Chit Chats vs Shippo

Summary: The discussion on the topic 'Chit Chats vs Shippo' involves multiple participants engaging with each other, but the content of the conversation provided does not contain specific details or summaries about the arguments or points made regarding the comparison between the two services.

Hi,

I am thinking about switching my international shipments from ChitChats to Shippo. I recenlty ahd only problems with Chit Chats - they offer Asendia (cheap, but so slow, that a defect for late delifery is almost 100% assured) or expensive First Class International (very expensive, slow, and not reliable - recently 2 packages just disappeared - tracking shows they never left Canada to the US). While I still plan to use Chit Chats for domestic US delivery (cheap, reliable and needed to keep my TRS blue ribbon on Ebau.com), I need to find a replacement for Chit Chats international shipments. I used Canada Post for years, and even if some packages were lost (about 2-3 per year), I sold many hindreds of items to different countries around the world. Since I switched from Canada Post (5 USD shipping charge - letter) to 18 USD (USPS), I do not sell anything internationally any more - the sales fell over the cliff. A new solution is needed. Any suggestion? What are the Shippo charges for little packages under 0.2 kg? I saw at Shippo an option to ship by DHL or Fedex with 90% discount. Does it really work? Please share your experience. Thank you!

hansatrade

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Posted 5 years ago·Last reply 3 years ago

12 comments

byto253

·3 years ago

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For Chitchats I have my own US return address at a holding service that is just across the border and about an hour from Ottawa. The nice thing is they hold it for a full year for one $5US charge.

I was not having luck getting the return address changed online with chitchats so called them and it was taken care of right away. So far I have only had positive experiences when calling or emailing them with questions or for help.

Anyway, that is a work around for the returns that works for me as I will go there at least once in a year.

hansatrade

OP3 years ago

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@byto253 wrote:
For Chitchats I have my own US return address at a holding service that is just across the border and about an hour from Ottawa. The nice thing is they hold it for a full year for one $5US charge.

Sounds good. Would you please tell us more, or send me a PM? Thank you!

byto253

·3 years ago

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No problem, it is here https://myusaddress.ca/ They are in Ogdensburg, NY. There is also the UPS store and 3-4 others there but when the current ownership bought it and went to 1 year holding for $5 it pretty well blew everyone else out of the water.

After the border re-opened I had a couple of things I had ordered stuck there for over 1.5 years but they only charged me $5. The warehouse was sooo stuffed to the rafters it was crazy. Good folks.

hansatrade

OP3 years ago

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@byto253 wrote:
No problem, it is here https://myusaddress.ca/ They are in Ogdensburg, NY. There is also the UPS store and 3-4 others there but when the current ownership bought it and went to 1 year holding for $5 it pretty well blew everyone else out of the water.
After the border re-opened I had a couple of things I had ordered stuck there for over 1.5 years but they only charged me $5. The warehouse was sooo stuffed to the rafters it was crazy. Good folks.

Thank you! Ogdensburg, NY is a little bit too far from here (190 km), but I found a similar service closer (65 km) in Champlain, NY. I knew such facilities exist, but I never contacted them before, expencting a price around 200-250 USD / year, but 5 dollars sounds much better 😉

Thank you, again! It might be a game changer! 😀

hansatrade

OP3 years ago

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Accidentally, you resolved an important problem! I opened an account at a similar facility across the border (1 hour drive from my home), did not pay anything (!!!!!!), because they only charge after they get a parcel. I changed my return address at my ChitCats account without any problem, and already shipped parcels with that NICE, FREE return address!

I am not afraid any more my returned item will be scrapped and put into garbage!

Thank you, again!

byto253

·3 years ago

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Excellent, I find it works very well to handle US returns, and to force a return from anyone you think may be trying to shake you down! It is also great to take advantage of buying US based stuff that has free shipping in the US or only ships to the US.

regs43

·3 years ago

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Is this the Rothel's place on Ford Street? If So I have used them when something can't be sent to my PO Box in Heuveulton.

byto253

·3 years ago

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No, Rothel's is one of the original ones though. MyUSAddress kinda blows them out of the water with a 1 year holding time and better hours.

dupuisch

·3 years ago

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Chit chats is garbage now, I was a long-time user and their prices are absolutely appalling, they also will sometimes randomly charge you for packages that have been delivered over 30 days prior claiming they weren't measured or weighed correctly. Keep in mind this is OVER 30 DAYS AFTER DELIVERY. I'm just starting my transition over to Stallion Express.

byto253

·3 years ago

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It is fortunate that you are in Toronto where there are a lot of options. Here in Ottawa, there is much less choice and Chitchats is the best for small items. Larger items they are often not much of, or any, saving.

hansatrade

OP3 years ago

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@dupuisch wrote:
Chit chats is garbage now, I was a long-time user and their prices are absolutely appalling, they also will sometimes randomly charge you for packages that have been delivered over 30 days prior claiming they weren't measured or weighed correctly. Keep in mind this is OVER 30 DAYS AFTER DELIVERY. I'm just starting my transition over to Stallion Express.

I recently came back to ChitChats, mainly because they opened a new branch around the corner. They offer better prices - recently I shipped 20 items with them in one day only - CP would charge me about 80-90 dollars more for that. The main problem with them are the returns, which are not exisiting. I got 2 "returns" from the US last year, they charged me 5 dollars for each, and then just "disposed" them (read: put into the garbage). Not a very pleasant experience, since I sell antique, not replaceable items .....

zee-chan-jpn-books

·3 years ago

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@hansatrade wrote:
@dupuisch wrote:
Chit chats is garbage now, I was a long-time user and their prices are absolutely appalling, they also will sometimes randomly charge you for packages that have been delivered over 30 days prior claiming they weren't measured or weighed correctly. Keep in mind this is OVER 30 DAYS AFTER DELIVERY. I'm just starting my transition over to Stallion Express.
The main problem with them are the returns, which are not exisiting. I got 2 "returns" from the US last year, they charged me 5 dollars for each, and then just "disposed" them (read: put into the garbage). Not a very pleasant experience, since I sell antique, not replaceable items .....

Both counts of these experiences certainly is concerning for me now. I haven't had any sales back in December (I have been very busy in December with work so it was fine anyway) and recently just sent a bunch of offers out to my buyers. Two did end up buying something so I checked the current postage for CC vs Snap Ship...

Shipping from Vancouver BC to USA:

~225g: CP SMAir $11.60, CC $7.72

~450g: CP SMAir $15.20, CC $14.68

So for the 200-225g range items, it would still make sense to use CC as it's a $3.88 difference. But for the 250-450g range, the saving is only 52 cents now... so if tracking isn't essential to a seller, then it'd make very little sense to use CC unless someone lives very close to a branch (or have enough volume) to make that tiny saving worthwhile. That $5 fee mentioned by 38e really does makes a huge difference too. I have yet to experience any loss with CC but I certainly don't want to pay another $5 out of pocket just for them to dispose of a parcel for me... whereas with SMAir return for undeliverable is included.