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! 🙂

[alison333 · Accepted solution]

Hi... and to whomever, I guess?!  (Sorry, but I don't seem to have an option here to reply to the peeps that have replied to me re Bentley's initial inquiry.)

The ONLY thing I was trying to imply & impart to Bentley as a 'new' seller was that if you are listing things like books, DVDs, etc, for 5 bucks (as he said), it can be very tricky re the way eBay 'supports' the Canada Post calculator for that kind of thing/Lettermail calculations at their end.  Because it sucks, plain and simple.  Boxes of any size/weight are much easier in that regard!

Otherwise I think it's a labour of love... once you pay all the fees incurred etc, imho.  Been there, done that.

If one wants to give stuff away and/or do it as a hobby or for fun, fair dinkum.  Heck, I don't do it for the money myself!  But just know, if sending what you've described in 'plain' envelopes (i.e. unprotected/less than 2 mm/without sturdy bubble wrapper) that buyers can file a PPal claim against you if it arrives damaged and/or if you send without tracking #.

Which is why I suggested selling low value items as described on Kijiji (also owned by eBay btw!) as an alternative.  Much easier overall imho.  EIther way, peace out!