how to get economy shipping rates for canada post for dvds and books

[bentley65]

Hi.  I am a new Canadian seller, using ebay.ca and listing in can dollars. I would  like to start selling dvds and books. I am using buy it now and the buyer must pay shipping. I am still using my first 50 free listings.

I have listed a few dvds in the smallest, non padded envelopes which I cut down to the size of the dvd. These are series with 4 dvds inside but are around 2 cm thick. 

The weight was 250 grams, size 21 cm long, 16 cm wide and 2 cm high. I listed them at first as 9 dollars Canadian and the shipping quote on the item showing on my listing was over 13 dollars for Canada post regular parcel.

I chose Canada post light packet usa for my usa shipping and it doesn't give a quote. I was told there is no shipping calculator available for my international orders and I have to always ask a buyer for state and zip code, go on Canada post website and get a calculation from there for any buyers, then add the cost to buy it now item and invoice the usa buyer. the cost so far for other items was always double the domestic shipping cost which deterred any usa buyers. I haven't yet sold any dvds but I am assuming the shipping cost will again be double for the usa shipping. 

so I lowered my price to 5 dollars can each dvd set. now it doesn't give any quote at all on domestic shipping which means for buy it now I have to get emails from domestic and usa buyers and go to the Canada post website get the quote etc etc. I don't know why it did then when I changed the price I must have screwed something up. 

I am overwhelmed with this shipping. is there any easier way to do this? what am I doing wrong? I have seen other experienced sellers that offer free economy shipping which I think must be in the plain brown envelopes - letter mail - I am using plain non padded brown envelopes but it never gives me the option of using letter mail. the shipping domestic when it would give a quote was always over 13 dollars. at this rate I would have to give away the dvd to pay the shipping cost. 

I would appreciate anyone who could offer any advice on how to get economy Canada post shipping and advice on pricing the dvds I have or how I could price things and offer free shipping. any advice appreciated. thanks very much.

[bentley65]

Thanks so much for the great advice and information! Now to let it all sink into my tiny brain! 🙂

[thestuffofchris · Accepted solution]

You can't set up Lettermail rates through Calculated Shipping, only as Flat Shipping. I'm guessing (based on my previous experience selling similar items) most of your items will likely end up in the $2.95 (+ taxes) range for Oversize Lettermail (depending on weight), so you can either input a similar amount as a shipping cost, or build that cost into your price and offer Free Shipping.

You will also have to either take your packages into the post office or use stamps as you are unable to print labels for Lettermail.

And measure to make absolutely sure you are 20mm or less on the thickness with the item in the bubble envelope. 21+mm pushes you into parcel rates, and some postal outlet workers (though not all) are very strict about what passes through the 20mm slot. Most of my similar-sized items were 18-19mm thick with the bubble envelope, some even 20mm. You have to be careful, especially if you start to use different brands and styles of bubble envelopes. Some are thicker than others, and what's 19mm in one can be 21mm in another.

I don't deal much with International Shipping, so I'll another more knowledgeable and experienced user help you there.