eBay Workshop with Canada Post: Thursday, August 25, 1:00-2:00 PM ET

[carly@ebay.com]

Please join us on Thursday, August 25, from 1-2 PM ET for a workshop with Canada Post. Kim from Canada Post will be here to answer all of your questions about Canada Post letterpost service and what the regulations are for using this type of service.

If you are not able to attend, you can leave your questions here in advance of the workshop and they will be answered during the workshop, and you can come back in and check the answers.

Hope you can join us!

Carly

[li--game]

I was at my local post office and they had informed me that the rates for shipping on letter post items are going to change!

They had told me the reason, so packages could be opened by customs officials in the US and internationally.

They of course could have made an error, because reading the last few posts it seems that Canada Post employees make their own rules at each location. Even though we live in the modern age of email. Focus. My question is...

Couldn't packages be scanned using an X-Ray system, such as "baggage x-ray scanning?"

I'm not really sure how it works!

Regardless, CP...you have truly misconstrued the facts. If it fits through your dimensions for the characteristics of a letter, then it's a letter. You've opened the door to a number of canadian ebayers doing things dishonestly. It's not that hard to make a CD look like a letter. You could be betting on that, some will get through, many will not! That's probably the saddest part. You see, Canada is suppose to stand for something, "true north strong and free." Ring a bell! What's true about the statements of all these ebayers speaking of all the deception and lies they hear from Canada Post (federal gov of canada)

I'm so angry...no..not angry...sad

[egood_deal]

I had an item send via Canada Post's small packet (with a registered receipt) from Vancouver to United States. Paypal cannot accept Canada Post's receipt as a prove of shipment unless we have ON LINE TRACKING NUMBER, so we lost both of shipped items and postage. As an ebay seller, I hope Canada Post should discuss with ebay & paypal to see anyway to improve our ON LINE TRACKING NUMBER at a lower cost. As I understand only EXPRESS can provide on line tracking number for international shipment. By the way, it takes me months to claim the loss & damage via Canada Post. Hope to hear the good news soon. Thanks.

[consignsite]

Lets simply face the real truth about Canada Post..THERE nothing but a money grabbing dictorial monopoly that will see fit on increasing there postal rates any way they choose. My best guess as to why they continually increase there rates, is simply due to there incredibly high starting wages at Canada Post, which I was told is over $16.00cdn for unskilled labour. Canada Post has had a HUGE boom in Postal usuage due to the over whelming success of all the internet sales through EBAY and many other online companies..do they give us little business people a break..heck no...increase more, thats what we get inreturn..where are we going to go for alternate shipping rates..no where but Dictator Canada Post. USPS is simply amazing in there rates such as small packet rates, book rates, precise tracking, insurance up to $50,000us ON ALL ITEMS..what do we have...nothing but the "save 5%" Postal card..whooopppeee..5%..what a bloody joke!! I simply can't stand Canada Post, but I have no alternative choice..maybe if someone could figure out a way to start a company that drove letter mail/packages over the border for delivery they would probably be a Millionaire in a month. EBAY workshop with Canada Post...yea right..they will show us how they will WORK to keep increasing postal rates till we Canadian Ebayers will no longer be able to offer reasonable shipping services to anybody but ourselves..POWER TO THE PEOPLE
"G"

[tradermole]

Canada Post is simply a big joke, i am happy the live near the USA border, as shipping item from the states is way way way (to infinite) more cheaper then sending any small item from canada. Even with the 5$ comercial crossing fee and the gas and US exchange rate (not to mention the paper work), sending a small figurine on regular service from Penticton, BC to Toronto is nearly 9.50$ sending the exact same item fron the USA just accross the border to the same Toronto address is less then a 1.50$(USD). The changes to letterpost should match the USA service ->1st class mail service. Maybe sending a single letter is only 50c (51c soon). but anything you whant to ship that is not a plane ordinary letter cost way to much is canada. it is simply not acceptable.

[snowbird25ca]

I've been thinking these same thoughts for months and can hardly believe that CP is going to make already outrageous shipping costs even higher!

I agree with some other posters - we should all contact our member of parliament & members of the opposition and complain. Maybe if we can get some publicity CP may be forced to review it's policies. (Yeah right, who am I kidding?)

The sad thing is that CP is only $1 or $2 cheaper than sending Greyhound for small packages and very close to the same price as UPS when sending larger parcel post packages. Now how does that make any sense?

[tradermole]

After reading a fews post, i have just one thing to says to all the Canadian Ebays who want to simply stop using CP. if you live less then 45 mins from the border, Ship all your item from the states (like i do), Your internional and USA customer will be more then happy (cheaper and faster) and you can even bring your items for Canadian customer in the states and send them back in Canada for way cheaper then sending them direct from canada. All it involes is a 5$ commercial crossing (when your cross the border,it's 5$ for a unlimited number of items ) and a simple import form that you can easly fillout from the USA custom website). If all ebayers start using USPS, then Canada Post will have to stop abusing Canadians like the do right now (and have alsways been)

[easternero]

Thank you for the suggestion of shipping from the US. I have 2 options, close my Ebay business or ship from the US. I will most likely choose the latter if Canada Post follow through with the rate increases.

[opportunityshop]

I would like to add my note to the choirs of Canadian eBay sellers who have to compete with US sellers with their discounted Postal Rates. I am 30 minutes away, like most Canadians I find it a significant saving to slip over the border. I have hopes of making this a full-time business. I will not ship Canada when I do. I cannot compete at these rates. Can you see any significant brake for eBay sellers to help them compete with US shipping rates?

[2002_auctioneer]

I am shipping to Europe small items like one shirt or wallet that do not weight much so my only option to send them the cheapest way is as an international small packet. Unfortunately, when I do this, tracking number or signature confirmation is not available and this puts me in a high risk if the receipient is not honest. Tracking number should be a mandatory and standard option for shipping. Why CP does not provide this to people at reasonable rates who would like to pay for it and have a piece of mind? I can get tracking number but he total price for shipping via Purolator is ridiculously high. In majority of cases higher than the buyer paid for the item. One item got lost when sent as a packet and could not be tracked for obvious reason. I got money back but it is unnecessary hassle and wasting time for me and the buyer.

[ontario_crafter]

If we don't get answers about Lettermail my business will be in trouble... I sell many items that are currently mailed to the USA via Lettermail...

In order to compete or set myself apart from other sellers (some in the USA )I sell them with Free Shipping as it currently cost one stamp or 85 cents...
As of Sept 19/05 I am told I will be paying $3.80 to mail the same envelope.... I can absorb the current cost but could never do it if it were $3.80 .

.So I will lose selling that whole line of product ..... and last year it was about 80% of my sales... Luckily I have other Products...

My question is
What will be accepted on September 19 as Lettermail ???

I don't want it to be different at every outlet I go to... We need consistent policies !!

also

?Why doesn't CanadaPost consult with "Venture One" members about these issues and also our needs as Small Business Owners..

Why can't we get a warning thru "Venture One" email ? ? ? ? about future Price hikes that happen every January 1st ???

These hike have a huge effect on my business (on what I plan to sell) and I should NOT have to spend valuable time tracking them down...

Most "Venture One" email is filled with useless trivia.... Please put something worthwhile in your email or don't bother sending it....

Right now as a Small Business Owner, I am not finding CanadaPost "Venture One" Program of any real value.....

[digiworld_on]

Funny how when one addresses all the above concerns to someone at Canada Post it is the first time they have heard of it and you are the only one complaining about it. Canada Post really must think we are all children.

[ski_x_doo]

Is there any way for Sellers to calculate duties and handling fees to our USA customers if we know the destinations? Its not nice to get a ticked off customer that gets a addtional bill of $50.00 on top of a $30.00 shipping fee to start with.
Thanks Mike

[hockeyplusmore]

Hi

Please consider bringing back the Canada Post flexipacks that were free to Ebay Powersellers. They were available briefly but then discontinued. Considering the amount of business Powersellers bring to Canada Post, I think the flexipacks' return are overdue.
Also, please add some tracking to the small packet service to help us compete with the shipping services available to US sellers.
And hopefully something can be done to quicken the delivery of the small packets. They often take over 10 business days to get to their destination, and I've had some take a month or more.

[acdsee5555]

In my opinion Canada post is creating a major hinderance to vendors who have to compete with their US couterparts. I'm going to make a few points.

1. I'm in Nova Scotia, If I mail a DVD to a customer anywhere in the USA I can presently do it with a bubble mailer at a lettermail rate of about $2.90. That same DVD will soon have to be treated as a small packet, if it's to go air it'll be $5.60. When I receive a DVD they send it to me at a USPS media rate of about $1.70. Kinda cuts into profits don't you think? HOW ABOUT A SIMILAR MEDIA RATE FOR CANADIANS.

2. Why are postal rates going up again this year. I thought Canada Post was profitable. Is Canada Post's mandate now to be a profit center for the government.

3. My BIGGEST PEAVE is the lack of a small packet rate within Canada. This very morning I sent out three boxes 6"x6"x6" each weighing 240 grams. The one to Hawaii was sent small packet for $5.60. It can go to any US location for this rate, if it were sent surface it would be even less, $3.85. I sent the second parcel to Ontario at the lowest rate available to me, expedited parcel, which is via surface, cost me $7.81 (with commercial discount) and is sent via surface. The 3rd was to Halifax, about 10 Km from my house and it was $5.81. HOW SAD! Canada Post will ship a parcel to Hawaii, by air, for less than it will send the SAME PACKAGE to a FELLOW CANADIAN.

I think it's time Canada Post evaluate their mandate, and weighed there postal rates and options against the USA. We have enough to handle just to compete against our USA couterparts without be handcuffed by our own postal service.

Regards

BL

[acdsee5555]

I meant to add something else to my last post. While Canada post refuses to ship my CD or DVD at the present rate of $2.90, I bet they'll still be delivering the DVD to me in the bubble envelope that was sent from the US customer at a rate of $1.70 or less to him. Wonder what percentage of the $1.70 will go to CP.

I HOPE POLITICIANS ARE READING THIS THREAD!

[selloffdeals]

Hi there - quick question for Kim.

Do you know if Canada Post has any plans to address the rapid pace of postage rate increases? Year over year we are being hit with double-digit increases, and for an exporting economy with increased emphasis on catalog/internet/direct mail goods and services this is working against the public good.

The rate of increase is far more than inflationary pressures will accept, so it's the sellers that are being hit hardest. I understand gas prices have increased, but the Canadian dollar has also appreciated and gas is purchased in US dollars - so in real terms the net difference is negligible.

If we don't address this within the next 2-3 years anyone shipping a significant volume to the US is going to set-up branch plants there. Not only will the postage savings within the US more than justify a presence, but international rates are also very favorable from the US.

Thanks,
Marty

[digiworld_on]

I would like to suggest that if Canada Post is going to implement integration into eBay and Paypal they, instead of speaking to somebody up on the 10th floor who has no idea what goes on in the real world they consult with people who are actually involved in the physical aspect of shipping and calculating shipping and handling charges. These charges are not neccessarily as calculated on the Canada Post website and there are many variables involved. We would have to have the capability of adjusting these charges to meet our specifications. I have tried several times to use Canada posts shipping tool and it lacks many features and is to say the least very user unfriendly. I spent $18,000.00 on shipping charges in 6 months in 2004 and do have to say i have very few problems with my parcels getting to where they are supposed to be going but Canada Post does need to pull up it's socks and get into 2005 and beyond. Sooooooooooooo talk to us and most importantly LISTEN to what we have to say and don't make it feel as if it's going into one ear and out the other.
Thank you 🙂

Regards
Wil Heeren

[joeponycar]

I am leaving on holidays so will not be able to participate in town square canada post discussion. I have a question. Is it forseeable in the near future to integrate canada post shipping charges as an automatic feature when calculating cost to buyer on an email sale. I know that this is available on some web sites hosting stores.

thanks

[rose_productions]

I mentioned this earlier but was wondering what fellow eBay sellers thought of this idea and would it work:

Pay for your shipments by credit card or better yet Paypal Mastercard/Debit card. Any shipments that go missing, either file a complaint/dispute with Paypal or file a charge back complaint with your credit card company.

Either way Canada Post would have to provide proof of your paid for services, wouldn't they?

If your parcel is missing, well you're really not getting what you paid for, correct?

And would you not get a refund for paid postage?

Just a thought.

[femmefan1946]

To facilitate domestic and international commerce, which I understand is part of Canada Post's mandate:

Could CP bring back the Book Rate shipping that disappeared about a decade ago? This would allow booksellers (and catalog firms like Lee Valley Tools) to ship to the US much more cheaply allowing us to compete with US sellers.

Could CP introduce the equivalent of cheap on-line Delivery Confirmation which US sellers can obtain, for domestic use only, for less than 15 cents. This is not a signature service, the delivery is attested by the postal carrier.

Could CP integrate that service with the USPS Delivery Confirmation on-line service. This actually works for Canadian buyers too because Paypal will only insure sales that are Delivery Confirmed, which cuts out sales to Canada.

Amongst all these complaints I would like to mention that I have had excellent service from the staffs at Ottawa's Station B (Sparks Street Mall) and Station D (Glebe) as well as the Postal Outlets at Bank and Grove and Bank and MacLaren. They are friendly, knowlegeable and efficient.

I would also like to mention that in over 1500 shipments I have yet to have a parcel get lost, although some international shipments have been slower than my customers would like.


And for those of us in Ottawa, I would like to mention that Ms. Greene will be speaking a the September 15th meeting of the Ottawa Philatelic Society.