Tax and Duty to USA New Options Offered

[Rachel]

I have to admit Fedex look after us well.

They are the cheapest option for us shipping across the Atlantic for larger packages, and reach most zip codes the very next day. I find Royal Mail to take on average 5 working days and unfortunately experience some much longer delays.

That $30 broker charge for me seems a little steep. I've been charged a similar broker fee for parcels delivered by Royal Mail. By building in the taxes at this side I'd expect both customer and ourselves to avoid broker fees.

[Glen]

I have to admit Fedex look after us well.

Can't say they work for the end consumer...

Last package was a brokerage fee of 28.25 CDN. No taxes, on most products from almost anywhere. The fee was just for the custom brokerage which the government otherwise provides for free. FedX, as opposed to UPS, also works only during the day, with one delivery attempt only, thereafter one has to drive to their outlet, in one industrial part of the city not close to where anyone lives, and before the end of work day for many people.

UPS delivers into the evening, with residential based routes and will make more than one attempt.

Choice for me is, in order, Royal Mail/USPS, then UPS and last FedX. I look for products from suppliers that mail first, then used alternatives only when not available...

[cck]

I have had excellent service from Royal Mail. If Fed Ex is involved, I'd look for another place to make my purchase.

[Fergus Macdonald]

How about other couriers like DHL?

We use FedEx because they're so fast (next day for most deliveries).

Equally we could use DHL or UPS who might be a little slower.

[The Wizard of BC]

I will not use any courier service for international package shipments unless expressly requested by the customer.

I will also not purchase anything from any company who does not offer postal parcel service as their first shipping option.

It overnight delivery is the primary concern of a customer they will say so. But they must be cautioned that the duty and taxes charge to them may be the highest allowed by law.
This may come to them as a bill or invoice days or even months after their package arrives.
The duty, taxes, brokerage charges and fees may be equal to the cost of the item.

For packages originating in the UK I will always ask the shipper to use ParcelForce.

[unixken]

You don't want to know what I think of FedEx International.

Some readers here will remember two very aggravating situations I had with them. Domestically, here in the U.S., I've had no problems at all. Internationally, however, they fail to ship (I had one priority shipment sit on the outbound dock for one full documented week), they fail to clear inbound parcels (I had one priority shipment sit on the inbound dock for many documented days), and in both cases their customer service made ZERO attempts to find out what the issues were or to notify me. *I* had to be the one to make every phone call, even going around them to call USF&W to get them to poke FedEx to clear my package. (Thanks again, to Artificer, for that suggestion!)

I do NOT like FedEx International.