Judge's ruling puts consumer law to test

[cheryl]

Judge's ruling puts consumer law to test - Financial Post

An Ontario judge has issued a key ruling that is a major victory for consumers annoyed by the brokerage fees charged by international shippers.

Madame Justice Carolyn Horkins on Aug. 26 found that United Parcel Service Canada Ltd. violated the Ontario Consumer Protection Act by requiring customers pay fees for "brokerage" services that the judge found were not properly disclosed.

The brokerage fee issue is clearly something that annoys people. According to evidence presented during the motion hearing, about 300 or 5% of the 6,000 brokerage-related calls UPS customer service receives each day come from callers who have concerns over "brokerage-related charges."

The judge agreed with the plaintiffs' allegations that UPS violated the Consumer Protection Act by not properly informing customers they would have to pay the brokerage fees and by insisting on payment of those fees prior to delivering the items.

 

[cachsux]

Looks like a slam dunk. After all, the Canadians are the experts on annoying people.

 

[STLFeeder]

Sounds like ups is just trying to recoup all the money they overpaid to the Canadian government for import export fees and the government refused to give the overpayment back.

 

[klein]

No, this has been going on for years, even as I worked for UPS this law suit had already began.
A whole group of consumers got together and launched it.

People are simply fed up buying a cd, or anything else out of the USA, and having to pay double the price for it, once the item arrives.
(i.E. CD cost online is $12.95, and UPS adds a minimum of $16.95 brokerage fee to it, and that does not include our GST or provincial sales taxes on top of it all) !

As a former driver and I'm certain other current Canadian drivers can tell you how badly UPS customers complain when they get docked for the high brokerage fees. Not one single day goes by without getting complaints !

Get it shipped by USPS and there are no brokerage fees !