eBay

dreamcoll · ‎09-22-2006

I'm fortunate that I live on the border of Michigan & Ontario. I have a PO box in Michigan where I have my purchases sent.

I purchased an item from a Canadian seller & was shocked at the shipping charges, when I received my invoice. It's more than double what it would cost to mail from anywhere in the US to my PO box. How do you compete with US sellers? Do you get a lot of complaints from US buyers regarding the shipping expense?

futuretech_liquidations · ‎09-22-2006

Well, EBAY is cracking down on excessive shipping charges being charged by some sellers.

Today we have one of our items REMOVED because in their eyes they considered our shipping charge of US$20 excessive -- what they did not factor in is that we ship everything via EXPEDITED service which costs more that regular mail service.

whoscloset · ‎09-23-2006

How do you compete with US sellers? Do you get a lot of complaints from US buyers regarding the shipping expense?

I don't sell small, light items. You just can't compete with US sellers on shipping those. I ship exclusively via UPS Ground. I have a contract with them and pay less to ship on most items than it would cost to ship them via Canada Post Expedited.
Monique

Himalayan Salt Lamps - A Guide to Purchasing

Monique

petersburg · ‎09-24-2006

I ship almost all from the USA....does anyone actually use Canada post?

dreamcoll · ‎09-24-2006

petersburg..I think the majority of Canadian sellers don't have the option of going to the US to mail.

I emailed the seller on Friday to ask if the price quoted was to my US PO Box or to my Canadian address. Still haven't heard back from him.

gifts_of_elegance · ‎10-03-2006

I live on Ontario/Michigan border too and I have a post office box in Michigan as well as a UPS Store address. The UPS Store is much more expensive but they accept shipments from all carriers and I can unpack everything right in the store. Its also a confirmed physical address. I have saved thousands of dollars by having my items shipped there.

When I sold small priced items, I was able to take everything over to USA to ship. I was truly spoiled. Now, I can't because lot of my items are over $200. I loose a bit on shipping to stay competitive but my biggest problem is that I sell fragile items and Canada Post does not ccver breakage of glass. I am also dreading the Christmas season. Last year it took 3 weeks to 4 months for my items to cross the border.

dreamcoll · ‎10-03-2006

Why can't you take an item worth more than $200. over the border to ship? I do. I believe the limit is $2000 per trip and you're allowed to make more than one trip in a day. If you had $4000 in sales, you'd break it up into $2000 each trip. I should be so lucky. LOL

whoscloset · ‎10-04-2006

Why can't you take an item worth more than $200. over the border to ship?

Americans are allowed to personally import up to $200.00 per day without customs fees. If an item is valued at more than US$200.00, it must go through a broker and customs fees are charged. The U.S. Customs Officers will not allow you to just bring these items across without paying the required duty.
Monique

Himalayan Salt Lamps - A Guide to Purchasing

Monique

dreamcoll · ‎10-04-2006

That's news to me. I do have to fill out a manifest for each item I'm taking over to mail but have never been told I needed a broker for anything over $200.

Do you pay a $5.00 fee to customs when you go over to mail or do you have the yearly sticker?

gifts_of_elegance · ‎10-05-2006

dreamcoll: Its exactly like whoscloset said. Americans can only import items up to $200 without duty and that is the reason given by USA Customs officials. I have a transponder on my car (newer version of a decal), I have prepaired all the necessary documentation. Believe me, for almost six months I did everything possible to please them. I deal mostly in Swarovski crystal (almost all over $200) and jewelry made in Austria and Austria is not on their list of "priviledged" countries. Also, I think they don't want to take the chance of letting some jewelry through that might be made of precious metals and gemstones, masked as "Swarovski". They gave me two choices: 1) Hire a broker 2) Pay duty on all the items. I bit the bullet and I now ship with Canada Post.

gloriaguides · ‎10-13-2006

I sell things that are hard to find anywhere else--rare books or huge sets of books. I get an occasional "postage police" email from other (US) ebayers occasionally, but they back off when I tell them they should read the auction first (so they'd know I was in Canada) then block 'em (they make me mad, illiterates!). And, I've been selling to more and more Canadians who find the exchange rate less prohibitive. I do get less than my sister in IN when we sell identical items, but I'm still making money... I have to live with my situation, both the good and the bad aspects. And, from NS there is no possible way I'm mailing in the USA. MAine is 6 hours away! Gloria

dreamcoll · ‎10-17-2006

Well, I received my item this morning. The seller charged me $15.50 US to ship & the actual cost was $8.80 Cdn. Guess I won't be buying from him anymore.

javax.swing · ‎11-04-2006

With as much feedback as you have, you should be well aware that shipping costs on eBay are inflated. I don't find your numerical example in post 11 shocking at all. This is the NORM, not some whacky exception.

dreamcoll · ‎11-04-2006

You think inflated shipping costs are the NORM?? I do see highly inflated shipping charges when looking at auctions but I don't bid on those. I also see many more with reasonable shipping.

For the most part, I have only ever paid a $1.00 or $2.00 handling charge, which I have no objection to. The auction I was talking about in this thread was double the actual shipping cost. It's the first time I've been burned on shipping & it taught me a good lesson.

snoopwiz · ‎11-06-2006

As sellers, it is up to us to be in tune with "actual" shipping costs. I don't really think that another seller can "rip you off" in that sense. I only think that you can allow yourself to be ripped off. We have a buying I.D and with everything we are considering bidding on, we carefully scrutinize the seller's quoted shipping charges. If not listed, we ask through ASQ. If they don't respond, its simple, we don't buy. If we feel their quote is excessive, we will email them again and mention that to them. They can do one of 3 things. They can lower it, lose me as a potential customer or, as some have done previously, told us to go pound sand.

javax.swing · ‎11-12-2006

Who cares what the actual cost is. You bid and you agreed to the cost therein. The actual cost is irrelevant. And don't even start with the notion of getting "burned" on shipping - you agreed to it didn't you?

dreamcoll · ‎11-12-2006

javax..who cares what the actual shipping was?? I do & I'm sure many buyers do.

The seller didn't have the shipping costs listed in his auction. I emailed for a quote before bidding but didn't get a reply so I went ahead & bid anyway, never expecting he'd double the shipping. As I said, I learned a good lesson.

funkywatch_com · ‎11-13-2006

Indeed. When you bid without getting the shipping quote first, that is an open door for abusive shipping costs.

map.prof · ‎11-16-2006

WHOSCLOSET: How did you negotiate your contract with UPS? We set up an account several weeks ago with them but have found them quite expensive even in shipping their Standard route.

The Niagara Region Selling Group has a great thread on setting up a post office in the U.S. if anyone cares to read it.