eBay

rose-dee · ‎08-03-2017

OK, I give up, and I'm so busy today I admit I don't have the time to look through all the recent shipping threads to find this information.

So guys, where did Light Packet labelling end up? Is there still anywhere a beleaguered eBay seller can get a Light Packet label printed online?

Last night I ended up using Shippo for a parcel I knew could have gone Light Packet, and paid the Small Packet rate. While I realize that Small Packet rate is discounted (for now), it was still about $0.20 more. Every penny counts these days, and they tend to add up to dollars.

Driving to the P.O. to stand in line and mess about with forms, etc. is not a good alternative for me at all. I'd rather lose the $0.20 and buy Small Packet.

I'm also not sure about risking lettermail to the U.S. for commercial parcels. It seems to me there's enough potential trouble inherent in shipping without adding more. If any seller has regularly shipped lettermail to the U.S. for some time and had no problems, I'd be interested to know. Once Shippo drops their Small Packet discount (and CP raises its rates again in January, 2018), it may be my only reasonable choice if I want to stay in business (I sell a lot of sewing patterns, mostly under $25).

momcqueen · ‎08-03-2017

ebay sellers don't have access to Light Packet online anymore unless they have special volume deals worked out with Canada Post on account. Shippo doesn't offer it, Paypal doesn't offer it, Snap Ship and EST don't offer it. You can only get it at the postal counter or post office and if you do the Customs portion online in advance (as is recommended by CPC) and bring your QR code to the counter when you buy it, that saves time.

hyperrush · ‎08-03-2017

maggiebvintage2010 · ‎08-03-2017

I use stamps bought here at discount prices, complete the CN22 customs form by hand, add a printed address label so that my handwriting doesn't cause any delivery problems, add air mail stickers, and take the envelope to the PO. Presently, there is no requirement for scanning, or entering any info into the computer, when stamps are used - the PO counter staff just cancel the stamps and put the envelope into the mail stream.

Once the envelope is accepted here and the stamps are cancelled, other countries couldn't care less whether it contains documents or paper products. As you can imagine, there are all kinds of items sent by lettermail that are actually commercial shipments. Many sellers use oversize lettermail for patterns, booklets, CDs and other things. Customs officers are very probably much more focused on stopping the flow of illegal drugs than on illegally mailed sewing patterns.

ricarmic · ‎08-03-2017

As a note, I'm a "stamps on the parcel" kinda person too...

What I do with the CN22 form is cut and tape the address from the PAYPAL payment onto the form (with a To: in red letters before the buyers address). Normally it fits ok and that stopped problems with me transposing numbers etc on addresses.... the carbon copy doesn't have anything on it, but it doesn't matter anymore anyway because it is not tracked etc.....

lukey9 · ‎08-03-2017

I always just use stamps on my Parcels, I buy some here and the rest I have a Dealer here who always has some at good prices & since I closed the Store out I'll need a lot less. It was becoming another job and I retired 12 years ago .

reallynicestamps · ‎08-03-2017

I've been using stamps and LetterMail/LetterPost since forever.

No noticeable losses or returns as mis-identified.

I only use shipping labels when the item must go Parcel because it is over 2cm or 500 grams.

As a postage seller here, I have noticed more and more repeat buyers (mostly eBay sellers) since I started trying to dispose of that part of DHs hoard.

I recently realized that the PO will accept Parcels that have been stamped rather than labelled. The only problem is getting enough stamps on some of the smaller parcels.

dutchman48 · ‎08-03-2017

@rose-dee wrote:
OK, I give up, and I'm so busy today I admit I don't have the time to look through all the recent shipping threads to find this information.

So guys, where did Light Packet labelling end up? Is there still anywhere a beleaguered eBay seller can get a Light Packet label printed online?

Last night I ended up using Shippo for a parcel I knew could have gone Light Packet, and paid the Small Packet rate. While I realize that Small Packet rate is discounted (for now), it was still about $0.20 more. Every penny counts these days, and they tend to add up to dollars.

Driving to the P.O. to stand in line and mess about with forms, etc. is not a good alternative for me at all. I'd rather lose the $0.20 and buy Small Packet.

I'm also not sure about risking lettermail to the U.S. for commercial parcels. It seems to me there's enough potential trouble inherent in shipping without adding more. If any seller has regularly shipped lettermail to the U.S. for some time and had no problems, I'd be interested to know. Once Shippo drops their Small Packet discount (and CP raises its rates again in January, 2018), it may be my only reasonable choice if I want to stay in business (I sell a lot of sewing patterns, mostly under $25).

I sent one from my small post office yesterday and CP is sending out directives to all post office to watch for exactly this. They are trying to stop all but paper from going letter mail. As a rip off to sellers, CP wants every pound of flesh it can get.

Eventually, I think all countries will have the same restrictions and many will start watching for this. You may also run into problems with Customs as there is no customs form for letter mail.

Many will continue but somewhere down the road, they will be caught just like the speeder.

Eventually, CP with their absurd rates will kill the market in Canada for cheap items due to this regulation.

momcqueen · ‎08-03-2017

It has been explained on another thread at some length that this is a UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION regulation. If I can find some time later today, I'll cross-reference that thread. The user whose name is like hhmaldom wrote i

momcqueen · ‎08-03-2017

Fat thumbs on an iPhone.

I was trying to say the user whose name is something like hhmaldom explained it best. My apologies for misspelling the user name.

dutchman48 · ‎08-03-2017

The big question is, what do other countries charge for that service compared to Canada.

momcqueen · ‎08-03-2017

I wouldn't know but hlmacdon may.

momcqueen · ‎08-03-2017

Aside from that, other countries can't be compared to Canada for postal service. We are HUGE and sparsely populated. Like nowhere else on earth. Our postal system faces unique challenges due to that. The Task Force explained all that.

dutchman48 · ‎08-03-2017

Task force info was to a great extent manipulated to serve a specific purpose.

Size and population may hold water for domestic mail, but should have no bearing on international outgoing mail.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-03-2017

I could be mistaken but I believe hlmacdon's post said that it was going to be a upu regulation, not that it was current. USPS first class lettermail does have some size, shape and other restrictions but I don't see anything about the contents having to be non goods. Their oversize lettermail (large envelope) seems to have very similar rules between domestic and international services unlike our oversize lettermail.

pjcdn2005 · ‎08-03-2017

@dutchman48 wrote:
Task force info was to a great extent manipulated to serve a specific purpose.

Size and population may hold water for domestic mail, but should have no bearing on international outgoing mail.

Few businesses base each service on the exact cost for that particular service. It likely costs more than the cost of one stamp for the post office to handle a letter from Nova Scotia to BC so they price their international higher in order to make up for any loss or low profit on another service.

I'm just guessing how the post office does their pricing of course but I do know businesses that price in a similar way. I'm not saying that they do a good job of pricing, especially for international. I'm just saying that you can't base it solely on what it costs CP for international services.

dutchman48 · ‎08-03-2017

Sorry, that is what I am paying for, not subsidy for domestic mail

hlmacdon · ‎08-03-2017

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
I could be mistaken but I believe hlmacdon's post said that it was going to be a upu regulation, not that it was current. USPS first class lettermail does have some size, shape and other restrictions but I don't see anything about the contents having to be non goods. Their oversize lettermail (large envelope) seems to have very similar rules between domestic and international services unlike our oversize lettermail.

That is correct, the UPU changes regarding the separation of services that contain physical goods vs documents come into effect for 2018.

Regarding USPS and goods vs documents for lettermail, there are specific sizing requirements for using lettermail to send physical goods which set conditions where package rates or a premium will be charged. Anything that is irregular lettermail (think marketing materials with trinkets) get charged a non-machinable lettermail rate. The USPS service guide for non-machinable mail specifies that : First-Class Mail may also be used for most mailable items, including advertisements and lightweight merchandise.

The relevant bits regarding where package rates apply:

1) If the physical dimensions are within flat-size standards, and the mailpiece is rigid, it is classified and priced as a package (parcel)

2) Large envelopes as well as padded mailing bags must be somewhat flexible (not rigid) and uniformly thick. Items mailed in large envelopes cannot have more than a 1/4 inch variance in thickness. Also, mailpieces must be rectangular with a maximum thickness (at the thickest point) of 3/4 inch. A mailpiece that exceeds any one of the maximum physical dimensions (15 inches x 12 inches x 3/4 inch thick) is classified and priced as a package (parcel).

momcqueen · ‎08-03-2017

I have to think there's really no point to arguing or debating this. It's not like we ebay sellers hold a powerful position at the table where Canada Post Corporation decides what stamps should cost.

hlmacdon · ‎08-03-2017

@mjwl2006 wrote:
Aside from that, other countries can't be compared to Canada for postal service. We are HUGE and sparsely populated. Like nowhere else on earth. Our postal system faces unique challenges due to that. The Task Force explained all that.

While that plays some there is a large amount tacked on to domestic postage to cover the shortfall from the losses they make on processing inbound international. The contracts the retailers I've worked for had rates that would have Canadians kicking and screaming if they saw what they were like. Unfortunately Canada Post has no transparency in this respect. In my experience and from what I have seen of rate discounting the average Canadian consumer is getting ripped off.