eBay

raphael@ebay.com · ‎08-28-2015

Hello Sellers,

As you already know, Shipping is a topic that we're talking a lot about these days at eBay Canada. We've recently hosted a couple of discussions with some Canadian sellers at our eBay offices. I'd like to also draw on anyone who would be willing to share their story with regards to online shipping labels, whether you use the PayPal labels platform, another, or none.

I'd like to know the following:

How would you describe your experience using online labels?
What works well for you?
What are some of your pain or friction points?
Are there any features you would like to see, or any that you would rather not see?
Anything else you would like to share.

Many thanks in advance!

qqdamnit · ‎08-28-2015

Hello Raphael!

I am still fairly new to selling. I use PayPal to print my shipping labels.

Simple, easy process, using the shipping calculator on all of my items, makes it easy as it prefills the size and weight itself with the values I used in the listing. (Most of the time)

Most of my buyers are American. One thing that is a little odd about the PayPal labels, is that there is no box to check for Merchandise, we have to use "Other" and then state Merchandise.

On all of my American labels, it shows my buyer the shipping cost. I like that, I have no handling fee.

I wish it was able to do the same for my Canadian buyers as many people don't seem to realize how much Canada Post rates actually are.

I find for the most part though, this method is very simple, utilizes the money my buyer paid without me ever having to get it out of PayPal to use in a post office.

sylviebee · ‎08-28-2015

The CPO website is horrendous to use and so for Canadians there is only paypal if we use online shipping, so this thread is really about paypal shipping.

Recently paypal removed the ability for us to buy shipping labels for items not paid via paypal.

That brings up questions about returns as a buyer and it would be very helpful if eBay would provide a service for online shipping for returns.

Currently we have to go to the PO and it would be much nicer to have things documented online.

Also, how, as a seller, how would I buy a USPS shipping label if a U.S. buyer requests a return and I am to pay return shipping?

73rhc · ‎08-28-2015

Hi Raphael,

As a "hobby" seller, my volume is relatively low. I use PayPal labels.

The Pros:

I like the ease and convenience.

I like that the discounts are automatically applied.

The cons:

Didn't work with Win10

All of CP's option don't seem to be available.

When printing a label for a smaller box, I would like to see the software use the input dimensions to automatically size the label. I sometimes have to reprint up to 3 times to get the correct size.

What I would like to see:

Obviously, correct the cons.

A negotiated discount rate for eBay sellers. Better than already offered through CP.

More affordable tracking outside of Canada

These are off the top of my head. I'm sure I will think of more, later.

mpsrent · ‎08-28-2015

Since I've updated my computers to Windows 10 I can no longer print labels through this feature. The only label that prints is a voided sample label.

The feature still works well with computers operating on Windows 8.1.

Thanks for asking.

momcqueen · ‎08-28-2015

Since the moment that the ebay/paypal split was announced, my only concern with it is, 'What's going to happen with paypal shipping?'

The Canada Post site is simply awful to use to print labels online, even with whatever perks might come from being a low-volume 'business' seller. Their loyalty program(s) is also impossible to understand. In comparison, Paypal shipping has been a dream to use. I have no complaints about it whatsoever. I can, however, see the writing on the wall and realize that service is likely drawing to an unfortunate end.

Please don't allow ebay to leave its sellers high and dry without heavily discounted, seamlessly-intergrated postage labels printing through Canada Post. We NEED a significant discounted postage rate in order to remain competitive with American sellers and we need the kind of discount that only a higher volume user (like ebay Canada as a WHOLE) will be able to negotiate. And we need a heavily discounted rate as offered by CANADA POST. Alone, the couriers simply don't cut it. They might suit for some domestic orders but, on the whole, are incredibly cost-prohibitive for international shipments and anything going within Canada but outside a major urban centre.

And the integration between ebay and its postage-label provider needs to be seamlessly integrated. It will be a nightmare for sellers to have to input every detail of every transaction between the carrier and sales platform. The programs must work together.

sylviebee · ‎08-28-2015

@mjwl2006 wrote:
I can, however, see the writing on the wall and realize that (paypal shipping) service is likely drawing to an unfortunate end.

This is an aside to mjw and if it's true that means that this whole thread takes on an entirely different meaning.

Why did you post that paypal shipping for Canadians is coming to an end?

momcqueen · ‎08-28-2015

@sylviebee wrote:
@mjwl2006 wrote:
I can, however, see the writing on the wall and realize that (paypal shipping) service is likely drawing to an unfortunate end.

This is an aside to mjw and if it's true that means that this whole thread takes on an entirely different meaning.

Why did you post that paypal shipping for Canadians is coming to an end?

It is my suspicion; I did not post 'it is coming to an end'. Please understand the terms 'writing on the wall' and 'likely' mean.

Furthermore, if R considers it to be a comment that will take this discussion off-topic and one that is detrimental to his original intent, then he has my blessing to remove said comment from my post without my having taken offence.

paulgg132 · ‎08-28-2015

SHHHHH! Come folks, this is a POLL, not a debate. Please answer the Raphaels questions and let others offer theirs.

sylviebee · ‎08-28-2015

Raphael: Is there in fact any reason to suspect that paypal shipping might be coming to an end for Canadians in the future as someone posted above?

The CPO website truly takes longer than standing in lineups so paypal is our only option.

If you're thinking of adding that option for us on eBay, that would be great!

Online shipping saves me up to two or so hours a day and my outlet would have to hire more employees without it.

decal-fx · ‎08-28-2015

Work around for PayPal ship Now,

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Work-around-for-the-PayPal-Ship-Now-being-removed/m-p/311...

momcqueen · ‎08-28-2015

Please allow me to reiterate and/or expand my original points:

1. I love Paypal Shipping and use it for everything except those occasions where I have to purchase postage for oversized domestic lettermail at the counter.

2. I have used paypal shipping to print my labels literally hundreds of time without incident or regret.

3. Paypal shipping failed me only once in three years of continued use with a complicated Xpresspost International shipment that had to be rushed overseas. That, I took to the retail postal counter nearest me and when I called paypal later that evening to natter at them as to how they let me down, the Customer Service Rep issued a credit to my account that covered the gap in what the discount on the label would have been versus what I paid at the counter. This was volunteered to me. I did not ask for it. I was blown away by their customer service.

4. I have used UPS to print one label and will never do it again. Trying to pick the service I needed to get the rush job done was a nightmare. Either I am the dumbest person alive or their site is incredibly user un-friendly. It ended up costing me three times what had been originally estimated. I had to open an account with UPS and then wait to be invoiced for the yet-unknown amount. It made no sense whatsoever.

5. I have used Canada Post ship-in-a-click to print a label exactly twice. The second time, the label refused to print on my computer. I had to void it and go to the counter to buy postage. It took three calls, two emails and a complaint with my credit card provider to finally get the monies for it refunded.

6. Paypal shipping is almost completely flawlessly integrated with ebay with the only exception being a few weeks back when tracking numbers did not automatically generate but it has since been resolved.

7. For me, Paypal shipping is the easiest part of the selling experience on ebay.

8. Gaining a Canada Post discount is very important. Love or hate Canada Post, it simply cannot be replaced by any exclusive deals with any of the couriers.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-28-2015

Hi Raphael,

I use Paypal shipping and as others have stated, it is really the only feasible option that we have. Generally it has been a good experience although there are some minor 'housekeeping' issues on paypal shipping.

Some labels will not print the 'regular' way even though the address is correct and the only way I have been able to print them

is by using Paypal.com/shipnow. I have no idea why it would work with shipnow and not on the regular paypal shipping but since that has been discontinued it is going to be a real problem when that happens.

As others have mentioned, a better rate negotiated by ebay would be very helpful. It would be ideal if ebay users could receive the same or similar rates that the highest level of small business program receives.

For example: within Canada - up to 28% off for expedited parcel, up to 25% off for xpresspost

To the U.S. - up to 19% for expedited;up to 18% for xpresspost; up to 9% on small packet and Tracked packet

International - up to 16% for small packet, 25-33% for international air and xpresspost; up to 40% off tracked packet

I'm convinced that those discounts on international air, xpresspost and tracked packet would convince many more sellers who won't ship overseas now because tracking is too expensive.

The small packet discount for US and international would also be a great incentive for less expensive items and of course it would be wonderful if we could ship items within our own country for a lower cost.

Pain or friction points - Do you want us to name specific problems with the current paypal shipping platform?

pocomocomputing · ‎08-28-2015

raphael@ebay.com wrote:
Hello Sellers,

As you already know, Shipping is a topic that we're talking a lot about these days at eBay Canada. We've recently hosted a couple of discussions with some Canadian sellers at our eBay offices. I'd like to also draw on anyone who would be willing to share their story with regards to online shipping labels, whether you use the PayPal labels platform, another, or none.

I'd like to know the following:

How would you describe your experience using online labels?
What works well for you?
What are some of your pain or friction points?
Are there any features you would like to see, or any that you would rather not see?
Anything else you would like to share.
Many thanks in advance!

PayPal shipping labels work very well with some glitches. I am hoping that if eBay has their own shipping label system integrated in eBay.ca that there will be less issues getting things fixed. It seems impossible to get the glitches fixed in the existing PayPal shipping.

On another note related to PayPal shipping, will eBay.ca Canada finally fix and improve the eBay.ca calculated shipping issues and glitches? You have mentioned many times that getting the eBay.ca calculated shipping issues fixes were being pushed by eBay.ca staff for years to no avail.

Last, please seriously consider inviting some eBay sellers from these forums to beta test your proposed eBay shipping system (and calculated shipping). Members here catch many of the existing glitches and know Canada Post rates and rules very well and would see issues that may not be known to the developers of the new system.

pocomocomputing · ‎08-28-2015

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
Hi Raphael,

I use Paypal shipping and as others have stated, it is really the only feasible option that we have. Generally it has been a good experience although there are some minor 'housekeeping' issues on paypal shipping.

Some labels will not print the 'regular' way even though the address is correct and the only way I have been able to print them
is by using Paypal.com/shipnow. I have no idea why it would work with shipnow and not on the regular paypal shipping but since that has been discontinued it is going to be a real problem when that happens.

As others have mentioned, a better rate negotiated by ebay would be very helpful. It would be ideal if ebay users could receive the same or similar rates that the highest level of small business program receives.

For example: within Canada - up to 28% off for expedited parcel, up to 25% off for xpresspost

To the U.S. - up to 19% for expedited;up to 18% for xpresspost; up to 9% on small packet and Tracked packet

International - up to 16% for small packet, 25-33% for international air and xpresspost; up to 40% off tracked packet

I'm convinced that those discounts on international air, xpresspost and tracked packet would convince many more sellers who won't ship overseas now because tracking is too expensive.
The small packet discount for US and international would also be a great incentive for less expensive items and of course it would be wonderful if we could ship items within our own country for a lower cost.

Pain or friction points - Do you want us to name specific problems with the current paypal shipping platform?

A list of existing issues (design or glitches) in the PayPal shipping system would be helpful in my opinion to avoid similar issues in a new system. I would think that it could be used as a basis to test the new system.

pocomocomputing · ‎08-28-2015

raphael@ebay.com wrote:
Hello Sellers,

As you already know, Shipping is a topic that we're talking a lot about these days at eBay Canada. We've recently hosted a couple of discussions with some Canadian sellers at our eBay offices. I'd like to also draw on anyone who would be willing to share their story with regards to online shipping labels, whether you use the PayPal labels platform, another, or none.

I'd like to know the following:

How would you describe your experience using online labels?
What works well for you?
What are some of your pain or friction points?
Are there any features you would like to see, or any that you would rather not see?
Anything else you would like to share.
Many thanks in advance!

I am curious about eBay creating their own shipping system in Canada and potential dropping PayPal Canada shipping.

I thought with the breakup of eBay and PayPal that things were to remain the same for the next five or so years. One company could not compete with the other to take business away.

Now quite possibly, eBay.ca Canada had an eBay.ca Canada shipping platform in the works well before the split up was decided. Or perhaps the PayPal shipping system was the property of eBay.ca Canada. (Despite the ShipNow feature being able to be used for any package).

If possible, can you share some insight on this?

femmefan1946 · ‎08-28-2015

Also, how, as a seller, how would I buy a USPS shipping label if a U.S. buyer requests a return and I am to pay return shipping?

I'd like to reiterate this point. With the new 'seller paid returns' this is a necessity for non-US sellers.

And vice versa, it is a necessity for eBay to make unhappy non-US buyers happy and returning to shop. Being told that the US seller must pay return postage, without providing a transparent way of doing so, is a terrible PR move.

My only problem with PP labels is that they don't usually show a Print function, and I have to go to the Reprint Label link instead. I use a Mac , possibly OSX.

Umm- could eBay negotiate more discounts on more services? Like Light Packet- taking the rates down to Letter Post rates?

lucitabby · ‎08-28-2015

Hello Raphael,

I use PayPal labels for expedited and tracked parcels to Canada & US - stamps for small & light packet and lettermail. I do find Paypal is not happy most of the time on Safari so I switch to Firefox and usually have no trouble but my fingers are always crossed especially when there have been updates to my iMac.

I have used Canada Post which is a nightmare but, they did a recent update to their website last weekend and I haven't tried them since - perhaps it had an improvement.

A substantial discount on postage would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Judith

dinomitesales · ‎08-28-2015

Hi Raphael,

First off, it's nice to see you soliciting feedback from the members of the forum. Hopefully our responses go toward some benefit.

I have thoroughly enjoyed shipping through the PayPal platform, I've done many transactions on there and have only had an issue once (wouldn't recognize an address in Serbia). It is quick, straightforward, and painless. I was extremely saddened to see the removal of the "ship now" service offered by PayPal, and would very much like to see that return, as I used it a lot. With regards to the Canada Post website, I have only used it once and had no issue, but I would take the concerns of the more experienced members here into consideration as they've probably used it much more than I. The biggest drawback for me when using the Canada Post website is, of course, the lack of discounts to rival PayPal.

If the PayPal shipping option were to be removed or cease to exist for Canadians, without a suitable replacement service implemented, I can assure you that it would be a devastating blow to Canadian eBay sellers.

I also echo the others who have brought up the concern of how to handle return shipping. These days it seems that I nearly have a panic attack every time I notice I have a new message from a buyer, as I'm concerned they may be asking to return an item. There is no easy way for me to facilitate this by simply providing them a return shipping label - this used to be possible using the PayPal Ship Now service. Additionally, there is currently NO way for us Canadian sellers to facilitate a return label from an international buyer.

treasure.hunter.d · ‎08-28-2015

Raphael,

The PayPal shipping labels work/worked well for me having little issue or problem save when they had system wide issues. That being said, I am a techie in numerous areas so small glitches that may have confounded some folks were easily worked around for me.

My current issue is the removal of the blank shipping page that we previously could access at the paypal.com/shipnow url. That page was of infinite value in allowing me to correctly estimate shipping costs for my items. The Canada Post website is not only buggy as all get out but the pricing is not representative of the discounts we get from PayPal and therefore of no use whatsoever in estimation. We need either that page restored or something very much like it.

Another issue related to shipping is the high cost of Canada Post to USA services. This year alone saw a 25%+ increase in some areas of expedited shipping due to rate increases and the implementation of the volumetric calculation for parcel sizes/weights. That increase has made it seriously difficult for Canadian sellers who sell objects over 1kg, on a regular basis, to compete with our US counterparts. PayPal offers an excellent discount however that discount has remained static for some time and as the Canada Post rates keep going up year by year we are being forced to absorb more and more of the costs out of our meager profits. We definitely need a more aggressive discount system in place so that we are not fighting a losing battle as we are now.

In the last 2 years I have seen a significant portion of the goods that I previously sold become no longer salable because the shipping cost to item price ratio has been driven completely out of affordability by Canada Post increases and static PayPal shipping discounts. There are those who frequent the boards whose answer to this is the tiresome mantra that some goods are not suited to be sold on Ebay however I would counter with the cold hard facts that the goods I am speaking of were easily salable on Ebay prior to being rendered not so by completely unreasonable increase in the Canada Post rates. Between the loss of a complete genre of items to peddle and the increased shipping costs across the board, I, along with many other sellers, are taking home less and less while those that are biting into our pie are taking home more and more from our hard work.

What is needed, again, is an aggressive bulk discount package negotiated with Canada Post, on our behalf, so that we can bring our shipping costs down to a much more realistic level. At the current rate of yearly increases Canada Post will push the cost to ship to the USA completely out of reach in a very short time (Euro shipping is already out of reach as far as I am concerned). There is a ceiling on what we can charge for shipping on Ebay and still sell successfully and between the % that Ebay takes against the shipping cost (isn't it time to do away with that already!) and the high parcel rates the writing is on the wall in so far as future profitability is concerned if someone doesn't step in and do something in a large way.

Unfortunately this shipping issue is also complicated and worsened by the fact that many Ebay buyers are reluctant to realize the actual shipping cost of items and therefor refuse to pay anything above their perceived ceiling. I'm sure there are many factors contributing to this but the result is that attempting to charge anything over that perceived ceiling will drastically harm sales. Perhaps some sort of system whereby buyers are confronted with actual carrier costs alongside what they are being charged at time of purchase might serve to enlighten them as to how good of a deal they are generally getting. Many third-party shopping cart software packages do precisely that so that the vendor can offer a lower price and exhibit goodwill by doing so.

In the end, these shipping issues have the ability to completely cripple us as sellers and we are hurtling, full steam ahead toward precisely that. If Ebay or PayPal, or a co-operative effort by both, doesn't slam on the brakes and put us back into a realistic position where shipping costs are manageable.

I'm sure that whatever this needed system is it LOOKS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LIKE THE GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAM by the way, lol...

cHEERS,

thD