Re: Canadian Customs

[herbertf@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Herbert Fung)]

Previously aa382@Freenet.carleton.ca (Marc Sira) wrote:
 
>Well, the wonderful customs rule is quite new. Yes, it does
>stink. I've been dinged a couple of times now. You can at least minimise
>the charge by using Canada Post rather than UPS. UPS is rather
>money-grubbing...they charge a "handling fee" for calling you up and
>taking your card # that generally exceeds the tariff.
 
If you live near the boarder UPS will call you to let you know your
package has arrived. They will tell you that there will be a $25.00
"Brokers fee" plus the GST if they clear it through Customs and deliver
it to your door, or you can go to Customs and clear it yourself. When I
lived in Vancouver I drove down to the airport and cleared it myself.
Just remember to get the ID number of your package. For me this was
cheaper than having UPS charge me $25.00. With that money I could almost
buy a tank of gas for my car!
 
As for UPS, I prefer _NOT_ to deal with them. They claim that thier
policy was that they could not leave a package without a signiture but
they did just that with me once. A few years back (89?), I ordered a
20meg Vulcan from a mail order place out east. The drive cost me almost
$800.00 at the time. They left it on the doorstep at my place for the
whole day! From about 10:00AM till about 5:00PM when my sister came home
from work. I didn't come home from work until almost 10:00PM! UPS left an
$800.00 package out in clear daylight for seven hours! If someone stole
it, I'm not sure who would be responsible since I didn't even know it was
coming that day! My suggestion is to avoid UPS if at all possible.
 
>I believe Quality computers may now have a GST number, as I payed no
>charge on the heavy-duty power supply I just got from them (they threw
>in a free power cord as well B-).
 
Well this is a relief since I just put in an order with them the other
day.
 
--
                               |    "ICKA BICKA SODA CRACKER
Herbert Fung                   |         ICKA BICKA BOO
Edmonton Remote Systems                |  ALL THE MEN THAT CHEW TOBACCO.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada      |          OUT GOES YOU!"
                               |    Batman in Sword of Azrael.
 

--
Herbert Fung              herbertf@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca