What should I do with my listings if there is a Canada Post strike?

[mpit7628]

Hello everyone.  Since I'm a new seller I am really worried about my listings and what I should do in preparation of a possible Postal strike.  I have been doing some research on the subject but am still not sure what to do.  All my listings should be over by the end of the month.  I am thinking that I probably shouldn't be shipping to any Canadian addresses now since items will probably be stuck in the mail should there be a strike.  If I were to complete transactions to American buyers before the end of the month would the packages leave the country in time to be delivered by U.S.P.S.  to my American customers.   I have read that some sellers are closing their stores and not selling until the strike (if it happens) is over.  I don't even know how to close my "store".  I have watchers on some of my items.  How would a person close their store if people are watching their items.  Some people have mentioned using a different carrier but I have also read that other carriers such as Ups etc. are quite expensive.  I am totally unsure on what to do.  Any advice by fellow members would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks so much folks!

[reallynicestamps]

It's okay. All your friends and competitors here in Canada are in the same position.

If I were to complete transactions to American buyers before the end of the month would the packages leave the country in time to be delivered by U.S.P.S. 

You are in Abbotsford BC, not too far from Vancouver?

With the big terminal there, probably. Canada Post really does try to get today's mail out as soon as possible, before tomorrow's mail arrives.

ChitChat's Express recently opened an office in Vancouver. They have been in the business of taking Canadian shipments across the border for sending by USPS for a few years in Toronto. Posters who have used them seem pretty happy.

They do charge for the service.

Check them out.

I am thinking that I probably shouldn't be shipping to any Canadian addresses now since items will probably be stuck in the mail should there be a strike.

If you are listing on dotCA you must ship to Canada.

The only way out of it would be to list on dotCOM. And frankly, as a new seller, that seems like a lot of work. Still at the moment you only have 6 listings, so it would take about an hour tops to manually (avoid the Migration Tool!) relist all your items on dotCOM with USPS shipping enabled.

AFTER you have talked to Chit Chat, eh?

How would a person close their store if people are watching their items.

Watchers are not buyers. They are lookie-lous.

You can close any item that doesn't have BIDDERS by going here;

http://offer.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?EndingMyAuction

with the eBay transaction number (tiny numbers below the box on the right side of your listing and above the description).

If you have bidders, you have to cancel their bids first. Send a note apologizing and explaining why. It might help.

http://offer.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?CancelBidShow

Since you don't have a Store (and shouldn't ...yet ) those listings will go into your Unsolds for 60 days. Lots of time for the postal outage to be settled.

Then you can reopen them with a few clicks.

Really, it is easy.

[judithsjewellery]

Actually eBay just sent out an email to all CDN sellers about the strike.

Dear judithsjewellery,

As you are likely aware, there is a possibility that Canada Post services will be impacted by a labour disruption as early as July 2, 2016. We encourage you to visit canadapost.ca/update to read about the latest developments and sign up for email updates.

In the event of a Canada Post labour disruption, eBay will remain open for business, and we’re asking you to do the same. There is no need to put your store on vacation hold, to end listings, or to zero out quantities on multi-quantity listings.

Should Canada Post service be disrupted, we recommend that sellers:

• Continue to list and sell on eBay; and
• Be considerate and accommodate buyers who may wish to cancel orders if they have not yet been shipped.

eBay will be monitoring, and where possible adjusting, estimated delivery dates and eBay Money Back Guarantee timelines to ensure that sellers are not penalized for shipping delays.

eBay will communicate with buyers who purchase Canadian items prior to, or during, a labour disruption to ensure they are aware of the likelihood of shipping delays.

The eBay Canada Team will post additional details on the Announcements Board as they become available.

Thank you,

eBay Canada

[femmefan1946]

That message is good for eBay and particularly eBay Canada, whic will continue to have our lisitings live to show to the bosses in the USA.

But if we can't get anything to our customers, it is not eBay that will bear the brunt of negative feedback and refunds from our Paypal accounts.

It takes just a click or two to put all listings into Unsold for the duration, during which time we lose opportunities but protect our reputations.

[mpit7628]

Hi there. I really appreciate the advice given. In my research on eBay's website I found i that if I end auctions early I will be charged a fee. A mail strike isn't on eBay's list of reasons to end auctions early and so charge a fee to do so. I went back to my listings and revised some of them by changing the length of time of the auctions to make sure they ended earlier so there is a better chance of getting them out of the country should I need to ship to the U.S. I hope this strike doesn't happen. Thanks again everyone!