Require Fellow Ebayers feedack on Postal Services Please

[sunshynecraftsbeads]

Hi Everyone,

I currently have 2 stores with ebay and after reading a lot of discussions today I have found Fedex to be the best service to use with shipping.

I currently use CP and can not believe the costs I pay in shipping, never mind the increase coming next week. My shipping costs every month range from $500. - $1500. a month.

Both my stores are growing and I am getting a little tired of standing in line with 6 - 8 boxes every other day. Let alone time consuming.

My parcels range anywhere from ounces to 2 kg and every package weight is different. More than 60% of my parcels have to be shipped expedited because it's over 1kg.

I do have a scale but the weight is never the same when I take it to CP and have to re do the forms ( US & International ) wasting more time.

I have never changed services because I hear from people is that I need to buy a digital scale first. Is this true ?

Do these other postal services weight the items when they pick them up and then bill you the costs ? & how does the pick up service actually work ? The postal phamplets & website provide very little information on the actual process only that they provide the service.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
TracieDawn

[catseye*]

Why don't you use Canada Post's online service, and have your parcels picked up?

[cartoonsinabox]

Canada Post Small packet services should have a tracking number if prices go up. This is the only justification for Canada for hicking there prices.

[recped]

Do you have another ID? All your listings indicate they ship from Hong Kong (or at least the vast majority).


I do have a scale but the weight is never the same when I take it to CP

Either your scale is junk or your brain is fried, perhaps a difference of 1 or 2 grams might be possible, certainly not enough to effect the postage. Proper scales can be purchased on eBay for less than $20 - $50 depending on the features you need.
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[sunshynecraftsbeads]

Thank you to all those who responded.

marsu450 - in looking at the shipping rate increase it does not state that a tracking number is provided on small packages with the rate increase. It is showing as a $1.00 extra charge for the service now. They did not offer tracking numbers on small packages at all before.

recped - My other ebay store name is called Sunshyne Crafts and I sell mainly beeswax candles. The bead store items are shipped from Hong Kong and from my inventory.

The scale that I currently have is not digitial so this could be part of the problem. I have looked at ebay several times for a scale but have never found one as low as you mentioned but I will keep looking. Also, living in Canada I don't want to purchase a scale from the US then end up paying 3 times more because of the exchange rate, brokage fees, duty, etc. Then the actual price would go up and in the end I could of found it cheaper here.

Is it safe to say then that you can not do online shipping without a scale ? I have heard that there is a company that has a scale in the pick up truck ?

Thanks again.
TracieDawn

[catseye*]

I bought my scale at Staples on-line and had it delivered to my home.

[tobyshitzu]

You can easily get a scale for $30, insigificant if you are going to the post office that often. I quickly saved more hten the price of the scale by being able to know I was close to a small pracket bracket and could drop to a lower level by cutting off a box flap once in a while.

I bought a no name one from a Canadian seller, and it is right on with the post office everytime. Once at a postal outlet I don't go to I got worried when the clerk was looking at my packages fnny and started putting paid for ones back on the scale. She was just amazed I had all the weights exactly on the customs form to the gram.

[magicpixiedust]

Hello sunshynecraftsbeads, I too am looking into other venues with shipping, are you getting the Canada Post Power seller discount? It's about 30% cut from going directly to the Post office. I just signed up today and am awaiting my pkg via mail. I too need a scale? Have you found one? any luck? If you are getting the discount, how is their online shipping working for you?

[yogagirlvancouver]

Hi There!
Have any of you GOTTEN your Power Seller Discount CP Packages in the mail? I signed up 6 weeks ago, and have STILL received NOTHING?!
Thanks.

[sunshynecraftsbeads]

Magicpixiedust - thanks for your feedback. No I have not applied for the CP Powerseller discount as of yet. I am venture one currently. I only became a powerseller through my bead store but all my packages are mainly from my beeswax candle store.

Yes, thanks to tobyshitzu I did find one and bought it from a fellow ebayer in the US. I paid .99 cents for a 33lb postal parcel digial scale. Overall it costs me $30.49 including shipping and insurance. Yeah.

I am going to have to look into the CP powerselling discount to see if there is a way to work a better deal than the 5% I get know. Doesn't even cover the cost of taxes.

Thank you everybody. I am finally seeing a light and the thought of no more standing in line at busy malls. Double Yeah !

[gifts_of_elegance]

I had an item shipped to me with FedEx. The value was $5,000 and customer signed that FedEx was to collect a signature.

Guess what? I found the box sitting on my front porch. They didn't even ask for the signature.

Now, if I was dishonest and decided to scream that I did not receive the package.....................????????????

Or, what if someone took the box and I never got it??????????

Their explanation: We don't collect signatures...ever...new policy.

[brainfreezetees]

Can someone please help me? I would love to find out more about the Canada Post Powerseller discount. I don't see any information on it anywhere.

Thanks!

Aaron

[tobyshitzu]

linked from the power seller benefit page
http://www.canadapost.ca/eBayAAF/default-e.asp

Sign up, wait a couple days for the email, put the contract # in they will send when you log on to the EST. Might as well take the very minor benefit provided

[javax.swing]

Minor benefit? It's a rather substantial discount right off the bat for not doing anything other than being a PS.

[skminus]

Although it says ALL parcels, it does not apply to small packets. So that kills any parcel under 1 kg. to the US, and 2 kg. internationally.

Never has my discount been 30%. Maybe that's for very high volume sellers only. I spend $400 to $600 a month with CP, chicken feed to them.

[vesivus]

Our discount is 2-5%, and we spend roughly $2400 a month right now... 😞

John

[whoscloset]

If you are spending $1500/month and the majority of your packages are being shipped via Expedited, it is time to contact the couriers. You should be able to get rates to the U.S. competitive with Expedited and the service is much, much better.

[lovee-1]

Within Canada use Grey Hound bus for shipping.I was shipping an item from Toronto to Alberta..Canada Post was $82.00...UPS. was $89.00...Grey Hound was $61.00.

[wsboyd]

I just sent my 1st large package via Powerseller CanPost Disc.. Cost ~ $15.
I asked the PO clerk to tell me the cost with my Venture One, $4+ more, even with 5% off !

Powerseller saved me ~ 25%

[bits-n-pieces]

wsboyd..........are your savings based on paying the regular price at the counter or do you have a business account with Canada Post? I'm having a terrible time trying to figure out if the PS discount is more than what I already get. If you are enrolled in the PS discount program do you have to pay for your packages at the post office? I don't, I just drop them off there with my manifests filled out and get billed once a month. It is all getting so complicated!!!!