• fourish@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    You can always self-clear your package. Then they don’t see any extra fees from you.

    Super simple

    1. Tell them to email you the commercial invoice.
    2. Bring invoice to Canada customs and pay any duties or taxes-they stamp your paper.
    3. Bring stamped paper to courier and they have to give you your stuff with no additional fees.

    Done

    Done it many times. Super easy here because UPS and Canada customs are a 5 minute drive from each other.

    • Rentlar
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      1 month ago

      UPS and Fedex have play hard to get even after I have emailed and called them several times.

      Also in Vancouver it’s not bad with an airport and downtown location, but in Toronto it’s actually insane, your only option in the city is Pearson Airport, where nobody wants to be.

    • Leeny
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      1 month ago

      I’m glad this is working for you. When I tried (a few years ago), UPS refused to send the commercial invoice and bounced me around from person to person on the phone, all of whom seemed to have no idea what I was asking for. My partner tried and had the same experience. I think we tried about 5 different times and got nowhere.

      For us, they had delivered the boxes while we weren’t home and then sent the bills later and then to collections (their own private collections company as it turns out). We sent a demand letter to them requesting proof that we accepted the delivery (we obviously hadn’t), and ultimately never heard another word from them. Collections letters and phone calls stopped. Not saying this will work for everyone, but we were relieved as we didn’t actually owe any duty (we were shipping our own stuff) and tried so hard to complete the process the right way.

      • MaxHardwood
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        1 month ago

        Your purchase receipt is the commercial invoice. I self clear all the time when dealing with DHL.

        • Leeny
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          8 days ago

          Hey this is a late reply, but what do you do when it’s not a commercial purchase? My mother insists on sending me packages from abroad through UPS and I get screwed with duty. Any ideas how to self clear this?

          • MaxHardwood
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            7 days ago

            As far as I’m aware, only new items are charged import fees. She should have the purchase receipt. Used items are just processed like regular mail; could be wrong on that though.

            • Leeny
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              6 days ago

              Unfortunately no that’s not true. Even if duty is not owed, GST is still charged (based on the declared value) as I found out yesterday. $3.50 in GST $38 in brokerage fees added on by UPS. Fuck these guys, it’s predatory.