Last time I had to deal with them the sender PREPAID all the customs fees, and they still charged me literally a total of 100% the value of the item! I've been fighting with them for over two months to get a refund.

I called UPS to protest a $100 fee charged on an under-$300 item. They discounted the brokerage portion of the fee by half for me (wow, so generous), which I paid over the phone, and I requested they hold the parcel at one of their locations for me to pick up because it was a Christmas present for my housemate.

So of course they delivered it to the door, my housemate answered, the delivery person cheerfully announced what the thing was that had just arrived, and charged her the full $100 fee right there.

I spent six months contesting this double-charge and finally scraped back enough from them to constitute a proper refund for her only a few weeks ago. I talked to nine different representatives over the phone and had to explain the situation three different times to the same representative over email. UPS's indifference and incompetence is staggering.

I decided long ago that I'd rather do without than deal with anyone other than the post office.

It's getting tougher, though, with an increasing number of vendors who refuse to drop something in the mail. I don't know, maybe in the US, the postal service won't do daily scheduled pickups for companies with enough business.

For what it's worth the express service level includes brokerage fees, this is listed on their site but is well hidden. It is often significantly cheaper to pay for express and avoid these idiotic fees. Not defending them but at least UPS tells you up front what the costs are unlike FedEx who just sends you a surprise bill in the mail weeks to months later.

I hate all the major carriers.

This is such a scam. They also make it as hard as possible for you do do your own custom clearance with border security. Though every time I do get a UPS shipment I'll tell them I'll self-clear it. It costs significantly less, but I having to drive 30 min to get it cleared is fairly painful depending on how much cost I'm trying to avoid.

So yeah, I suggest learning how to self-clear, even if it's just so UPS doesn't get that little bit more in scummy profits.

"How much can Brown squeeze out of You?"

Always go for postal mail for smaller stuff when you have the option. The prices are cheaper, and in my experience the level of service is better.

These companies are all crooks, fuck them

Someone should just set up shop at a border crossing and have their only job be brokering shipments across the border.