eBay

carly@ebay.com · ‎08-04-2005

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

loolubel · ‎08-23-2005

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN EASY WAY TO GET SHIPPING CANADA POST CHARGES OTHER THAN GETTING EVERY THING WEIGHED. THANK YOU
LOOLUBEL

able-wizard1957 · ‎08-23-2005

Ciderantiques - the post about using paper instead of flipping boxes inside out meant to NOT flip the box inside out but instead wrap the box in brown paper.

Loolubel - if you have a scale at home, do your own weighing and measuring and use the CP website to calculate shipping.

bookstotheborder · ‎08-23-2005

issmomsells: The answer to your question "How can USPS get their parcels to Europe for 60% less money?" is VOLUME

I am guessing that the USA because of the volume of mail that comes from them has less expensive Terminus and other International Postal fees levied against them

ahanam · ‎08-23-2005

Hi folks. Don't mean to throw fuel on the fire in here but for anyone who is interested in what Canada Post is OFFERING our American competition check out CP's new web site at www.borderfree.ca/promo . They are giving your American competitors free shipping to Canada. Ebay is listed under FAQ area and under the search feature (to try and hide the fact from ebay - ca sellers ?) Play with it . It will show how to shop american ebayers and other retailers who have the borderfree program and other features. The American ebayers who are using Borderfree have a link to CP'S site and they get FREE crossborder shipping, postage into Canada. US ebayers use the cheap US postage to CP'S Borderfree warehouse on US side of border and CP brings the parcels across into Canada and delivers them free to Canadian buyers. As if we don't have enough trouble competing inside the US , Canada Post is now helping US ebayers put even harder competition on Canadian sellers in Canada. And they need a price increase from Canadian ebayers and other retailers, well folks guess why!

tobyshitzu · ‎08-23-2005

Customers get free shipping from some of the major partner merchants at teh moment(like tigerdirect, who has often promoted free shipping), I highly doubt CP is offerring the vendors free shipping. Borderfree isn't new. Ebays don't get free shipping

dacapomusicbc · ‎08-23-2005

I sell used printed music, both in single sheets and book form. The majority of my customers are in the US so this change in policy affects me daily. I have a good customer in Utah who recently ordered a book from me and it cost $5.75 Cdn. to send him that book (small packet surface). When he received it he realized it was a duplicate of something he already had in his library so he returned it to me and his postage cost was $2.70 US. It took no longer for his package to get to me than it took for my package to get to him. I would like Canada Post to try to explain away that one!! A return to the book rate that we used to have available would certainly be welcomed by me and probably all book sellers in Canada. Small wonder our publishing industry has dwindled - Canada Post is just one more nail in the coffin. (Sorry if I seem a little miffed, but this does affect my livelihood!!)

bookstotheborder · ‎08-23-2005

dacapomusicbc : The publishing industry gets very good shipping rates from Canada Post (volume shipper) and even better rates from Canpar---don't worry about them

nickie*nine*doors · ‎08-24-2005

A return to the book rate that we used to have

CP took that service away, with the explanation that they couldn't tell what the actual contents of the packages were, and therefore people might take advantage of the rate and use it for items other than books. So ironic, since now they are claiming they must charge different rates for different contents. If they couldn't distinguish paper from other goods then, how do they plan on doing it now?

nickie*nine*doors · ‎08-24-2005

The publishing industry gets very good shipping rates from Canada Post (volume shipper).

So, I guess if you're one of the giants, you'll survive. If you're a small to medium sized business, you're gone. Way to go, CP. You should be so proud.

Perhaps all the people who will be unemployed soon because of this policy change, should apply for jobs at CP. It's just too bad they're unionized. I would love to take somebody's job at CP away from them,,,,,see how they feel.

doylemyster · ‎08-24-2005

I think it’s time that our Government restructured, downsize & gets rid of the complacent fat within all levels of Canada Post.

The only way we will truly be taken seriously is if we contact a Member of Parliament & plea for their help. Many people have posted threads in this forum, now it’s time for you to let a MP know exactly how you feel about Canada Post. Remember, nothing ventured is noting gained. So everybody contact an MP today and a least try to change Canada Post‘s ways once & for all.

Here is a list of all Members of Parliament throughout Canada along with their contact information.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/mpscur.asp?lang=E

bookstotheborder · ‎08-24-2005

nickie*nine*doors : It is a fact of doing business/ or even every day life---volume purchasing gets discounts.

When I buy a case of toilet paper, it is just plain cheaper then buying one roll.

On Sunday I ran out of packing tape, I had to go to Office Depot and buy some. I got a pack of 6 for $6.49---they each had 50 meters on a roll. I usually buy them by the case(36 in a case) at .96¢ each with 200 meters to the roll.

USA does NOT have an International Book-rate/ their book-rate (Media Mail) is only for books going to other USA addresses.

nickie*nine*doors · ‎08-24-2005

It is a fact of doing business/ or even every day life---volume purchasing gets discounts.

books: Yes, I do understand that part of it. However, for the small businesses who are (were) shipping magazines (or whatever else) using the oversize other letterpost rates, they are now being forced to pay 3X the price to use small packet to send a magazine to the US. I highly doubt that large volume customers who enjoy discounted rates, will also be forced to do the same. I suspect the mega-customers will continue to get the same rate for their small/thin items, while the small business will be forced out.

ferret-mom · ‎08-24-2005

On the subject of small packets, according to my source, the rates will be going up (again!) in October. Care to confirm that for us, Kim?

If that is the case, then we are about to get a double-whammy, courtesy of Canada Post!

moltencore · ‎08-24-2005

Since I started selling on eBay at the end of 1998 postal rates for small packet have risen astronomically!! (in January 2005 alone small packet rates rose approx. 10% up to 18%!!!!) I sell predominantly records (LPS & 45s). $13.40 to send ONE single album weighing 400G to an international location is almost criminal in my mind. I've been pushing many buyers (both international and those in the USA) to opt for surface mail as a means of keeping costs down and thankfully many are choosing to go surface. I can't even begin to imagine how much potential business I've lost to my USA and INTERNATIONAL competitors because we have to charge customers so much for shipping an item weighing less than 500G.
MY FIRST QUESTION FOR CANADA POST: Since your business and therefore revenues have most likely increased SIGNIFICANTLY since the advent of internet retailing (companies like eBay and Amazon) and the boom in mailorder business - why have the accompanying shipping costs risen at rates far out-stripping even basic inflation?

As a small business e-retailer who spends over $10,000 CAD a year through Canada Post, I'm finding it increasingly hard to sympathize with the postage rates I must pay to send small packets. MY SECOND QUESTION: Have you though about insituting a MEDIA MAIL rate for RECORDS, CDs, DVDs, BOOKS? thank you! moltencore

bookstotheborder · ‎08-24-2005

The rates are going up in January with Canada Post---USPS is also getting a rate increase at the same time.

Canadian published magazines are published for the Canadian market---they are not normally shipped to the International market. Are you sure they are not going to affected by this new ruling.??

But they probably just have them printed in the USA and distributed from there--it would be interesting to ask a magazine publisher.

Nickie---I asked you once before where you are located, but I don't remember.....

bookstotheborder · ‎08-24-2005

moltencore: USPS has a Media Mail rate that is ONLY for their DOMESTIC shipping---so only to another USA address. They use to have an International Book Rate, but it was cancelled quite a few years ago.

Canada will not likely start an International Book Rate that is not reciprocated.

Tne Media Mail rate is the cause of huge problems at the Post Office and mostly from Ebayers. All Media Mail is now stamped that it can be opened for inspection by any Postal employee who suspects the contents is not qualified to be shipped Media Mail. The POST Office HATES Media Mail, they lose money from the service and would be more then happy to get rid of it---and I suspect that down the road it will be cancelled. Canada Post is not likely to start a service (domestic) that USPS would rather just go away.

bookstotheborder · ‎08-24-2005

nickie*nine*doors: what do you sell?

ciderantiques · ‎08-24-2005

I haven't read all +400 messages, so maybe this has already been addressed . . . . Does "Kim" have a last name? even a title perhaps? Who is she and what is her role at Canada Post? Is she a token offering provided by CP Customer Service?

Is the meeting with ebay.ca and canadapost something you can observe in "live time" or do we just sit back and read her answers later?

I live 45 minutes from the border and boy do I wish it was closer !!!!

ferret-mom · ‎08-24-2005

The rates are going up in January with Canada Post

That's correct, as far as the price of stamps is concerned. The letter rate increases usually occur in January, and must be published in the Canada Gazette.

However, I don't think that is the case for small packets or parcels. I may be wrong, but I believe that CP is free to implement those increases at their leisure, without necessarily informing the public at large. Perhaps Kim could take a moment to verify that for us....

ferret-mom · ‎08-24-2005

And just to add a little salt to the wound, for those of us who still shop on eBay, and who are faced with sellers who will not accept our PayPal payments, the cost of a CP money order is set to rise dramatically as well.

Have a nice day 🙂