US $$ V.S. CAD $$

[gordon_104]

With the exchange rate gap in the dollar these days, it's almost impossable for Canadians to buy from sellers that use US $$$ in thier auctions. It's sad, but until the gap closes somewhat, this will hurt alot of sellers.

 I believe, for more successful auctions, Canadians should post thier auctions in CAD.

A tip for US sellers, ...............you should not use the Global Shipping System because that adds a huge $$$ to the grand total and makes most items way more costly than the item is worth.

Most of these items, if they were shipped via USPS would not have duty added automatically and most often never.

I belong to a collector club and everyone in the club (100+ members) have agreed to not support any sellers using the Global Shipping System.

It all boils down to $$$ and sense.

Happy e-bay-ing everyone.

[femmefan1946]

If you use eBay Canada to Search, you will see the prices in both the listing currency (USD, sterling, euros) and in Canadian loonies.

For Canadian sellers, it is advantageous to sell in US dollars. Most of us ship internationally, not just to Canada, and while our overseas customers understand listings in US dollars, our American customers understand nothing else.

A tip for US sellers, ..............

This would be best posted on the US seller Board at eBaydot COM. American buyers rarely come here, and American sellers are even more scarce.

Good to hear that your collecting group are boycotting the GSP. Unfortunately many new sellers were defaulted into the program and are shocked a year or so later when they get a foreign sale.

[pierrelebel]

You are correct.  Many Canadian sellers would benefit from listing in Canadian dollars.

Last year eBay-Canada conducted a survey and advised Canadian sellers that they would benefit by listing in Canadian dollars in most categories (except auto parts).

Take a look at the message to Canadian sellers from eBay:

http://announcements.ebay.ca/2015/08/27/7703/

Unfortunately it appears that the majority of Canadian sellers prefer to list in US$. 

And life does go on.

[dolls-r-me]

I sell to both Canada and the USA, and to be quite frank, I would love the list in CAD but my US buyers will not pay for paypal's currency exchange fees and get timid about buying in another currency, and since most of my buyers are from the US, I have to list in USD or else I don't get any sales...I have been offering free shipping at my expense to other Canadians to help

ps:  the 'study' that Ebay did, was done before our dollar tanked, so I don't believe the same results would occur now...US buyers want to pay in US dollars....and Canadian prefer CAD...but most buyers are from the USA, and that is the sad truth of it

[lady.stark]

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@dolls-r-me wrote:

ps:  the 'study' that Ebay did, was done before our dollar tanked, so I don't believe the same results would occur now...US buyers want to pay in US dollars....and Canadian prefer CAD...but most buyers are from the USA, and that is the sad truth of it

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I personally think the study was made during the same period our dollar tanked (not before), and that is why eBay thought listing in CAD $ would help sales. If it would have been done *before* the dollar tanked - when it was on par with US $ for example - it would have changed everything and the results would have been completely different. IMHO of course.

I tried listing a third of my items is CAD for an entire month. I made no sales at all on these items, so I changed them back to US $ when they were relisted. I agree that only one month is not very long, but it was just enough for me. No listing in CAD anymore. I do offer free shipping to every Canadian buyer though.

[pierrelebel]

I took your message to eBay-Canada on the Wednesday session.

Here is the reply from eBay,ca:

"Yes, those sellers are probably correct that the study would show different results if conducted now. However, based on our math, which was calculated at a time when the Canadian dollar was already in decline (contrary to what the seller in your quote is saying), the new results would show even more benefit to Canadian sellers who list in CAD because their items look even more attractive to US buyers now that our dollar has sunk even lower."

[craftycanadianarts]

I have always listed in CAD$.....The Us buyers see the US$ amount and with the difference my items are even cheaper for hand made items.  And with the fact it is allays cheaper to ship too the US it makes it even more attractive. 

[psychoticcomics]

In regards to the shipping I have begun to convert all my listings to ship free to fellow Canadians and charge a flat rate for my US customers. This seems to be a good way to get around the Gouging Shipping Program. As for the selling currency I really have not seen a huge sales difference in using either. To me if someone really wants the item you are selling they are going to buy it.

[femmefan1946]

I list in US dollars -- because I sell worldwide and many of my overseas customers seem to find me through dotCOM.

The whole world understands the US dollar.

But I offer Free Shipping to both Canada and the USA on anything that I can ship letter rate (up to 500 grams and 2cm thick). This just means putting $0.00 as the shipping rate for the USA.

I do have a flat rate for overseas customers based on weight.

But if the purchase must go parcel , which includes rates for  regional, dimensional and weight differences, I go with Calculated Shipping for all.

[marnotom!]

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@gordon_104 wrote:

With the exchange rate gap in the dollar these days, it's almost impossable for Canadians to buy from sellers that use US $$$ in thier auctions. It's sad, but until the gap closes somewhat, this will hurt alot of sellers.

 I believe, for more successful auctions, Canadians should post thier auctions in CAD.

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I'm not sure I'm completely following your reasoning here.  Are you suggesting a Canadian seller would have more success listing an item at C$10.00 instead of at US$7.00?

[pierrelebel]

"Are you suggesting a Canadian seller would have more success listing an item at C$10.00 instead of at US$7.00?"

This is what eBay-Canada suggested very clearly six months ago following a study telling them that most Canadian sellers (except for auto parts) would generally be better off selling in Cdn$ than (equivalent) US$.

http://announcements.ebay.ca/2015/08/27/7703/

Their message is worth a careful reading.

[marnotom!]

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@pierrelebel wrote:

"Are you suggesting a Canadian seller would have more success listing an item at C$10.00 instead of at US$7.00?"

This is what eBay-Canada suggested very clearly six months ago following a study telling them that most Canadian sellers (except for auto parts) would generally be better off selling in Cdn$ than (equivalent) US$.

http://announcements.ebay.ca/2015/08/27/7703/

Their message is worth a careful reading.

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Interesting.  I recently won an auction for an electronics item for considerably below the "trending" price and I think the fact that it was conducted in Canadian dollars was one of the reasons for this.  Of course, I appreciate that my experience isn't necessarily indicative of any sort of trend.

[hlmacdon]

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@dolls-r-me wrote:

I sell to both Canada and the USA, and to be quite frank, I would love the list in CAD but my US buyers will not pay for paypal's currency exchange fees and get timid about buying in another currency, and since most of my buyers are from the US, I have to list in USD or else I don't get any sales...I have been offering free shipping at my expense to other Canadians to help

ps:  the 'study' that Ebay did, was done before our dollar tanked, so I don't believe the same results would occur now...US buyers want to pay in US dollars....and Canadian prefer CAD...but most buyers are from the USA, and that is the sad truth of it

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You are absolutely right here. Even directing US customers to .CA is enough to kill many potential sales as they assume they will have to pay in CAD. US buyers are used to buying on ebay.com, which is obviously USD centric.Assuming a seller hedges his pricing and updates for FX swings where they can, then the real determining factor of which currency to use is going to be where the majority of their customer base is located. 

This is more of a question of price maintenance and target market which will vary from seller to seller, while ebay is naturally only concerned about a seller displaying the lowest possible price and conversion rates. For sellers who don't have the time to regularly maintain their pricing and who are primarily selling to Canadians, selling on a fixed margin basis with CAD pricing on CAD sourced inventory would be a better fit. The real issue is we don't have a proper multicurrency system in place here.

[femmefan1946]

enough to kill many potential sales as they assume they will have to pay in CAD.

A interesting suggestion. I hadn't thought of that, but given the provincialism of the US population, who still think Hawai'i is a town in Kenya, I'm glad I mostly list in US dollars.

[hlmacdon]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

enough to kill many potential sales as they assume they will have to pay in CAD.

A interesting suggestion. I hadn't thought of that, but given the provincialism of the US population, who still think Hawai'i is a town in Kenya, I'm glad I mostly list in US dollars.

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I list only in USD, however the moment I mention Ebay Canada when explaining the work around to enable the add to cart, a large portion of customers object or ask for clarification if they will have to pay in Canadian dollars. As sellers we often assume everyone is a savvy international shopper, but many buyers prefer familiarity, which is understandable when they live in a large market able to address most of their needs/wants. That is sort of the problem, even when you have the correct information listed or the buyer can find the answer by looking, that lack of familiarity becomes a mental block and they won't even look or seek further details.

[musicyouneed]

Hi, I am a Canadian seller that lists in US $.  The reason is that about 70% of my customers are from the US, 10% are international and 20% are Canadian.    In the US the population is 319 Million people and Canada is about 36 Million.   The seller has to gear their items to who their customers are.   My prices are also lower as I have to compete with the US sellers who don't pay as much for shipping and envelopes, etc.  

Today for instance, I sent off 6 parcels, 4 to the US, 1 to Germany and 1 to Canada.  

I love the Canadians but even when the money was at par they still didn't buy a lot, not to justify listing in Canadian $.  Even when our Canadian dollar was higher, I still listed in US $.   

[maximus7001]

We tried listing everything in Canadian $ for a month. Sales ground to a halt, down 85%. Switched back to US the next month and sales went back to normal.

Great advise ebay......

[retroman_studios]

I sell only within Canada, so I have always stuck with listings in CDN dollars. I did try a few listings with US, but very poor traction. 

In the end, it depends who your target market is. If you are like me and you limit your selling to Canada only, it makes sense to list in CDN and attract your fellow Canucks fans to buy from you. If you sell mostly to the US, stay with USD.

[paccoin]

Have to ask ...do you work for EBay?  What a silly comment...... As a coin dealer or a stamp dealer  all the catalogues are listed in USD ie Scott , Krause etc. Most of the stuff is sold in the USA  and that is the only currency they understand.  To list in Canadian Pesos on .ca is plain bad business.

[pierrelebel]

"Have to ask ...do you work for EBay? "

That question has been asked and answered before:  NO.

eBay's employees must identify themselves when posting by the blue border around their post (it used to be pink and eBay employees posting were referred as "pinks" in the good old days.

Having reached 70, I am retired and enjoy helping my fellows eBay members by answering their questions and inquiries and, at times, correcting misinformation and misunderstanding.

"To list in Canadian Pesos on .ca is plain bad business"

As a full time professional stamp dealer since 1987 (not a part-timer selling stamps around a full time job) I find your comment ill advised.  Many large and very successful Canadian stamp dealers sell exclusively in Cdn$ while others sell in both Cdn$ and US$ depending on the stamps being sold and the market where the products are advertised. 

To state as you do that this is "bad business" is insulting to those of us who have sold millions of dollars over the years in Cdn$.

If you take the time to check "stamps" listings on eBay - located in Canada - you will find listings in both currencies.