Shipping from Canada to US

[dr_bob]

I'm hoping that one or more of you can let me know if there are any special considerations of which I should be aware when having a guitar shipped from Canada to the US.

I have purchased a guitar from a private party (not a Forum member) in Winnepeg. (Do we have any Winnepeg members?) He will ship it to me here in St. Louis. I've mostly used UPS for shipments within the US and am generally happy with the service I have received. Is there anything different about Canada to US shipping? Would anyone suggest something other than UPS? Thanks.

[tennis_nick]

It's at the shipping companies discretion, but they may stick you with a major brokerage fee... and what I mean by the companies discretion is that it's not 100% sure you'll have to pay it, and each company has their own price.

I had a guitar shipped and paid a 190$ just to pick it up in brokerage fees.

90 for an amp through DHL.

USPS however, charges a flat fee of... $5. Should I repeat that... $5. Not $190.... $5.

However, the transborder thing means you'll probly have to pay taxes on the declared value.

[admin]

Bob: I suspect that you are looking at a brokerage fee if the instrument is shipped UPS. I forget the exact amount, but when I shipped a guitar to the US from Canada, the receiving party had to pay another $30-$40 dollars US.

This was charged even though I was assured when I shipped it that there would be no additional charges to the receiver.

[jwilli]

My brokerage fee from UPS was around $100. I didn't realize that I would be charged for it at the time. What can you do .....

[admin]

John: You can enjoy the guitar! For everything else there is mastercard.

[86kubicki]

I believe the UPS brokerage fee is based on the declared value on the customs forms. In my experience, it usually costs $50-80 for brokerage fees when shipping an instrument into Canada via UPS. But as long as the item is manufactured in North America, there shouldn't be any duties as its exempt under NAFTA. Local state taxes are a possibility, but I haven't heard anyone from the states having to pay this. Conversely, Canadians have to pay federal and provincial tax on incoming shipments (even when purchased from a private individual).

[jwilli]

Steve, thats what I thought too. I called UPS and told them that I didn't think that there should be any brokerage fees as this instrument was made in the US. They said "pay up".

[wints]

I had a bass sent from BC to Florida via the Canadian Post Office and it cost about $65 total IIRC...

[tennis_nick]

I had a bass sent from BC to Florida via the Canadian Post Office and it cost about $65 total IIRC...

Canada Post and USPS are the most economical way to do it.

Once the package gets to the border, they just hand it off to the other company.

[captsandwich]

Steve, thats what I thought too. I called UPS and told them that I didn't think that there should be any brokerage fees as this instrument was made in the US. They said "pay up".

Brokerage fees and duties are entirely different animals. Duties are charged by the government for imported items. Under NAFTA, there is no duty on guitars manufactured in North America when shipping between member countries.
Brokerage fees are what the shipping company charges you to make a customs declaration. So UPS charges ~$100 to fill out a form that says the guitar is exempt from duties. Supposedly, there is a way you can get UPS to hold the instrument and you clear it with customs yourself before they release it to you, but I have heard this has varying degrees of success and precludes dropping off the instrument on your doorstep, which would not be good for those that do not live in a major city or port of entry.
The only issue I have heard with using Canada Post/USPS is that once the package crosses the border, the shipment can no longer be tracked by the originating company.

[rickboy88]

I just bought a Hagstrom bass from a fellow in Canada, and had to pay a $80 brokerage fee to UPS when it was shipped to my place of work. The seller did credit me back the money via PayPal. Shipping it to work caused more issues, as it has to "clear" with the right code. The person who handled my company's account had no idea how to deal with it, till I helped out with the info that it was an electric guitar.

I must note that I didn't realize it would be so involved to get a guitar shipped from our neighbor up north. When I received my Jaguar bass from Japan it was pretty painless by comparison. My concern with that one was only how poorly the seller had packed it.

I was about to post about this, but thought I'd simply add my comments to this thread.

[winston]

I have experienced the UPS rip off on brokerage twice on US goods entering Canada. I presumed that the first time was because there was a lot of paperwork involved in getting my 350 across the border. When I bought my 360/12 WB the same thing happened. I immediately decided that I would have the next guitar shipped USPS. Guess what? No brokerage fee was charged on my 360v63.

I only have items shipped by USPS to Canada now. When I sell or ship to the USA I ship via Canada Post if the value is fairly low $1 -$500. If the shipment is valuable then I ship via Purolator.

The bottom line is that it is UPS who is placing the additional charge on your invoice for brokerage. Based on my discussions with them it is a service fee (that USPS does not charge). So it's just a money grab. End of story.

[tennis_nick]

I have experienced the UPS rip off on brokerage twice on US goods entering Canada. I presumed that the first time was because there was a lot of paperwork involved in getting my 350 across the border. When I bought my 360/12 WB the same thing happened. I immediately decided that I would have the next guitar shipped USPS. Guess what? No brokerage fee was charged on my 360v63.

I only have items shipped by USPS to Canada now. When I sell or ship to the USA I ship via Canada Post if the value is fairly low $1 -$500. If the shipment is valuable then I ship via Purolator.

The bottom line is that it is UPS who is placing the additional charge on your invoice for brokerage. Based on my discussions with them it is a service fee (that USPS does not charge). So it's just a money grab. End of story.

Which is pretty much what I've been trying to say since the thread started, but I'm terrible with words.

[rickboy88]

You were clear, Nick. Those of us who got burned now know better, and maybe people who've yet to ship across the border will see this thread and not learn the hard way.

I know that I will request USPS in the future. The Jaguar bass from Japan actually was transferred to the USPS for final delivery.

Because of my verbal agreement with the seller, I still didn't have to pay the fee due to his reimbursement via PayPal, so I was fortunate.

[admin]

It is also interesting to see how Purolator shipped items from Canada find their way into the hands of UPS in the US. I do not know if this is the general rule, however.