If I could go back in time and tell my shipper to not use UPS I would be so grateful. Because of Tariffs, many companies are not shipping to the US right now. I order makeup advent calendars for my daughters every year. My daughter's favorite, Space NK, was not shipping to the US this year due to tariffs. I used a freight forwarder (Shippn - which I now know to never use) instead and had it shipped to an address in London and then they forwarded it to me here in the US. They chose UPS. I figure they know since they are the shipper.

Boy, was I wrong. My advent calendar cost approximately $360, I paid the shipper $111 (with a coupon) to have it shipped to me here in the US. The shipping company said I could not ship perfume because it was hazardous, so I had the shipper remove two bottles of perfume from the calendar. I expected to pay 20% of the value of the parcel in Tarrifs, now valued at $306.25 due to removing two items, for an expected total of $61.25. I assume UPS has some processing fees so I will say $50 for a total due UPS of $111.25

A week goes by and I get an email from UPS saying import fees are due and to pay them now to avoid a $12 UPS COD fee. I click the link and am hit with a balance due of get this, $1,288.28.

Next became the arduous process of trying to get someone from UPS on the phone. Hours of hold time only to be given an email address I found here on Reddit (aknentyrvw@ups.com). They finally responded after a week and forwarded my request on to another email address.

I tried calling that department and had another hour and 45 minutes of hold time to just be given the original email address so I fired off more emails. I sent emails asking for a breakdown of the fees. I finally got an email back and the shipment is showing a 200% tariff for aluminum and a 100% tariff for steel. This is makeup products in small plastic or glass containers. I was asked to fill out a 232 form and declare any aluminum or steel. Perhaps if my shipper had done this from the beginning I wouldn't be where I am now.

Even with the tariffs and UPS fees, there is an unexplained difference of $432.40. I have asked UPS to explain what these fees are. I sent that email off along with the completed 232 form and a week later received a response that forwarded my email to another department with a note that duty was due yesterday. The email has a note that says : Please note that the post entry team operates on a first serve basis and currently have a backlog of several weeks. On the bottom of the email there is a footer that says this :

Warehouse charges will be added on shipments that are held in our warehouse over two business days at a rate of $20.00 per day and $0.04 per pound.  This is a published UPS fee. For more information on brokerage service fees please see http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/shipping/cost/zones/customs/fees.html.

On the 15th day, all shipments will be eligible for General Order warehousing by U.S. Customs.  Any shipment moved to a G.O. warehouse will be assigned additional warehouse fees over and above any UPS warehouse fees.  If imposed, these fees must be paid in full before the shipment can be removed.

I received that email 13 days ago. Guess my daughter is not receiving an advent calendar this year.