An urgent word of warning to all prospective adafruit customers outside the USA.
I just spent more than US$200 at adafruit and was informed by the ordering system that I had to use UPS as the shipping agent. No other option.
So, a few days later UPS arrives and charges me CDN$40.62 in brokerage fees and taxes. NO duties.
I have been importing items into Canada for many years and UPS is the only company that raises these kind of charges. FedEx, DHL and the local postal service do not. UPS "waives" the charges if the shipment travels by air. Does this mean that I do not have to pay Sales Tax when the shipment travels by air or is this just a rip-off by UPS?
For the record, I have been charged Sales Tax once (in nearly 15 years) by Canada Post when this was raised by Canadian Customs AND they produced the official documentation to substantiate the charges.
Be warned, shipping by UPS will cost you dearly. I for one will NOT buy from adafruit again unless it offers me an alternative to UPS.
Screwed by UPS
Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
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Franklin97355
- Posts: 23939
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Re: Screwed by UPS
Have you tried any of the Canadian distributors? https://www.adafruit.com/distributors or DigiKey?
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Manfredv1
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:38 pm
Re: Screwed by UPS
No, I have not. As things stand now, I will do my best to buy from other companies such as DFrobot and SainSmart.
They offer free shipping from China and their stuff is also pretty good and often less expensive. Most of the Canadian distributors charge more than adafruit or the Chinese Digikey has only a small selection of adafruit products.
So less expensive, no shipping fees and generally no taxes and duties (legally) ads up to a pretty attractive package. If North American companies such as adafruit are not willing to step out of their comfort zone and look at the total customer experience I do not see why I should go out of my way to support them - especially if it costs me more. They also have lost any right to complain about cheaper Chinese products.
All it would take for adafruit to do to get me back as a customer is to offer me a choice of shipping agents. USPS, FedEx, DHL - any one will do as long as it is not UPS.
They offer free shipping from China and their stuff is also pretty good and often less expensive. Most of the Canadian distributors charge more than adafruit or the Chinese Digikey has only a small selection of adafruit products.
So less expensive, no shipping fees and generally no taxes and duties (legally) ads up to a pretty attractive package. If North American companies such as adafruit are not willing to step out of their comfort zone and look at the total customer experience I do not see why I should go out of my way to support them - especially if it costs me more. They also have lost any right to complain about cheaper Chinese products.
All it would take for adafruit to do to get me back as a customer is to offer me a choice of shipping agents. USPS, FedEx, DHL - any one will do as long as it is not UPS.
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Manfredv1
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:38 pm
Re: Screwed by UPS
Just to illustrate:
The Motor Shield v2 costs US$19.95 at adafruit and US$23.3470 (as at current exchange rate) at https://www.creatroninc.com/product/mot ... results=13 - one of the local Canadian distributors listed on your website.
Sure, let me pay 25% more just to buy it in Canada! What am I missing?
The Motor Shield v2 costs US$19.95 at adafruit and US$23.3470 (as at current exchange rate) at https://www.creatroninc.com/product/mot ... results=13 - one of the local Canadian distributors listed on your website.
Sure, let me pay 25% more just to buy it in Canada! What am I missing?
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.