I can understand where you're coming from.  Your shipment was very low
value, and to you, it's a high percentage for clearance.  But in the eyes of
an international carrier, clearance fees are a fixed cost, so it never
occurs to them that your shipper doesn't know about those fees.  You should
call a few forwarders and ask them what their charge is for clearance these
days.  You will find that $24 is a pittance.
Anyway, I'll leave it alone now.  Hopefully everyone out there who is
considering international orders in the future will now know to ask about
brokerage charges.  My wife is a licensed Customs broker in the U.S., if
anyone ever wants to know the duty on a particular item they're considering
importing.
tx,
bmc  :)
"Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."

> From: Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
> Reply-To: Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 10:49:34 -0400
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Canadians beware! UPS are a bunch of crooks
>
> Your problem appears to have been with the "sender" not the "carrier".
>
> Jay
>
>
>
>
> 80 Westy Pokey <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>@gerry.vanagon.com> on 06/07/2002
> 10:30:52 AM
>
> Please respond to 80 Westy Pokey <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
>
> Sent by:    Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
>
>
> To:    vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> cc:
> Subject:    Re: Canadians beware! UPS are a bunch of crooks
>
>
> Fair enough. I guess what I am saying is the blurb on the
> waybill does not adequately disclose the magnitude of the
> fees, and since the magnitude is as high as it is you
> shouldn't have to ask them.
>
> You are right they are legally entitled to charge fees, I
> meant crooks in a metaphorical sense. Like when the dealer
> said they were going to charge me $300 to do my alignment, I
> left because I did not want to be "robbed"....
>
> Thanks,
> Chris
>
> ---- Original message ----
>> Date: Fri, 07 Jun 2002 08:24:25 -0600
>> From: Ben McCafferty <ben@kbmc.net>
>> Subject: Re: Canadians beware! UPS are a bunch of crooks
>> To: 80 Westy Pokey <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>,
> <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>
>>> Where do you work UPS? Fedex?
>> --Nope, used to work for one of their competitors.
>>>
>>> I wasn't aware that the seller was using UPS as I stated in
>>> my original e-mail there was a miscomunication and he ended
>>> up using UPS. This was WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE, I did not
>>> INTENTIONALLY use them, nor would I EVER.
>> --Understood.
>>>
>>> Moreover, UPS does not go out of their way to inform
> senders
>>> that the receiver would be subject to brokerage fees
> (though
>>> I admit it is probably burried in a document).
>> --It is stated on every international waybill.  When you (or
> your shipper)
>> signs the bill, you agree to have UPS or FedEx be your
> customs broker, and
>> to pay their fees according to their tariff.
>>>
>>> Instead of calling my complaint asinine look at it for what
>>> it is... A warning to Canadians that UPS charges hidden
> fees
>>> that are not readily disclosed to US senders.
>> --I'm not calling your complaint asinine.  I'm saying that
> brokerage fees
>> are a normal part of every international shipment, be it TO
> Canada, TO the
>> US, TO Hong Kong, or wherever.  And you're right, they can
> add up,
>> especially on a low-value shipment like you described.  The
> forwarder I
>> worked for charged $75 for customs clearance--whether your
> shipment was
>> valued at $10 or $10 million, because the labor and time
> involved for
>> clearance doesn't change based on the value of the shipment.
>>
>> Rather than calling your complaint asinine, I'm agreeing
> with you that
>> people should be aware of the fees involved and ship
> accordingly.  I do not,
>> however, agree that UPS or FedEx are crooks, when their fees
> are (BY LAW)
>> posted and available in their tariff to anyone who asks.
>>
>> tx,
>> bmc  :)
>>
>