"Silvertowne uses UPS. I got charged $70 brokerage fee for a $700 order last week."
That's strange. My orders were always shipped USPS/Canada Post and I was never charged brokerage fees but I've always made smaller orders ($150 or less). Maybe they use UPS just for larger orders...
I believe UPS and USPS are 2 different companies and one is good and the other can be very bad for extra fees "brokerage" fees etc when shipping from US to Canada, I think I might have read it on ebay somewhere, maybe someone here knows more on the subject.
^I've never had issues with FEDEX...UPS on the other hand...got a surprise charge of $200 brokerage fee for my most recent Taku order from New Zealand Mint.
Best to go with USPS Global Priority or First Class International. The shipping will be higher than UPS but the import fees much, much lower.
I think if the sender writes something like .999 silver on the customs form, then no duty should be charged...? There is another code than can be used as well... I'll check on that...
Here is an informative video called, "Silver & Gold: How to Import into Canada & US HS Tariff Classification Code"
It's an older video, but I think the info still applies. Apparently, if the correct rules are followed, then no brokerage fees should be charged on imported silver/gold with .999 or higher purity. If fees are charged by UPS, FEDEX, or Canada Post, then they can be reimbursed/claimed:
brokerage fees charged by fedex, ups, even Canada post charge a fee for broker collection paperwork to clear the package through Canadian border service.
>> brokerage fees charged by fedex, ups, even Canada post charge a fee for broker collection paperwork to clear the package through Canadian border service
And I believe in order to "reclaim" the bokerage fee from UPS/Fedex, we need to pay them to correct the importing documents (which they messed up in the first place), and that cost something like 15$. So it would still be the best to avoid UPS/Fedex IMO.
Luckily I live in Tampa and just found Gainsville coins is only a few miles from me. They sell silver and gold just a little over spot price and I get it right away. I used to buy from ebay and Silvertowne.
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Posted 05/31/2013 7:18 pm
