"Rural" shipping with eBay labels.
Summary: lotzofuniquegoodies shared details on shipping costs for various Canadian destinations using eBay labels, noting discrepancies in discounts based on location. The discussion highlighted how remote areas often incur higher expenses and inconsistencies in discount applications. reallynicestamps mentioned potential factors like flight routes affecting mail routing. flipistics explained varying rural surcharges from Canada Post, which now considers both source and destination in pricing. Participants shared personal experiences with shipping costs to rural areas and the impact of Canada Post's pricing structure.
Just had a sale to Tumbler Ridge BC (from Calgary). 929 km as the crow flies. Shipping via expedited 28.18 - 19% discount. Not small change.
Same parcel within Calgary, AB (Under 20 km) 11.80 36 % discount
Same parcel to Edmonton AB 300 km 12.17 38% discount - Unsure why the discount for Edm vs Calgary would be higher but that is what was displayed.
Same parcel to Winnipeg, Mb 1332 km. 15.14 30% discount
Same parcel going to hmmm lets say St Thomas Ont. 3636 km (Canadian Route) 22.84 - 35 % discount.
Same parcel going to Montreal, QC 3611 km. 20.84 32 %
Just something to consider when using flat rates vs calculated shipping. eBay labels rates DEFINITELY are not as discounted for anything NOW considered off the eBay / CP beaten track and applied discount DOES vary depending on the WHERE TO and probably even WHERE FROM. Even worse if item is going to anything using an air stage office. This structure means more fees for sellers located in rural-ish locations and higher shipping for anything that falls in this exception area. Rural Canada is approx. 55% of Canadian addresses.
Discounts/rates got even wonkier when you compare UPS in Canada so not going there, totally
UPS to Tumbler Ridge would be 104 and change with a 64% discount.
flipistics
·2 weeks agoThe discounts have varied depending on destination for a long time now. One issue (for me at least) is that Canada Post now gives a "rural" penalty to both the source and destination. In the past only the destination and distance was considered. It's considerably more expensive for me to send a package to the next town over (about 20km away and the next stop for the postal truck) than it is for me to send the same package to Toronto or Ottawa.
As for rural areas that aren't (too) far away, ICS is usually a great option. It's slow so I don't use it for items going a long way, and the tracking doesn't update in eBay so I wouldn't send higher value items that way, but it's a great option for lower cost items going to closeish northern communities. CanPar is also (usually) a decent option, especially for heavier items, although apparently not for Tumbler Ridge where both ICS and CanPar levy rare, hefty remote surcharges.
Here's an example of various companies and services for a 12x10x8 box (32x27x22cm) weighing 5kg going from northern Ontario to a residential address in Tumbler Ridge, tax included. Interestingly, this is one of the weird destinations where Purolator does really well.
CP (eBay Labels) : $46.66
CP (Shipping Chimp): $63.56 (one of the few times they aren't cheaper!)
CP (EasyShip): $46.66
Purolator (EasyShip): $45.64
Purolator (Click Ship): $33.13
ICS (Click Ship): $49.34
CP (NetParcel): $46.66
Purolator (NetParcel): $40.36
ICS (NetParcel): $46.02
lotzofuniquegoodies
OP2 weeks ago@flipistics
Yes, I was aware that kicked in a little while ago. I believe there was some kind of mini announcement on the subject with limited fanfare. It's a variation of surge pricing where some areas are basically penalized due to their lower volumes of postage. At 1 time mail to those places was subsidized by the Canadian gov.
This is what comes up in a google search on the topic.
Canada Post is legally mandated by its universal service obligation to provide uniform, affordable mail delivery to all Canadian addresses—including remote and rural locations—without direct operational subsidies, though the federal government has provided billions in recent short-term loans and repayable financial relief to keep the insolvent Crown corporation solvent.
In the early 80ies when I worked in MB i shipped to all the reserves in both MB and NWT (now it would be mostly Nunavut). Approx rate at that time was 1.75 for 500 grams. Basically same rate to Brandon or a reserve (at the time). Later in the 80ies they phased in the postal code based rates.
I believe in our eBay world this situation was part of a specific negotiated discount between CP and eBay which came with limited reasoning for the move. Basically penalizes someone for being off the beaten track. My comparisons proves that point.
If you check a shipment going to the eis hub vs a regular shipment in Canada there are 2 discounts in play. eIS has a slightly better discount. (Each location has its own account number.)
lotzofuniquegoodies
OP1 week ago · Edited@sapphyres-designer-jewellery
New test done comparing ebay label rates.
eBay has the same rates in play for expedited lite. Tested with Toronto addresses.
To hub and just out of Toronto 9.60 for both from Calgary. 100 grams
Same parcels via Expedited 12.42 to hub. Parcel to outside of Toronto 19.19
Seems a bit hinky!?!?!
Token standard disclaimer: There can be a small amount of variance in final pricing depending on when label was created and actually charged due to fuel surcharge changes and then tax applied.
palmerstonpicks
·2 weeks agoHas anyone implemented a rural surcharge (I think that's what it's called) in Business Policies? I turned that on about a year ago to add $10 to 'rural' addresses. I've had it added to maybe 2 or 3 orders since. Would love to see what Canada Post / Ebay considers rural, I would suggest anything that costs $25 for a t shirt is rural :)
flipistics
·2 weeks agoeBay actually publishes what they consider to be rural. You can find it under the "What are shipping rate tables?" section (click on the underlined postal code link) at https://www.ebay.ca/sellercentre/shipping/shipping-rate-tables
lotzofuniquegoodies
OP2 weeks ago@flipistics
Thanks but no thanks. That to my mind when it was released as a concept was a dumpster fire as soon as I tested. With my assortment of products just not worth the effort. eBay would be better off re-applying the check box for comparing discount on with discount off using the ebay calculator tool.
flipistics
·2 weeks ago@lotzofuniquegoodies The link I posted was for how to find eBay's list of what they consider to be rural postal codes. For some reason they have it buried in the help section for rate tables.
sapphyres-designer-jewellery
·2 weeks agoI had one to go to Saskatchewan that was $30 by expedited, but eBay's expedited lite gave me a quote of $13.36. It wasn't great considering what shipping I charged, but I don't have large numbers of rural buyers. I just get hit hard with rural Saskatchewan, BC or most of Newfoundland.
hansatrade
·2 weeks ago · EditedRemote Canadian destinations may be very expensive. I paid $35 to northern BC, and $45 to northern Nunavut. Both packages around 150-200 grams ;-(
reallynicestamps
·2 weeks agoIf you wanted a rabbit hole, you could look at airlines flying into Calgary vs Edmonton. I think there are fewer direct flights.
Does the mail from Tumbler Ridge go first to Richmond or to Winnipeg?
lotzofuniquegoodies
OP2 weeks ago@reallynicestamps
From past experience items from Calgary going to N. BC items get routed through Edmonton and then get on their way. Anything going to the island can either be super fast or extremely slow. Interior of BC (north of Kamloops area is definitely considered beyond with higher charges- Highway 97 N or 5N) goes by way of Richmond and then back to Kamloops and up.
Several years ago had to book a flight for a family member in Wpg. Route was Wpg, Edm, Calgary. Reversed on the way back. Yes you could get a direct flight but at the time it was more expensive.
For other intriguing past rabbit hole look ups. Calgary to Golden/Kelowna goes by way of Kamloops and back. On occasion I have seen them meander there way to Richmond and then return to their final resting place.
Calgary to Sudbury/ Sault Ste Marie go by way of Toronto and back.
marnotom!
·2 weeks ago · EditedHow does "Kamloops and back" work for Kelowna? Kamloops is more or less on the way to Kelowna from Calgary.
lotzofuniquegoodies
OP2 weeks agoKamloops/Richmond would both be backtracking. You get to Sicamous and straight south.
Highlighting on left is Kamloops. For Golden you would be driving right past.
marnotom!
·2 weeks ago · EditedMaybe it's because it's late, but I'm even more confused by this explanation. Just tell me where you're shipping to from Calgary and the location where the item ends up going first. Please don't use forward slashes; I don't know what they mean in this context.
john_koenig99
·2 weeks ago · EditedThe "/" symbol indicates, in this case, "or".