Fed-Ex,Ebay and Canada

[Moto-Uno]

If Canadians are receiving ebay purchases from the US and the shipper
choses to use FED-EX be forewarned that after delivery you will receive another invoice from FED-EX (as much as three weeks later ) informing you of additional charges. These are supposed to be taxes on your purchase. In my case they came to more than the price of the filters!! Use FED-EX at your own risk!!! Peter

 

[panerai]

Never use Fed-Ex or UPS for cross border shipping

If your not sure. Ask the seller, but I always ask for them to use USPS

UPS told me one time that they don't charge anymore than Canada Post would, but that's a load of crock. They wanted $20 brokerage fee for a $25.00 T-Shirt a customer sent me. Canada Post wouldn't have charged anything for so little in value.

I call it double dipping. Not happy with being paid for delivering, they then gouge the buyer with brokerage fees.

DON

 

[sevo]

That seems to be their official policy pretty much everywhere outside the US. Don't buy anything from sellers that ship via FedEx only!

 

[Naper]

My experiences with FeEx have been good, No extra charges. UPS on the other hand I would never use again for shipments to Canada.
As others have said Post is the best unless you are in a rush.

 

[Tony Whitney]

I've used USPS and Canada Post almost exclusively for sales and purchases on RFF. Merchandise arrives speedily enough and I've never had the slightest problem with either postal service. I know about those surcharges levied by the big package carriers and consequently stay well away from them. What's the point in purchasing a third-party lens hood and saving a bunch if the carrier later gouges more than the cost of the item out of you?...Tony

 

[Lauffray]

I agree, had the same experience. They hide the real border fee cost in their brokerage fee "service" and mark up the prices to make extra dough on the side. I never use anything besides USPS and Canada Post unless I have no other choice

 

[sevres_babylone]

My experiences with FeEx have been good, No extra charges. UPS on the other hand I would never use again for shipments to Canada.
As others have said Post is the best unless you are in a rush.

Echoes my experience. My blood pressure goes up when I just see the UPS logo, which is a problem for me as there is an agent across from where I work🙂

My recollection is that my R-D1 came by Fedex, with no problem. (And, it was several years ago.)

I have had problems with both when sending photographic equipment to the US for repair or exchange. Fedex eventually refunded me some purported customs duties; it took time, but they were decent to deal with. UPS was a nightmare.

USPS has been good (as has been B&H's Purolator prepaid service). I understand the hesitation about using them for large ticket items. If I had to choose between Fedex and UPS for delivery from the U.S. to Canada, I would not hesitate to choose Fedex.

 

[edge100]

Bad experiences with UPS here, too. They charge huge brokerage fees.

FedEx is ok, but Purolator and USPS/Canada Post are best, in my experience.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

UPS here are morons. They will dump equipment valued $10K at the garage door if nobody at home. They did it several times to me at our office.
Fedex is better, but expensive due to their brokerage fee and higher shipping costs.
Support Canada Post, cheap and reliable. No brokerage fees. Use USPS if from USA and regular mail service if from elsewhere.

 

[Lauffray]

This only applies to small items, always use FedEX or UPS on very expensive items. I am personally not sending anyone in Canada a $5000 camera through the post. Not that it won't arrive, but I want the protection the FedEX offers.

This complaint about cheap stuff is a very old saw.

I hear you, but it's not everyday I buy 5000$ cameras, more often I buy books or film, sometimes from abroad, and getting 20$ brokerage fees for a 30$ package really gets tiring very fast

 

[hausen]

I use UPS when I buy film from B&H in NYC and as long as I stay under NZ$350 total I pay nothing else. That is just NZ though.

 

[Paddy C]

There is no shortage of complaints about the major couriers on all fronts.

If you are buying from a big supplier (B&H, Amazon, etc.) I find that couriers are OK because any additional costs will be known up-front and the big suppliers get favourable service.

But for ebay, or small/independent sellers etc., couriers can be brutal. DHL is another one that arrives with an additional invoice that usually includes ridiculous brokerage fees.

 

[CVickery]

This only applies to small items, always use FedEX or UPS on very expensive items. I am personally not sending anyone in Canada a $5000 camera through the post. Not that it won't arrive, but I want the protection the FedEX offers.

This complaint about cheap stuff is a very old saw.

Be careful about that. Certain services offered by FedEx only offer small amounts of coverage. They charge a fee based on the value of the shipment, but they carefully avoid calling it insurance and specifically tell you to insure high value shipments with your own insurance company.

I just shipped a $4000 camera and used CanadaPost. At least I know I purchased insurance for the full value, with FedEx it was unclear what, if any coverage was offered.