What's with 'May Not Ship To Canada'???

[drwho534]

Okay I've been trying to get an answer on this one and so far no luck! I'm noticing ALOT of U.S. sellers now have 'May not ship to Canada' as part of their ebay listing (and this is an ebay option, not something they've typed in themselves). My question is what is the reason for ebay providing this option? I mean either they are going to ship or not going to ship to Canada..what's with 'may not'? Ordinarily I would ask first but this now seems redundant...I've asked some and they say NO...I've asked others and they say YES...I've even had some say 'it says I ship to Canada in my listing'??? This listing option is not helpful at all. And to top it all off...I just bought an item from a U.S. buyer who also had the 'may not' statement with no problem, now I've just tried to put a bid in on another 'may not' seller item and this time I get an ebay screen which is preventing me from bidding stating 'Sorry this item cannot be shipped to Canada'??? What gives?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, every time I see something interesting and I see that message, I thought "screw them" and not bid on buy on them, that is their loss for not wanting to sell them to Canada.

I wonder how would they feel if we Canada do that to them too???  I open my auctions to anyone, if USA choose not to that is their loss.

[cumos55]

Could have something to do with TRS status.

They only ship one in 10 sales... or perhaps one in 11 sales to Canada without tracking... and still have 90 % tracking  for TRS...

and hence the rule.. May ship to Canada.... but only if it does not affect TRS status.

[i*m-still-here]

When you see that in a listing, it means that the seller simply can't be bothered to fill a shipping cost for us.

A few have actually set up their listings with US only shipping and blocked us.  When you are prevented from bidding that's why.

Recently ebay made changes to the way shipping costs are billed and buyers can no longer fill in that blank when a seller refuses to do so.

This is part of that change.

This shipping cost issue when buying from the States is not getting better and it may be getting worse.

US sellers want our bids and know that foreign participation in their auctions is very good for them, they just don't really like it much when we win and they actually have to ship to us.

[pocomocomputing]

Could have something to do with TRS status.

They only ship one in 10 sales... or perhaps one in 11 sales to Canada without tracking... and still have 90 % tracking  for TRS...

and hence the rule.. May ship to Canada.... but only if it does not affect TRS status.

USA sellers TRS is based only on domestic sales and international sales are not counted. So tracking/delivery confirmation 90% rule is not a factor.

[pocomocomputing]

USA sellers TRS is based only on domestic sales and international sales are not counted. So tracking/delivery confirmation 90% rule is not a factor for deciding to ship to Canada.

Sorry hit post by mistake instead ov Preview post.

[karl*katz]

Seller on the .com site are not permitted to ship internationaly ( That includes Canada ) until they have a mi nimum of 10 posotive feedback from selling over a 90 day period.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/questions/sell_international_requirements.html

[thebarterersdog]

We were discussing this recently with friends from our town. As discussions progressed, our friends reminded us about Obama encouraging "Buy American" and how three American companies have pulled out of our town and country to open new factories in the States... there are even incentives for them to do this provided by their government. 

With the economy being so bad everywhere, it's a shame that there is growing animosity between the two countries. Canada was great to set up shop in when the US dollar was worth more, but times have changed this. 

Now add all the shipping problems and costs to the factor... perhaps, it's just not worth the aggravation anymore to deal with border crossings in order to make a sale... 

Personally, I think this type of thinking from all including governments will only make things worse... 

Just a thought...

[drwho534]

Thanks for all the input! I also posted on the US boards and a few complained of the 'bad luck' stories of Canadian buyers who say they didn't receive and ask for refunds, or postal packages that take way too long and frustrate the Canadian buyers, etc. Apparently we're seen as a bunch of cheats and swindlers!!!? I have sold internationally and never had a problem, so they have to fill out an extra form, big deal! I agree when I see this now I just move along to find the next US seller willing to sell outside their own patch! Very frustrating after arranging with a seller to ship to Canada and then when putting in a bid...Ebay gives you a 'Cannot ship item to Canada' page which prevents you from bidding!!!  Ebay is making it very difficult to do business these days.

[i*m-still-here]

We were discussing this recently with friends from our town. As discussions progressed, our friends reminded us about Obama encouraging "Buy American"  .........................

That's a problem that's a little different than US sellers selling out of the US, but one I've wondered about too.

When sellers complain about sales being down I have to wonder if more Americans are shopping at home now.

......... and what's with the Canadian buyers?

We sure don't stay at home.

When I do sell my stuff always blows any US seller's pieces out of the water and still Canadians go over the border.

Considering our $20 limit what's that all about?

[i*m-still-here]

Thanks for all the input! I also posted on the US boards and a few complained of the 'bad luck' stories of Canadian buyers who say they didn't receive and ask for refunds, or postal packages that take way too long and frustrate the Canadian buyers, etc. Apparently we're seen as a bunch of cheats and swindlers!!!? I have sold internationally and never had a problem, so they have to fill out an extra form, big deal! I agree when I see this now I just move along to find the next US seller willing to sell outside their own patch! Very frustrating after arranging with a seller to ship to Canada and then when putting in a bid...Ebay gives you a 'Cannot ship item to Canada' page which prevents you from bidding!!!  Ebay is making it very difficult to do business these days.

I wouldn't pay much attention to that.

We're seen as a bunch of cheats and swinders:  Really?

Any seller who makes that claim should be avoided.

The reality is as follows:

When a Canadian buys an item that's as described, then we're happy campers and shop some more.

When a Canadian gets an item from the US that is Not as Described, we can:

a) Suck it up.

b) Return it with small packet shipping and there is an extremely high probability that the seller will say it didn't arrive.  (The accusation re. cheats and liars goes both ways and I wouldn't attribute it to any nation in particular.)

c) Return it with expensive shipping and take that loss.

d) Claim it didn't arrive and toss it into the garbage (or recycling bin :)) which is what the seller would do as well.

Although I've never done d) I can understand why someone might.

[froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock]

That's a problem that's a little different than US sellers selling out of the US, but one I've wondered about too.

When sellers complain about sales being down I have to wonder if more Americans are shopping at home now.

......... and what's with the Canadian buyers?

We sure don't stay at home.

When I do sell my stuff always blows any US seller's pieces out of the water and still Canadians go over the border.

Considering our $20 limit what's that all about?

It's painfully obvious that ebay.com is changing their rules to encourage more sales from the US and not vice versa. 

.com sellers only get judged on domestic for TRS.

.ca get judged by international.

Top Rated Seller Canadian, doesn't show up on .com anymore.

US top rated sellers show up on .ca as Top rated seller PLUS.

We also are doing a good job of driving business away.

US buyers only need to worry about their local state for tax purposes so most US to US sales are tax free.

Can - Can sales almost always involve a level of tax, and in how many provinces now, you get dinged the full HST rate. 

Canadians are incentivized to shop elsewhere.

[i*m-still-here]

""Can - Can sales almost always involve a level of tax, and in how many provinces now, you get dinged the full HST rate.""

IMO Canadian sellers selling to Canadians would be much smarter to hide taxes. Since most ebay sales are not taxed, t's very annoying when it does happen.

"""Canadians are incentivized to shop elsewhere.""

Not really.  Since we technically have a $20 limit before having to pay taxes and brokerage fees, that's not really true.

With that in mind it's bit of a mystery why Canadians don't focus on buying from other Canadians more than they do.

[2011limey1]

"When I do sell my stuff always blows any US seller's pieces out of the water and still Canadians go over the border.

Considering our $20 limit what's that all about?"

Only been here 1 yr.3 months to be exact and I know all customs restrictions into Canada - when I joined I printed them all out and still have them on my desk,  But as I once posted, never once, going over the $20.00 mark have I paid any fee.  Many of my older items have been way over that and still nothing....our uber-paid customs people must be asleep - or they like me!?  Now that's NOT to say it won't happen.  I think the most expensive item I bought from the U.S. was an MK watch.where I still didn't get dinged - had to get it from there -never seen that model in Canada (that was before I even asked about a deal..  But I do know better now - there's a great ebayer in Canada who sells them.  I've noticed most of my sellers, wihout my even asking on the customs declaration put "Gift" and lower the price.  My last purchase,were 10 of my fav. mascaras (lol) which have been discontinued in Canada..  As per usual I asked for a deal on them & the shipping too and she said o.k. -  and asked if she was comfortable doing the gift thing - to which she replied, I'll lower the price too.. I do NOT ask when I read the full Shipping Instructions wherein it's stated about border fees, etc.  Yes, I know this is so called "illegal" but if you don't ask, you don't get and the border guys/women are always asleep with me anyway.  If I have to pay one day so be it.  I'm not a "haggler" at all, but find it's TOO easy on-line.  I would NEVER want to get a seller into trouble of any kind.

[2011limey1]

P.S. Just a disclaimer - the mascaras WERE in the packaging, where there's no "shelf life" - looked that one up.  Wouldn't want to end up in ER with infected eye balls!  :_|

[closeupfanatic]

Use ebay.ca, not ebay.com

That gets rid of them.

[boredhousewife*123]

I pass any selller with that in their ad.. Not because I am lazy to ask the same question if I really want it but so many other US sellers are willing to sell to the Canadians.. I cannot keep asking same question and then get let down if they don't sell to Canadians..:-) Well our loonie getting up there actually a little more than the US greenback it is just worth it to shop online instead of the cross border even though Canada up the ante for what Canadians now can take back from US..Right now it is a benefit to have ebay for just plain it delivered to your door and the fact US so many more options and their prices are great and shipping not bad either you are saving alot of money and hassle.

Even if you have to wait a bit so what..It is going to get worse when the loonie rises some more.. I know the sellers do lose a bit when the Canadians bid but the more they allow the Canadians in the more cliental base is expanded and like a Candian will also come back for more if the seller is really good so makes up for the currency exchanges.. Like any other country some are good and some are bad buyers and I can see why some sellers do not sell outside of the US on their experiences with any country not just Canada..

[i*m-still-here]

I pass any selller with that in their ad.. 

After emailing and emailing sellers for shipping as requested, I have to agree with you.

The problem is that the vast majority of listings now have either a very high cost shipping or a link to contact the seller for shipping costs.

A few block us or quote reasonable costs ............ and those are easy to deal with.

The others are a headache.

There is now also an added feature on eBay "report a buyer," and what is happening is that sellers are agreeing to whatever gets your bid, and they bill a higher amount.

If you, the buyer, complain too much and try to hold them to your agreement they report you.

Sellers were very quick to tune into that feature and abuse it.

It's just no longer worth the trouble searching out items which you want and have reasonable shipping  because they are few and far between.

[lady.stark]

"Use ebay.ca, not ebay.com That gets rid of them"

It can be an option, but it will also get rid of the sellers who are writing their shipping price to Canada in their description but not in the shipping fields. I see that very often in my category.

[i*m-still-here]

"Use ebay.ca, not ebay.com That gets rid of them"

It can be an option, but it will also get rid of the sellers who are writing their shipping price to Canada in their description but not in the shipping fields. I see that very often in my category.

............. and if Canadians start restricting purchases to Canada, how long would it take to lose interest in ebay altogether?

For most, the value of ebay is that's international and that's true for buyers and sellers alike.

Take that out of the mix and it gets boring real fast.

Unfortunately that's exactly what's happening.

Sellers have to take constant hits and get more and more creative to make money here, and Canadian buyers are fed up with the never-ending shipping hassles from the US which have never been this bad.