Factor In Those Shipping Costs

[ManWithAVision]

The first time I ordered some OEM accessories for my 06 RSTD I checked the local suppliers in the Toronto area and found their prices to be outrageous. So I starting searching web sites south of the border. I found one that had the best price on the items I was after, but after placing the order and heading for the checkout I discovered they wouldn't ship outside the U.S.A. Then I stumbled upon www.boats.net. Although they specialize in boat parts, if you type in and search the OEM part number their database will quote a price (and if it is in stock at Yamaha) they usually received it and ship it out within a week. They had the second lowest prices I found and they shipped via USPS at a reasonable rate.

 

I was ready to order the saddlebag trim rails this week and remembered reading a thread recently on this forum about www.motorsportssupercentre.com having even lower prices than boats.net. I checked them out and sure enough they were twenty dollars less on the rails at $159.00 compared to boats.net at $179.00. I placed the order and headed for the checkout but was shocked to find they would only ship them via UPS International at a whopping cost of $99.50 to Toronto. I even called them on the phone and asked if USPS was an option but was told UPS was the only option for international shipments.

 

I ended up spending twenty bucks more for my parts at boats.net but ended up saving over fifty dollars U.S. by having them shipped via USPS at a cost of twenty-eight and change. Canadian buyers beware!

[Wanderer]

The first time I ordered some OEM accessories for my 06 RSTD I checked the local suppliers in the Toronto area and found their prices to be outrageous. So I starting searching web sites south of the border. I found one that had the best price on the items I was after, but after placing the order and heading for the checkout I discovered they wouldn't ship outside the U.S.A. Then I stumbled upon www.boats.net. Although they specialize in boat parts, if you type in and search the OEM part number their database will quote a price (and if it is in stock at Yamaha) they usually received it and ship it out within a week. They had the second lowest prices I found and they shipped via USPS at a reasonable rate.

 

I was ready to order the saddlebag trim rails this week and remembered reading a thread recently on this forum about www.motorsportssupercentre.com having even lower prices than boats.net. I checked them out and sure enough they were twenty dollars less on the rails at $159.00 compared to boats.net at $179.00. I placed the order and headed for the checkout but was shocked to find they would only ship them via UPS International at a whopping cost of $99.50 to Toronto. I even called them on the phone and asked if USPS was an option but was told UPS was the only option for international shipments.

 

I ended up spending twenty bucks more for my parts at boats.net but ended up saving over fifty dollars U.S. by having them shipped via USPS at a cost of twenty-eight and change. Canadian buyers beware!

When you're dealing with a "real" store front you have shipping options. Others are catalog or drop ship stores and shipping options are limited. This is something I've come

to check regularly even in the states as there can be substantial savings with shipping and often usps is as fast as any of the others.

[SilvrT]

I ordered my bar risers from Baron's. Their on-line price seemed to be the best deal and they told me they ship via USPS. Today, when I got home, there was a "sticker" from UPS that they'd attempted to deliver but couldn't (because I wasn't here). UPS wants an additional $41.16 for Brokerage & customs duties. What a bunch of CRAP! Further, UPS doesn't deliver to my home in the evenings or weekend so, I had to go thru a royal runaround to get them to deliver it to my work address. After spending what seemed like a half an hour wasting time trying to get that address re-routed, the last thing they asked is...what's your postal code at the delivery address... well, I didn't know it so the agent said "sorry, without a postal code, we can't deliver it"... imagine!!! so I say "with all your technology you can't figgure out what the postal code is?" ... "nope" she says..."sorry but we don't have that ability" so then I have to go looking up the danged postal code for my work which ain't always an easy process because Canada Post has somehow screwed up their postal code lookup web... geeeeeeeeeeesh what a royal PITA this has been, not to mention that my risers, in total with the Can-US exchange rate, now cost me almost $150.

 

USPS costs are peanuts in comparison.

[hkd51]

I have ordered a number of products from the US for my retail store. Very few companies will send USPS ...extra work for them, customs documents etc. If they use UPS then UPS takes care of the brokerage documents, duties and of course shipping, all for a fee. Last week I asked UPS for a quote on a 10lb box of small dimensions with a value of $250. Their fees where $112 shipping (air only to Canada) $55 brokerage fees and of course duties and GST. I live just 40 minutes for the Canada US border so if I have it sent to a location just across the border UPS charges $22, of course I have to pay duties and GST at the border, the customs officers help me fill out the documents.

Harry

[Guest BluesLover]

I found that this site is fairly good for giving you an estimate of the total costs of having goods purchased in the US and sent to Canada:

 

http://www.thefinalcost.com/shipments/calculate/

 

Cheers,

[SilvrT]

StuD put me onto a place just south of the border that US orders can be delivered to and since it's so close, I can drive down there and pick them up...saves a ton of shipping costs. I'll be doing that in the future. Meanwhile, I had received my LED lightbar as well as my trunk rack via USPS and neither of those items cost anywhere near what UPS charged for my risers.

 

A few month's ago I purchased (thru the US) a new firewall for our network at work ... what a royal PITA that was getting it....again, UPS shipped. I bought it from the manufacturer directly (Sonicwall) because they gave me a deal so good, nobody in Can could even come close.... I saved over $2000 over a 3 year support contract so, the PITA getting it was worth it.

[Bubber]

Now if you know someone in the US that would send it (what ever) to you as a present for your birthday......... I'm Just saying!

 

Happy birthday Mr Canuk! Now you must know someone?

 

 

What if you bought something , picked it up in the US an installed it...... still have to pay import duties??????

[ManWithAVision]

Now if you know someone in the US that would send it (what ever) to you as a present for your birthday......... I'm Just saying!

 

Happy birthday Mr Canuk! Now you must know someone?

 

 

What if you bought something , picked it up in the US an installed it...... still have to pay import duties??????

 

Actually with NAFTA import duties are pretty much a thing of the past, but customs tends to make sure they tack on the provincial sales tax and goods and services tax at the border, which adds 13%. The taxes are also calculated on the Canadain dollar value so we are taxed on about 20% more than the stated U.S. dollar value. This being said I recently received a some LED license plate frames for my bike and my wife's bike with no extra charges from Customs. I guess that one got through when they were'nt looking.

[Sunman]

The taxes are exactly the same with USPS and UPS and FedEx, what makes USPS more cost effective, is the BROKERAGE charges. Any parts with a "declared" value of less than $20.00 is not subject to taxes by Canada Customs. I recently had a part sent to me, with a declared value (sometimes talking to the vendor can be usefull) of $23.05. Sent by UPS. So, Canada customs converts the $23.05 to CDN$ then charges me taxes on that amount, about $3.25 or so. Then UPS charges me $45 to collect and process that $3.25, meaning I was expected to pay $48 on top of the part and the shipping. USPS charges a flat $5. Luckily, I was not home when they first tried to deliver it. I found the notice on my door with the details of what I owed. I called UPS, and spoke to someone in their brokerage dept. I made my case, and explained, that since parts under $20 are not subject to taxes, but mine was over by $3, I was in actuality being charged $48 for the $3 that my part was over. The lady was quite understanding, and reversed the brokerage charge portion as a "goodwill credit" When the package arrived the next day, I owed $3.25. Which I happily paid. So sometimes a call, and a civil conversation can be of help too. That being said, another option might be to get to know some of our wonderful members south of the border. Nuff said? Any excuse to ride I say.

[Aussie Annie]

GEEZ, spare a thought for poor old Annie over here in Oz. Shipping! I think I have paid someones' retirement fund with what they try to charge me

Getting some brackets sent via my "friend" Freebird (hope he marks them a gift):bowdown:

______________________________________________________________________

never ride faster than your guardian angel:2133:can fly

[ManWithAVision]

GEEZ, spare a thought for poor old Annie over here in Oz. Shipping! I think I have paid someones' retirement fund with what they try to charge me

Getting some brackets sent via my "friend" Freebird (hope he marks them a gift):bowdown:

______________________________________________________________________

never ride faster than your guardian angel:2133:can fly

 

Guess you'll just have to put pontoons and a paddlewheel on that bike (the sidecar should float okay) and ride on over next time you need parts!

[RSTDRIDER]

I don't know if it will work up north but I've been getting around shipping by finding my part on the web and printing it then I'll take it to the stealership and ask em to price match. It's worked well so far, they have even had to order and have parts shipped in. I hope they don't catch on!

[SilvrT]

Still waiting to receive them from UPS; however, I had emailed Barons about my displeasure in that they shipped UPS rather than USPS and here's the email I got back...

 

____________________________________________________

Hello Rick,

Sorry for the error we made in shipping your order to you. I was as surprised as you were to see your package shipped via UPS. As you can see on the invoice it was scheduled to ship via USPS.

International small box items are supposed to ship via the Postal service. Unfortunately it looks as though the shipping department simply made the error of using the wrong service. I'm guessing they compared the rates and seeing UPS was much less expensive they shipped it that way not realizing the amount of UPS brokerage fees that would be tacked on. We are revising our web site to be able to provide an accurate shipping quote to International customers within

24 hours of ordering to eliminate the confusion that can arise depending on the part ordered. Large dimension boxes are actually less expensive via UPS even with the brokerage fees. Long story short we are not unsympathetic to what happened in your situation. We cannot issue you a refund for the fees as they were not charged by us. But I can offer to put the $41.16 you were charged on account for you to use if you can find something else for your Venture that may interest you. Once again we apologize for the mistake. Fortunately for us I can't remember another case like yours. Unfortunately we decided to pick on you for this one. Please let me know if you see something of interest and I will make sure we get it right.

____________________________________________________

 

Now, if that ain't good customer service, I don't know what.

 

:thumbsup2: to Baron Custom Accessories !

[Celt]

if you can ,have the sender/shipper write on the package "Returned Item/s" and always use USPS. ive been doing this for a few years now ,shipping bike bits back to my mates in the UK and theyve never been charged duty . i also have a P.O. box in Point Roberts which does come in handy .

[SilvrT]

if you can ,have the sender/shipper write on the package "Returned Item/s" and always use USPS. ive been doing this for a few years now ,shipping bike bits back to my mates in the UK and theyve never been charged duty . i also have a P.O. box in Point Roberts which does come in handy .

 

Interesting idea. I'm wondering tho if that only works when sent by an individual whereas if it's a company such as Baron's, customs would catch onto that..??