Import fees for EV Sportline to Canada

[NorthVan57]

Hello all, please be aware of pricey shipping fees to import to Canada. I ordered frunk liner, 4 jack pucks and running boards for my R1S from EV Sportsline. Although I ordered them all at once, they shipped all individually. First issue, since there was customs fees and brokerage fees all three items since separate shipments. First item to arrive was the frunk liner, only 40 dollars shipping fees. Second item to arrive was jack pucks. Shipping fee for this package was over 100 dollars so I refused delivery. Next week they just left package on my porch and UPS sent me a bill in the mail, which I have not paid yet. Lastly, the running boards arrived 2 weeks ago and my wife refused delivery at the door because the shipping and customs bill was over 300 dollars. When I called EV sports line they said nothing they can do about it even though the running boards are being returned, I will have to pay for both the shipping and the return fee, which they suggested will be more than the shipping fee which was already over 300 dollars. So if you order from American company please try to ship to US address if you live close to the border so you don’t get stuck with expensive import fees. So end of day I will be out $600 in shipping fees and still have no running boards. Guess I will have to find a Canadian made running board for my R1S.

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[Riviot]

Is shipping not calculated or listed at checkout?

 

[NorthVan57]

Not at all, I spoke to EV sports line before I ordered to get their expert opinion on how much other Canadian clients had to pay and they said they had no clue. When I checked Canada govt websites it said no duty if made in US, which it is, thus all all the fees I had to pay were taxes(legit), shipping costs and UPS brokerage fees, which added up to half the cost of my whole order. I had found similar running boards in Canada but went with EV Sportline cause I liked the look and they were a few hundred dollars cheaper. After import fees not such a good deal, problem is if I had read the fine print about returns I would have just paid the fees and just learnt a lesson, now I am out the money and still have not running boards. The boards are on their way back to Atlanta I was told. I messed up!

 

[NorthVan57]

sorry, previous post I said shipping was a large amount, meant to say import fees, shipping was determined at time of purchase.

 

[Riviot]

I guess I don't understand how shipping from US to Canada works. If I order things from Canada or other countries... They just arrive. No extra taxes, fees, etc. that's all part of the shipping cost.

It sounds like you have to do POD, Pay On Delivery instead. Is that standard up north?

 

[mindstormsguy]

I used to live in Canada. The way it works is that you pay shipping as per normal, but then along the way, everything passes through customs. The shipping company then charges a flat processing fee ($20 sounds familiar) plus any calculated taxes and duties. This is what they then collect upon delivery, or after the fact with a mailed bill.

IIRC, if you use UPS Air, they don’t charge the processing fee. If you use ground, they do. For most packages, this often makes air cheaper (in addition to faster).

I’m sure happy to not deal with this anymore.

Edit to add: it sucks that EV Sportline doesn’t know how this works. If they would have shipped everything on one tracking number, it would save you a lot of processing fees.

 

[Enjen]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. When ordering from the US, UPS is to be avoided like the plague. Their brokerage fees are insane. They charge less to the shipper (which is why so many independent business in the States use UPS to ship to Canada), and then they charge exorbitant brokerage fees to the receiver to increase their profits.

Hot tip though, you can avoid the crazy brokerage fees by "self clearing" the package. Google it. Basically you call UPS and tell them you want to self clear the package. Sometimes they will also call you in advance and ask you if you want them to clear the package... In that case, say no and tell them you want to self clear. They will then email you a form and instructions that requires you to go to your local CBSA office and "clear" the package and pay taxes directly to them. So you pay nothing to UPS, and only the taxes owed to CBSA. It's a bit of an inconvenience having to find your CBSA office and go there, but on a big item it may be worth it to avoid the UPS brokerage fees.

Before ordering from the US, I always ask the shipper who they use to ship so I know if I'm going to face the UPS challenges....

 

[opnwide]

 

[Shaggy]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. When ordering from the US, UPS is to be avoided like the plague. Their brokerage fees are insane. They charge less to the shipper (which is why so many independent business in the States use UPS to ship to Canada), and then they charge exorbitant brokerage fees to the receiver to increase their profits.

Hot tip though, you can avoid the crazy brokerage fees by "self clearing" the package. Google it. Basically you call UPS and tell them you want to self clear the package. Sometimes they will also call you in advance and ask you if you want them to clear the package... In that case, say no and tell them you want to self clear. They will then email you a form and instructions that requires you to go to your local CBSA office and "clear" the package and pay taxes directly to them. So you pay nothing to UPS, and only the taxes owed to CBSA. It's a bit of an inconvenience having to find your CBSA office and go there, but on a big item it may be worth it to avoid the UPS brokerage fees.

Before ordering from the US, I always ask the shipper who they use to ship so I know if I'm going to face the UPS challenges....

Good summary. I would add that insane brokerage fees are typical for UPS, FedEx and Purolator (often hundreds of $ and can be up to 5X the value of the item you bought). When ordering from the US, I ask the shipper to ship USPS as they don’t charge brokerage fees. If they don’t I don’t buy the item unless absolutely necessary.

Duty you can’t avoid, but should be the same as normal taxes for anything built in the US.

 

[cbrcanuck]

Yup, exact same thing happened to me last summer. Ordered two items from them and they sent two shipments and I got dinged big time. I sent them an email to complain about the multiple shipments (the email wasn't even a complaint - just a heads-up and feedback), they didn't care. They know it happens, but they don't want to risk missing sales since once they process it, there's nothing we as the consumer can do.

 

[DrewT]

I might make a couple of suggestions . There is a local source for running boards for Rivian's in Richmond at Orko. Their email address is [email protected] . I had them installed there on my R1T and they did a decent job . As to shipping costs and customs and taxes , if shipping is free to the US I have them shipped to Point Roberts . This does lower the duties and taxes by whatever one can deduct for a day trip to the US . the broker I use is https://inoutparcel.com/.

 

[NorthVan57]

Thanks all great info! I should have had everything sent to my brother in law in Seattle and picked them up next time I’m visiting and then would have been no fee to bring across the border, will try the company in Richmond to have some running boards put on my R1S

 

[edman007]

Yea, UPS fees are bonkers. If you have a choice, ask them to ship USPS.

I mailed some snacks to a Canadian friend last year, figured they'd owe the $5 in import taxes or whatever. No, UPS charges something like $100 CAD in broker fees on top of the tariffs. I did some research after that, USPS does NOT charge any broker fees, so you pay just tariffs. So the shipper will say USPS is more expensive, but when shipping to Canada, it's not, because the USPS price is including broker fees, the UPS one is excluding broker fees. I felt bad and paid the UPS fees before the package arrived for my friend. And it's crazy, UPS doesn't tell you the fees until after you file the customs declaration and pay for the postage.

 

[DrewT]

Virtually all of the commercial carrier brokers charge and get away with outrageous broker fees and get away with it in Canada . I have preferred USPS for years but unfortunately Canada Post who handles USPS shipments in Canada has gotten in to the act . That is why for big and expensive items with "free" shipping , I recommend an American address . I am lucky .Point Roberts is in the US but in reality is a suburb of Vancouver .

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