Warning to Canadians buying from online bike stores in the UK

[Deacon Blues]

I couldn't resist the online Black Friday sales and bought a set of tires and tee shirt from Wiggle, in the UK. I've purchased from Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles (free shipping) in the past and was never charged brokerage fees or taxes. I haven't used them for a while, since they stopped selling Shimano products to anyone living in North America, so I was surprised to get an email from a worldwide shipping company called SKYNET telling me that I owed them for brokerage fees and taxes. I Googled them, thinking it might be a scam (with a name like SKYNET), but they're real and there's a thread on the Canadian Pink bike forum about them.
I had to pay the extra fee, but I won't be dealing with Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycle again. Usually, I like to give my business to local bike shops and now they'll get 100% of my business.

 

[theemartymac]

It's the shipping companies that are soaking us, not necessarily the seller. Always check for a direct post options (Can post/USPS/Etc. - a.k.a. slow), as any expedited shipping will come with one of the big courier companies like UPS/FEDEX/DHL or their partners, and they charge obscene brokerage fees up to 50% of the purchase price. You can also refuse to accept the brokerage and go to a CBSA office (Any int. airport/port of entry etc.) and pay the actual border fees yourself, then show the receipt to the courier company to avoid their fees.