Who has their store open during the strike?
Summary: lotzofuniquegoodies shared their experiences with shipping challenges during a postal strike, noting that a previous strike led to many item not received claims despite a few understanding customers. They discussed current sales strategies, expressing a preference to keep selling within Canada and internationally, with plans to ship once the strike resolves. Concerns were raised about eBay's handling of shipping options, with hopes for better communication about the strike's impact on buyers.
So during the last CP strike I kept my store open and had over 30 sales to the US and Canada. A couple people cancelled but most were understanding. After the strike I mailed out 31 items and ended up with 14 item not received claims. One buyer, bless his soul, returned an item back to me that he finally received weeks later.
Fast forward to today, I no longer ship to the US but my Cdn sales have been pretty good. So far 7 sales with one cancellation after I emailed the buyer to inform him of the strike and delayed shipping times. It seems that most people don't even know there is a strike. You'd think it would be front page news on the CBC but you have to look hard to find any updates.
What is your gameplan on pausing sales or keeping your sales active?
dinomitesales
·1 year agoMy store is open, but sales are abysmal. I switched everything over to UPS domestically and excluded the USA because I don't want to ship there without Canada Post (I don't have affordable access to a cross-border shipper).
I removed all (non-US) international options but still set my shipping policy to "ships worldwide" with the thinking that if someone was interested in an item they would just contact me for a shipping quote and I could see what the options are through NetParcel or whatever. It even says that in the Shipping section on my listings when viewed by someone in a different country: "Read item description or contact seller for shipping options."
This doesn't seem to be working as I intended though - I think people are just seeing no shipping options and thinking it's free shipping? lol. Someone from Australia bought one of my items. Obviously didn't pay because I had no shipping costs specified to Australia, and didn't send me any messages to ask about shipping costs. I messaged them and told them it would be $50 to mail the mug they bought and they (understandably) agreed to cancel the sale.
Another person from Spain bought a CD. Surprisingly they were actually fine with paying the $33 UPS was quoting me through NetParcel. I sent them an invoice and they paid it. But now I'm running into issues because I'm trying to be honest/upfront and explain to them that there may be additional brokerage fees owing upon delivery, and I think they're confused with the language barrier. I don't think there will be any additional fees since I've attached the IOSS number to the shipment?, but I got scared when checking out on NetParcel and seeing this message before hitting the "buy label" button lol.
The shipment is already a day late because the customer asked me to hold it while he inquired at his local UPS as to what to expect (at least I think that's what he's saying - the automatic translations in eBay messages aren't the greatest so I've been using ChatGPT to give me a better idea of the meaning of the buyer's messages), but I wouldn't be surprised if this sale also ends in a cancellation.
sapphyres-designer-jewellery
·1 year agoI ship to the US during Stallion and just increased shipping costs on a lot of small items that normally would have shipped with Canada Post (no one will buy them with the high shipping, but it's easier than trying to manage listings and end stuff, etc).
I'm sorry to hear about your 14 INRs, that's terrible. I remember you telling us after the last strike this happened. I had just returned home from Japan and was open 2 days before the strike, then shut everything down. (So not many sales happened in those two days, but the buyers were understanding and did not file INRs).
This time I've increased shipping costs for Canada to be able to send items with Intelcom courier through Stallion. If I get a bad one, like Powell River, BC (where cheap shipping right now is $30 according to the postal calculator on Stallion), I'm going to tell the buyer I need to wait for the strike to be over. For the small items that normally ship in an envelope with a stamp (like single stamps, $3 banknotes, etc), I did not activate Canada shipping on those. No one will want to pay the rates, and if the rate happens to be a couple of dollars higher than predicted it will cost me too much on little items to ship them. (At least if I sell a $20 coin and take a $2 hit with Intelcom, I can survive that).
C.
golfing_in_style
·1 year agoWe are open but very few sales. Only shipping within Canada.No point shipping to the US..Customer in Texas bought 2 golf shirts a few weeks ago for $40.00 C and by the time they reached him in Dallas the total cost was $125.00 USD.
Sold a headcover to a customer in Quebec which generally cost $8.00 Canadian to ship. UPS wanted $32.00.. Been on here for 23 years.Stopped shipping to the US and scared to ship to fellow Canadians during the strike.
Didnt see this coming...now my wife expects me to cut the grass ,paint the living room and help out with the laundry. She says we have more bonding time LOL
easoss
·1 year agoPersonally I closed my store subscription (after 8 years) and no longer sell on eBay. I may go back at sometime but I'm taking a break. Just too stressful at the moment. Besides my local marketplace is doing great. 5 sales today for over $100. This is on a Wednesday. And the weekends are crazy busy.
My worry is that when CUSMA is torn up Trump will want some sort of tariff/duty on everything entering the US regardless of where it's made. He's back on the 51st state junk again. I want to be optimistic but it's hard to do.
sarahsales88
·1 year agoHoly mackerel, there, fellow Canadians. Is the sky falling, eh? As sure as the world is flat!. Don't worry, be happy. We've been HERE before eh? This time just seems more radical, impossible. 🎶
sapphyres-designer-jewellery
·1 year agoI'm using tent poles to hold up the sky over my eBay business so it's not falling, just sagging significantly.
C.
john_koenig99
·1 year agoYeah, open for "business" (cue the crickets sound).
No US buyers allowed, so if anything gets sold in Canada or overseas, I'd ship it via ChitChats.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·1 year ago@visual-sound
@devon@ebay
Just would like to know what it would take for eBay to do a dead stop for buyers (if you are still selling) to shut off from paying for CP options? They were turned off for sellers right after the strike being announced. CP is basically DOA (not available) until strike IS resolved. IF a seller does not have additional options turned on, then the default should be buyers contact seller to make alternate arrangements. Not ALL buyers will be good with additional costs for shipping.
The choices would be an alternate method or wait until strike has been resolved and seller ships with CP. Also extremely important to consider that ALL Canadian sellers may NOT have alternate methods available to them. Plus couriers are unable to deliver to PO boxes which CP can handle.
PS. My plan is to try to continue selling Canada/Intl) with the intention of shipping when strike is resolved. eBay has made this very challenging with their -+ defaults.
chicweb
·1 year ago@lotzofuniquegoodies Since we have limited Calculated shipping options, This would completely break my current strategy for international shipping.
We can use Canada Post to calculate shipping that will work with other carriers (1 or 2$ of difference only sometime. Often, the shipping is higher and we can refund, specifically for international orders).
I would be very angry if eBay removed the already low options we currently have for automatic calculation of shipping on ebay canada.
What we need is more Calculated shipping options, not less. 😉
Why don't we have Purolator available when Shopify quickly integrated it after the strike started ?
lotzofuniquegoodies
·1 year ago@chicweb
Unsure what the best fix is. I just know there needs to be a better fix than what we have now. I had a sale yesterday to Spain. The extended handling was applied correct. Buyer paid for Intl tracked with CP. When you go into the create a label page the option is there to ship with UPS but at substantially more than what buyer paid.
That was my big concern. That eBay with each strike is letting buyers pay for CP even tho it is deactived for sellers. Not to remove it as an option. The buyer would need to clarify with seller what will work best under the circumstances.
As for shipping choices there definitely needs to be a better way with more options. Even the possibility to offer both calculated and flat rate at a sellers discretion. Example. Prepaid boxes. Great for across Canada. Bad choice for across town. The buyer would see the best option depending on their postal code. What eBay depends to forget is any available options vary depend on the size of item and limitations of the service. It's not a 1 size fits all when sellers sell items of ALL different sizes. Even prepaid box options will not work for every item a seller has.
I highly recommend checking the US calculator for shipping options available to US sellers. Substantially more. Same goes for applying discounts under seller preferences. Com you can select UPS/USPS/Fedex individually. Canada its all or none.
https://www.ebay.com/shp/calc/rates
chicweb
·1 year agoThere's other carriers that will ship to international less expensive than Canada Post.
You can ship consolidated to Chit Chat by puro (7$ for me) and their partner will ship international. All this with tracking for less than Canada Post International Tracked in many cases.
I ship with them to the USA. Even with the 7$ puro, its about the same as UPS United States (without the brokeage fees they charge to customers).
The solutions I see are more calculated shipping options and being able to mix Calculated and flat fees for international... That would already help a lot. I agree with you on that.
I'm sure Purolator would work with eBay for special pricings... Specifically in the current situation. Would help for national shipping.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·1 year ago@chicweb
@john_koenig99
In my situation (sale to Spain) buyer paid approx 15.00 for shipping with CP. In checking available options for a label the only options to Spain are with CP. Unfortunately eBay negotiated limited options for intl shipping when they chose to do so for Canadian sellers. UPS will pick up in Calgary but it is next day only. Fedex can be dropped off at their main depots or at Staples outlets. Chit Chats is NOT convenient in my situation. Also very limited for many Canadian sellers. As for purolator etc it would work if we were able to use a group negotiated discount or if you were a VERY high volume seller with 20 pkgs or more per day. Not everyone falls in that boat. Under the current circumstances I feel very sorry for anyone that is in either a non metro or rural area because their hands are completely tied when it comes to an alternate plan. In small towns, etc CP is the only game in town. In some towns they don't even have daily service.
FYI. Calgary to Belleville ON. 1 Kg parcel. Counter rate. Shipping by Puro Ground 84.65. Most economical choice. Pretty sure with that option I wouldn't have many buyers flying to my listings.
mrdutch1001
·1 year agoFor within Canada shipments, Purolator also has 3 sizes of flat rate boxes, similar but not same sizes or prices as CP but doable just the same...
lotzofuniquegoodies
·1 year ago@mrdutch1001
The flat rate boxes are a great idea. But 2 things need to be in play. Your item has to fit safely and the distance it is going to must warrant it. Purolator does have offices in Calgary but not super convenient for Joe and Judy Schmo. The small CP boxes were excellent in many cases until they increased the prices. I have several of the 3 smaller sizes around all collecting dust. I even have a lot of the small Xpresspost envelops (national) doing the same.
As a side I believe CP is still delivering gov cheques and live animals.
chicweb
·1 year agoI know that some places in Canada are more expensive to ship in using Puro. That's unfortunate.
You are showing the standard puro rate. You should try on Chit Chat website just to check. They have a special deal. In the Dashboard, they have an option to calculate it.
But I guess it would be too expensive still. Maybe just a bit less.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·1 year agoChit Chat is not a viable option where I am located in Calgary. Any savings would be lost just getting parcels there.
sapphyres-designer-jewellery
·1 year agoStallion is doing Purolator, I did a 100g package last night from Waterloo to St Catharines for $20 (that includes $4.50 of insurance, I insure anything that will cost me too much of it gets lost).
C.
mrdutch1001
·1 year agoI do not have an eBay store, and I no longer ship anything to the USA...but I do have items listed for which I have extended the handling time as I did with previous CP strike, and I can opt for shipping with Purolator(as I did for previous CP strike), should any currently listed item sell...Now having said that, to be honest, I really am not expecting anything to sell before November...
rosscd57
·1 year agoJust plain Sad!
chicweb
·1 year agoI do not suggest offering shipping with lettermail if you can't ship them at the same price in a timely matter. Offering something and not being able to provide it is not good at all in my opinion. But, if you are using Canada Post tracked shipping, using UPS is only a few bucks more in many cases.
I switched all my shipping to UPS within Canada and uses Chit Chat to send to the States (I still use UPS Calculated shipping for this). I'm lucky enough that my products are exempt of tariffs (medias/informational/books).
For International, I still use Canada Post International Tracked for the calculation and use Chit Chat too.
Of course, a big part of my inventory is not selling well (low priced DVD/CD), but trying to put in place some discounts and promotions. People need to start buying combined to save on shipping. But, on eBay, customers are used to buy single items only.
That's a problem. But I still have sales for higher priced items.
videotimeplus
·1 year agoStore is still open but no sales because UPS is ridiculously expensive compared to what CP was