I will try using UPS instead of CP due to strike! but...

[out-boards]

I too placed my ebay store on vacation for this possible strike with Canada Post.

But I mostly sell outboard parts new and used and guess what, Im in my prime time. It's easy to say to wait it out but im loosing big money, and I know I'm not the only one.

So I going to attempt to continue selling but first I got to try and modifie my shipping options, but this wont be easy. Here are my points. and maybe you guys could help me out or we could help each other out.

1-Canada Post is on strike not Ebay, Yes they offer better prices then other carriers (by far..) but we could still sell with other carriers.

2-I have between 3000 and 4000 items in my store, how will i remove all shipping costs with CP and replace it with UPS.

3-This can't be done individually as it would be to labour intensive.

4- A bulk edit could work but all my items are of different weight and dimensions

5-I would also rather leave the items under 1 pound weight out of my inventory as they are way too expensive to ship with private carriers.

6-Even if I find a way too change all my items over to UPS. and CP settles there contract, how would I transfer everything back over without loosing my original shipping information.

I know thats a lot to figure out and I could see why people have there store on vacation. but wouldn't it be easy if we could remove the shipping cost totally and have the buyers contact us with shipping quotes! OH WAIT, ebay doesn't let us do that! So you see CP is not all to blame for us not selling, if ebay would give us the option not to specify shipping costs per item we would not all have this problem.

But then again we would have to re input the information once CP are back online. However it would make it a little easier.

Anyways, do you guys know of any programs like turbo lister, greenthorn or something that would do what mentioned above while saving the original shipping information.

Let me know what you think, and sorry about the bad grammar and spelling!!

[cumos55]

Store is on vacation since the evening of May 13.

Changing everything  and then changing back when the strike is over  would be wasted time. 

My time is best spent with preparing new listings  than changing everything to a delivery service other than Canada Post.

and ....when the strike is over  there will be many more listings  put in the store..

It should be noted  that before March 31, 2010  putting a store  on vacation  for a short period of time was promoted as having a positive effect on sales.  

New listings  also had the same effect on increased sales.

[out-boards]

Good point!:-)

[pierrelebel]

"try using UPS..."

Have you contacted UPS to confirm if they want to handle your business at this time? 

There are reports of high volume Canada Post customers contacting UPS, FedEx, DHL and others to be told that priority would be given to their current customers before considering adding new business customers due to limited volume capacity.

Occasional shippers do not seem to be affected, only high volume business shippers.  The same thing happened during the last postal strike.

[axe_n_gear_music]

UPS pricing is wayyyyy to expensive. I am sticking with CP, and until they go on strike Canada wide, will keep my store open. Communicate with your buyers. When they buy something, advise them of the rotating strike situation, offer to refund if they are worried about it. Most will not cancel, and are very happy that that you kept them informed.

AXE

[out-boards]

I understand Pierre,

But I am a existing ups custumer and have a account with them. I use them regularly for customers that request there service, like overnight or 48 hr deliveries. However there not listed as a shipping service, i simply memtion it in my item description that they have the option to use UPS.

I get a good discount with them, and it comes pretty close to CP, sometimes cheaper but only for heavier items. 3 to 5 kgs. but prices don't compare for lighter items, especially small and light packet that CP offers.

It was a real pain getting a discounted account, lots of paperwork and phone calls, must of taken over a week.

[pierrelebel]

"But I am a existing ups custumer and have a account with them."

Then, you are OK.

High volume business sellers who are not using UPS (or other courrier service) regularly may face that problem.

[out-boards]

Now I just learned that the strike is a rotational strike. So am I right by stating that at this point if I use Canada Post that there is a possibility that there is a delay. but not a hold on my item for the duration of the strike.unless it is destined for the facility that is actively picketing? Which might be for a few days till they have a different location picketing...

Is that how it's working?

[zarzuella]

Winnipeg was first on the rotation, a 24-hour stoppage,  and currently Hamilton is out - but for 48 hours.

Not sure what this means - next location 96 hours?

[femmefan1946]

Hamilton was over the weekend and therefore longer.(?)

A lot of mail here in Ottawa goes through Montreal and they are the ones out today.

Also a lot more militant.

With a rotating strike, we can hope that our parcels make the border with relatively little delay and after that we are in the hands of the USPS.

I have found that my parcels tend to arrive faster than my published nine business day estimate, so fingers crossed.

But I'm not coming off vacation until Montreal is back at work.

[axe_n_gear_music]

Outside of larger than normal volumes the next day for the postal centres that strike for 24 hours, everything else is running as normal.

Thankful that we reopened last week, and the weekend was huge in sales. (probably way less competition out there now, too, as other sellers are running scared, and in vacation mode - = great time to cash in on larger than normal sales!) 😉

Cheers,

AXE

[pierrelebel]

"the weekend was huge in sales..."

Good for you.

My experience was the opposite.  I re-opened the store early Saturday morning and sales this weekend were down by more than 50% from average at this time on all counts - number of buying customers - number of items sold - value of items sold. 😞

Even the number of viewers was down substantially.

[out-boards]

"My experience was the opposite.  I re-opened the store early Saturday morning and sales this weekend were down by more than 50% from average at this time on all counts - number of buying customers - number of items sold - value of items sold."

I'm in the same boat! I don't know what's going on. Could it be that out of country clients are also monitoring the strike and are reluctant in bying in Canada?

[pierrelebel]

"Could it be that out of country clients are also monitoring the strike and are reluctant in bying in Canada?"

It is possible.

However, the current pattern is not normal.  It has not been in several weeks, maybe a couple of months.  I suspect a change somewhere within the Search applications on eBay.com (BestMatch), possibly affecting items located in Canada or non-American sellers.

The drop in hits in May and June is substantial and abnormal.

[zarzuella]

Helpful to hear that;  this drop in volume coincided with my shifting to inclusive ('free') shipping and I have had concerns that that was the cause.

I still show up fairly well in search, often getting the recommended 'buy box' yet my sales are down 30%.

Ann

[out-boards]

"The drop in hits in May and June is substantial and abnormal."

I agree something is wrong, very wrong!

[femmefan1946]

Took my store off vacation around one pm and got my first sale in about two weeks at three pm.

Now having a moment about shipping. :_|

[jeebesjeebes]

Hi folks, well, I have mailed a few things using cp, and to all accounts, the stuff is showing up. For how long I don't know.  Sadly, I'll only be able to use Fedex if I get a huge order.....easier to justify the shipping cost.  As far as no customers showing up in my store, guess I'm not alone....I have read a few online blogs and newletters, and there have been articles on the postal strike, so I am guessing out US customers are steering clear and maybe think were closed for business.  Any ideas on how we get them back?

Sue in Barrie 🙂

[ecbluestar]

The same patern here, very slow...

[axe_n_gear_music]

Still don't understand why people are letting CP halt their sales. I only had my store on vac. mode for a hiccup of time, then decided to stay open during this CP revolving disruption. I've done thousands of dollars of business during this labor dispute.

Remember, it's a disruption, ie a minor slow down- not a full strike. Your packages will get there during this time, just explain to your customers the situation and that it may take a few extra days. That's what I've been doing. In my view, losing sleep over CP is an unproductive time waster. If they go on full strike, I will take my business elsewhere then. For now, it's business as usual.

Cheers,

AXE