Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 09:45:24 -0500
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject: Re: Canadian shipping
In-Reply-To: <41F79E84.9040309@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> This is the reason you should never have anything shipped
> into Canada by a courier service. Use the normal Postal system!
The problem with UPS is that their cheapest service level to Canada does not
include the brokerage fees, which can be quite substantial. Incredibly, they
will not tell you how much they will be up front, so you get a real shocker
in the end. (It's worth noting that only UPS's Standard service excludes
brokerage fees. The other levels of service include brokerage fees.)
For this reason, we ship 95% of our items to Canada via Mail, which avoids
brokerage fees, unless instructed otherwise. There are several service
classes of Mail, but all avoid the fees. When possible (on smaller orders)
we try to use Global Priority Mail, which is only for small packages but
typically gets the package there in a week at a very low price. Otherwise we
use airmail, which can take a couple of weeks. (The package reaches the
Canadian border within a matter of days, but then is processed by Canadian
customs and delivered via Canadian surface mail. Global Express Mail is
also available, and can be cheaper than UPS air service and just as fast.
With the exception of Global Express, none of these can easily be tracked as
can UPS shipments, but we do insure them. The difference is that if the
package is late, there's not much you can do but wait until it is so late
that the post office considers it lost (which is a month, I think), at which
time the insurance kicks in. That said, I have generally found mail to
Canada to be very reliable. We very, very rarely have a claim, and in fact
in terms of damage they are better than UPS is.
There are some other items that we can actually dropship directly from a
Canadian distributor to our customers in Canada. This avoids both brokerage
fees and duty, so it's the optimal situation. Unfortunately I generally
won't know until I process the order what items (if any) can be sent that
way; it depends on stock status in Canada at the time. But don't be shocked
if every once in a while an item you order from us turns up at your door a
few days later with a Canadian return address!
A few items must be dropshipped directly from a manufacturer who only uses
UPS. This includes some carpet kits and other custom-made items. In those
cases, my choices are to have them dropshipped to you via UPS, or have them
sent to us first and then we can send them by mail. Obviously the latter
alternative is more time-consuming, and entails two shipping costs (first
the item to us and then to you). Sometimes it still saves money if you are
not in a hurry.
Incidentally, since it has now been 25 years since Vanagon was first made
(Happy Birthday!), we now generally label the package as "parts for vehicle
25 years or older." I have been told by Canadian customers (although I have
not confirmed myself) that this can reduce the import duty.
On any Bus Depot order, feel free to request information on how the order
will be shipped, or specify that you want any items cancelled that cannot go
Mail. Also we are more than happy to quote you on various options, such as
airmail, express mail, UPS expedited, etc. and let you make the decision.
Our Canadian customers are very important to us, and we always try our best
to keep your costs as low as possible.
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
_____________________________________________
Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]
> On Behalf Of Ken Wilford
> Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 8:44 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Canadian shipping was: shipping a Vanagon tow hitch-a saga
>
>
> I have found that most Canadian customers want two things at
> the same time. Cheapness, and really great service (who
> doesn't). While these may happily co-exist here at Van-Again
> (pat self on back, try not to break arm), the same cannot be
> said for shipping services. While the cheapest way to ship
> to Canada remains via the USPS and parcel post, the delays
> associated with this service will drive both the customer and
> the vendor insane. There is no way to track a package via
> USPS except when it is delivered (who cares at that point?).
> So what you wind up having happen is the Canadian customer
> ordering something, you shipping it out in a timely manner
> and then a three-four week game of phone/email tag about
> "where is the package", "I don't know, should be arriving
> soon." ensues. I have even tried calling the USPS for
> customers to ask them where a package is (hey I really try,
> OK) and they have no idea. Recently the Canadian postal
> system customs was backed up over 6 weeks on inspecting items
> coming in from the US.
>
> So cheaper is not always the way to go. UPS offers a much
> quicker shipping method that is trackable by the customer.
> That way there is no game of tag going on because when I ship
> you get a delivery confirmation email that has a link to a
> page where you can track the package yourself.
>
> However with great power comes great responsibility, um I
> mean with better service comes higher price (I keep having
> flashbacks of Uncle Ben).
>
> Here are some ways for Canadian customers to help themselves
> and vendors have better service/lower prices (sound of
> hundreds of Canadians slobbering on keyboards is now heard).
>
> 1. Plan ahead- If you want slow boat that is great but please
> plan ahead for it. Say you want to restore your Westy in
> March. Now would be the time to buy the parts you are going
> to need (hint, hint). That way if you insist on going the
> slow-boat/cheaper shipping you won't worry about when the
> parts are going to show up. Most of the time I get folks
> calling me who have planned a vacation trip somewhere for the
> last six months, only to actually think about getting the van
> ready for the trip the week before so they order overnight
> shipping and now they are mad at you because the parts
> haven't shown up yet (yeah this whole scenerio is my fault).
>
> 2. Buy larger orders at a time- If you are going to want the
> quicker shipping of UPS then the best way to get the most
> bang for your buck is to buy at least a $200 order. That way
> you can spread out the $30 UPS customs brokering charge and
> it is not so bad. Again this calls for planning and maybe
> buying some spare parts that you might not need for a while.
> Or you could hook up with some other VW owners in your area
> and put together a group buy that comes to one address so
> that you can split the shipping and duty/fees amongst
> yourselves. Don't cry when you need a $30 part only to get
> hit with a $30 brokering charge. This is not good planning
> and you are smarter than this.
>
> 3. If you need a small order, have it shipped fast. In case
> you didn't know if you have the item shipped via UPS Express
> or Expedited service to Canada the UPS brokering fees are
> built in to the shipping price. That way there is no gotcha
> when you get the part other than the actual duty on the item
> and you will get it faster. This is really a good idea since
> you are going to wind up paying more anyway, why not use this
> money toward faster service rather than just giving it to UPS.
>
> If you do these things even Canadian customers (no racial
> slur intended) will be happy and feel like they got a good
> deal (what a concept!).
>
> Have a great day!
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
>
>
>
>
> Frank Condelli wrote:
>
> >In a message dated 26/01/2005 12:09:12 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> >LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
> >
> >Beware! It may seem so, until the CDN recipient gets an
> invoice in the
> >mail 10 days later for $30-40 brokerage fees, and GST+duty!
> >
> >
If
> the shipper
> >refuses to send the item by the Postal system then you
> gotta bite the
> >bullet or look for another supplier who is willing to take
> the item to
> >the Post Office. They all like using the courier services
> 'cauze the
> >items are picked up at their location. All shippers want paid for
> >doing the Customs Declarations, AKA brokerage fees, Canada Post
> >included, BUT charges way, WAY, less, $5 or maybe it's just
> gone up a
> >few bucks, I don't remember right now ! You still have to pay the
> >taxes either way. One good side note of using Canada Post is that
> >some shipments every now and then slip by without any
> charges for some
> >unknown reason. This will never ever happen with any of
> the courier
> >services.
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Frank Condelli
> >Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> >_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a
> VW Camper
> >camping event, Almonte, ON, June 09 ~ 12, 2005 '87 Westy,
> '90 Carat &
> >Lionel Trains
> >Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_
> >(http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_
> (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/) &
> >_CCVWC_
> >(http://www.ccvwc.ca/)
> >Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> >_STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel Mufflers_
> >(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
> >_Frank Condelli & Associates_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
> >or http://frankcondelli.com
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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