Very to extremely high mailing/shipping costs compared to the value of the item sold!

[marnotom!]

Given that mailing/shipping costs are based on the shipping method used and item's size and weight, rather than the value of the item, that can happen sometimes.

Seeing as you've done some selling in the past, I'm probably telling you nothing new.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@toybazar 

The shipping cost really has nothing to do with an items value. It's based on final package weight (and/or dimensions if it's oversized), your location and the services provided by the country it's being shipped from. Many services also have minimum charges.

As a side note if the seller ships something in package larger than it truly requires that can cause the shipping costs to increase. A good supply of boxes in various sizes is a sellers best tool against overcharging for postage. Even a rise in fuel costs can cause shipping to increase. Canadapost has been adding a fluctuating fuel surcharge since 2003. Couriers before that. If you want to do some rate checking of your own, CP rates calculator below.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/information/app/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

-Lotz

[cumos55]

The fuel surcharge in January 2021 was 5 %

Today the fuel surcharge, as  of January 3, 2022, will be 18.50 %

The fuel surcharge is based on the cost of diesel fuel

[femmefan1946]

There is no relationship between the value of the item and the cost of shipping.

I can mail a single postage stamp (which I sell on another ID) for just 92c within Canada.

But if that stamp were a Man on the Mast variety Bluenose (Canada #159) with a catalogue value of $1200, I would probably be sending it with tracking and Signature Confirmation at a cost of $15-50 dollars depending on whether I use Regular Parcel or Priority Post.

[msau4301]

Glad I saw this! from 5% to 18.50% is huge increase! I know I saw rates "for some services" are increasing January 10th, if the surcharge increase (January 3rd) is in addition to that I better keep that in mind before starting my listings back up!!

[mrdutch1001]

Above Posted increases in fuel surcharges are misleading since the fuel surcharge for domestic services is really going up by  just 1% from current status...and if sellers weren't watching and accounting for the fuel surcharges throughout 2021, they probably should have been ...

The raise in fuel surcharge is misleadinghttps://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/se...

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

---

@mrdutch1001 wrote:

Above Posted increases in fuel surcharges are misleading since the fuel surcharge for domestic services is really going up by  just 1% from current status...and if sellers weren't watching the fuel surcharges throughout 2021, they probably should have been ...

The raise in fuel surcharge is misleadinghttps://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/se...

---

Has anyone ever monitored if fuel surcharges get updated with eBay's postage calculator whenever there is a change? Anyone using flat rate shipping is basically flying by the seat of their pants/dress with parcels.

-Lotz

[mrdutch1001]

I have used flat rate shipping for more than 10 years now ...but I also keep track of shipping costs and adjust my shipping costs with those necessary yearly increases...I roll some of the shipping costs into the price of the item as well as into the shipping prices...

I have never used, nor do I ever intend on using eBay's calculator or their shipping ...

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

---

@mrdutch1001 wrote:

Above Posted increases in fuel surcharges are misleading since the fuel surcharge for domestic services is really going up by  just 1% from current status...and if sellers weren't watching the fuel surcharges throughout 2021, they probably should have been ...

The raise in fuel surcharge is misleadinghttps://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/se...

---

Has anyone ever monitored if fuel surcharges get updated with eBay's postage calculator whenever there is a change? Anyone using flat rate shipping is basically flying by the seat of their pants/dress with parcels.

-Lotz

---

Your mix of items lends better to flat rate vs mine. Too many variables for mine. Can even be a major nuisance to update the 100 plus that qualify for flat rate letter mail.

-Lotz

[brettjet38]

The trick to saving on shipping is to pack the most secure way possible in the smallest packet possible. When I ship my little figurines I put each one in a tiny baggie, wrap that in a small bit of bubble wrap, then I tape that "centered" onto a bit of recycled "cookie/cereal box" and put that in a small (eBay branded) bubble envelope with my packing slip. I have shipped like that for years and ship all kinds of small items that way.

For multiple items, I use the small 6x4x4 boxes or a bit larger, again making sure to wrap each item and to pack securely any loose space with brown paper.

I have found it to be the most economical and secure way to ship items.

Big boxes with lots of bubble wrap are wasteful and more costly shipping-wise.

[ypdc_dennis]

Canada Post fuel surcharges are adjusted the first Monday of every month.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/sending/rates-dimensions/fuel-surcharges-on...

On Monday, January 3:

Domestic surcharge increases by one percent from 17.5% to 18.5%

USA & Int'l packets/parcels remain unchanged at 10.5% / 12.5%

Priority Worldwide increases by 0.75% to 12.75%

...

Year to year comparisons can be very misleading.  2020 saw the fuel surcharge drop almost to zero because of the pandemic. Then late in 2020 and all through 2021 has seen the surcharge increasing as fuel prices rebounded.

In late 2020 I can remember getting fuel for around 85 cents/litre, this weekend it was around $1.40/litre.

-|-

[intimewithmusic]

Yesterday i ran into an anomoly with Expedited vs Regular parcel prices on a 9.9kg 20 x 20 x20"  shipment. 

Kelowna to Toronto. Regular parcel was $8 cheaper than Expedited (usually the same).  The fuel surcharge was a lot higher on the Expedited which was 2 days faster which is normal.  Possibly using an alternate route or mode? I guess if Exp is faster it may affect the fuel but this time it was about $8 diff.  This was on Snap ship.

[mcrlmn]

Yup, not the first time.

Just walk away.

[ypdc_dennis]

---

@intimewithmusic wrote:

Yesterday i ran into an anomoly with Expedited vs Regular parcel prices on a 9.9kg 20 x 20 x20"  shipment. 

Kelowna to Toronto. Regular parcel was $8 cheaper than Expedited (usually the same).  The fuel surcharge was a lot higher on the Expedited which was 2 days faster which is normal. 

---

Dimensional calculation for Regular and Expedited is different. It was changed a couple of years ago (possibly a ground versus air reason).

20 x 20 x 20 inches (51 x 51 x 51 cm) would have a volumetric weight of  26.5kg for Expedited versus 22.1kg for regular parcel -- difference of 4kg for the cost calculation.

Fuel surcharge is a percentage of the base rate. So if the base rate is higher, so is the fuel surcharge.  The surcharge is adjusted the first month of every month. January 3 to February 6 is 18.5% for domestic parcels.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/sending/rates-dimensions/fuel-surcharges-on...

-;-

[femmefan1946]

Be careful using non-metric measurements in shipping by Canada Post.

Canada Post went metric in 1974. Any other system will be prone to error.