eBay Workshop with Canada Post: Thursday, August 25, 1:00-2:00 PM ET

[carly@ebay.com]

Please join us on Thursday, August 25, from 1-2 PM ET for a workshop with Canada Post. Kim from Canada Post will be here to answer all of your questions about Canada Post letterpost service and what the regulations are for using this type of service.

If you are not able to attend, you can leave your questions here in advance of the workshop and they will be answered during the workshop, and you can come back in and check the answers.

Hope you can join us!

Carly

[rsnopek]

It is an unfortunate disadvantage for us eBay Sellers from Canada.
We have to compete with much cheaper USPS shipping rates from USA sellers.
I am not the only Canadian seller loosing sales due to high Canada Post shipping costs.
A high volume seller that used to ship from the same Canada Post outlet as me,
is now crossing the border and shipping from the USA. She said that there a few Canadian sellers shipping that way. I also live near the USA border, and am seriously thinking about shipping from the States.

[canadian_scale_rail]

Someone mentioned that couriers are high priced. That is true for one reason a canadian government protected monopoly for canada post. The "competition" isn't allowed to compete. I have a friend who started a business picking up mail from high rises down town a few years ago sorting it and delivering it next morning. They were shut down by court order becuase they broke some law about competeing with canada post

[moldingsupply]

HI Kim

Will Canada post be looking at providing pick ups for commercial clients who are powersellers? We were able to arange for pick-ups but then we were not allowed to have the powerseller rates. Basically the powerseller program does not allow for pick-ups at either a residential address or at a commercial one. We have pick up service now, but in order to have pick ups we have to pay the regular consumer parcel rates , plus pick -up charges. This is not appropriate.

Looking forward to this being changed!!!!

Thanks

[mewmewsui00]

Thanks you for your great service Canada Post.@#@%$#%$#

That is great if they not allow sending goods other than paper than I might thinking to travel to US to send my item, I only 45 minute away from US border. If Canada post think my money is not money that is great, I will spend in other way and travel to US, is worth my time other than paying 5.60 for sending a small item. Mostly my item worth 3-5 dollars, if I charge small package(from $1.70 increase to $5.60 ) customer will look for other seller, that will affect my sale! I am selling on eBay for living not for fun!! How Canada post can do that to kick out the small guy??

[heronbird22]

Canada Post has made it almost impossible to compete with the rest of the world in the HIGH shipping costs. I can ship a parcel to England cheaper than I can ship a parcel to Eastern Canada from B.C.. This is OUTRAGEOUS. There is 1 standard shipping price for ALL of the WORLD. But when shipping within Canada there are so many different prices. I am very upset at the shipping charged by Canada Post.
Marianne

[canadian_scale_rail]

moldingsupply I am on OBC and have parcel pick up daily It costs me $6.00/ week if I ship 15 or more parcels $15.00/ wek if less than that. I know that it is free at some point but don't remember that level.

[kissmydisc2]

Another thing to consider regarding shipping from the USA:

The vast majority of Canadians do live relatively close to the US border (most of Southern Ontario- the Montreal area- southern Quebec- Vancouver area- etc). While most "regular Joe's" sending out the occasional greeting card over to grandma in Europe won't care if they have to pay an extra few cents next January- the businesses who spend thousands will care- and will react (Canada Post is hoping we're bluffing- as- every year- when the prices increase- we comaplain- but don't do much).

Many Canadians (not just a few- but very many indeed) already ship from the USA. This not only hurts our economy but further demoralizes the Canadian business mindset. Our very own government via Canada Post is all but shooting down the very people who make our country move- the small business owners. Instead of making it easier for us to compete- they're making it harder- putting many of us out of business- or forcing us to move abroad. Does this sound like the work of a government with the best interest of it's people?

To those of you who spend $3000+ per month on Canada Post (like myself) consider this:

Ship from USA the same amount of items per month- you spend approx $1500. That $1500 you save- hey- why not move down south for the winter? Imagine the exotic luxury condo you can rent in the Arizona Catalina Mountains for $1500? Do the math folks- we're getting shafted left and right- and the prime reason is- the fact that the USA was built on the enterpreneurial spirit. While this isn't a USA vs Canada argument- the truth is- America always has promoted advancment through enterpreneurship. Their government gives plenty of brakes to those who are will to build businesses from the ground up to stimulate their economy. Ours in turn- well- we know how ours works- we wouldn't be having this chat otherwise.

[mewmewsui00]

Also I think many seller in here was spent a few thousand or even more on postage, like me I spent around 10 thousand a year on Canada post , what service we got? Slow, lost item , unfriendly service. It is time for Canada Post to provide a reasonable price service for us?

[a1wholesalewatches]

Canada Post should understand that we Canadian ebay seller compte with the world seller when we sell an item, there are 100 defferent people selling same item from defferent part of the world.

Buyer see the total cost to get the item to their door. We as Canadian Seller in disadvantage situation when it comes to the Shipping cost. Here are some facts.

to ship an item from USA TO CANADA weighing less than 100 grams cost ONLY US $ 1.30 to ship to Canada, USPS let it go with letter mail or similar to letter mail service whatever they call it, with a customs declaration form attached to it. while it will cost C$ 5.60 to send the similar item from Canada to USA.

to ship the similar item from Hong Kong to anywhere in the world with registered mail and tracking number cost only approx. C$ 3.00, but if I have to ship same item Internationally cost $ 6.95 without tracking number, if I want to use trackable shipping internationally it cost about C$ 40.00. ( only available option is express post parcel ) it may have option to register it, but I doubt it, but even if they do have this option than it will cost between $ 7.00 and $ 13.00 over and above the $ 6.95 mentioned above. so it will minimum cost $ 13.95 to get same service which Hong Kong postal service can provide for under C$ 3.00 isnt it shame to Canada Post??

I am a new ebay seller and I have projected that in 2/3 years time I will be doing about 50 packages a day which will be under 100 gms each. according to that projection I will have 40 packages going to USA, 6 packages to Canada and 4 packages INTERNATIONALLY. My total cost for these 50 packages will be C$ 307.80 on or after Sept 19 when Canada Post will really impose the socalled existing regulations. It may cost only 71.60 today oversized lettermail. It will cost me only US $ 57.00 or C$ 70.00) if I ship it from USA.

in order to acheive my projection of 50 packages a day, I have to charge whatever I am charging at the momment to my buyer or in other word similar shipping charges as my other compitators charging from around the world. if I charge more, than I wont get that projected sell which I have projected. if I do than I will be paying Canada Post $ 237.80 MORE every single day which is $ 86797.00 a year.

Canada post arguments that they got claim from people who used lettermail and than they claim the loss, give me a break, Canada Post is not effecient enough to even process the genuine claim with small packages.

here is my own experience, I loose about one small packat in 3/4 months, selling price about C$ 30.00, in order to recoup this loss I have to spend atleast minimum 3/4 hours on several phone calls, like intitial phone call to make claim, follow up.. mind you its not easy, when you dial 1800 number most probably you will get that record voice... and play with the phone tags, if you lucky and get to the right department and phone rings, than you will get another message, SORRY ALL OUR REPS ARE HELPING OTHER CUSTOMER ( DO THEY? ) PLEASE HOLD THE LINE, if you get through all these hassels, and if you lucky and get a real live person on the phone, than that person will file your claim , and than they will say we will get back to you, they never get back to you, YOU HAVE TO PHONE THEM AGAIN and guess what you have to go through all those phone tag playing and again if you lucky and if the person come to the phone, he/she will tell you its still under invetigation and we will get back to you, this will take several phone calls and your valuable time and finally if the investigation ends than they want to know the value of the item, YOUR COST , not selling price.. which is about $ 15.00 and thats also YOU HAVE TO PROVE it by supplying them invoices etc.

so is it really worth it to go through all that hassels to get $ 15.00 back from Canada Post. I had the above experience once and since than I never bother to file a claim.

and if someone even try to file claims for loss on lettermail, Canada Post can tell them its not covered and it will be end of the story, I dont think they will take CANADA POST to court for an small loss where its not even covered.

so there is no sense of giving this arguments that some customer try to file loss claim with the letter mail.

there is also an argument came to surface that its the CUSTOMS Authority in USA AND OVERSEAS wants to know what is inside the package thats why they are changing it to small package from letter mail, again this argument is not valid, are you telling me that only CANADA CUSTOMS is lenient and do not want to impose the same rules as any other customs department from around the world? because I get the packages all the time in envelope similar to letter mail with customs declaration, you can add the customs declaration on outgoing lettermail if its not documents.

I am seriously thinking of moving to a border community like Vancouver, surrey, abbottsford etc.. and cross the boarder to ship throuigh USPS, to achieve my projected sale. as CANADA POST is geting very greedy. CANADA POST is most expensive in the world, if you look the figures of mailing cost from around the world.

[sell*it*4cash]

Hi there
wondering if Kim can explain how pricing is decided. Why does it cost more to ship to the next Province over from me,than it does to ship to Hawaii? Also, has Canada Post ever considered some kind a rewards card so frequent users could benefit from discounts and rewards once in a while?

Thank you
Kim Walker

[rmstatorinc]

WHEN WILL CANADA POST come up with real tools for business, seems there isnt much automation out there yet?

RMSTATOR INC
877-838-1399

[dbcanadian]

anyone want to take bets that all of our concerns and questions will be swept under the table ?

We will get the standard "we appreciate your commetns and are looking in to the situation" from the Canada Post Corporation?

hmph.


.

[miss*suss]

Hi Kim;

Why can't CanadaPost provide an intermediate service - between Small Packet Airmail and XPRESSPOST - for international shipments that don't qualify for Small Packet Airmail? There used to be a service which was called something like Air Parcel Post - which has disapeared as an option.

I sell lace parasols - some of which I cannot ship to countries such as the UK because of the shipping cost. Those parasols not exceeding 60 cms in length can be shipped by Small Packet Airmail for $13.40; but most of our parasols are 65 - 70 cms long, and although the package weight is less than 500 grams, the cheapest option by Air is XPRESSPOST which costs about $56.00 - which far exceeds the value of the parasols.

We also run into a problem with shipping feather boas to the UK. When a customer over there orders 2 or 3 of our large feather boas, say, we have to ship them one boa at a time. One boa (they are very light) can be shipped in a box that just qualifies as a Small Packet and so can be shipped for $13.40; but if we were to ship the boas together they have to go XPRESSPOST - and the cost for a box (50x50x50cms) weighing about 2 kg by XPRESSPOST to the UK is about $226.00!!

Our international customers don't usually want to pay for the bells, whistles and speed of XPRESSPOST - can't we get a more basic airmail service for shipments that don't qualify for Small Package?
Derek
Victoria, BC

[dbcanadian]

Just a little info to share about Canada Post and its revenue.:

Canada Post
Canada Post's revenue from operations increased 4.2%, from $5,165 million in 2003 to $5,383 million, in 2004.


Canada Post's income before tax was $200 million for 2004, an increase of $36 million from the comparative period.


As a result of its financial performance last year, Canada Post declared and will pay a dividend of $59 million to the Government of Canada in 2005. A $63 million dividend was paid to the shareholder in 2004.

[pompono]

Now, by September 19th, no more Other Letter-Post except for paper ONLY! We, as sellers, with our little items at $1.70 CAD or $2.90 CAD will have to charge $5.60 CAD. What reasons shall I give to my customers who buy little thin scarves or thin buttons or thin gloves that fit in a single envelope ? They will have to pay twice the amount for what reasons? Why Americans will buy from Canada if the shipping fees double for a doubtful reason? Will I loose my American customers if I cannot compete with my prices? What are the real reasons for this changing and why is it always the small business who suffer from these rules? Pompono

[mewmewsui00]

Something is very funny, I shipped a package using small package to UK (that is accross the sea) that cost me $6.95 and it took around 5 days to arrive. Same thing sent to Newfoundland that cost me around $12 something and took 12 days to arrived. Customer complain to me slow service and expensive postage and gave me neutral feedback.....

[tuneupmusic]

Hi Kim,

Well.. like everyone else, I am completely and entirely unhappy with CP. I am an ebay powerseller of used records selling someowhere around 600 to 1000 per month, and it is a FACT that I am starting to lose business due to the enormous rates CP charges, and the close to bottom rung service they provide. I am in Toronto, and if I were close enough to a border I would definitely be shipping from a USPS outlet. Even with the distance between here and the closest border, it would STILL be more economical to drive and post Stateside, if it were not for the large amount of time I would spend. My counterparts in the USA receive a rate that is almost half of what I need to charge, and do receive infinitely better service. i am sure that CP is aware of this, and really does not outwardly seem to care. Kim, I pity you being the person in charge of coralling our issues, but if you do not try to impress upon CP the urgency of this situation, there could one day soon be a mass exodus to an alternate form of shipment.

[redmedals]

To Kim or whom it may concern at Canada Post.
I have for years been sending medals in bubble enveloppes. To Canada, the US and Internationally. The rates while excesive because of the way CanadaPost charges lettermail 1 to 100 grams is one rate 101 to 200grams is another meaning if your enveloppe weighed in at 101grams you paid double. But now Canada Post, where I am is refusing to take my medals as lettermail forcing me to ship them as small packets effectively almost tripling the rate to the US and doubling the rate to overseas, and being totally out to lunch inside Canada!!!!!! How can you people possibly justify this! I have heard all the platitudes from customer service and none of it makes any sense whatsoever. If you have been carrying the mail for all these years there is no reason you cannot continue to do so if it fits through your stupid acrylic gauge and is within the weight limits. Canada Post should be ashamed of their rates that see a US Dealer able to send a medal Airmail to Canada for $0.85 USD in a bubble enveloppe, while if I want to send a medal by Airmail to the US now by Small Packet Air per the new policy, or as they delight in saying an old policy just now being enforced, the cost is $4.95 plus tax how can this make sense to anyone? Canada Post is in no way helping small dealers in mailorder rather they are establishing hindrances to us all. If you are now only allowing us to send paper in a bubble enveloppe at a reasonable rate how do you see yourselves as being helpful??? Unless of course we can convince all our customers for mailorder to accept just photos of the items they have purchased. This policy needs to be revisited and soon before the Post Office puts small dealers out of business.
Regards,Ron

[skminus]

I live in Victoria, so I can't easily cross the border to mail parcels. But, we have the Clipper that goes to the US every day. What about encouraging them to establish a USPS outlet in their office, so we could ship at US rates? If all of us in Victoria did this, it might just work. (I know, I'm dreaming but what's the alternative? We march on Cpost's outlets and protest?)

[kissmydisc2]

One other thing we're all overlooking:

Our Canadian dollar when compared to the US dollar today is worth approx 25-30% more than it was 3-4 years ago. That in itself means that even if Canada Post charged us say $2.60 for one CD shipped to the USA back in 2002- and today still charged us $2.60- we'd actually be paying more- without realizing it. When doing business on an international scale as does Canada Post (part of what we pay at the counter naturally goes to foreign postal networks to help pay for their transfer of our foreign parcels) a change in conversion rates means profits change. For every dollar we put into CP's cash registers today- before any rate increases they're ALREADY making 25-30% more than they were 3-4 years ago just because that same dollar now gets you that much more against the US dollar than it did then. This is a very important factor that everyone (but Canada Post) seems to ignore. Even a 5% increase in the value of our dollar translates into 6-7 digit increases in revenue alone for Canada Post- and again- this is BEFORE they even implement any over the counter rate increases.

Good point made above by tuneupmusic- I too pity Kim- as she has the insipid job of being the "face" of CP. I have no doubt- she- as a decent human being and Canadian citizen agrees with us all- however- as her words are controlled by the policies of CP & the paycheque they cut her every two weeks there is great limit on what she can and cannot tell us. I think it'd be better suited if she didn't have a real name here- and simply used a numerical alias preceeded by CP.

PJ
KMD.ca