Chinspin to Canada shipping experience?

[Mittens, Ph.D.]

Hi Folks!

Anyone in Canada buy a chinspin and chance to remember the final cost of getting it here (I'm not worried about taxes and duties, but I am worried about the brokerage fees).

Quality Cage ships by UPS Ground, which is practically the most expensive way to get it over the border. For me to dodge the brokerage fees, I'd have to go to the airport (which here is not so convenient, and I don't have a car...).

Thanks!

 

[Mittens, Ph.D.]

Update: I asked Quality Cage (Thanks Linda and her boss!) to ship via USPS, and they said yes! They're charging me extra for someone to take it to the post office, and I'm happy to pay it, as I know in the end it will be far cheaper than the UPS brokerage fees! As a Canadian, I just can't support UPS Standard to Canada (Ground) shipping, as the brokerage fees border on profiteering.

If any of you reading this are US suppliers, please take the link below into consideration when shipping items by UPS or Fedex Ground to Canada.

For any Canadians wanting to know more about getting around UPS or Fedex Ground shipping brokerage fees, see http://www.thegatesofdawn.ca/wordpress/posts/2009/01/26/avoiding-upsfedex-brokerage-fees/

 

[Rickman]

There are many commercials running down here about the USPS picking-up with just a phone call!
Surprised QC doesn't know this!
As far as picking up at the airport - messenger services can do that at O'Hare [Chicago - ORD] - might be cheaper and easier if it's allowed up there!

 

[Mittens, Ph.D.]

Some people in Canada do go to the airports, fill out their own Customs Clearance forms, pay the duties and taxes, and tell UPS to pound sand. The reason you have to go to the airport is because that is where the Canada Border Services (Customs) offices are located. You have to either go yourself or appoint an agent to fill out the forms... Maybe a messenger service could do that? They'd probably charge at least $20 for that though... Hrm.

But in my case the airport is far away (it's about 40 minutes from my house, mostly on the highway) and I'm sure that those fees would add up to more than QC dropping off the package.

Thanks for the ideas! I'll let QC know about USPS picking up with a phone call!

 

[Carol~Anne]

I did have a Chin Spin delivered to me here on Vancouver Island from QC and the fee was around $37 and that was about a year and a half ago. I need another Chin Spin soon and will ask them to send it by mail instead and pay the extra for someone to drop it off at the post office if need be. Thanks.

 

[Mittens, Ph.D.]

They made it to the local post office in under 2 weeks (with the Christmas and New Years holidays inbetween!). And customs was all of $12!

 

[lilchinchilla]

Yeah, UPS and Fedex are brutal on customs and brokerage fees... Ain't worth whatever you are buying, by the time you get it. I always beg whoever is shipping to me, to use USPS, for anything from the States to here.

The sellers never can figure out why I am paying out more than what the item is worth half the time, when they ship Fedex or UPS. Sometimes you get lucky, and people will send by USPS.... sometimes they won't go any other way but Fedex or UPS.

Glad you got your chinspin by USPS.

 

[meiying]

Hi, I am going to order a chin spin from Quality Cage to Canada, and they are going to send it through USPS Priority International (6-10 business day) and will cost $43.65. Total cost will be $113.65 (US), I wonder is the cost about right??

 

[Tagna]

Yup, if they send it UPS they add brokerage fees. The shipping is cheaper with UPS but with the brokerage fees it works out to the same. Love the wheels but wish there was a cheaper shipping method.

 

[meiying]

Yup, if they send it UPS they add brokerage fees. The shipping is cheaper with UPS but with the brokerage fees it works out to the same. Love the wheels but wish there was a cheaper shipping method.

Yes Tagna, I was hoping to get a lower shipping cost tpp :wacko: coz the wheel itself is $70, shipping costs more than 1/2 of the wheel..... I was thinking of getting the chinchilla nest from them too but the shipping would be much higher, and it is not flat rate so i ended up just ordered the chin spin. Would be nice to have chin spin dealers in Canada, that would help to lower the price of the spin??????

 

[Vcchinchilla]

I had customs -_- about 50?
and I live in Vancouver, really close to them but I got to say its almost been a year
and still looks new and I expect it to last min 5 years so that I can feel that it's worth it

here's for hoping,
fingers crossed

 

[meiying]

I had customs -_- about 50?

Hey there, do you have a pic of your customs wheel? So curious about it :thumbsup: