Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

So looking more and more that Canada Post will be going on strike, I did call E Bay and asked what would happen if parcels that were sent to Canada that wouldn't arrive until after the strike started, and the rep told me that they would refund the buyer back if the parcel didn't come by the scheduled time. Will be interesting to see how this will all play out with parcels coming from China, or anywhere overseas for that matter. So many questions will arise from this I'm sure. Will anyone in Canada change there selling tactics before July?, or just do the wait and see approach and deal with it on July 5th? 

 

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

Hello 

After reading the boards and everyone's concerns we have decided to put the store on hold this Friday June 24.

Really don't want to take the chance of getting dinged for late deliveries.

I have a friend who's mom works for Canada Post and according to her this is going to be a long one possibly into September.I hope she is wrong !

Now I have a few questions

1. Can we continue listing even though our store is closed ?

2. Regarding the free listings in Canadian dollars good to cancelled what is the situation with these listings ? Do the days tick away even though the store is closed ?

3. Is anyone out there going to keep on selling through the walkout ,lock out and if so why ?

Just throwing things out there as trying to see if we are doing the right thing.

Thanks in advance

Message 2 of 128
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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

June 19.... store was put on vacation... until August 1

 

June 20 ....  last 5 parcels mailed

 

June 21...  Canada Post says that for Expedite Canada,  this is the last day for mailing these  parcels  that will get delivered before July 1. This information is based on documentation  forwarded by Canada Post to franchised outlets 

 

 

If there is no strike   as of July 1.... or a a few days later....  Store will be off vacation

 

August 1 is a prediction for the end of a strike....  could be earlier... or later....than this day

 

The last postal strike ended with a back to work order by the Government of Canada....  A Parliamentary vote....

 

 

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

Stores on vacation......  GTC only but not auction listings

 

Store fees and listing fees continue.....  No sales.

 

 

Add as many listings as desired....  with fees as if everything was "normal"

 

 

 

If someone continues to sell....  it would be no sales to Canada.... block Canada ....and a direct cross-border delivery to USPS and sales to US buyers.

 

Courier service... perhaps  but depends on cost....  For remote areas of Canada, some courier services feed into Canada Post....

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike


@roadrunners123 wrote:

So looking more and more that Canada Post will be going on strike, I did call E Bay and asked what would happen if parcels that were sent to Canada that wouldn't arrive until after the strike started, and the rep told me that they would refund the buyer back if the parcel didn't come by the scheduled time. Will be interesting to see how this will all play out with parcels coming from China, or anywhere overseas for that matter. So many questions will arise from this I'm sure. Will anyone in Canada change there selling tactics before July?, or just do the wait and see approach and deal with it on July 5th? 

 


They told you that they would refund the buyer?  The seller will be the one refunding, not eBay.

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

Sorry yes that is correct that the seller would have to refund the buyer.

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

This case going both ways as sellers and buyers has been asked of Ebay on chats and all we get is I can't say anything now, it will be looked after, and similar garbage with no direct answer at all.

 

Ebay could care less about problems and absolutely refuse to deal with them in a timely manner.

 

I have already shut my store down as I do not trust Ebay to back sellers. Maybe they will just say you chose to sell when you knew there could be a strike, your problem.

 

Or something stupid like it will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

I already put my store on vacation. Still, gives me time to organize stuff and list items.

 

I got word the other day that July 1 would be last day of service, keep in mind this is from our regular delivery lady, as she knows I order allot so she wanted to give heads up.

 

I still see many sellers with stores still open, I'm not taking the chance.

 

My only concern is GSP purchases I make, but that's a different thread.

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

As I've mentioned on other threads, I've extended my handling time, and plan to use alternative methods of getting goods to buyers: Local Cash on Pickup, courier service, cross-border mailings via USPS.

I also added a paragraph to the bottom of each of my 909 listings to state a labour disruption is expected at Canada Post but that McQueen and Mo Mater will remain open, using alternative methods of delivery.

I don't expect much business, but I'm determined to stay open and keep my items available for buyers who really need them. Unfortunately, courier service isn't cheap.
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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

During the last strike.....

 

The store was on vacation

 

By the end of the strike I had added 250 listings to my store..... 6 weeks it was.

 

Sales were very good after the strike....particularly so because it was July, usually a low time for sales.

 

I had looked into courier services... but decided to shut down.... not worth the cost or effort

 

In retrospect... the best thing to do is put the store on vacation, and list, list, list.... It is summertime normal vacation-time....

 

 

Some sellers have said that buyers from outside of Canada, adjusted by not buying... could be dependent on what one sells

 

Staying open during a strike could be a nightmare  with that  one buyer... that will not adjust to the reality of a strike.

 

 

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

I agree with all you said cumos55, too much hassle and stress to keep trying to sell during a strike unless you live close to a US border. It's a good time to renovate my store, move a bunch of listings from ca. to com., add listings etc. I am finding that a problem i that I can't find my own store items, I usually do searches to find the items. I guess there is no way to see them and block them from others.

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

"I guess there is no way to see them and block them from others."

 

When you "hide" your listings in your eBay store while "on vacation", they are not visible to anyone but yourself through your Selling Manager (or "my eBay").

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Thanks Pierre, that's a great help, I have been struggling to find listings this morning, I didn't think about selling manager, getting too old I guess!

Message 13 of 128
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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

Switching to courier service SHOULD be simple enough but there is no option to do so with Calculated Shipping. At least, none that I can find.
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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

Went to Purolator yesterday to find out the cost of shipping a video game in Canada, the least expensive option was around $34.00, for the same service at Canada Post the cost is $3.10. 

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

Yep. UPS is the same.
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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike

I am curious, does anyone really need toys that bad that you could  be a nervous wreck when the CP fiasco is over trying to figure all this out to stay open?

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike


@dutchman48 wrote:

I am curious, does anyone really need toys that bad that you could  be a nervous wreck when the CP fiasco is over trying to figure all this out to stay open?


I was looking at an IQ bell curve. Yes, 50% of the population falls below 100. Only about 16% fall over an IQ of 115.

 

Do the extrapolation.

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike


@dutchman48 wrote:

I am curious, does anyone really need toys that bad that you could  be a nervous wreck when the CP fiasco is over trying to figure all this out to stay open?


Don't worry, I'm not a nervous wreck about it. I made my plan a few weeks ago and put it into action yesterday. The biggest thing I find to be frustrating about this is that I can't just switch my Calculated Shipping settings to serve UPS or Fed Ex and not just CPC. 

 

As we all know, 'need' is a relative term. A rock and a stick make a handy set of toys for the right child. And I think everyone has seen a two-year-old huck their hard-found pricey gift at Christmas to joyously climb inside the cardboard box it came inside. That was my own experience, literally, at my youngest's second birthday. I gave him a huge box of Duplo, but he nearly pushed me over to get at the cardboard box it came inside, wherein he sat, snacked and napped proudly for about a week. Best box ever. 

 

But when your five-year-old is moaning for something particular, and his birthday is in two weeks, yes, need enters the picture. Ditto for that special 40-year-old in your life.

 

For me, this is less about need and more about making my own choices. I refuse to allow Canada Post's problems to become my own. I have never hidden my listings when putting my store on vacation, not even when I went to the hospital to birth my fourth child. I came home and packed orders until 4 am, much to the chagrin of my husband. 

 

I don't expect business to be brisk because I think Canadians (the biggest portion of my business) will be programmed NOT to shop online, but I want the option left open if they do decide to buy something. I'll still be working on the same stuff the rest of you will be working on with closed stores, more listings et cetera.

 

 

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Info for the looming Canada Post Strike


@mr.elmwood wrote:

@dutchman48 wrote:

I am curious, does anyone really need toys that bad that you could  be a nervous wreck when the CP fiasco is over trying to figure all this out to stay open?


I was looking at an IQ bell curve. Yes, 50% of the population falls below 100. Only about 16% fall over an IQ of 115.

 

Do the extrapolation.


Please elaborate. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on this. 

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