Crazy shipping costs from the USA.

[6guitars]

I used to buy a lot from the USA. Now that has changed drastically. Recently my purchases have been from China, Russia, France and the UK. I'm in Canada about a 45 min drive from the USA. Yet it is far cheaper to have something shipped from across the Atlantic or Pacific. Makes no sense me.

[snoopwiz]

Are the U.S. sellers of the items you are interested in using the Global Shipping Program?

[reallynicestamps]

• There was a drastic increase in postal rates a year or so ago.
• Many US sellers do not realize that there is a different , lower , rate for shipping to Canada than to overseas/International.  https://postcalc.usps.com/?country=10440
• The Global Shipping Program has increased the actual import fees we pay over what CBSA and Canada Post were charging us.*
• US sellers are so used to having cheap tracking that they do not realize how expensive it is for their non-US customers.

It is worth cross-checking any interesting listiing with others, including Canadian listings, for shipping charges.

Sometimes the low selling price is greatly offset by a high shipping cost. It is always the TOTAL that is important, not how it is broken down.

*The import fees are legal and do go to the Canadian government, but CBSA was waiving them for low value shipments as a matter of efficiency.

[ypdc_dennis]

One reason is that american ebay sellers are trained to only use tracked shipping. Really cheap inside the USA.

But a USA based seller will see a one pound tracked parcel using USPS is $25us ($33cdn) to Canada.

The smarter sellers will find the cheaper first class parcel option for a one pound parcel to Canada is only $15us ($20cdn) if they search the USPS somewhat hidden shipping choices.

And if the item is less than 2cm thick (3/4 inch) they can mail it for less than $6us ($9cdn), but with no tracking.

-..-

[cumos55]

USPS international shipping became airmail only a few years ago

Not too sure if that also applied to shipping from the US to Canada... but then international shipping as airmail is airmail to all destinations

Even without GSP  the cost of shipping can be as high as $40.

[musicyouneed]

I too have found shipping by some seller to be outrageous.  Here are a few from US and UK.  I could understand up to say $10 but these costs are ridiculous. 

[6guitars]

I don't know for sure. It could be. When I get items from France with signature that weighs over 2.5 pounds costing less than a smaller less heavy item form the USA without signature, I begin to wonder.

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@snoopwiz wrote:

Are the U.S. sellers of the items you are interested in using the Global Shipping Program?

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[femmefan1946]

When you are shopping (using List not Gallery in Search) GSP sellers will have

Customs services and international tracking provided

as part of the ad.

Similar wording appears on the listing, and there are two shipping prices. The 'shipping' price and another that gives the import fees.

The import fees are tricky since they don't appear until you log in and on auctions they are based on the current high bid not on the winning bid, which will be higher.

USPS realtively recently raised the cost of international postage.

And many Americans don't realize that there is a separate, lower rate for shipping to Canada.

Even this is tricky

https://postcalc.usps.com/?country=10440

Many sellers don't realize that the fourth choice (calculated) gives them the lower First Class International Parcel rates, which still have Confirmation of Delivery and automatically go for the expensive Priority.

Not immediately helpful, but may give you some background.

[6guitars]

I was just about to bid on a similar item I bought recently until I was floored by the shipping cost. I had about $30 US shipping for the previous item. This sellers was charging $98.00. 

I also was going to bid on a guitar strap but the shipping was $57.00 CDN. A guitar strap !!!! It weighs less that a pound. Can't eBay wake these idiots up ? Check the above pictures. They are the same lenses, why is the shipping so radically different?

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[reallynicestamps]

Well, one is coming from the USA and one from the UK.

You could play with the postal websites and see if your answer is there.

https://postcalc.usps.com/?country=10440

http://www.royalmail.com/personal/sending-parcels

and here's Canada Post, just because....

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

Both US and UK sellers can use the Global Shipping Program, which is a Seller Protection Program and not particularly buyer friendly.

It is an option, not mandatory.

I'm more surprised that the BIN prices are so vastly different than that the shipping prices differ.

[reallynicestamps]

Ah! The British one is broken and the American one is operable.

[marnotom!]

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@6guitars wrote:

Check the above pictures. They are the same lenses, why is the shipping so radically different?

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As Reallynicestamps suggests, the lenses originate from two different countries and the sellers are using different shipping methods.

The seller from the United States is shipping the lens as a parcel ("Priority International").  Parcel post tends to be pretty pricey for small, lightweight items.

The seller from the UK is using "standard shipping".  My guess is that the item is being shipped as a small packet (oversized letter) which is a lot less expensive.  What's not clear just from the listing is whether the seller is using surface mail or air mail.  You'd have to use the Royal Mail link that RNS provided to figure that out.

Or just ask the seller, which would probably be pointless anyway as the lens has sold.

[gymyd]

SHIP A BEE GEES LP FROM ONTARIO TO CALIFORNIA TRACKED AND INSURED AND LISTED CANADIAN FUNDS
Delivery Confirmation Incl.
*Coverage Details: Up to $100.00 included.

Please note:
These prices are estimates and subject to adjustment by Canada Post.
Limitations to size, weight and coverage vary for international destinations (See Postal Guide).
Pickup is available in your area if you are a business customer. - Request a pickup.

Rate Summary
Regular price $18.03
Coverage
Options $0.00
Fuel Surcharge $1.53
Tax $0.00
Total $19.56 ====

[reallynicestamps]

With a Small Business Solutions number (obtained online or at your PO) you get a 5% discount on those prices.

But shipping internationally with tracking is very expensive.

This is why many sellers of low priced goods will ship without tracking and instead use Cookie Jar Insurance, which is just a cutesy name for self-insurance.

Based on the fact that the postal system is very good at its job and that most people are honest, this just means adding a few pennies to every selling price to cover the cost of the occasional problem.

Your buyer claims the item did not arrive? Refund from the Cookie Jar.

You sent a blue sweater instead of a red one? Take the cost of return shipping and re-shipping from the Cookie Jar.

The buyer bought a blue sweater and is claiming it is royal instead of navy ? Take the cost of the refund (after return) from the Cookie Jar.

The Cookie Jar covers problems that cannot be handled by eBay or Paypal Resolution Centres.

[ypdc_dennis]

ZOMBIE thread from 2017

[kh-leslie]

Hello Everyone,

Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies.  Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thanks for understanding!