eBay

thebidwatcher · ‎09-13-2003

Over the past year, I have read so many complaints on the .com board about Canada Post, Canada Customs and sometimes Canadians in general!

Perhaps it was the way our leaders in gov't approached the war in Iraq. Maybe it was a package held up in customs. Or maybe someone broke up with his internet girlfriend from Saskatoon. Who knows.

But what do you do to work it out?

I for one put a logo on all my auctions that I designed myself. It is a Canadian/US flag symbol. Above are the words WE SUPPORT YOU. Below are the words FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS. I put it on all my auctions the very first day the war broke out in Iraq. I cannot tell you how many people wrote to me to thank me.

Since that day I have let who ever wanted it to lift it off my auctions and use it in theirs. The big war may be over but there are still issues between us and the US is my biggest customer.

So feel free to lift it off my auctions and good luck!

Anyone else?

firedept10 · ‎09-13-2003

bidwatcher, great move. I for one was born in the US (16 years) and still retain my US citizenship as well am a Canadaian citizen (27 years). I get allot of support due to the fact I am a fire fighter. It seems to break the barrier around the world. The best I can offer is advice when it comes to the complaints about our government or corporations on the boards. Education is a powerful learning tool.

deltone · ‎09-13-2003

Great thread birdwatcher.

I for one think a big part of the problem is the fact that most Americans know very little about Canada, and a lot of Canadians resent this.

I hear so many Canadians say "why don't they know more about us? We know so much about them". Truth its, we are exposed to far more things American, than they are to Canadian things.

TV shows, movies, magazines etc. are far more American content than Canadian, so we naturally will learn more about the US.

I never take it personally because it is just the way things are. Case in point. I was born and raised in Toronto. Spent over 30 years in the greater Toronto area and basically knew very little about any other cities in Ontario. Had no exposure to them, and therefore, no real interest.

Around an hour northeast of Toronto is an area I always knew as "cottage country". I thought it was strictly cottages up that way, and it seriously never occurred to me that people actually lived up here. (nor did I really care). Well, for around 13 years I have lived up "there" and now realize OF COURSE people live and work here. The world does NOT revolve around Toronto, or Montreal, or Vancouver, but it seems to, to the people who live there. It's just human nature.....just the way it is.

I know I'm not the only Torontonian who felt, or feels that way. I think Canadians need to ease up a bit, and stop taking it so personally. So what if a lot of Americans don't realize that we don't live in igloos, or aren't all tundra and have don't have polar bears in our yards. It's not their fault as they're not exposed to many things Canadian.

Canadians have to stop feeling like the "invisible" little brother, or the poor cousin. We have a great country but we have to realize that things are different in Canada. As much as we are the same, we are different.

I read some stats recently and although I forget the exact numbers, it's something like 95% of Canadians live within 200 miles of the US border. Our population is something like 1/10 of the USA, yet our land mass is larger. We still need to "fund" this whole country, with a much smaller tax base.

I have found that if you explain to most American buyers, the deal with how their parcel must go through Canada Post, then US Customs, the USPS, that they will understand that it's not going to get there as fast as a parcel being mailed within the US. I have had a few "impatient" buyers but I get the impression that it's more of a personality thing, than an American thing.

I personally LOVE Canada, and I LOVE the USA. I would love to know what the answers are, but truthfully, I think it's more of a personality thing. I would have to say that 99% of the Americans I've met are great. I've never had a real "them against us" experience.

firedept10 · ‎09-13-2003

deltone you are so correct on many things. Especially the Americans not being exposed to things Canadian. I went through the US school system and what I was exposed to of Canada was very little. My father is Canadian born and my mother US born. I was taught in school that all of Canada was tundra, igloos and eskimos. I was fortunate to have a parent to make me wiser to what was really Canada. I was amazed when I first came to Canada and saw it was so much like the rest of North America. This is why I say that education is a powerful tool. Canada is such a diverse country with so many different cultures. But I do deal with the US in 90% of my sales and have found that most have become allot more knowledgeable since things like eBay have opened the doors. I as you do not take it personal when they slam Canada because I put it down to not knowing what Canada is about. I love the US and Americans as it is my true home but while I am in Canada this is my home now. So we as Canadians need to explain and teach the US of our culture. I truly believe this will put us all on the same level field. Oh to be able to be patriotic for two countries.

Don

deltone · ‎09-13-2003

Don, I totally agree with you. The truth is, most Canadians really don't know a heck of a lot about the rest of our country either. That has been my experience. We tend to learn a lot more about where we live. Truthfully, British Columbia is far more "foreign" to me than say, New York, or even Florida. Northern Ontario? Well, I know of a few cities that are up there, and a wee bit about what their industry is, but beyond that, nothing.

Let's face it, the "big guy" on the block is going to be far better known that the "little guy". The USA is the big guy, and Canada is the little guy. Within Canada, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver are the big guys, and many people know more about these cities, than say Brechin, Sydney, Fort McMurray etc.

It's just the way it works. I have MANY American friends, and truthfully, they didn't know much about Canada before they met me. Doesn't mean they're cold hearted or self centered. Once they met me, they asked a lot of questions and I educated them on Canada. People need a reason to learn about another place, whether it's a country or a city or a town.

We are ALL guilty of not knowing a lot about other places. We generally need a reason to find out. Like I said, my dealings with my US buyers has overall been a very pleasant experience.

your-chic-shopper · ‎09-13-2003

You know what I really LOVE . Is the fact I can come to this board and read " real truth " Everytime I see a thread like this on the powerseller.com board . Some wacked American comes in and spoils the thread . I love everything that has been said above . I may not agree with everything , But I love the fact that , a canadian is not bang over the head on this board for their thoughts

Todd

thebidwatcher · ‎09-13-2003

Todd that is SO TRUE.

A perfect example is on a thread where the OP gripes about an international bidder bidding on a listing that says USA ONLY. How many of those can there be in a week anyway?

The OP moans about some guy from France not paying for overseas shipping and like, can't those French guys read blah blah blah. How do I block blah blah blah.

Then someone pipes in with, "and don't get me started on Canadian customs and those Canadians wanting me to break federal law and write GIFT on my package"... "I once sent a package UP THERE, never to be seen again"... "They want us to send them stuff after their leader would not back us in I-RACK blah blah blah..."

I say the offense is a good defense. In my auctions I state what the shipping is to Canada and the US - same price. I say I am shipping by USPS. It starts out as Canada Post sure, but by the time is gets to them it is USPS, right? I have this Canada US symbol (see my thread about Canada).

Next to going down and cleaning everyone's trailer there's not much else we can do!!!

Power to the Canadian eBay team!!!

deltone · ‎09-13-2003

Yes, some of the American sellers are VERY anal about not having Canadians bidding on their auctions and about being asked to mark "gift" on the custom's label because it's so immoral, and illegal. What I generally ask those indignant souls, is whether they declared every penny of ebay earnings on their income taxes. ;o)

thebidwatcher · ‎09-14-2003

Good one deltone. But be careful. The have guns...

zarzuella · ‎09-14-2003

... apparently often supplied by whacked-out Canadian cops, according to a current post on the other board, lol!
Ann

deltone · ‎09-14-2003

Zarzuella? HUH? They're saying the guns come from our cops? LOL That's a good one!!

Bidwatcher........Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the USA, and I think the US is great, but I don't like snotty people, buyers or sellers, American, Canadian, or whatever, and I do find that some of them go way over the top.

your-chic-shopper · ‎09-14-2003

Would you not say that , purchases on ebay tend to be a gift for yourself~~ I mean really if it's not a purchased for your business . It would then be a personal gift, or for a friend

cello10 · ‎09-16-2003

Hi Bid!! Thanks so much for letting us lift your Canada/US symbol, what a great idea and smart business. Now I have gone and saved the symbol on my computer, please excuse my ignorance, but how do I now place it in my auctions? Do I need to use some sort of HTML code? When you get a chance, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know. Thanks!!

thebidwatcher · ‎09-16-2003

No probs cello. Here's what you do.

You have it on your computer so now you have to get it on your server, as if it was a photo or graphic. So upload it (save it) onto whatever server you use to save your photos on. Call it wesupportyou.JPG

Then you have to incorporate a line of html into your listing that looks something like this:

*src="http://(your server info here)/smwesupportyou.JPG" width="120" height="60"*

* substitute <> on each end to make it work
-(put the server info here)

- could someone please check to make sure this is correct? While I try hard, I am an html moron.