eBay

purse_of_the_legionary · ‎03-29-2008

Hi, I've just been told at post office by an employee (who was coming back from a Canada Post meeting about new shipping policies) that there are changes regarding customs declaration sticker for Small Packet, Expedited Parcel, Xpresspost, etc.

From now on, because it's being requested by customs :

1) Declaration sticker has to fit on top surface of package, no more "wrapping around" because your box is too small for Expedited Parcel sticker (example).

2) If you want your insurance to be valid, you have to write the addressee's phone number on declaration sticker.

This simply means that you will have to pay more to buy a larger box and of course to ship that larger box, in case sticker doesn't totally fit on top surface.

IN OTHER WORDS, EVEN IF YOU CAN FIT YOUR ITEM IN A SMALL BOX, IT IS NOT THE ITEM SIZE AND WEIGHT THAT TELL YOU SIZE OF MAILER/BOX. -> IT IS THE DECLARATION STICKER MEASUREMENTS THAT YOU ARE SHIPPING NOW !!

Result : I will remove Expedited Parcel and Xpresspost from items descriptions, and just keep Small Packets (because stickers are smaller). And unfortunately, I will have to predict that no auction ends over $100, actual limit of Small Packets insurance. I will also have to remove info concerning my FREE COMBINED SHIPPING offer. No more free combined order for me...

Solution : Canada Post should allow larger packages at same price than packages with a top surface smaller than customs declaration stickers !

ecbluestar · ‎03-29-2008

customs declaration stickers!

Do you mean shipping labels?

purse_of_the_legionary · ‎03-29-2008

I am french speaking, not sure of the english word... I mean the document you fill, explaining content and value, peeled and affixed on package at post office...

purse_of_the_legionary · ‎03-29-2008

Sorry, I used the word sticker, like in bumper sticker... 😉

bare_bright · ‎03-30-2008

just do your shipping at paypal with canadapost, all labels are the same size. it's a great system shipping through paypal and like myself I am a venture 1 client so you get up to 8% discount!

Also all the address etc is all pre filled saves a ton of time, I ship 10 to 20 avg. per day and if i had to do all this by hand I would never finish.

try it out, even my UPS account is linked there.

SUPER FAST, SUPER SAVINGS, OPTION OF WHICH FUNDS TO PAY WITH, EXCEPT UPS There paid with the credit you opened your Buss. with them

:)

T.J.

ecbluestar · ‎03-30-2008

shipping through paypal and like myself I am a venture 1 client so you get up to 8% discount!

I think all customers using PayPal, Canada Post shipping are getting 5% discount...

bare_bright · ‎03-30-2008

Well when i go to paypal and print my labels pretty sure it says up to 8% anyway I'll check it out the next time I print them, either way it's a great sevice and saves me alot of time

T.J.

ds2286 · ‎03-31-2008

You don't need to use bigger boxes for the labels. Stick your small box inside the Free ebay Canada Post poly bags. Doesn't add weight to your package and they are plenty big enough for any label.

eureka9988 · ‎03-31-2008

That is a very bright suggestion. Thanks very much!
Renee

weedsellit4u · ‎03-31-2008

ds2286,
Where do we get these Free eBay Canada Post poly bags?

Gehres

ds2286 · ‎03-31-2008

Hi, you get them on the Canada Post website. They are in the business shop - products and supplies. You have to register to shop. There is a section with ebay shipping supplies. There you can get the ebay pak (poly bags) and labelopes. They show a price, but when you check out they come up as $0.00. If you print your shipping labels online through CP or paypal you should use the labelopes too(they are free as well).

ds2286 · ‎03-31-2008

I was just checking? Maybe they are not free anymore. Not sure. Even so they are cheaper than buying bigger boxes.

weedsellit4u · ‎03-31-2008

Hi all,
They are not free. .20 Cents per envelope is way too pricey.
Most of my stuff goes in a 5-7/8 X 9-5/8 envelope that I get from staples at .08 cents each.

Gehres

recped · ‎03-31-2008

OP, most of your items are so light that even with a much bigger box you will still be well under the minimum wight charge for Expedited or Xpresspost.

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.

pepinski9 · ‎04-01-2008

eBay packs are no longer free. I was told this week too many people are taking advantage of the "free" envelopes. 20-cents each is ridiculous but CP rep told me it costs them even more than that to make them and they are willing to take a loss "to help us out".

Hopefully someday CP will get the drift and provide Flat-rate boxes and envelopes FOR FREE like USPS and UPS....

Even putting a small box inside a bigger envelope works fine for Small Packet but all other methods like shipping in Canada go by Volumic weight/size so any larger dimensions cost money per centimetre....which is what they want.

recped · ‎04-01-2008

Even putting a small box inside a bigger envelope works fine for Small Packet but all other methods like shipping in Canada go by Volumic weight/size so any larger dimensions cost money per centimetre....which is what they want.

Again, unless you are shipping lead weights....

The minimum charge for Expedited is 750 grams. Small items in a slightly bigger box is not too hard to keep under the minimum charge.

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.

jeffglobal · ‎04-01-2008

Does NOBODY at eBay communicate with Canada Post AT ALL on our concerns ?????????????????????????????????????????

How are ANY of these changes positive for sellers? Just another inconvenience -- any way to stick it to us they find. CP rates are absurdly higher vs. USPS -- I ship vintage VHS videos primarily. What costs me $8.50 costs my competitors south of the border under a buck for media mail (and can arrive faster within the USA!) Even faster services within the USA are under $3. To Canada from the USA is under $2 !!!!! That makes shipping to the USA (where the majority of my sales fall) almost 3 times as expensive than USA sellers have to charge. Nevermind the fact that there is no tracking # available (unless I want to pay almost $13 to ship to the USA -- if I only offered that service I'd never sell another video ever!) I already eat the packaging, fee's, and even the taxes (when shipping within Canada) to remain competitive. How are we supposed to remain positive when every bit of news we are fed about changes is so negative??

Where's the post that reads "Canada Post slashes postage rates in half! Ebay sellers rejoice!!" ??????

Can anybody suggest an alternative to CP to ship via with that is safe and more cost effective? Ebay fee's and changes aside, it's Canada Posts OUTRAGEOUS shipping fee's that are truly holding my business back from growing at a higher rate than it is (high for small business anyways). I'm done being held hostage by their rates and silly changes -- if shipping was fairly priced in comparison to USPS rates, wouldn't everybody's sales be better off?

Your thoughts?

dipmicro · ‎04-01-2008

Nevermind the fact that there is no tracking #

jeffglobal, USPS sells service with tracking for $2-$3 ? The cheapest service with tracking from CP is $6.50 and tha't when I want to send the parcel to myself.