Canada Post + Ebay = No chance for the Seller

[kaymar_88]

Hello,

First time posting but I read you guys often. This is just me sharing an experience I had. It is a bit long so sorry in advance for that:

I sold a 225$ Nike Running Vest that I had purchased at a local store, brand new. I think I paid 25$ or 30$ for it and sold it to a US buyer for 99$ (plus shipping). I choose Expedited shipping when items are more than 60$. I took the insurance and put 99$ as the amount of the value (it is valued much more than that but it cost extra if you want to insure the item for more than 100$ but figured it would at least cover my cost + time + shipping more than enough if something happens),

Buyer pays immediately and I process the item right away. I print my shipping label online and then take my package to my local post office as I usually do when I choose expedited shipping so they can scan it. Same lady at the counter that has seem me almost every day for the last year, she takes my package and scans it.

After  1 week (delivery estimation is between 4-8 business days) I check to see where the package is and to my surprise, the last entry is ``Item scanned by Canada Post``. Nothing after that. I said to myself maybe they forgot the scan it at the warehouse or something. I forget about it. 2 weeks later the buyer opens a case with Ebay that he has not received his package. He called Canada Post but they tell him that the sender must call them to report this.

I called Canada Post and they say they will open a case for me. After 10 days, I receive this answer from them:

When a delivery is picked up and a manifest is presented to the delivery agent, the scan confirms the shipment has been picked up by Canada Post. When the shipment arrives at the processing plant, the items it contains are scanned individually.

When an item does not appear in the item scan, there is no confirmation it was part of the shipment. For that reason, we do not assume liability for it. this is set out in the agreement you signed with Canada Post and it is the case with this claim. As such we cannot compensate you for it.

Regrettable, we may only address the claim aspect of your service ticket therefore we regret to inform you we cannot confirm we received your item thus unable to compensate further.

So I decided to call them because this does not make any sense to me as I believe once they scan the item, it is out of my responsibility. The guy on the phone said yeah that makes sense and I will re-open the ticket for you. 1 week later I received this beauty of an answer:

With respect to the letter previously sent to you we understand that you had the call center re-open this case because you indicated that the following scan is an induction scan of the item (they show me the scan from the post office accepting the item).

Please note this scan only identifies the retail post office receiving / inducting the paperwork of mail however the actual mail was not scanned.

So I called again and ask where does my responsibility towards the item ends and when does Canada Post begin. They told me that I am responsible up until the item is delivered to the address......So I asked them is, from now on, I should quit my job and just follow the item around or the driver to make sure it is properly delivered. They said no sir you do not need to do that...  Ha!

I told them that I would quit my job and go work at a retail Canada Post Office or as a delivery person because it seems that they have a license to steal.

So now I decided to call the ombudsman and make a complaint. they rejected my complaint in 1 day because I did not have a proof of the value of the item.....So even if I had the proof of the item, I would have only received a 25$ compensation instead of the 99$ I lost on the sale...But I do not keep my receipt to sell on Ebay.....

So I told myself, fine, I won`t bother them anymore, it is a lost cause. I will at least try to get the defect removed since it is obviously not my fault that the package was lost. Ha!

Ebay tells me that they cannot remove the defect since it is I that choose Post Canada to deliver the item, thus I am responsible for the item until it reaches the specified address....

Funny how, when calling Ebay for a lost package, the first thing they ask is if we have a tracking number and if we don`t have one, they tell us we should get tracking and now that I have it, it's useless.

So I lost a 99$ sale

I lost the value of the item plus my time

I get a defect

I lost about 8 hours of my time for nothing dealing with Canada Post and Ebay.

Nice!

[canadianonlinegoods]

For sure, the new FedEx Discounts can out beat Canada Post's services by a mile, including performance to price ratio. I can overnight a FedEx Express Pak (Up to 3LBS)anywhere in Canada between $17-$24, meanwhile Xpresspost is upwards of $40. I find myself using FedEx more often than anyone else, plus my courier is awesome. I schedule a pick up and my courier comes very fast and on time. For instance, last Friday I had an order come in at around 3:30 pm, packaged it up right away(It was a sealed LEGO Set, so didn't take that long to package). I bubble wrapped it, put it comfortably in a FedEx Express pak, slapped the thermal label on and the package was picked up at 3:45pm, 15 minutes it was out of my house!I was very impressed, like always and off the package went. I shipped it FedEx economy destined to QC, so it still got there the next business day which was Monday.If anyone wants awesome discounts for UPS, Purolator and FedEx. Check out flagshipcompany.com, they offer awesome rates and it is so easy. When your shipment invoice is ready, you can pay by check or credit card. I use them all the time and it is so convenient.Going back to the eBay and FedEx discounts, I spoke to a FedEx rep about it. I asked them "Will this discount last forever on my account?" she looked up my account and said "From looking at your account, the discounts will always be there since the discount is attached to the creation of your account". So those rates ebay and FedEx gave us, are pretty much not going anywhere, as I was told. So I really think everyone should take advantage of those awesome rates because you and your customer will be happy! 

[cumos55]

The Courier world ---

Purolator is owned 91 % by Canada Post Corporation.

Large courier companies .. FedEx, and UPS .....deliver to populated area.

If it is a delivery to a remote area of Canada, then FedEx and UPS deliver the parcel to Canada Post that makes the final delivery

Canada Post has a mandate to deliver everywhere in Canada.

Talking about overnight delivery is not the standard for delivery on eBay..  eBay sellers work with low cost, tracking and insured options.... as well as other select options without insurance of tracking

It looks like FedEx will work for a very specific group of sellers... and ultimately the FedEx options may be viewed in a manner similar to  the Global Shipping Program on eBay.com and for US sellers......  Perhaps too good to be readily usable by anyone other than a select group of eBay sellers.

My personal view of a courier option...  an elitist option for a very select group of sellers... defined by the type of inventory being sold.

[pjcdn2005]

Your posts look like they have some good information in them but without any paragraphs, they are very difficult to read.

[canadianonlinegoods]

You are totally right about Canada Post, yes I am fully aware that Purolator is pretty much owned by them.

And yes, Out Of Delivery areas are passed onto Canada Post. I understand what you mean that overnight service is not the norm for sellers to ship items, but comparing Expedited Parcel avg rate is around $13 up to 5LBS to FedEx Economy or Overnight is $17-$20(The rate that I get) up to 3LBS, it is well worth upgrading.

Personally thats what I do, I just can't trust Canada Post as a primary courier for many reasons. But if you have good FedEx rates,than sure go for them.

In the end I totally understand what you mean, that sellers keep the shipping cost low but for the extra couple of dollars it does not bother me. Thanks, Cheers!:)

[canadianonlinegoods]

Thank you! I keep forgetting to split the paragraphs, from now on I will so its more readable for others.Thanks 🙂

[femmefan1946]

So I really think everyone should take advantage of those awesome rates because you and your customer will be happy! 

Are you sure your customer will be happy with a $24.53 shipping charge on an $11 baby blanket?

Perhaps you should consider which service you will choose for different items, instead sticking with one that provides more than necessary.

[canadianonlinegoods]

I see what you are saying , I know $24 to the US is expensive but Expedited Parcel-USA is just as much or in some cases maybe more.

The weight of the blanket is over 1kg so I could not ship that Tracked Packet, so I am not too sure what other way you expect me to ship it?If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

I had a customer from the US buy a $9 Police crest.They saw my other items that I was offering FedEx Express and they kindly asked me to change their invoice from Tracked Packet to FedEx. So I believe the majority of the customers are happy.

Haven't had a complaint regarding shipping rates.But thanks for reaching your feedback out to me!:)

[toff3]

Kaymar,

As often happens, this discussion has gone off the rails, this time into a debate on the relative merits of Canada Post and the couriers.

I hope you took Recped's very pertinent post to heart and have not given up. This is a straight case of a glitch or hitch in the normally smooth-running mail process. In accepting your Expedited Parcel, of course Canada Post or its agent (an RPO) has assumed responsibility for delivering the parcel to the addressee and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

At this moment it appears that the parcel has not progressed beyond its acceptance by the Laval, QC outlet on March 3. By now (April 17) it should have been delivered in Hollywood, CA or returned to you. Whether the parcel was lost, stolen, is being returned to you, or whatever, you are entitled to a full refund. Make sure you get it!

Tom

[femmefan1946]

Actually, I would think about using a form of Free Shipping.

Either putting the whole cost of shipping domestically into the asking price and having only the difference between that and US shipping by whatever shipper you* prefer as a Flat Rate US S&H. Your listing would show the Free Shipping icon to Canadian customers.

Or put part of the shipping cost into the asking cost, say making the blanket $24.99 and using Flat Rate to cover the additional shipping cost. If the customer is willing to pay $35 for the blanket, that's not a problem, but the idea is to attract as many potential customers as possible, and for some reason consumers often prefer $35 over $11+$24 especially when the $24 is intangible shipping fees.

*And it is you who chooses the shipping method, although we should always be open to requests for upgrades by our customers.

[nuvistors]

No matter what you  think   an item is worth it is only worth as much as the buyer paid for it.

[canadianonlinegoods]

Actually, I will take that into consideration. The listing is ending soon, I will relist it as $24 Free shipping(Domestic Only) like you said. 

It makes a little more sense, and as you stated, will show up in the Free Shipping section.

I understand what you are saying about *us the sellers have all the rights to pick the courier but if a buyer requests a specific one, than by all means I will go out of my way to arrange that. 

I have heard stories where buyers buy the items and message the seller (After the item is sold)to use a different courier but the seller disagrees. Thus leading to the buyer leaving negative feedback for the seller and not paying for the item.But this however, is not what I am worried about.

If the buyer wants a specific courier, I will be more than happy to ship the item at their preference 

Cheers!:)

[jmw-coins]

its just beauty , its how rich are ............. ng . poor  by law . 

[kh-leslie]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this 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.

Thank you for understanding.