# That d*mn courier thread.



## esoo (Jan 7, 2022)

I figure we all need a place to vent about the crap that happens with our shipments. 

So I'll start:
Last UPS shipment, they charged me $70 to process $40 in taxes

Fiancee ordered an item for me from the US before Christmas. DHL took it to Germany and had it there for over a week before finally shipping it normal post to Canada.

FedEx is currently holding my Myojin hostage. Was supposed to arrive a week ago, and it has been sitting in the local depot for three and a half days now. Another package coming in has already been put on a truck for delivery.


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## ModRQC (Jan 7, 2022)

_Tu tombes à point..._

After half a week of delaying because probably of the floods in BC, Canada Post managed to misroute my order as it was Out for Delivery in my very city.

Miracle that it finally showed up today as I had no further update on the tracking since then - just "Delays are possible" yet again.

Not as worse as your stories though.


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## Bico Doce (Jan 7, 2022)

I am starting to understand how ignorant I am when it comes to duties/taxes. Here in the US I have yet to pay anything on an international shipment. Granted, it varies from country to country but I’m almost afraid to ask - is it just a matter of time before I get hit with a bill?

Since this is a thread to vent I will add, I had two knives over the holiday season take exactly 30 days to deliver - one from Russia and the other from Australia. 10 days from origin to clear customs, 10 days for a flight to US customs and 10 days US customs to the destination. Both times. At least it’s been consistent


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## HSC /// Knives (Jan 7, 2022)

Here in France....Generally UPS/DHL charge $15 for the service of acting as a import custom's broker, then the VAT is on top of that 

Often UPS delivers the package and then later they send you a bill,
I'm looking at one right now for 27 euros on my own personal item sent to myself.
I only recently discovered how to get around this with an attestation not to resell.

@Bico Doce I don't think you will get hit with any charges into the USA,


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## MarcelNL (Jan 7, 2022)

Nope, it's more a matter of which country and state you live in and add in a little luck....

I have been waiting for ages for customs to release the Markin pety, once they released it I was not hit with import duty and VAT...go figure

Couriers suck, all of them except very few...and for those you pay a premium that is HUGE... (ask World Courier what they charge for your next shipment, they are expensive yet I LOVE them for business critical shipments because they employ folks who actually care)

I am currently watching UPSP ( I know) taking 'care'of a pepper grinder that is seemingly going nowhere for over a week....'in transit to destination country'...they must be using a shipping container or pigeons for it to take more than 7 days to fly from Chicago to Amsterdam.


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## HSC /// Knives (Jan 7, 2022)

here's some venting, I shipped 8 boxes weighing about 75 lbs each at roughly $280 each... add that up.

I have 5 crates in Phoenix coming to France at around $2,300 courier cost


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## icanhaschzbrgr (Jan 7, 2022)

Once this thread hit 200 pages, a representative of Russian Post will come with "hold my beer" phrase. Cause they are always late to the party


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## esoo (Jan 7, 2022)

HSC /// Knives said:


> Here in France....Generally UPS/DHL charge $15 for the service of acting as a import custom's broker, then the VAT is on top of that
> 
> Often UPS delivers the package and then later they send you a bill,
> I'm looking at one right now for 27 euros on my own personal item sent to myself.
> ...



For us here in Canada for brokerage fees - Canada Post $10 flat fee, DHL $20 flat fee. UPS varies depending on the service level - at some levels, the value they charge to process the shipment is a percentage of the declared value. 

For all of the couriers, if you want to go through the effort, you can self handle the process if you get the tracking number & commercial invoice ahead of time.


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## Greasylake (Jan 7, 2022)

I've had two packages "lost" by USPS because they slid under the drivers seat while out for delivery.


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## esoo (Jan 7, 2022)

I've learned with Canada to US, some Canada Post levels aren't worth the stress - they cross the border into the US and never get tracking until delivered.


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## zizirex (Jan 7, 2022)

then There's the Sh!tty Puro"Later".
I ordered a TV which was supposed to come in one 1 day and delayed to 1 week.

Canada is one another level have the worse courier. if you think USPS is bad, you should see Canada Post.
UPS is also one of the worse of all higher-end package couriers.


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## MarcelNL (Jan 7, 2022)

UPS is crap most of the time
DPD is crap most of the time
DHL is crap most of the time
TPG is crap all of the time
UPSP is nonsense all of the time
TNT is crap all of the time
Fedex is so-so, some of the time and crap for most of it
etc....

World Courier does what it takes to get a package delivered, and sorts the issues it meets on it's way, provided you pay upfront!


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## spaceconvoy (Jan 7, 2022)

DHL from Japan to the US is amazing every time


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## ModRQC (Jan 7, 2022)

esoo said:


> I've learned with Canada to US, some Canada Post levels aren't worth the stress - they cross the border into the US and never get tracking until delivered.



You'll get more details entering the tracking number with USPS when it crosses the border.


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## Bico Doce (Jan 7, 2022)

+1 for DHL to the US. They fly thru customs where EMS/postal service will take 4x the time


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## esoo (Jan 7, 2022)

ModRQC said:


> You'll get more details entering the tracking number with USPS when it crosses the border.



Not if you use "Small Packet". USPS/CP showed no tracking from it leaving customs until delivery. I was stressed as the sale had been done as F&F.


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## MarcelNL (Jan 7, 2022)

I forgot EMS, they suck BIG time ;-)


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## esoo (Jan 7, 2022)

EMS I have had no issues with, same with Royal Mail.

In fact, I got a major UK food magazine to switch back to using Royal Mail after 2 years of their other postal choice not being able to deliver to Canada.


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## ModRQC (Jan 7, 2022)

esoo said:


> Not if you use "Small Packet". USPS/CP showed no tracking from it leaving customs until delivery. I was stressed as the sale had been done as F&F.



Well yeah obviously if you choose a service WITHOUT tracking...

I don't have no particular problem with Canada Post myself. For the amount of stuff transiting through them in a year, they rarely drop the ball, and usually make it before the estimated delivery date. They're also most often consistently less expensive.


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## esoo (Jan 7, 2022)

ModRQC said:


> Well yeah obviously if you choose a service WITHOUT tracking...
> 
> I don't have no particular problem with Canada Post myself. For the amount of stuff transiting through them in a year, they rarely drop the ball, and usually make it before the estimated delivery date. They're also most often consistently less expensive.



It may not have been Small Packet, but it was supposed to have been a tracked service.

Ironically, the worst Canada Post tracking I've had has been from you to me. You'd drop it off, and there'd be nothing until it hit my local facility.


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## binsed (Jan 7, 2022)

For you Canadian folks, what's your experience with duty fees importing into Canada? Quick google search tells me maybe GST + additional 7% adding up to 20% of total price (plus brokerage fees depending on what courier).

Also, does a kitchen knife fall under CUSMA (for states) or CETA (for EU)? I wonder if you'd be able to avoid duties from custom makers in the US and EU.


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## esoo (Jan 7, 2022)

binsed said:


> For you Canadian folks, what's your experience with duty fees importing into Canada? Quick google search tells me maybe GST + additional 7% adding up to 20% of total price (plus brokerage fees depending on what courier).
> 
> Also, does a kitchen knife fall under CUSMA (for states) or CETA (for EU)? I wonder if you'd be able to avoid duties from custom makers in the US and EU.



Being in Ontario, I've been hit for HST (13%) + Brokerage fees.

Mail services (EMS/Royal Mail/etc) it's hit or miss whether it gets checked and hit with fees. UPS/DHL always get hit. FedEx has generally come through fee free (but I don't know if that has to do with the service level).


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## Delat (Jan 7, 2022)

My wife once sent a package to S Korea via USPS. I forget all the details but I think the clerk at the post office keyed something in wrong. Tracking then showed the package making it’s merry way around the US on a 50-state tour for the next 6+ months. Literally we could see it visiting state after state.

My wife pleaded several times with USPS to just declare it a loss and pay out the insurance but they always pointed out that no, it wasn’t lost because see it just visited Wichita! And Boise before that! We know exactly where it is!

I think after about a year it ended up back on our doorstep.


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## binsed (Jan 7, 2022)

esoo said:


> Being in Ontario, I've been hit for HST (13%) + Brokerage fees.
> 
> Mail services (EMS/Royal Mail/etc) it's hit or miss whether it gets checked and hit with fees. UPS/DHL always get hit. FedEx has generally come through fee free (but I don't know if that has to do with the service level).



Ah no additional duties then, interesting!


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## LewRob80 (Jan 7, 2022)

Canada Post I’ve had reliably good experiences. Mostly. My new neighbourhood in quebec, three times in the last couple months they’ve delivered packages to the wrong addresses on the same street (I’ve gotten my neighbours while he’s gotten mine on the same day) and we have community mail boxes.
UPS I’ve grown to loath and hate. Recently had a package valued under 75 dollars shipped here, which through Canada post rarely has more than hst added and sometimes nothing. UPS charged hst (13% and brokerage fee of 35 and taxed the total as well). All in it cost me the same amount as my package. Safe to say I’ll never be using UPS AGAIN


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## icanhaschzbrgr (Jan 8, 2022)

In August 2020 I bought some Blackwood from Australia. 250 USD for the wood and 70usd for shipping through sea. Cause air delivery would cost twice more. In January 2021 I contacted seller telling him that my package was probably lost in transit. He replied that he got it back a week ago. It was returned cause buyer hasn't paid customs fees. And how could I paid any fees if customs/mail service never reached me about it. Not even sure who to blame. Anyways. I paid 150$ for air delivery and got my package one month later. 

Next time you see a $$$ custom handle — blame mail services


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## Brian Weekley (Jan 8, 2022)

Grrrrrrrrr!

Indeed I regularly have to pay UPS $70 in fees to cross the border for $40 worth of Canadian taxes. At least UPS has been relatively reliable in actually delivering my purchases.

USPS would be a joke if it weren’t so sad. In 2019 (pre covid) I had a $500 knife dropped off at USPS in Louisiana. According to tracking it never left the depot it was dropped off at. It fell into a black hole. I check eBay regularly to see if I can buy it again there. 

In November, 2020 I had $1600 worth of knives dropped off at USPS in Portland. It was promptly shipped to LA (note to USPS … Canada is North of Portland, not South). It’s sat in LA ever since … going on six weeks now.

I have other examples but have ultimately received my purchases. Shipping by USPS means your purchase will likely be shipped on a grand tour of the USA in a truck with two flat tires and no steering wheel. Routing is completely random and time in route indeterminate. UPS isn’t much better.

I guess I have to cut some slack for shipping in the time of Covid but somehow I think that’s a cover for a more serious form of rot in the system. The reason I say this is that I’ve found that shipping to me from other countries (Sweden and Australia) has been quicker, cheaper and more efficient. Canada Post has been slow but at least everything seems to get delivered within 10 days and costs less than from the USA.


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## Grayswandir (Jan 8, 2022)

I'm waiting for a package from Japan, via DHL that was supposed to arrive yesterday afternoon. Three nagura stones, two of them from Sakamoto-san (a chunk of Koma and some Mejiro), and one Shiro nagura of unknown origin with an odd, faded, circular stamp. I have no idea if it's tenjyou, mejiro, or koma, but it looks pretty interesting. Last but not least, an old barber's stone, a bright yellow Kiita that looks like it came from the Kato mine, but I'm probably just being delusional.

Anyway, we had a little bit of snow it Baltimore on Thursday night. That apparently put a monkey wrench in my package arriving on time. To top it off, DHL's tracking system isn't the greatest. I often get updates four hours after an event has taken place. The last update is from Friday at 9:53 in the morning. The package is on hold because of the weather. It was supposed to go out with the next cycle of couriers, but I guess there was never a "next" cycle".

It's an expensive package that I've been waiting two weeks for, it's really frustrating, as I have some work to do and I really wanted to add the koma to my razor honing progression, and also check out the kiita stone.


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## esoo (Jan 8, 2022)

For us Canadians, here is how UPS figures out what amount they charge for brokerage fees 






Rates for Customs Clearance into Canada: UPS - Canada


UPS offers free+* routine customs clearance of UPS Worldwide Express Plus™, UPS Worldwide Express™, UPS Worldwide Express Freight™, UPS Worldwide Express Saver®, and UPS Worldwide Expedited™.



www.ups.com


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## Migraine (Jan 8, 2022)

DPD is great in the UK in my experience.

Hermes on other hand...


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## icanhaschzbrgr (Jan 8, 2022)

Migraine said:


> DPD is great in the UK in my experience.


That's a perfect claim for an "unpopular opinions" thread!


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## Migraine (Jan 8, 2022)

Legit never had the slightest issue with them and am always pleased when I see it's them delivering.


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## tcmx3 (Jan 8, 2022)

Grayswandir said:


> I'm waiting for a package from Japan, via DHL that was supposed to arrive yesterday afternoon. Three nagura stones, two of them from Sakamoto-san (a chunk of Koma and some Mejiro), and one Shiro nagura of unknown origin with an odd, faded, circular stamp. I have no idea if it's tenjyou, mejiro, or koma, but it looks pretty interesting. Last but not least, an old barber's stone, a bright yellow Kiita that looks like it came from the Kato mine, but I'm probably just being delusional.
> 
> Anyway, we had a little bit of snow it Baltimore on Thursday night. That apparently put a monkey wrench in my package arriving on time. To top it off, DHL's tracking system isn't the greatest. I often get updates four hours after an event has taken place. The last update is from Friday at 9:53 in the morning. The package is on hold because of the weather. It was supposed to go out with the next cycle of couriers, but I guess there was never a "next" cycle".
> 
> It's an expensive package that I've been waiting two weeks for, it's really frustrating, as I have some work to do and I really wanted to add the koma to my razor honing progression, and also check out the kiita stone.



DHL allegedly delivered a kind of pricey stone to me. 

except I was home and checked within minutes of getting the text and no package.

never had a package stolen and if they had waited to the next day they could have easily stolen something worth 4x as much but guess what they didnt.

Im certain they delivered to the wrong house but they definitely just said  working with the shipper to see if I can get a claim going but that's going slow too.

why couldnt it have been the 40 dollar kanna?


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## tcmx3 (Jan 8, 2022)

wrt USPS I mean it's intentionally being sabotaged and the person who could do something about it doesnt seem too bothered.

I went to the PO today and the line was massive. doing so much business they could clearly justify another person at the till. furthermore, since a certain asshat took over the chance I can get a priority label is like 50%. we all know priority is the single most profitable part of the USPS, so why would they make it hard to mail priority?

oh right because the USPS is being sabotaged.

I had something sit in the city I live in for 5 business days without moving last week. just unacceptable. a few years ago USPS was almost always my first choice =/


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## GorillaGrunt (Jan 8, 2022)

Lots of bad experiences with ups and FedEx, some predictable and understandable based on the news at the time and some not. Never had a bad experience with dhl. They’re my favorite but I haven’t known anyone to use them shipping domestically within the us.


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## MarcelNL (Jan 10, 2022)

USPS has never wowed me (international shipping US>EU) but they seem to have topped themselves....

shipped on Dec 27 it took three days to reach Chicago, so far so good...since it did not move acc to 17track,net
Did they change from using dirty old planes into much greener pigeons?


CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER, Processed Through Regional Facility -> Your item was processed through our CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER facility on December 31, 2021 at 1:21 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.


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## Matus (Jan 10, 2022)

Greasylake said:


> I've had two packages "lost" by USPS because they slid under the drivers seat while out for delivery.


Stop buying small knives.


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## Matus (Jan 10, 2022)

When it comes to feels that companies like UPS or FedEx charge for taking care of the duty fees - I once filed a complaint at UPS for them charging me around 40€ to process package with 30€ VAT. I simply told that that I do not see why I should bear additional cost because of the type of shipping the sender chose. They actually dropped the fee and I only payed the VAT. I was very surprised


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## Grayswandir (Jan 10, 2022)

Just wanted to provide an update on my stones from Japan. Despite all of the information saying DHL rarely delivers on Saturdays, and never on Sundays, I was pleasantly surprised when my shipment showed up yesterday afternoon! I guess they were behind due to the bad weather (snow across the mid-west and east coast), so they decided to send out the couriers on a Sunday.


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## tcmx3 (Jan 13, 2022)

you all ever notice how often the courier websites are breaking? like basic functionality; logins, tracking, delivery instructions, etc.

these companies are huge and make insane money and the primary way we interact with them now seems like they have about half as many people working on them as they ought to. I will grant that in 2022 pretty much all websites manage to suck somehow but you'd think that these places would invest in making certain things bulletproof.


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## esoo (Jan 13, 2022)

The fact that UPS wants you to create an account so you can see all step of the tracking is effing BS. Every other courier lets you see the full tracking without an account.


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## MarcelNL (Jan 13, 2022)

since I was pointed to the site by our national postal service helpdesk in a case of a missing package I only use 17track and do not bother with any single couriers tracking requirement BS.


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## Delat (Jan 13, 2022)

esoo said:


> The fact that UPS wants you to create an account so you can see all step of the tracking is effing BS. Every other courier lets you see the full tracking without an account.



It kinda sucks but I do like that when companies ship me packages via UPS the system manages to figure out it’s me automatically and starts sending me text alerts and emails following my preferences.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jan 13, 2022)

I'm sure you realize shipping is affected partly because in the middle of a pandemic. 

I've noticed certain items at grocery store are out like fresh cabbage. 

Seeing pictures of ports full of unloaded shipping containers. Also after Christmas a back load of returned items. 

One thing about US is not all those fees added to international shipping. Was spoiled back when Amazon & eBay didn't have to charge state taxes. Often free shipping with no sales tax.  Those days are gone.

I had couple international orders one from Australia & other from Canada. They took longer than usual & had to pay 15$ for shipping 
Minor for the hard to get Herder only found on site in Canada. 

Someone mentioned mail shipped on a banana boat . I'm just glad got my orders even if it took a little longer.


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## MarcelNL (Jan 26, 2022)

MarcelNL said:


> USPS has never wowed me (international shipping US>EU) but they seem to have topped themselves....
> 
> shipped on Dec 27 it took three days to reach Chicago, so far so good...since it did not move acc to 17track,net
> Did they change from using dirty old planes into much greener pigeons?
> ...



Status Update; there is no status update....a day short of a whole month after shipping there is no progress whatsoever..


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## esoo (Jul 27, 2022)

Just worked with a maker to change from UPS Standard to UPS Expedited so that brokerage would go from $75 down to $0 for me (at $10 more in shipping)


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## MarcelNL (Jul 27, 2022)

I just had a run in with DHL who unexpectedly and un announced stoped by to deliver an LP (tracking showed it was in Germany) , the driver changed status to 'not at home' then to 'receiver requested to pick parcel up at service point, and at the service point somehow someone entered 'package refused, returned to sender' 

All of that happened while I was looking at my computer trying to intervene through the helplessdesk, who basically told me they knew it was not me doing anything but not even the sender could change the outcome....took 3 weeks for the package to turn up at the sender.
It was a rare record, so I was pretty pleased when it arrived using a different courier.


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## Delat (Jul 30, 2022)

A UPS guy showed up at my door last week with 5 big packages on a dolly. Good thing he waited for me to come out as I wasn’t expecting anything and when I looked closer, turned out he was at the wrong address. Not even the same street - totally and completely different address.

I wonder how often that happens and the person happily takes delivery of someone else’s packages?


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## Greasylake (Jul 30, 2022)

Delat said:


> A UPS guy showed up at my door last week with 5 big packages on a dolly. Good thing he waited for me to come out as I wasn’t expecting anything and when I looked closer, turned out he was at the wrong address. Not even the same street - totally and completely different address.
> 
> I wonder how often that happens and the person happily takes delivery of someone else’s packages?


A friend of mine kept coming home to furniture sitting in front of her door because the Amazon drivers kept delivering to the wrong address. I think she got two bedframes and a nightstand or something and Amazon just wouldn't take them back


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## Naftoor (Jul 30, 2022)

My only recurring issue with USPS is that they quote you a delivery day, and then in the days leading up to it including that day they’ll move the day. Very irritating for them to be optimistic, and you build a schedule around a delivery day only for them to change it when reality hits. 

I’ve had UPS literally lose an international knife goin from Switzerland to the US. Awful experience in which they ignored me and took no responsibility, including opening an investigation that never concluded. 

DHL has always been good, from both the UK and Japan. My only issue is that my name apparently matches someone on a scary list somewhere, so they generally require me to send photo identification with every shipment.


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## timebard (Jul 30, 2022)

Naftoor said:


> My only recurring issue with USPS is that they quote you a delivery day, and then in the days leading up to it including that day they’ll move the day. Very irritating for them to be optimistic, and you build a schedule around a delivery day only for them to change it when reality hits.



Yeah, I frequently see the delivery shown for "today, 9pm" with the location still at the post office (not on the truck) until well past 10pm before they finally update the schedule to the next day. If it's not on the truck by midday it's obviously not going to arrive that day, not sure why their system can't admit defeat and update sooner rather than after they've blown the deadline.


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## Nagakin (Jul 30, 2022)

UPS somehow lost a package from a UPS locker before it even left the local hub. Crossing my fingers it shows up misplaced there. I haven’t lost an outgoing package before, but a couple lost incoming packages says that their insurance is a scam.


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## ew_ut (Jul 30, 2022)

Greasylake said:


> A friend of mine kept coming home to furniture sitting in front of her door because the Amazon drivers kept delivering to the wrong address. I think she got two bedframes and a nightstand or something and Amazon just wouldn't take them back



We had this happen too... a case of someone on the other side of town forgetting to write "S" for "South" in front of their address. Probably typed it in wrong once and never checked again, but the incorrect address was saved in their profile. The "S" address was an apt building, so they probably just thought a neighbor was stealing from them (rather than delivered to wrong address). We always tried to return the stuff but Amazon didn't have a process for accepting returns from someone that didn't place the order lol. Unfortunately, it was also too far for us to deliver personally. None of it was valuable or things we needed so we just gave it away since Amazon didn't want it back. We kept asking delivery drivers to put a note on the package to let them know they should update the Amazon delivery address.


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