UPS and Canada shopping are a dangerous combination right now. If you are thinking of ordering anything from Canada, be careful. Tariffs are one thing—you might pay them, maybe even 100 percent. But the real shock comes from UPS. The fees they are adding are huge. People are reporting $5 items arriving with $50 in charges. This is not a rare occurrence. The patterns show these fees are far higher than most buyers expect.
UPS shipments from Canada to the U.S. can trigger massive brokerage fees, tariffs, and import duties. Even low-value items get caught because of carrier rules or customs classifications.
UPS confirms that tariffs and import fees are stacked on top of brokerage charges. Fees vary depending on value, origin, and declared purpose. There is no cap. In many cases, the fees are higher than the item itself.
Tariffs were an expected annoying expense
The UPS brokage fee was not wtf pic.twitter.com/nLm6l5afTs
— Arthur 🀄 (@rdrisms) September 20, 2025
UPS ( who we used for shipping) charged our USA customer who purchased $90 of goods from us in Canada a $60 fee…..this is insanity. Customer refused package and is requesting a refund.
This has nothing to do with tariffs but a UPS gouge causing bad business!— Pia Basansky (@PBasansky) September 17, 2025
“When a tariff is applied, the importer pays the additional duty at customs before the goods are released… US trade policy changes will likely increase landed costs due to tariffs and require adjustments to import declarations.” https://www.ups.com/ca/en/shipping/international-shipping/tariffs
The worst cases hit small purchases. Items under $20 or $50 can cost $40 to $60 after UPS adds disbursement fees, bond fees, and entry preparation charges. These are not taxes. They are service fees imposed by UPS and are usually non-negotiable unless the seller pre-pays customs.
“UPS applies brokerage fees on shipments entering the U.S. from Canada, even on low-value items… These fees can include disbursement charges, bond fees, and entry preparation costs, which often exceed the value of the item itself.” https://www.ups.com/us/en/shipping/international-shipping/import-fees
If these fees stay the same, buyers will get hit hard. A $5 item can turn into a $50 bill before it even arrives. Expect complaints, refund requests, and angry emails to pile up. Sellers will notice too. Many will start using USPS or other shipping services to avoid UPS and its sky-high charges.
Right now, buying from Canada through UPS is risky. Tariffs are only part of the story. The real shock comes from the fees UPS adds on top.
