eBay

carly@ebay.com · ‎08-04-2005

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

maggie-the-cat-is-in-repose · ‎08-19-2005

Advantages of crossing the border to mail US bound items
Only you can decide how far is reasonable to drive in order to use the US post office, but if it is feasible, here is what experience has proven for me:

1. Priority mail costs about half what Canada Post charges for surface mail and never takes more than 3 days coast to coast. You can insure even small envelopes and get delivery confirmation for .45US (for $2.20 you get $100 insurance and signature required delivery). They also offer parcel post at dirt cheap rates that take only 5 days to most places, media mail, and first class for items up to 13 ounces.

2. USPS will deliver, free of charge to your door in Canada, shipping and mailing supplies for Priority, Global, and Express mail. This includes tyvek envelopes, many different sizes of sturdy boxes, preprinted (with your return address) peel and stick address labels, insurance, customs, and delivery confirmation labels.

3. Because you are going to the US regularly, you can accept USPS domestic money orders which cost your customers .45 and then you can use them to pay your post office bill or just cash them at the post office.

4. You get to use the cargo lane at the border crossing which is 10 times faster than sitting behind hundreds of cross border shoppers and tourists.

5. You can fill your gas tank with cheaper gas while in the US and the savings will probably cover the cost of the gas to drive down.

6. When you get to the post office you will deal with employees who are well-trained and well-versed in the ins and outs of cross-border mailing. The border post offices depend on Canadians for the majority of their business. There are no hidden surprises. The package is put on the scale and a rate shows up on the screen. No added GST or fuel surcharges added onto the bill at the end.

7. If you are mailing small (under 1 pound) packages to Canadian addresses, it is almost always less expensive to mail them airmail letter post from the US back to Canada. A small Global Priority envelope to anywhere in Canada is only $4.00US and is delivered in 3-5 days. A large envelope is only $8.00US.

I would like to be a good Canadian and support the Canadian economy but to do that I would have to close up shop.

ferret-mom · ‎08-19-2005

Maggie, you sound like you are really well organized, and that's great.

I can't help but wonder, though, about Candian eBayers who deliberately choose to patronize fellow Canadians in order to avoid having their parcels go through customs. Even though the shipping costs may be cheaper, there is the potential for the dreaded $5.00 handling fee (not to mention GST & PST) when their items are mailed back to Canada...

Do you give any of your fellow Canucks a choice for shipping, or are all your parcels mailed from south-of-the-border?

dabbler44 · ‎08-19-2005

Kim,
USPS is offering a $7.70 flat rate charge for whatever you can get in an 8x11x8 to anywhere in the US.
What will Canada Post be offering ?

mob1941 · ‎08-19-2005

I have two items ( of a number of instances) currently in question.
Item #1: a package of 136 grams, 22.5 cm L x 15 cm W x 2 cm H. The computer guide on Canada Post states a cost to USA @ $1.70, but the local P/O says $3.95.

Item #2: a package of 260 grams 26cm x 6cm x 6cm. The computer guide on Canada Post states a cost to USA of $9.65. Through lack of confidence I checked with the P/O and they advise, $5.00.
Although I have purchased a weight scale, how can I have any confidence in quoting a shipping rate to potential customers?

bookstotheborder · ‎08-19-2005

dabbler44 :

You have the Flat-Rate Box size wrong---there are actually 2 different shaped boxes, but each box has the same interior cubic dimensions

Here are the outide dimensions
Box 1 11" X 8.5" X 5.5"

Box 2 12" X 3.5" X 14"

But there is a definite trick to using these boxes--people see Flat-Rate and they think they are saving money anytime they use one for anything over 2 lbs, but USPS divides the USA into 8 Zones and frequently it ends up more expensive to use the Flat_rate box.

I saw a woman in the line with 10 of these boxes. She was all excited about saving money using them. I asked if I could weigh them on the lobby scale to see how much she was saving. Only 2 of them saved her money---the other 8 would have been cheaper if she had used the Non-Rate packaging

bookstotheborder · ‎08-19-2005

maggie-the-cat-is-in-repose :

I don't pay anything for Delivery Confirmation on my Priorty packages and only.13¢ for Delivery Confirmation on the other classes of mail. You have to print your own eDC barcodes, but it is a simple process

USPS insurance is VERY VERY expensive---and is a huge pain in the patootie when you actually have to make a claim........you should look into using one of the 3rd party insurance companies. I use DSI and my rates per $100 on a USA to USA package with DC is .49¢. I can also insure all of my International items that USPS won't insure (Letter Post, Global Priority, M-Bag etc)
Plus there are no little piece of paper (the insurance receipt) to keep track of and safe
D.S.I. / Discount Shipping Insurance
or
www.U-pic.com

DSI is more Canadian friendly then U-Pic, but both are good companies

I see that you are also in the Lower Mainland, what border do you cross at???

One question though----How have you been able to get the Priority supplies shipped to you in Canada?? When I order online it has always denied my order if I use a Canadian address???

e-kin! · ‎08-19-2005

Hi Kim,

I am one unhappy CP customer like the majority of hardworking small business sellers using the CP service. I sell CDs and DVDs on ebay and my online store, and have been paying $2.90 (which I find expensive already compared to the states. Now I have been informed by CP clerks that I will need to pay $5.60 and mail out my items as a small packet. To charge almost double of what we had to pay before for nothing is just not reasonable. What are we suppose to tell our customers regarding the increase of shipping? It's a shame that CP is finding so many excuses to increase their price. Even the clerks working for CP don't understand it, they even told me "it is do to terrorism" that they made this decision. As of Sept 19th, if the CP clerks refuse to accept my shipments as other letter mail, like PJ and all the other hardworking canadian seller who work so hard to compete with the sellers in States trying to make prices competitive, I will no longer use your service. I rather use UPS.

Hilton
Asia668.com

happilyhunting2016 · ‎08-20-2005

HI Kim, Just dropping you a line to say what great service I had from Canada Post. Long story short, Sent a expensive trumpet via Expedited Parcel to Texas, A forklift backed over it in Dallas sorting plant before my customer got it. Canada Post was easy to deal with and I had my insurance money within 2 weeks of being notified of damage, BRAVO!!. Also I use Canada Post's online postage calculator. I have never been short of money for postage. What a marvelous web site. By for now, happilyhunting_2:-D

diving-adventures · ‎08-20-2005

I do not have a question just a statement. 985 of my business is international.

This new ruling will put me out of business At present 60% of the items I sell fall under the new rule . Swim wear, mask straps , log books jewelry. etc etc.etc.
I was lucky the clerk at my outlet let me know right a way. I called my MP. and met with his . I cancelled all of my fall order for new product . and an presently trying to sell all the small stuff that I can. Once my inventory is gone so am I.

doylemyster · ‎08-20-2005

Yeah, I already know about Canada Posts new Letter Rate announcement. Basically hers what they are going to announce. Sending any Mail to the USA or Internationally by Letter must contain documents only. Anything other than documents you must send your item via Small Parcel, which means an item costing a $1.10, will now cost me $4.23 to ship the exact same item. Be careful what you post in this session with Canada Post as the changes to shipping Letter was a direct result of our feedback from the first session with Canada Post. This change will take affect September 19, 2005.

Also, Canada Post keeps telling us their rates are competitive World Wide. I don’t think so… I like to know why when I ship an item to the USA Small Parcel Surface it costs me $4.23. Yet the exact same item is returned to me Small Parcel AIR and it costs a $1.35 USD, approximately $1.76 Canadian. Why such a huge price difference? Also shipping within Canada is totally ridiculous. I mean, where I would pay $4.23 to ship to the USA, I’ll pay at least $2.00 more to ship within Canada. WHY?

In conclusion, we have no other choice but to use & ship through Canada Post as they have no direct competition within Canada. Every time I use Canada Post, I almost feel like I’m filling up my car with gasoline if you get my point.

wellnessworker · ‎08-20-2005

For those of you who feel you are being injured by Canada Post's policy on this subject matter, I would encourage you all to obtain a Canadian Documentary (on DVD) called:
The Corporation. Details can be found at: http://www.thecorporation.com

The subject matter shows evidence of how Corporations inflict hidden harms upon people and society in general.
After reading many Posts listed on this subject matter, it has become very clear that many of you are or will be harmed by Canada Post Corporations policy in this matter.
Does anyone understand the term "Usury" ?

This has been a Free Public Service Announcement.

ebiz-consignments · ‎08-20-2005

WOW I just started my business . Most of the items I sell are also small and have been sent letter post. I wonder how much Canada post will lose . Or with the 300% increase and the hidden fuel charge will they stay continue to .

Who will pay 4.00 to ship a 3.00 item.?

Nothing however, will change. Canadians as a rule don't make waves ... Which is why we are being shafted by the government at every level. Taxes , Taxes

Call your MP. Constituency office and tell them what you think . An election will be held shortly . In Quebec use this to further you own end.

diving-adventures · ‎08-20-2005

Ebiz is right . Small businesses in general have to make Canada Posts lack of competitiveness in a global economy an election issue. Send a email to your MP. You can get the email address by calling the local constituency office. Then email a copy of it to service@canadapost.ca
Canada Post should also be forced to include the fuel surcharge and the tax in the price of the stamp. Check your postage. It is on your bill, but not on the stamp. Thus your buyers do not know your full charges. Because it is not on the stamp they look better kind of creates an illusion of lower prices.
Do not let canada post put you out of business. Reply to this board and send a copy to Canada post (address above)

ion195 · ‎08-20-2005

I just got a bad feedback, because the buyer had not receive my pakage wich was send 40 days ago, at the post office I was told it will take 10-11 business days, now I ask for an investigation, 14 days past, nobody called.
WE PAY FOR YOUR WORK,
Marius

doylemyster · ‎08-20-2005

Further to my earlier comments. It is quite evident to me that approximately 80% of the people using Canada Post are totally upset with your ridiculous high shipping rates compared to the USA. Don’t look for Canada Post to reduce rates but rather increase them. In the last session we had with Canada Post, they stated that rates would increase in January of 2006. CP also stated that this increase would take place regardless of what we think.

So I guess my question to Canada Post is, why even have this session with eBay as your rates will only get higher & never lower? As far as I’m concerned, nothing was resolved from the first session & most questions were never directly answered. I mean all you did was beat around the bush with your answers as I’m sure will happen this time.

Bell Canada at one time had the same attitude as you and look what happened to them. I have now subscribed to a VoIP service & done away with Bell Canada completely. What’s funny, all of a sudden I’m a valued customer with Bell Canada & they want my business again. Never in this lifetime. The same can be said when I switch to ING. Now all of a sudden I’m a valued customer at my Bank I’ve been dealing with for 20 years & now they want my business back as well. It’s a just little to late. Once there is an alternative way for shipping other than Canada Post, I for sure will be changing to the alternative service. What Canada Post doesn’t realize is that technology is forever changing & when it does, so do people.

You have the Venture One Card that does nothing for me & many others. So why don’t you try something simple & come out with a Canada Post/eBay Card that would save us at least 20% on our shipping costs which would be more in line with USA rates which in turn, would make us more competitive with selling our product throughout the World. Now this would make sense, but I warn you it’s simple.

jochancs · ‎08-20-2005

Does anyone has a link to the official document/annoucement that talks about this "change"??

This only affects US/International Letterpost, but not Canadian Lettermail, right?

thomasj7342 · ‎08-20-2005

The sneaky thing is that there was no annoumcement,but here is a link to the postal guide where they added the red text a few months ago:
http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/tools/pg/manual/d08-e.asp

vintage-ebiz · ‎08-20-2005

Make it political and Canada Post will Change ...................Do not waste your time here . Call for the resignation of the minister incharge of Canada Post ....
Email Your MP.

sympathetic-ear · ‎08-20-2005

Sheeple, sheeple, sheeple , .... Give your head a shake. Canada Post will never be competitive as long as CUPE is in charge and calling all the shots,and as long as Canada Post pays high school drop outs more than a university graduates.
My view .... Privatize Canada Post with just one provision It must provide competitive postal rate with any other public non unionized system in the world.
Canadian ebayers .....Call or email your MP......NOW... Tommorow will be too late .