UPS experiences

[adamharr]

Hi guys.
I bought a slalom board from L.A and shipped it to Mexico.
Got the cheapest ground shipping 10 day and its been 16 working days and haven't received my board yet.

Last time i bought a race board and shipped with them from Vancouver to Chicago in 5 day ground and took 2 weeks..

So i'm not sorprised. But i've sent bars with UPS internationally and have gotten in 5 days or so.
I guess it all comes down to customs but i am getting a bit worried this time

[Laughingman]

Hi guys.
I bought a slalom board from L.A and shipped it to Mexico.
Got the cheapest ground shipping 10 day and its been 16 working days and haven't received my board yet.

Last time i bought a race board and shipped with them from Vancouver to Chicago in 5 day ground and took 2 weeks..

So i'm not sorprised. But i've sent bars with UPS internationally and have gotten in 5 days or so.
I guess it all comes down to customs but i am getting a bit worried this time

This is totally about customs. But customs problems can be exacerbated by poorly filled out documents. I would call the shipping company and make sure they have what they need to clear customs. A live agent can see way more then the tracking website will show you.

[The Captain]

I will NEVER use UPS for one reason, and that is the absolutely ridiculous 'brokerage fees' they charge to bring things across the border.

For example, my wife recently purchased some kids clothes online. ~$100US with free USPS shipping.
Well, they sent it UPS instead. UPS wanted to charge over $60!!! brokerage fees, and yes, that is on top of the duty and taxes! They then hold your package...you are screwed. You can't even refuse it or send it back.

Something sent USPS would have a $5 fee, if at all.

I believe there is a class action lawsuit going on about their fees at the moment. I hope they get spanked for holding people hostage. I hate that.

[toyletbowl]

I run a kite business and was told a while back to not even bother shipping to Mexico anymore. It's not UPS, but the carriers in the country who take over the shipping.

I use UPS daily and have zero problems.

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

[adamharr]

Mexico can be slow but i ship inside Mexico all the time by Estafeta and never have problems.
Last week i shipped a race bar from a guy in this forum from Puerto Vallarta to Edmonton and got there in 5 days by Estafeta/UPS.

I don't know if UPS is only like this with big packages.
To my knowledge UPS delivers to your door here in Mexico.
I see their trucks all the time...

Worst thing is i can't find tracking #..

[BWD]

I on the other hand have had UPS lose a package of paperwork that may have been worth $50000 or so. "May have been" because I will never know, it never got there.
I have never had fedex lose anything, in 30 years.
Or DHL, but I have only used DHL a dozen or so times.
I tend not to choose UPS if time or high value are involved.

[GregK]

I run a kite business ....

I use UPS daily and have zero problems.

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

Zero problems on the sender's side maybe but my experience on the receiving end of UPS shipments from the States to Canada, unless you have an account with UPS and clear your shipment yourself through Canadian Customs ( and UPS HATE it when you do that because zip goes there massive profit on the shipment ) or have your own broker clear the item ( not cheap either ) they charge ridiculous brokerage fees ( the fee levied to fill out & submit to Canadian Customs the paperwork needed to get your shipment through Customs -takes about 5 minutes if you know how to do it ) to anyone without a UPS account, and ...

Brown also charges Canadians a second ridiculous fee on top of the brokerage fee because they had to pay the Canadian taxes ( Goods & Service, provincial sales tax ) in advance of collecting them back from the recipient. Of course Brown doesn't bother to notify you that your package is headed across the border and does not give you a chance to pay GST and PST in advance and avoid that extra fee. They just charge you after the fact, holding your package hostage until you pay up.

I won't buy from a US vendor who only ships UPS unless there is absolutely no other option ( i.e. alternate vendor), which rarely happens. FedEx ground aren't too bad on brokerage fees, but I'm with others, USPS is the best to Canada - the current Canada Post brokerage fee is $8 I believe on shipments values around 2 or 3 hundred $. Go Brown and they'll want $ 75 - 100 so forget that.

[adamharr]

I run a kite business ....

I use UPS daily and have zero problems.

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

Zero problems on the sender's side maybe but my experience on the receiving end of UPS shipments from the States to Canada, unless you have an account with UPS and clear your shipment yourself through Canadian Customs ( and UPS HATE it when you do that because zip goes there massive profit on the shipment ) or have your own broker clear the item ( not cheap either ) they charge ridiculous brokerage fees ( the fee levied to fill out & submit to Canadian Customs the paperwork needed to get your shipment through Customs -takes about 5 minutes if you know how to do it ) to anyone without a UPS account, and ...

Brown also charges Canadians a second ridiculous fee on top of the brokerage fee because they had to pay the Canadian taxes ( Goods & Service, provincial sales tax ) in advance of collecting them back from the recipient. Of course Brown doesn't bother to notify you that your package is headed across the border and does not give you a chance to pay GST and PST in advance and avoid that extra fee. They just charge you after the fact, holding your package hostage until you pay up.

I won't buy from a US vendor who only ships UPS unless there is absolutely no other option ( i.e. alternate vendor), which rarely happens. FedEx ground aren't too bad on brokerage fees, but I'm with others, USPS is the best to Canada - the current Canada Post brokerage fee is $8 I believe on shipments values around 2 or 3 hundred $. Go Brown and they'll want $ 75 - 100 so forget that.

Agree..
You guys think my board is in customs for lack of info. Or they want taxes?
Can't beleive it!!!!
And don't have the fucking tracking number
I hate this crap...

[toyletbowl]

Why no tracking number? All UPS shipments automatically have tracking.

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

[Laughingman]

I run a kite business and was told a while back to not even bother shipping to Mexico anymore. It's not UPS, but the carriers in the country who take over the shipping.

I use UPS daily and have zero problems.

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

Bob I encourage you to work with another shipper and/or give another option for shipping items into Canada. Canadians hate UPS and there are several of us that will find another vendor if UPS is the only option. I recently was on a website and moved a few items into my cart and saw their was only ups as an option. I decided it was not worth the shipping, and additional charges so I didn't buy them, the following day I received an email from the site owner asking why I didn't complete my order, told him UPS was a rip off etc... he gave me 2 other options for 1/4 the price... and made a sale.

Sincerely
Pete