 is the LIMIT. It is legal for them to charge you a commercial package that is valued at $25 this I'm sure of. But most of the time they do let these run but I have been charged ONCE when my IFP package was valued at $25. Customs handling is always $5 regardless of the value, if you have been charged more by Canada Post they are obviously taking advantage of you. Canada Post is NOT supposed to charge you anything, you get charged by Canadian Customs. If Customs ever charge you more than what is specified in the law there is an appeal form you fill out to get the amount you were overcharged back. There is a procedure for these things and customs have tried to charge people more than they need to pay before.

Customs brokerage fee is a fee for courier services like Fedex and UPS to clear customs for you.

According to the Canadian Border Services Agency, the post office is authorized to charge a $5 handling fee for regular mail and an $8 handling fee for priority post/express mail service items for the collection and remittance of duty and taxes owed to the government. If your mail item is duty and/or tax-free, you do not have to pay the handling fee.

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), duties on various goods imported from the United States and Mexico have been eliminated if the goods you are importing are made in the US or Mexico.

You also don't have to pay duties and/or taxes if your mail item is a) a gift worth $60 or less or b) worth $20 or less. If the value of the "gift" is marked as more than $60, you pay duties and taxes only on the amount that exceeds the $60 limit. Technically speaking, to qualify as a gift, a mail item must be wrapped and/or be accompanied by a gift card stating, "to addressee from sender."

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4051/rc4051-e.html#P003

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