Shipping fees are out of control

[daytona71]

I placed an online order with one of the "classic" parts suppliers. An emissions decal and trunk divider. Printed off my copy of the invoice, which included a shipping charge of $22.95. Ok considering shipping from the USA into Canada. I get a phone call saying there is now an additional $58.00 shipping surcharge. So for $31.00 in parts, the shipping was going to be about $80.00US. I cancelled the trunk divider and they said would let me know the shipping for the decal. I get a call this morning, saying the new fees are based on the box being 7"x7"x7". I said for a decal that can fit in an envelope, cancel everything. Then tried another "national" supplier for just the decal. $15.00 flat rate shipping. The cost of a stamp inst that much. They said its because they only use UPS. Found same decal from another supplier(same part number even) cost plus shipping under $12.00. In future will deal more with the little suppliers

[odzking]

Yep, some of them are awful. They call it "handling" ... yuh - right.
I have several that are extremely fair on shipping who I go to unless I can't find it anywhere.
Mega Parts and Summit are wonderful. In fact free shipping on a 35 lb battery I just ordered at Summit.
I stick with the fair ones.

[Deleted]

Shipping to Canada is awful...we get ripped off for sure
Rock auto....wanted to buy 58 dollars in small parts....their shipping calculator says ship from 4 different warehouses...total shipping...$120 usd!!...seriously...they do not combine shipping from one location...cant do business with them anymore

[Deleted]

There are a lot of businesses that exclusively use UPS. Not sure why?
I think YR1 is or was that way.
That makes shipping into Canada ridiculously expensive, with brokerage fees.
USPS is the only semi-reasonable way to go.

In this age of International sales...most customers expect tracking numbers.
Sellers certainly need them for eBay/Paypal transactions, if they want any level of "seller protection" against not received claims.
Unfortunately, that means shipping via some type of "Priority International" service, which is expensive.
A small padded envelope shipped from the US to Canada via Priority International is a shade over $20
Any cheaper services won't have tracking, which may not be acceptable risk to many sellers.

When selling on eBay, I only ship Internationally via the Global shipping program.
My responsibility in regards to the package ends when it is received by the global shipping center (Pitney Bowes) in Kentucky.
A few weeks ago, I goofed up and sent one international buyer an incorrect part.
I sent them the correct/replacement part directly, to Australia.
Cost me $62 for a medium flat rate box, which is not very big at all.

[e5charger]

Tell me about it. Many times the shipping to Canada is more than the part! I preordered a bunch of parts to be picked at the show in Farmington, Mn. Free shipping! Well, it did cost me the gas, but I wanted to go to the show anyway. I'm lucky I'm only an hour from the US border and can use a parcel service for large items.

[daytona71]

I used to be 10 miles from the US border, now it costs me a $150.00 return ferry trip to get to the border. Luckily my son works about 2 minutes from the border, so can get him to pick up anything at the shipping company I use. I will be near Accurate Exhaust in August, they said give them a days notice and can pick up at their warehouse. Saves big time shipping costs to the border and will be duty free.

[odzking]

I know Tom and on UPS being awful for shipping. I have said before I don't know why ANYONE ever uses UPS. I have NEVER had anything delivered that wasn't damaged in some way. In fact when I order anything now, I ask how do you ship? If they ONLY ship UPS, order cancelled.
Some time back a fellow ordered a fender from AMD and it showed up folded in half thanks to UPS.  Believe it, I saved the picture.
I also agree, USPS is the least expensive and most dependable way to go.

[Deleted]

Only UPS could manage to do that to a fender.

With that said, the AMD cardboard wrap is not what I consider to be appropriate packaging for a fender that is being shipped.
While items like that might arrive unscathed "most of the time" It doesn't really protect the fender.

I had a Charger door shipped to me a few weeks ago.
I gladly paid $35 to have it crated, $85 for shipping.
I purposely chose the seller (Steve's Musclecars and Parts) because I know they will package and ship things the right way.

[Deleted]

Packaging is KEY!.....I work for 2 HUGE plants for GE....we receive 100s of packages of parts a day...many carriers have damaged goods...and we use just about every shipper you can think of...the well packaged stuff never gets damaged.....the poorly packaged stuff receives damages allot no matter who delivers it...
double package it, if you want it received ok..the further it is shipping the better the packaging should be!

[robertsrt]

I couldn't agree more. I think the folks that are making the most money on the popularity of Ebay are the couriers. UPS is a flat-out rip-off. At least in Canada. Their little gift of 'brokerage fees' you get in the mail a few weeks after receiving your package is a joke. Just a plain- gouge.
I see if the seller will do USPS, and if not, I don't buy from them
Having said that, the post office also jacked their fees astronomically in the last few years to also get in on the action.
At least they don't charge brokerage 'fees'. Canada Post is a government certified deal, so they at least can do their own brokerage. But the package fees are barely cheaper than a courier nowadays.
I can't believe some of the charges sellers want to ship something to Canada on Ebay. We sure do get ripped off.
Summit 50 states free shipping for instance. Oh to live in the Land of the Free!!!!! Or at least live close to the border would be nice.