UPS charged $71 USD brokerage fee though no duty owed

[lascosas]

Recently Buyee Air Delivery for shipping Japan to the US switched from DHL to UPS.  I normally use EMS, but a recent package was going to be $50 cheaper using Buyee Air Delivery.  I paid and a day later received a notice from UPS that I owed $71 which must be paid before delivery.  The charge, and see attached for the invoice, was for brokerage fee WITH NO DUTY OWED!!!

 

When I questioned UPS the answer was we reserve the right to charge what we determine to be a reasonable brokerage fee, regardless of whether duties are owed.  

 

WARNING!!!

[inkstainedruth]

That's TERRIBLE!  Did you have any heads up beforehand from them?  Because I'm wondering if that's even LEGAL...

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[I-am-not-really-here]

Brokerage fee=charge for utilizing UPS' in-house Customs processing.  

 

In my experience UPS may charge up to 8% of the value stated on the shipping paperwork, but doesn't charge if an item is under de minimus (which may no longer apply) or is identified as Used. 

 

Duty and Tariffs are a separate matter.
 

 

[lascosas]

Spoke to a supposed supervisor in the international department.  Brokerage fees have "always" been charged unless you pay for express delivery, in which case they wrap the fee into the charge.  And the brokerage fee is charged whether duties are owed, including de minimus shipments, which this is.  And again, I've never been charged this fee from them before.  My $71 is discounted because I paid online.  The normal fee is $83.

[james3paris]

There is not much context behind this to evaluate the fairness of the charge.  Based in what you showed, UPS usually puts total cost and does not put in import charges for item. Did you pay around $870+ for this item? On the assumption a base fee of $20 And import for pen is 8%... of course, I am just making a wild guess that you got a pen. 🤣 The numbers seem to line up. You were charged full duty fee once you cross the $800 import threshold. If we buy an item from abroad, we are importers by law.

[james3paris]

An interesting little tidbit, I found out that some how there are not import duties on items coming from Amazon Japan because apparently, the items being sold from Japan fall under the Amazon umbrella.  See attached.   I still can't believe it.  

[Seney724]

I am in the USA and I avoid UPS, whenever possible, for any and every shipment.  Domestic & international.

Their expected delivery dates are meaningless.

As is their service and customer focus.

Example:  Purchase overnight, express, early AM delivery on a Thursday for a Friday AM delivery. They fail to deliver for some non-weather related reason ("mechanical," etc) but will not deliver on the weekend because the premium for weekend delivery was not purchased!!  Seriously??  And try getting a refund for their failed service.  Good luck!

Ten years ago I never would have dreamed I'd say this but the USPS is far superior!!

 

PS:  FedEx is just as bad, if not worse.

 

[lascosas]

The items I purchased are within the de minimus exception, as I said, well below $800.  There was thus zero duty owed.  I was charged a brokerage fee, no import duties.

 

When I have bought items from Amazon Japan, where Amazon has been the seller with a cost over $800 I am always without exception charged import duties.

[inkstainedruth]

On 7/19/2025 at 10:11 AM, Seney724 said:

PS:  FedEx is just as bad, if not worse.

I almost got hit head-on by a FedEx truck a couple of months ago, when he made an illegal left turn from the main road into the center of the town I live in.  In SPITE of the signs saying, "No left turn!"  And that sign has been there for over 25 years -- I know because the first time the real estate agent took me to look at the house my husband and I ended up buying?  She was quite grumpy about having to go to the next street to the left and loop back around.  

And of course that sign is there because of the S-curve in that road that starts around that intersection and then curves around the other way after the next street to the right as you're heading towards the Pittsburgh city line....

I was MORE THAN HAPPY to look up the number of the local FedEx depot and report the driver.  Because that driver could EASILY have turned left onto another main road (at a traffic light) and gone down the hill to my street and turned right and ended up where he was heading in a block or two, if he didn't want to go around the S curve and then turn left at the street that runs parallel to mine in a block or two....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Seney724]

13 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

I almost got hit head-on by a FedEx truck a couple of months ago, when he made an illegal left turn from the main road into the center of the town I live in.  In SPITE of the signs saying, "No left turn!"  And that sign has been there for over 25 years -- I know because the first time the real estate agent took me to look at the house my husband and I ended up buying?  She was quite grumpy about having to go to the next street to the left and loop back around.  

And of course that sign is there because of the S-curve in that road that starts around that intersection and then curves around the other way after the next street to the right as you're heading towards the Pittsburgh city line....

I was MORE THAN HAPPY to look up the number of the local FedEx depot and report the driver.  Because that driver could EASILY have turned left onto another main road (at a traffic light) and gone down the hill to my street and turned right and ended up where he was heading in a block or two, if he didn't want to go around the S curve and then turn left at the street that runs parallel to mine in a block or two....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I'm impressed you were able to find the number for your local FedEx depot! 

All these companies make it nearly impossible to speak with a human being, much less one who is "local," but FedEx is just about the worst of the worst when it comes to this........

[VacNut]

On 7/19/2025 at 7:11 AM, Seney724 said:

I am in the USA and I avoid UPS, whenever possible, for any and every shipment.  Domestic & international.

Their expected delivery dates are meaningless.

As is their service and customer focus.

Example:  Purchase overnight, express, early AM delivery on a Thursday for a Friday AM delivery. They fail to deliver for some non-weather related reason ("mechanical," etc) but will not deliver on the weekend because the premium for weekend delivery was not purchased!!  Seriously??  And try getting a refund for their failed service.  Good luck!

Ten years ago I never would have dreamed I'd say this but the USPS is far superior!!

 

PS:  FedEx is just as bad, if not worse.

 

USPS is not perfect, but the reliability and pricing is difficult to beat, especially when you consider they have to work with every national mail service in the world.

Royal Mail is a close second…this is when they play “God Save the Queen”… yes, I said Queen 🫣🫣🫣

[Seney724]

1 hour ago, VacNut said:

USPS is not perfect, but the reliability and pricing is difficult to beat, especially when you consider they have to work with every national mail service in the world.

Royal Mail is a close second…this is when they play “God Save the Queen”… yes, I said Queen 🫣🫣🫣

Ha, Ha!

True!

[lascosas]

I always default to whatever national postal service connects with USPS.  I have never had a problem.  During COVID India Post and others would no longer send internationally, which was sad.  I was very happy when those restrictions ended.  With purchases from Japan, that means EMS.  But if the package is heavy, the cost can become very expensive, and international carriers like FedEx, UPS & DHL tend to be considerably cheaper.  But adding a brokerage fee that is more expensive than the shipping, where no duty is owed, and no advance disclosure, changes things considerably.

[james3paris]

On 7/19/2025 at 7:51 PM, lascosas said:

The items I purchased are within the de minimus exception, as I said, well below $800.  There was thus zero duty owed.  I was charged a brokerage fee, no import duties.

 

When I have bought items from Amazon Japan, where Amazon has been the seller with a cost over $800 I am always without exception charged import duties.

I am going to stay clear of UPS! Sorry, I missed that fact that you were below the $800 threshold.  And, so far, I was not charged by Amazon and I had the chat with the rep.  If I am charged, trust me.  That screen shot will be used against them. 

[inkstainedruth]

Years ago, when we lived in Massachusetts, my husband ordered a farrier's forge because he wanted to try his hand at blacksmithing (a farrier's forge is a small one, designed I think orginally for making and shaping horseshoes).  It was relatively small, but also both heavy and fragile.  When the package was delivered, it was placed on our kitchens stoop in such a way that I couldn't open the outer storm door without pushing so hard (assuming, of course, that I *had* that much strength) that I'd knock it into the driveway and possibly damage it.  

So I called UPS, which was the next town over, and about 5 miles away and was told that they'd send the guy back out when he got back to the depot.  But ALSO that "Oh, you live in a _safe_ neighborhood...."  And I pointed out that the guy handed even bothered to ring the doorbell, even though my car was in the driveway....  And that I considered me not being able to open my door my NOT be so "safe"....  

So the guy had to go do the rest of his deliveries, then drive back to the depot only to be sent back out (a distance of maybe 5 miles each way).  AND he b*tched and moaned about it the whole time he was carrying it into my kitchen....  And all I could think was, "Oh boo hoo...."

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[InkyProf]

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

my husband ordered a farrier's forge because he wanted to try his hand at blacksmithing

 

What a great story! I'm glad the guy came back and moved it for you. And whenever any of our spouses express any skepticism about how much [space] [money] [time] [attention] our pens and ink and paper occupy, we should totally remind them that we could have taken up blacksmithing. 😄

[inkstainedruth]

Oh, the guy came back -- but ONLY because he was told to.  

As for the blacksmithing?  A friend of his from college and another friend of his actually started a blacksmithing school a few years ago.  And one of my husband's "students" in the other hobby (sadly deceased now) used to get referred to as "the high temperature cooking apprentice" -- he and his dad, who I'd assumed was a retired steelworker, but then found out was a lawyer who had argued cases in front of the Supreme Court  --  have pieces on the gates of the New Globe Theatre in London(!) (only one other American does).  (John's dad taught artisan blacksmithing at an artist's colony, and his mom taught watercolor classes).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth