eBay

leogexx · ‎02-13-2012

Recently I sold some items on ebay (I try this once a year usually) and with the shipping costs by Canada Post and the ebay fees ,it really doesn't seem to be worth the time and effort to sell on ebay unless you have small envelope sized items or items you know will fetch a decent price. I find the high cost of Canadian shipping scares customers away or really effects the selling price . I have even had a customer (long time ago ) give me a negative for what the canadapost rates were.

thebarterersdog · ‎10-09-2012

I use a scale and check on Canada Posts website to find a rate. Sometimes the PO will surprise me and tell me I can ship the item for less.

Might be a bit of a hassle for larger volume sellers, but in cases like that, I would refund the difference in price for the shipping.

I think that it is always better to overcharge and refund the difference, rather than come up short.

I agree... I've had to learn the hard way too. But what always gets me is the fees. By the time all that is taken off, profit margins tend to be small. So ebay works... it works well for the buyer and ebay. If it's to work for the seller then yes, creativity, a scale, packing savy, and better understanding and/or well informed buyers are needed. In the end, charging a bit more and then refunding for me works out well with both customer relations and my bank account.

Janet and Paul

promospec · ‎01-29-2013

PLEASE submit a complaint to the Canadian Competition Bureau about Canada Post.

A small 90g package will now cost $15.01 (used to be around $5.75 - 2 months ago) to send in Canada "but" you can buy a pack of CANADA POST TURTLES for $2.99 SHIPPING INCLUDED to anywhere in Canada.

This is against the law, they have raised our rates so high that we can no longer do business.

Under the competition act you can register a complain as:

1) Abuse of market power
2) Price maintenance under section 76

nuvistors · ‎01-29-2013

The post office must keep raising rates to pay for the union raises.

pjcdn2005 · ‎01-29-2013

PLEASE submit a complaint to the Canadian Competition Bureau about Canada Post.

A small 90g package will now cost $15.01 (used to be around $5.75 - 2 months ago) to send in Canada "but" you can buy a pack of CANADA POST TURTLES for $2.99 SHIPPING INCLUDED to anywhere in Canada.

This is against the law, they have raised our rates so high that we can no longer do business.

Under the competition act you can register a complain as:

1) Abuse of market power
2) Price maintenance under section 76

You're comparing apples and oranges...2 different services.

valuestore · ‎01-29-2013

There is the solution of free shipping? start auction start price at 'approx' cost... roughly estimate, 13.00 + 3.00 + 1.00... start auction at $17.00 w/free shipping, or use free listing deals and post it at what u want for it w/free ship, or go all in gamble at a penny with free shipping.

kashka · ‎02-02-2013

Great idea,Promospec! Unfortunately the majority of Canadian sellers won't complain..even when it is a 300 per cent increase in rates..As Canadians we are conditioned that any injustice by the govt or Canada Post is for our own good.(because doncha know..we are a big country geographically so it's hard being a post office here). So we bend over and say do it again.It's not in the canuck pysche to become outraged when we are getting shafted.I made my complaint as you suggested but I suspect we are of a minority.Others will laugh and say "adapt..adapt"...(these are those who Canada Post relies and is allowed the freedom to gouge us any which way)

latte403 · ‎02-03-2013

Totally agree.

Many successful sellers managed to get their packages to the USPS system

and you win both speed and shipping cost.

Depending on your location, many sellers are helping each others:

Montreal: montreal books will take your packages to USPS for about $1 per package

Calgary: DYK home plus will take your packages to USPS for about $1 per package

Vancouver: Books to the border will take your packages to USPS for about $1 per package

Toronto: Chat Chi express will take your packages to USPS for about $1 per package

All you have to do is to print your USPS label online at home. These sellers will help you!

Canadapost is losing in terms of speed and shipping costs to international.

It is not going to be a feasible solution based on economics.

It is basically an equation of demand and supply.

While increasing prices will help to boost the profit in the short terms,

it will eventually decrease the total $$ revenue:

$$ = postage x packages (profit has to take into account of cost).

higher postage means less packages (if people have choices).

Lowering the postage could actually increase the number of shipping packages

and hence could increase revenue. Of course, there is a always a balance.

Since Canadapost is basically a monopoly here, we as Canadian do not have

much choices but to keep paying the overpriced postal services and that's

why basic economics does not work. This is

also population-oriented. We have a huge land but very little people here when

compared to our US neighbor. Don't forget. For every packages that get

sent to Canada by postal service, Canadapost is basically delivering them

for free. This service has to be covered and paid for by our population. It is to Canadapost's

benefit to indeed get more packages shipping oversea so that Canadapost

collects the money and get other country's postal system to deliver them.

My 2 cents.

Back to USPS Example:

If your package is over 2 cm and weights

less than 0.5 kg, Canadapost charges small package

international air for about $20 to oversea.

If your package now weights 0.51 kg (0.5kg-1kg), it then jumps to $40

to ship international.

USPS has a more reasonable shipping cost based on weight per oz,

rather than the absurb Canadapost scale.

The more important thing is the speed and saving that you will get when

shipping to your US buyers from USPS. USPS boxes are also free.

For example, if you can put your stuffs inside a flat rate priority envelop, it

costs only about $5 to ship priority (2 days) to most US buyers.

$2-$4 for anything less than 10-12 oz and that already includes a tracking number

by first class mail.

Hope this information helps our Canadian sellers here in ebay.

durhamdeals · ‎02-19-2013

I have a Listing, That I am Paying for in my store, Regarding the New Rates by Canada Post!

This is the listing Number

2309318952

Any comments or solutions on how we can possible work around this would be GREAT!!

DurhamDeals

jimmyd711 · ‎02-19-2013

Believe it or not, it was part of Amazon's strategy to keep the US postal service close (and Canada Post too) - the postal services are key to their future. The USPS just cut Saturday delivery (imagine that in Canada for a moment?), but is keeping delivery of 'registered' items only (mostly Amazon). For us, I suspect as Amazon.ca (and competitors) grow, they'll probably be helping us.

But I will be blunt; the shipping costs from Canada are sales killers for Americans. The only way you're going to compete is crossing the border to ship packages from there. It's really sad and I think it's only going to get worse. The tracked packet thing has been a bit of a fiasco up to this point - it used to cost me $37Cdn to ship a standard 1kg box to the UK with $100 insurance. Now it costs $55 because I get 'tracking' and insurance. Why bother? I remember calling the customer service desk at Canada Post who could actually use my receipt # for a Canada Post Small Packet Air to tell me where the package is - yes, they could track Small Packet shipments to the EU.

Once the buyers dry up, that will be it for my eBay experience. I have talked with a Canpar rep and apparently if I can demonstrate enough volume, they'd be happy to ship my packages. If that's the case, I'll go online outside of eBay (maybe Amazon.ca) and sell my stuff there.

For what it's worth.

jimmyd711

darksworddeals · ‎02-19-2013

Just shipped some items today and I was shocked to see how much the total was! I think the location I go to is price gouging or is making up their own prices. It's located in a Mac's convinience store. Is it true that some locations can set their own prices? The prices I paid today seemed off. Regular air mail and expedited mail costed the same for instance. Other methods of shipping weren't available for my packages as well. I immediately felt something was fishy with their costs.

It's just getting ridiculous with Canada Post. Pretty soon I'll have to use Fed Ex or UPS. Maybe I should just stick to Kijiji to sell my items.

durhamdeals · ‎02-20-2013

I have a Listing, That I am Paying for in my store, Regarding the New Rates by Canada Post!

This is the listing Number

2309318952

Any comments or solutions on how we can possible work around this would be GREAT!!

DurhamDeals

pierrelebel · ‎02-20-2013

As indicated to you yesterday on another thread, your listing is incorrect.

There is no 13% HST in Ontario on postage charge for any parcel going to the USA or overseas.

NONE. in Ontario, NONE in any province.

pocomocomputing · ‎02-20-2013

I have a Listing, That I am Paying for in my store, Regarding the New Rates by Canada Post!

This is the listing Number

2309318952

Any comments or solutions on how we can possible work around this would be GREAT!!

DurhamDeals

The listing number is invalid. Too short from what I can see when compared to your other listings numbers.

pjcdn2005 · ‎02-21-2013

The listing has been ended but the number was 230931895274

I think that ending it was a good idea. Positivity attracts more customers than negativity.

silentmobius · ‎02-27-2013

This is an amazing thread, learned so much

couldnt find the website but that $1 per item service is amazing..id do it myself but not sure if its allowed to cross the border with a bunch of small packages just to mail them and cross back over.

my-june · ‎02-28-2013

After almost 6 years of selling on ebay I'm about ready to call it quits.

First came the Unfair Feedback system

Then came the fees on Shipping

Now it's Canada Post refusing to insure Small Packet mail ~ offering Tracked Packet instead (appx. 10.00 more)

And then there are the whiners & complainers ~ a few that is, most buyers are very nice.

One of my biggest 'beefs' is about the buyers in foreign countries giving me a USA address just to get cheaper shipping and then complaining or opening cases when their 'contacts' in US haven't forwarded the item on ~ I'm now putting a stop to that!!

Can't complain about the Postal employees where I live ~ they were very helpful in showing me how to calculate shipping options and 1 nice lady gave me a Lettermail Slot that was heading for the garbage! That was a great bonus as I sell pattern books & craft kits ~ makes life a lot easier when setting up listings.

As for weight, I weigh with my Starfrit ~ but I still have to watch at the Post Office as their scale is frequently over! If something 'touches' the side of their scale, it doesn't revert back to 0. So I write the weight on the package to make sure I get the correct price.

As mentioned I'm slowing down ~ hopefully to just selling Pattern books & charts. Everything is geared to the Buyer ~ strangely enough ebay hasn't yet figured out that "without us Sellers, they won't have any Buyers"!!

my-june · ‎02-28-2013

If you go into the Canada Post website with your destination, measurements & weight you can see the options and prices for yourself.

No need to be gouged at the Post Office!

Just a thought!

bb_cool_stuff · ‎02-28-2013

It is getting tougher, as the competition is fierce, but we all manage to weather the storms.

You can also. Don't give up.

Two of my favorite quotes

" Sometimes you have to take your thinking in a new direction because circumstances & opportunities have changed " Richard Branson

" Improvise, Adapt & Kick A$$ " Clint Eastwood

beatrice4124 · ‎02-28-2013

I shop a LOT on ebay,. and as soon as i find out the item in bidding on is within canada ,most times i cancel my bid., its very expensive for shipping, i may bid on a cheap item and it will zoom to big money to get said item..