Canada to US Calculated shipping invoicing issues?

[hocotatefreight]

The auction is marked "Calculated shipping" they BiN but there's no cost to ship on the invoice page and I'm trying to calculate it on the auction page, but, obviously something is off.  This is the message I'm getting,

"Shipping cost cannot be calculated. Please enter a valid Postal Code."  Valid postal/zip code, I looked it up.  Now, I could come up with the cost on my own no problem, I just wondered if there's something I'm doing wrong.  It's this auction,

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251491973802

I've had three things (at least) purchased and paid for from US buyers no problem, one was flat rate shipping the other two were calculated. 

[femmefan1946]

You're the seller and this is your listing?

There is a (known) disconnect between the dimensions accepted for certain services by Canada Post and those accepted by USPS for the equivalent service.

My workaround has been to add a centimetre to one dimension. This does not change the rate, but allows USPS to accept the parcel.

Somebody smarter than me will be along to tell you which services have this problem.

[hocotatefreight]

hi, femmefan, yep, my auction.  🙂  Thank you!  It's odd as this is the only auction it's affecting.  So, I'll add a centimetre to all my future auctions.  Thankfully, the other items seem to be okay.

[hocotatefreight]

"I've had three things (at least) purchased and paid for from US buyers no problem, one was flat rate shipping the other two were calculated."

I meant to say today I had three other auctions, not total lol.  

[pocomocomputing]

There is no disconnect between Canada Post and USPS.  Know your rules for the Canada Post shipping services that you have in the listings. Adding a cm is not a logical solution. All you are doing is guessing when you should deal in facts.

Here is a link to a brand new document on the Canada Post web site with the minimum and maximum dimensions as well as minimum and maximum weights for the various Canada Post services. It is all on one page (page 4) so you can print it out as a quick reference.

http://www.postescanada.ca/cpo/mc/assets/pdf/business/custguide_amend2_en.pdf

The most common issue with the eBay shipping calculator is the difference in minimum dimensions for Regular Parcel and Expedited Parcel within Canada and with Expedited Parcel to the USA.

Regular Parcel and Expedited Parcel within Canada minimum 10 x 7 x 0.1 cm

Expedited Parcel to the USA minimum 21 x 14 x 0.5 cm

So to make the shipping calculator work for both services, you need to meet the minimum 21 x 14 x 0.5 cm for the USA service.  I f your package does not meet the minimum, then find a larger package or if close, to the minimum, use the minimum to make the calculator work and ship with a slightly smaller package than the minimum.

The eBay Sell Your Item form does not validate the dimensions for the shipping services when you create the listings. However, when a listing is active, it does check if the dimensions are not valid for the shipping service selected and displays a warning message saying that shipping cannot be calculated. This message is true but the after the fact checking is not helpful at all.

The minimum above for parcels within Canada is so small compared to Expedited Parcel to the USA. 

Please also note that the minimum for Small Packet and Tracked Packet is 14 x 9 x 0.1 cm which is also larger than the minimum for parcel services within Canada. So it is possible to have Small Packet fail with the same message.

The issue of data validation has been brought up recently in the eBay Canada Weekly Sessions a couple of weeks ago here:

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Weekly-Board-Hour-Session/March-26th-2014-Weekly-Board-Hour/m-p/216624

Post 7 asks the question if anything is being done about it. Post 13 is the reply from eBay Canada. They seem to be powerless about solving the validation issue. It has been going on for as long as I have been selling here on eBay (5+ years).

[pjcdn2005]

I doubt that it has anything to do with USPS but if you are using calculated shipping for Expedited Parcel USA, the minimum measurements are 21cm x 14cm x 0.5 cm. If you enter smaller measurements than what the service requires, you'll get that message about the postal codes. Just so you know, the minimum measurements for Expedited Parcel within Canada are 10cm x 7cm x 1 mm.

Your non dvd listings are not showing a shipping price to the U.S. so that is probably the same problem.

On another topic...have you considered using lettermail for your dvd's within Canada and light packet mail everywhere else. It would be less expensive for your buyers and more competitive.

[pjcdn2005]

You beat me to it Poco!

[hocotatefreight]

I hadn't considered letter mail, I thought a DVD was too large for letter mail, I'll look into it, thank you!  I've sold at least two DVDs to the US and they were calculated and paid just fine in the last few days.  My measurements aren't an issue, they stock 28 x 26 x 8 or something close to that.

[hocotatefreight]

I am already using Light Packet to the US, I thought.

[pjcdn2005]

You calculator says that you are using small packet. Light packet is $3.79 + tax up to 150 gr and $6.37 for 151-250gr so it is a little bit cheaper.  Many U.S. sellers charge $4 or less for shipping dvd's so the lower your cost is the easier it is to compete. Of course it is up to you what you want to charge.

You calculated shipping measurements are fine and you are using expedited USA for your larger items? If so..I'm not sure what the problem would be. If you go to your sold items and change your shipping location to the U.S. and put in a U.S. zip code such as 92210, refresh your page and you will see that some of your items do not show a U.S. shipping cost.

[hocotatefreight]

hi, pjcdn2005.  Well, I don't have larger items lol it's all Small or Light packet.  I messed around with my shipping last night, I'll check again and see if it's Light or Small packet, thank you so much for your help.  And, all my single DVDs are now letter mail!  I'll need stamps eh?  I'm not sure how to do that online, I don't think as a casual shipper I can? 

[pjcdn2005]

For lettermail you can't purchase a label online..you do need stamps. There are places, including ebay, where you can buy older unused stamps at a discount price. There are a few threads about this. Just be careful that you don't buy stamps that have been used but were not cancelled. There are some for sale on ebay but it isn't legal to actually use them again.

[pjcdn2005]

I checked a few of your single disc listings that are showing $3.50 shipping to Canada (lettermail) but have expensive shipping to the US.

US $19.71

United States

Canada Post Expedited Parcel - USA

Those listings are not showing any shipping price to any other countries. In the shipping area, are you separating the U.S. from other international countries?  Also...you can use calculated shipping for light packet if you want but it is not necessary. Light packet USA is based on weight not by distance so a 100 gram package is the same price to anywhere in the U.S. The same is true for when using Light Packet International....100 grams costs the same to the UK as it does to Australia.