# Ordering from the U.S. ...



## bogoboy (May 21, 2006)

Just had an expensive experience ordering from the U.S. I couldn't find Fender's (Meguiar's) guitar wax kit anywhere in the Montreal area so on the "net" I went. American Musical Supply had it (in stock). A quick toll free call and the order was placed. Ten days later and I had the kit in my "hot little hands". The cost...? 24.95 (US funds) about 29.95 (CAD) add UPS shipping about $49.33!! Well I figured, thats the cost of doing business. By the way, I happened to notice the "Made in Canada" on the bottles of wax (this really burned me up). Some weeks later, additional bill for $12.05 for brokerage fee was now due (sent in french only, from Ontario head office -I live in Quebec). The grand total now: $61.38 or more then twice the original Canadian value!!!

Bogoboy is very pissed!


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

Damn, that sucks dude... no local shops could order it for you?


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

That's what happens when you use UPS. You can get deals from American stores, you have to make sure they will ship the item USPS or you are going to get screwed.


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## valen (Oct 3, 2006)

I don't want to bum you out but I ordered the kit from Archambault downtown (Fender Dealer). Cost me $35 bucks a year ago.


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

I've had almost the same experience, several times. Now I'll go to great lengths to buy stuff within Canada whenever possible.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Seems everyone gets stung once...


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I have to order certain old Hammond stuff from Goff Professional, and they only ship UPS. Basically doubles the cost.
I'll try to use UPS only on high $ items, like a guitar. If the guy won't ship USPS, the brokerage will kill you. Always be careful of this on Ebay.

On the other hand, I'm shipping my R9 to the US to get some work done, and UPS is the better deal, and Canada Post won't insure over $1000.


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## Baconator (Feb 25, 2006)

torndownunit said:


> That's what happens when you use UPS. You can get deals from American stores, you have to make sure they will ship the item USPS or you are going to get screwed.


+1

Alternatively, if the sender insists on dealing with UPS tell them you'll pay extra for air/priority shipping - that includes brokerage fees (although UPS is still a ripoff).


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> Seems everyone gets stung once...


The first time I got stung by UPS, the lady on the other end of the phone threatened to hang up if I didn't stop *&^[email protected]#$ .


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## bogoboy (May 21, 2006)

valen said:


> I don't want to bum you out but I ordered the kit from Archambault downtown (Fender Dealer). Cost me $35 bucks a year ago.


I tried there but not in stock.


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## bogoboy (May 21, 2006)

Robboman said:


> I've had almost the same experience, several times. Now I'll go to great lengths to buy stuff within Canada whenever possible.


Me too! But sometimes we have no choice- FREE TRADE INDEED! 

Bogoboy


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Major bummer man, I am very lucky that we have a US office in Michigan that I can get my stuff shipped to. Then bring it back myself.


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## iggs (Apr 6, 2006)

Yup ... I learned the same lesson the hard way too ...

DO NOT use FedEx, UPS or any other courier type service for shipping from US. They charge ridiculous customs brokerage fees even if you did not purchase the item ... my Fulltone FD2 was sent for repair and they (FedEx) wanted to charge me for customs clearance when the pedal was shipped back. I said "no thanks" and went to the airport and cleared it myself.

US Postal Service Global Express is the way to go, trackable and no brokerage fees ... still get shafted for GST/PST but there's no way around that I guess.


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## bogoboy (May 21, 2006)

iggs said:


> Yup ... I learned the same lesson the hard way too ...
> 
> DO NOT use FedEx, UPS or any other courier type service for shipping from US. They charge ridiculous customs brokerage fees even if you did not purchase the item ...


American Musical Supply will only ship using a courier (I asked).

Bogoboy


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## iggs (Apr 6, 2006)

That sucks ... I stopped using any online US dealers that do not ship USPS.


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

That sucks man. 

Similar thing happened to me. Bought a DS-1 for $40CDN shipped from a guy in California. When UPS was done raping me, I ended up paying an additional $60 in brokerage, duties and taxes. Could of bought it new at L&M for $65. What an experience. Beg for USPS if you buy something from the States. If the seller or online store insists on using UPS or any other courier I tell too bad I'll shop elsewhere.

Hey, at least you got the product you wanted.


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## valen (Oct 3, 2006)

The point I was trying to make earlier is that the store I went to (archambeault) to find the Fender polish kit did not have it in stock as a regular item but they ordered it for me and I got it in two weeks and paid $35 CDN. Just because a store does not have something in stock, if they are a dealer of the manufacturer of the product, they can get it for you and you don't have to deal with shipping , duty and all that jazz.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

valen said:


> The point I was trying to make earlier is that the store I went to (archambeault) to find the Fender polish kit did not have it in stock as a regular item but they ordered it for me and I got it in two weeks and paid $35 CDN. Just because a store does not have something in stock, if they are a dealer of the manufacturer of the product, they can get it for you and you don't have to deal with shipping , duty and all that jazz.



Ya but here is where the problem is, and why I still buy US. How come it seems it takes the stores up to a month in most cases to order something, when I can buy it online and have it here in 3 days?


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## bogoboy (May 21, 2006)

In Dec. 2006 my son bought (from Archambeault)a Fender RI 62 and he wanted a black deluxe case NOT the brown one that comes with the guitar. They were very good about allowing us to exchange the case BUT it (as always in Canada) was not in stock and had to be ordered. Today-almost (3 months later!!!), I finally got a call from them - its in. I'm gettin' tired of going into Canadian shops that have a MIM or MIJ Fender behind glass like it's some museum piece. There's even a store in the Montreal area that calls itself a "Fender Dealer" that ONLY stocks Squires and if you want to pay in advance (in full!!) they will order you a guitar - 3 month waiting.

Last summer we were in the States on holidays, I walked into a music store ( medium sized) they had LP's in seven or eight colours (I'm generalizing a bit here). Strats, Tele's etc. and it was no big deal to try anything. 

In short, it's hard when you want buy something specialized (guitar equipment etc.) and it's NOT AVAILABLE HERE. I also find it annoying that Canadian music stores don't want us to know the Cdn price - this protectionist attitude is fifty years out of date.

Bogoboy


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

torndownunit said:


> Ya but here is where the problem is, and why I still buy US. How come it seems it takes the stores up to a month in most cases to order something, when I can buy it online and have it here in 3 days?


A month? Where are you buyin' stuff?

Damn... I got Class Axe in Kemptville to order me a MXR Wylde Overdrive pedal and it came in 4 days and a Dunlop JH-1 Wah came in 5. Then Steve's in Ottawa ordered me a Line 6 Spider III 75 and it took a week, which I then exchanged for a Marshall AVT50HX.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

bogoboy said:


> In Dec. 2006 my son bought (from Archambeault)a Fender RI 62 and he wanted a black deluxe case NOT the brown one that comes with the guitar. They were very good about allowing us to exchange the case BUT it (as always in Canada) was not in stock and had to be ordered. Today-almost (3 months later!!!), I finally got a call from them - its in. I'm gettin' tired of going into Canadian shops that have a MIM or MIJ Fender behind glass like it's some museum piece. There's even a store in the Montreal area that calls itself a "Fender Dealer" that ONLY stocks Squires and if you want to pay in advance (in full!!) they will order you a guitar - 3 month waiting.
> 
> Last summer we were in the States on holidays, I walked into a music store ( medium sized) they had LP's in seven or eight colours (I'm generalizing a bit here). Strats, Tele's etc. and it was no big deal to try anything.
> 
> ...



To be fair, it's not easy for Canadian stores to carry Fender and Gibson. The only stores who are really authorized dealers anymore are one who have been for years. Both companies only want to deal with big stores, and big online stores now.

But that doesn't change the fact that it's hard to find what you want. I appreciate that people on these forums like to support Canadian businesses, but I shop where I can afford to shop. There are a couple of private, small sellers in the States who carry stuff at great prices and will ship stuff to me USPS. No where local is going to come close to matching the price, even if they happen to have what I want which is very rare.



> A month? Where are you buyin' stuff?


Last 2 gutars I ordered from Long and Mcqaude and didn't end up buying because they took too long: Ibanez Artcore AF75T 4 weeks. Fender 52' RI Tele...2 months.


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## valen (Oct 3, 2006)

I hear what you are saying about ordering from a store and it taking forever. I'll give you an example. I ordered a One-Spot Adapter Combo pack. A pretty ordinary thing. The store I dealt with only had the One-Spot but not the combo pack. So I ordered it January 5th. They still did not get it in. 

I got fed up and dealt with Boutique Tone in Montreal. They ordered it for me and it came in A WEEK. The other store still has not received it. So alot of the wait time could be that the store does not have its purchasing department sorted out.

I highly recommend Boutique Tone for anybody looking for higher end gear.


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## NoTSoAgILe (Jul 25, 2006)

I got screwed over once with UPS, and out of 2 packages I received from them they both arrived looking like hell. 

The PS2 I bought arrived broken because it was poorly packaged by the sender... it was insured for $200 but the delcared value was $85 IIRC, and I had to pay about $50 at the door!! Than when I claimed it was broken they said that if it was insured for $200 than that should've been the declared value (which is there mistake for allowing that to happen) so they wanted to charge me an extra $85 for the "real" duties of the item. They didn't get crap BTW... you gotta be tough and really bug them about it to get any kind of success. 

The 2nd package was my Blues JR. and thank god it worked because the box really went through a lot... Fender really knows how to make a tough amp. It had some torn and badaly dented corners, some kind of grease on the box, dents everywhere and one little hole was poked through on side. When the guy delivered it to the door I said "Dammit!!! What the hell did you guys do to this thing? Why is it beatin' to shit?" :confused-smiley-010 The guy just laughed and said "I don't know... it's not that bad". Believe me it was bad, I had never received a package in that bad of a condition.

Never again man. I only ask for the post office now... never had one problem with the PO, their duties aren't outrageously marked up (seems to me like UPS charges whatever they hell they want), and all my packages arrive in great condition. If someone only ships with UPS or fed-ex I look elsewhere. Do the same.:rockon:


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

I've ordered a lot of stuff from the states and usually always through USPS. Had a couple by UPS and the charges were outrageous and one was damaged. I order a lot of stuff thru my business (for business) and it comes from UPS or purolator, a lot of the times I have had to photograph the box for proof just incase of internal damage or several times just refuse to accept it. Inside Canada it's Canada Post all the way, cheaper and everything so far has arrived in good condition.....


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