# Anyone on the inside know what's up with Whiskey Militia and company Canada shipping?



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

If I remember correctly it's something with buying agreements and some internet bill that was passed and their firm disbelief in Unicorns.


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## roremc (Oct 25, 2009)

Agree on this one! 

I am trying to buy a split your own board kit from the states through backcountry.com as I can't find anyone in Canada who has them. They want $60 for the shipping? WTF!?!?! Its a small box with a few screws and clips and shit in it! I paid less to ship my board here from daddies boardshop! FFS

I have found buying some stuff through MEC is almost as cheap as backcountry.com Not everything but some things. For instance the split kit for when you have a proper split board is the same price on bc.com and it ships free when you drop $50 at their store.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

BurtonAvenger said:


> If I remember correctly it's something with buying agreements and some internet bill that was passed and their firm disbelief in Unicorns.


How do the buying agreements affect shipping? You mean they are inflating the shipping to discourage us evil Canadians trying to get a deal? Well Bill's a jerk.


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## david_z (Dec 14, 2009)

is duty/tariff included in those prices? 

I shipped a board to a guy in MTL a few winters ago, because it was made in CN he took a beating from Customs. Forwarded him some Burton stuff which was exempt because of NAFTA though. So depending on coutnry of origin they may have to include the duties/tariffs in those prices they're quoting you.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

its not taxes or tariffs. ups charges a "brokrage fee". its just a rip off to get lots of money. when you ship with usps it is so much cheaper. i have heard that fedex is alot cheaper than ups but i haven't had anything shipped with them so i can't say for sure.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

I am aware of the brokerage fees. That's what I am trying to say, if other companies can find better shipping methods why can't they? Also the fees are WAY higher than previous years. I can order from Jenson Usa, they offer all inclusive shipping and the prices are "normal". Never have to pay anything at the door... here is an example.

Choose Shipping Method
Ups Worldwide Saver ($24.98)

Shipments
Description Price Qty Item Total 
Shimano Deore XT M776 Front Hub
20mm, 36 Hole $56.13 1 $56.13 

0
Craft Pro Warm Long Underpant
Bright Red, Large $36.60 1 $36.60 
0

SubTotal: $92.73
Shipping: $24.98


2 items, heavier than a jacket, $25 shipping all inclusive.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

do you not get hammered with fees at the door with ups?


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

BC.com always is trying to stay ahead of getting "busted".

I live in COlorado and I was sent my entire order history for tax reasons last year. I did not request this info. Colorado has some pending legislation for interstate internet commerce. BC.com was trying to comply in advance. They also sent my whole order history to the State of Colorado. No updated returns however.

They must have been threatned or something by the Prime Minister of Canada (Saddam). They are on the forefront of being right?

I like BC.COM btw. they rock.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Jenzo said:


> How do the buying agreements affect shipping? You mean they are inflating the shipping to discourage us evil Canadians trying to get a deal? Well Bill's a jerk.


Something like that plus your money is worth more.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Justin said:


> do you not get hammered with fees at the door with ups?


Nope, Jenson is "all inclusive", and with Nashbar you may have to pay taxes, but never a brokerage fee as they use USPS. Lots of the online bike retailers are quite good, and no problems with brand shipping either. Don't know why the snow sports industry is so much worse for this kind of thing.

It makes it apparent WM is inflating prices or their shipping calculations are off. I sent an email asking about it anyways. Probably a tiny voice in the whale's rectum. I apologize for that terrible metaphor.


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## david_z (Dec 14, 2009)

Jenzo said:


> Lots of the online bike retailers are quite good, and no problems with brand shipping either. Don't know why the snow sports industry is so much worse for this kind of thing.


Most of the brand shipping issues are because the manufacturer has a contract with the retailer that does not allow them to sell internationally. This practice may either be non-existent, or not nearly as prevalent, in the bike world.



Jenzo said:


> It makes it apparent WM is inflating prices or their shipping calculations are off.


I wouldn't be surprised if it's inflated shipping. Discounters tend to have their own version of "flat rate" shipping which has nothing to do with what the actual vendor (UPS/FedEx, etc.) charge except that it is always higher than what the vendor would charge.



Jenzo said:


> I sent an email asking about it anyways. Probably a tiny voice in the whale's rectum. I apologize for that terrible metaphor.


No that was a pretty rad metaphor, actually.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Wow I got a quick email back from WM. However it does not explain the prices really.

_Hey "Jenzo",

I am sorry for the expensive shipping prices on international shipping. Unfortunately, our only international shipping option right now is UPS and they set the prices on us. We do offer the UPS Standard with tariffs included to help as best we can with the pricing, but we do not have much control over the shipping costs. We would love to be able to have cheaper international shipping, but with our current contracts we are stuck with UPS and their pricing. We review our shipping quarterly, so hopefully we can explore different options in the near future. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do in the immediate future. I will save your email and relay it to the necessary people to try to expedite this process.

Thank you,

Chris Jenney
Asst Supervisor - Sales
Backcountry_


I understand about the inability to ship certain items, that's not what I am complaining about. I am complaining about the massive shipping costs for what they can ship. Here is an example from Jenson that also uses UPS all inclusive (no duty or tax at door).











Just a jacket alone on WM was $60... that's almost $30 more for less items. Also, if you add more items to Backcountry or Dogfunk the price gets super high, whereas I can add many items to Jenson and the price stays reasonable.


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

david_z said:


> Most of the brand shipping issues are because the manufacturer has a contract with the retailer that does not allow them to sell internationally. This practice may either be non-existent, or not nearly as prevalent, in the bike world.
> 
> 
> I wouldn't be surprised if it's inflated shipping. Discounters tend to have their own version of "flat rate" shipping which has nothing to do with what the actual vendor (UPS/FedEx, etc.) charge except that it is always higher than what the vendor would charge.
> ...


They are not inflating shipping charges. They have one of the best shipping rates in the business for USA shipping.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Sick-Pow said:


> They are not inflating shipping charges. They have one of the best shipping rates in the business BTW. For us in the states, they will on the reg hook people up with free shipping if you call, even for little shit.


They have fantastic rates in the states but this thread is about the inflated prices to Canada.


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## -relk- (Jan 8, 2011)

Depending where you live you could always try a place like www.attheborderstorage.com. Costs $5 for them to store your stuff, and if you get free shipping from BC.com you would be saving quite a bit of coin. All depends on how far away you are from the pick up area though.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

-relk- said:


> Depending where you live you could always try a place like www.attheborderstorage.com. Costs $5 for them to store your stuff, and if you get free shipping from BC.com you would be saving quite a bit of coin. All depends on how far away you are from the pick up area though.


Yea I have a whole list of those on the sticky in the board section. I use package express as they forward packages.
Ill add that one in as well.


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## roremc (Oct 25, 2009)

-relk- said:


> Depending where you live you could always try a place like www.attheborderstorage.com. Costs $5 for them to store your stuff, and if you get free shipping from BC.com you would be saving quite a bit of coin. All depends on how far away you are from the pick up area though.


I did this with my beacon from BC.com. $10 for UPS to hold it in Whitefish MT and I saved about $250 off the beacon price. Sadly when you are looking at items that are not onsale the drive is not worth it. Plus customs at the border can get you for import duties fi they bother checking.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

My main point was that one (and many more) major companies have reasonable, all inclusive shipping for items to Canada, while anther's prices are double that for no reason. I really like BC, WM et al. but they make it such a hassle to order for no real reason. Oh well if they want to keep giving package express business that's fine. The reason I don't want to use em is it is just slower. The packages have to go to my receiver/forwarder and then from the receiver/forwarder to me, takes a month instead of one simple transaction.


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## david_z (Dec 14, 2009)

They could be just trying to rip you off. If that's the answer you're looking for you're never going to get it (definitively).

Or it could be that they just don't do enough international business to qualify for some preferential rates offered by UPS? It would not surprise me if FedEx/UPS has different tiers of pricing for different contracts, just like they have different rates for individuals vs. corporate accounts.

Unfortunately there are a lot of variables that affect international shipping prices - and even though you think you are making a point by showing Jenson/Nashbar receipts, they may very well be apples-to-oranges comparisons. The only real comparison would be for the same item, same price, same value, same shipping method to the same destination, from two different companies.

Like I said, I sent a Burton deck to a buddy in MTL no issues whatsoever because at the time it was made in USA and exempt by NAFTA. But I sent him a Ride deck, too. For that he had to pay an additional $100+ in duties.


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