eBay

zee-chan · ‎08-10-2020

Just got a sale of 6kg worth of comic books to US. When I look up shipping rate, thinking that CCE would be cheaper, CCE surprisingly gave me a quote for USPS Parcel Select $75.64, while Shippo with Canada Post Expedited Parcel is only $44.29... is that normal??

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-10-2020

@zee-chan wrote:
... CCE surprisingly gave me a quote for USPS Parcel Select $75.64, while Shippo with Canada Post Expedited Parcel is only $44.29... is that normal??

Quite possible, since the service choices do not always provide a good equivalent match up. Delivery times, insurance coverage and other things can be different between the service choices.

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recped · ‎08-10-2020

@zee-chan wrote:
Just got a sale of 6kg worth of comic books to US. When I look up shipping rate, thinking that CCE would be cheaper, CCE surprisingly gave me a quote for USPS Parcel Select $75.64, while Shippo with Canada Post Expedited Parcel is only $44.29... is that normal??

You will also find that Parcel Select is often the same or almost the same price as USPS Priority especially for some zones.

CP Expedited-USA can often be cheaper than USPS Domestic Priority when you are shipping to distant zones.

About the only "bargain" from USPS is Domestic First Class Packages, everything else including International is usually more expensive than Canada Post but of course it's faster (domestic).

Times have changed, back in the "golden years (pre-2006) USPS rates were all dirt cheap compared to the rest of developed world. Since 2006 there has been steady increases, even greater than with CP. Look for CP rates to the USA to rise dramatically now that they have to negotiate direct with USPS instead of the rates set by the UPU.

The only real bargain from USPS now is Media Mail (which I assume you know doesn't allow comic books).

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
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zee-chan · ‎08-10-2020

Yes I'm aware that I can't ship comic books with media mail =( My buyer is in Virginia (southeast US) so that could also be why it's expensive. I'm assuming if it's an order to Washington it'd be much cheaper.

I guess only orders small enough to fit in a "large envelope" First Class Packages would be cheaper with CCE then.

retroman_studios · ‎08-11-2020

Try UPS Mail Innovations. I always find they are cheaper than USPS. But you have to select parcel, not the other option for poly bag.

UPS handles the logistics of sorting, shipping the item and hands it off to USPS for final delivery at the local postal hub.

I'm sure I've used them for heavy packages in the past. Did you select anything like signature delivery that might have changed what options were presented?

zee-chan · ‎08-11-2020

No signature delivery etc options were selected. UPS was an option from CCE too but it's still in the $40 ballpark, so no point using it. I'm going with Expedited Parcel so that I don't have to drive to CCE.

hlmacdon · ‎08-11-2020

@recped wrote:
About the only "bargain" from USPS is Domestic First Class Packages, everything else including International is usually more expensive than Canada Post but of course it's faster (domestic).

If one can use a US forwarder that allows the user to choose their own postage provider, then PirateShip's Simple Export Rate offers discounted First Class Package International rates that are a fair bit below the commercial base rates of other postage providers. They offer averaged rates rather than the zonal pricing and more flexible weight brackets so there are some sizeable savings depending on the ship to locations and weight. That's about as cheap as it gets for USPS on the international side unless you have the volume to go to one of the commercial e-packet consolidators. You can shave a bit off Priority Mail rates with a provider that offers cubic rates.