Courier pickup options for sellers in Canada?
Summary: delta-deals inquires about courier package pickup options in Canada for private eBay sales without having to go to a courier's office, emphasizing the need for low-cost, less frequent pickups. flipistics suggests hiring a local individual for pickup tasks, highlighting that most couriers require pre-paid and labeled packages. pjcdn2005 mentions that couriers typically require online label printing before pickup and expresses concerns about leaving packages unsecured outside. reallynicestamps points out potential delays in shipping from Canada compared to the USA and suggests that a reliable local person could handle shipping tasks, but notes this might be costly.
Does anyone have experience with courier package pickup options for sellers in Canada?
I'd like to package and address small items sold on eBay, then have a courier pick up the package from a plastic tote box outside my front door, weigh it, notify me of cost by e-mail, then bill credit card or prepaid balance after getting my ok, then ship it instead of me driving to the courier's office and standing in line to mail the package. Ideally, the courier could keep pickup costs low by waiting a few days if necessary until they have other pickups and deliveries in the same area.
Canada Post does pickups - but only if the seller is a registered business. I'm looking for a way to get occasional package pickups for private individuals at a reasonable cost.
Any suggestions and discussions of experiences appreciated.
reallynicestamps
·3 years agowaiting a few days if necessary
This could be the problem.
Shipping from Canada and even withinCanada is nowhere near as speedy as the USA.
I've taken to using the Economy International Shipping option at 15-23 days just to hold off impatient American buyers who will email about delivery four days after shipping.
And I read a dotCOM thread this week from a seller with a buyer who was annoyed that he did not receive his purchase less than 24 hours after purchase.
For the rest.
I am old and cranky.
pjcdn2005
·3 years agoI rarely use a courier but if they do pickup you woukd probably be required to print the label online before they pick up.
I've had parcels left on our doorstep without a problem but I doubt that I would be comfortable leaving an unsecured tote of packages outside.
flipistics
·3 years agoAs far as I know, any courier that does pickups requires you to already have the labels paid for and attached.
If you're dead set on a solution that meets those requirements, I'd suggest maybe finding a local kid or neighbour that wants a little extra money (and is honest and trustworthy) and hiring them to do the legwork.