@jnlot wrote:
Why don't you just do what most of the sellers do and pull a grossly inflated no. out of a hat. If you check out other sellers listings youll see things that used to ship for $5.00 and still make a buck or two on it are being required to pay up to $30.00 with an average of $15.00.
I don't think this sort of cynical advice is helpful for a new seller. If you check this Seller board, you'll see that most of the serious and experienced Canadian sellers offer shipping that is at the worst, no less than actual cost, and at best, free. The majority try to stay somewhere between the two ends of the spectrum. The GSP in the United States is another matter -- it is inflating shipping costs, but not through the fault of the seller.
Believe me, I struggle with shipping costs. Not only do I not make any money on shipping, but I "subsidize" my buyers' shipping costs and I pay shipping FVFs in many instances. I will not charge my customers the true cost of shipping -- I just can't justify the outrageously high amounts. The flat rate shipping costs shown in my listings are generally 2 or 3 years old, i.e. lower than today's rates. Others are deliberately discounted by me.
To the OP -- You asked a serious question, and deserve a serious answer, one of which was indicated above -- measure and weigh it, then to the Canada Post site to get a rate for the place it's being shipped.
From a wider perspective, as a Canadian seller, if you plan to continue selling on eBay, it's important to develop a strategy that works for your buyers, and for the items you sell. In the long run, offering lower shipping rates than the actual cost of shipping will serve you better, in happier buyers, happier FB/DSRs and better turnover. You may also get some repeat customers. If you can afford to offer free domestic shipping on some items, do it.
Read these Seller boards to see what other experienced sellers are doing about shipping issues -- just type in "shipping" in the search box, and you'll find lots of threads. I'd recommend reading the advice from the most experienced sellers first, as there tend to be a lot of general rants about shipping that aren't terribly helpful. Good luck!
