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

[recordhunter]

I think Canada Post should reconsider and let Other Letter-Post remain just that - OTHER. Let us send CD's, lapel pins, buttons,scarves or anyhting else that now fits the measurement / weight criteria.

Other than a cash-grab, what possible reason do they have to suddenly enforce this "paper only" rule???

Many dealers have mentioned that they spend $8000 a year and more on postage, and I know I have spent at least that much for each of the past four years. Surely we have all increased Canada Post's "bottom line" since ebay came along.

Won't they feel it if they put us all out of business ???

[skminus]

Here's a point regarding 'letterpost.' What legal right does CP have for charging more for an identical package, because the contents are different? If I have 2 identical padded envelopes, same size, same weight, and they both fit through the plastic slit measuring thingy, how can they LEGALLY justify charging more if one contains a CD, than if it contains a wad of paper?

Is that not an infringement of my rights as a Canadian, to enjoy service from CP that does not discriminate?

Any lawyers out there with answers? Perhaps we as sellers need to find a lawyer willing to take on the mighty CP - pro bono, of course, since we don't have a lot of cash to spare while we're being ripped off by CP. I am serious - a legal case will get a lot of attention in the press.

[nanook370]

What peaves me the most in all this is that "ALMOST EVERYTHING" is going up for us. For example this is everything that has gone up for me in the last 4-6 months: gas "what a joke this is", food IE Milk, daycare, house taxes, canada post shipping, Hydro, cable TV, drivers liscense ... this is way more than 2-4% that the average employee gets for a raise for the cost of living. THIS IS JUST INSANE!! Canada has basically become a money eating machine.. GIVE ME GIVE ME... and rarely do we see anything back to us. I for one am fed up up all these price increases . When have you ever seen Hydro, or cable TV reducing prices... that will be the day!!

[tobyshitzu]

That "everything is going up" is probably a good arguement to justify what canada post is doing...I'm unhappy with what CP is doing as much as anyone, but the posts here are getting ridiculous,eg "find a lawyer", or blaming CP for things not remotely related. This is not making ebayers look like the professional business persons we want to be seen as with concerns CP should be adressing.

[axxesswireless]

unfortunately we are all wasting our time and breath hear. this is all just a big money grab by CP. if an item fits as letterpost why can we not just put a customs label on it declaring what's in the envelope??? after all that's what the CP Rates pamphlet says to do. they are putting Canadian businesses out of business. we cannot compete with the Americans. not only do they get their product cheaper but their postal rates are also cheaper. the same item that would cost me $5.60 to send to the U.S. as a "small packet" (which would easily fit as letterpost), would cost an American shipper less than a dollar to ship to Canada as a letter with a Customs label on it. i for one will probably be out of business soon if this is strictly enforced. 2000+ feedbacks for nothing. thanks CanadaPost. what a joke!!!!

[skminus]

Tobyshitzu - Why is it ridiculous to find a lawyer to represent our interests as a whole entity of sellers? Do you honestly think they'll listen to us as individuals? The lawyer suggestion from me was because of my main point: Canadapost is a carrier service. They charge by a combination of weight & size. They should not be able to charge one person $.85 because the envelope contains paper, and another person $5.20 because it contains a cd. They are a delivery service, and the cost of delivering a 10cm by 15cm, 20g thin item, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, should be the same for everyone. That is where I would like to hear from a lawyer, to see if CP CAN differentiate like that, and why.

[comixfiend]

It's pretty hard to compete with american sellers that are shipping within the US. USPS offers faster better and cheaper service than canada post.

Canada Post has such a strong union that its impossible to compete with USPS. Employees get paid 40 hour weeks and only work 15 (my friend works in CP.. he's laughing about it all the time). They get minimum 5 weeks paid vacation a year and 8 weeks if they have been there for 5 years. Canada loves to reward the lazy union blue collar worker instead of the etrepeneurs that work hard to build jobs and create a better economy.

Now that the US dollar is sinking, it'll be more lucrative to move and operate from the USA.

Way to go Canada let's sink and bury our economy with more unions abusing us!!

[sly*cat]

Maybe it is time to make this an election issue? The PO is a crown corp. An election may not be far around the corner. Sellers need to be competitve and it is the current polliies that ar making that more and more difficult. Ebay Canada should also be concerned about the high postal rates because in the end whatever hurts the sellers also hurts them.

[duke916ofspeed]

Hi there, does Canada post ever plan to get tracking for small packets? Small packet ground to go any where takes so long that buyers start claims with pay pal and ebay in a time line that the pack won't make it to them? Then both PP and Ebay ask for tracking to clear up the matter but it is unavailable.....

[duke916ofspeed]

Canada post should also consider a flat rate for the lower weight items in Canada... It is crazy that if you can not get it in a letter mail envelope that it jumps up to the minimum parcel costs....

[thomasj7342]

To eBay staff:Please rename this thread Express your frustration about Canada Post rates.They must understand that they almost have dishonest business practices.

[loves_darts]

What is Canada Post doing to keep rates low for ebayers?

What is Canada Post going to do in the future for ebayers?

Why has Canada Post decided to enforce this rate when it makes a huge difference to sellers and will cause less mail delivery due to the fact Canada can't compete with the USPS rates.

What is Ebay doing to persuade Canada Post that this is the wrong way to go?


When will Ebay and Canada Post listen to it's users?

I have been told to complain to the Customer service at Canada Post and I will do so. I hope everyone else does too. Canada Post must realized that changes have to be made. They are a crown corporation and the people are unhappy!!! And no, this will not blow over.

Dawn

[pean64]

Good day, Kim. Another wrote; "I sell sports cards and non-sports cards on ebay and usually send them to the USA for $1.70,and $3.40 overseas [under a certain weight]in a bubble pack with customs sticker on them without registration or insurance because alot of them are under $5.00CDN,etc.The Postal outlet I deal with says as of SEPT.19/05,I will no longer be able to send them for this price.These are a paper product and should be able to go.Is this true?"

DITTO. I would like to add that I place the card in a thin plastic holder and add some stiff cardboard in th pacckage so that there is no bending. So technically the envelope will have have some plastic in it.
The new rule (ie small packet required) will effectively put me (and probably hundreds, if not thousands) out of business or seek alternate shipping arrangments. So CPs (and CRA's) revenues will go down, not up.

[dancecw]

I've been reading all these complaints about Canada Post and it is absolutely depressing in that I don't see any hope for Canadians getting decent, reasonable priced mailing service. I have seen nothing to indicate that Canada Post cares, either. I doubt that Kim's appearance on eBay is anything more that a cosmetic pacifier from Canada Post because nothing came out of this exercise the last time CP did it on eBay.

I'd love to give all my business to USPS, but the border is too far away for my volume of business. I'm wondering if there are enough Calgarians to band together to make daily trips to the U.S. a worthwhile enterprise for someone. If interested, email me at revgreen1@hotmail.com

[sunshine9280]

Kim - does Canada Post realize what they are going to do to thousands of small businesses that are currently sending packages in small bubble envelopes. I currently ship approx. 200 envelopes/week at $1.60 to the US - it is now going to cost me $3.80 surface or $5.60 airmail - that means it's going to cost me an additional $440/week or $1760/month to mail to the US - I am now looking at property in the US - for that kind of money I'll be moving my business across the border. It costs .60 cents to mail it in the US - I just don't get it - and you know that the person will get it in a few days rather than the pony express from Canada... Please - everyone must put their complaints in writing.... get petitions started... Don't let Canada Post destroy us! Perhaps Purolator or someone similar will be able to introduce a more competitive answer to our concerns.

It's time for everyone to contact their local government office and complain!!! Isn't small business suppose to be encouraged in Canada..... Canada Post is going to force the small business out of Canada - GOOD JOB.

[easternero]

I left a long message with the onbudsman's office at CP and they basically passed the buck and suggested I write to public relations. I agree with some of the other sellers, we need to get the media involved, and write to our MLA and MP to indicate how CP's greed will destroy all the hard working small Canadian businesses that is the backbone of our country. Can someone provide the stats on how many Canadian seller are all Ebay?

As is CP's shipping rates are far more than what my competitors in the States and Asia are charging. Often I end up subsidizing my shipping cost in order to be competitive. It is a joke that sending a small packet to Toronto from the West cost more than shipping the same item to Europe. And now to charge us $5.60 for and item that can fit through the mail slot is outrageous. My goods are worth less than half that rate, my margin is only a few dollars for each transaction. With the new rate I am priced out of the market. CP's policy of increasing the rates will either cause me to close down my business or I must consider taken my business to the US.

[lorder79]

Hi
I ship all my larger stuff with trucking companies..

They give me a 60% discount..
What dose Canada post give small businesses?? 5%??

Sure the price of gas has risen..
I farm as well
my crops have been worth less that they were in the 1970`s

I have to grow more food on my feilds just to break even..

so if CP would give cheaper rates they would have more mail to make more money shipping lots of parcels and if they have more shippers the more they make..

I lose about 1/2 my customers because of shipping costs..and that upsets me 😞

yadda yadda yadda..whatever

[synchronia]

eBay and the on-line marketplace in general have opened up a solid revenue stream for small businesses and the services that provide for them. What I'm not sure I understand is why Canada Post does not take a moderate approach in trying to benefit from the increased business. Look at the average increase in revenues over the last three or four years: not all of the price increases and service gouging can be attributed to inflation. Instead Canada Post has opted to go for the throat - typicaly rookie business school graduate mentality. By initiating dialogue like this, hopefully we can stimulate the checks and balances that are said to be fundamental to our system of free enterprise.

[sly*cat]

Here is the letter I sent to my MP...feel free to copy it and email, fax or mail it besure to change those things that don't pertain to you. Your MP email and address can be found at http://canada.gc.ca/directories/direct_e.html

Dear ,

I wish to bring to your attention a major concern of businesses, large, small and homebased. Many Canadian businesses ship product through Canada Post both domestically and internationally. I run a small company based in _________ that sells items on-line thru a website and ebay. I export more to the US than I sell domestically.

Recently Canada Post announced that they will no longer allow items previously sent as oversize letters to be sent that way effective Sept 19/05. What this means to small businesses in Canada is that small items like cd's, records, lapel pins, Etc that are light weight and small will no longer be able to be mailed as oversize letter post. What that means in terms of cost to a small business is that an item that send to cost $1.70 to mail to the us will now cost $5.60 for comparable service times as a small packet sent airmail and for international shipments will jump from $3.40 to $6.95.

The cost of Canada Post when compared to the United States Postal System is becoming so high it is effectively shutting the US market as well as the international markets to anyone selling small items to abroad. What it costs canadians to mail $5.60 to the US the US can ship to Canada for as little as $.80 cents...that's correct 80 cents.

The constant increases in costs to ship small items is becoming unpalatable to consumers outside Canada is causing the loss of sales from the export of goods for countless canadians.

Small business is the life-blood of the economy yet it is being squeezed out by policies made by Canada Post. Their government sanctioned monopoly means that we have no other options to ship as courier companies are banned from charging rates in competition to Canada Post.

Many businesses sell items that retail for only under $10.00. I personally sell 45 records. For me to ship a record that sells for $3.50 to the US for instance and have to charge $5.60 to have it arrive in a reasonable time is so far from being competitive with the US rates. My consumers could justify the $1.70 but at the new price it will make us unable to compete with the US.

If I ship an item weighing under 250 grams to the US it costs me $3.40 for surface mail and $5.60 for airmail. Rates are again increasing in January. Those same items are mailed from within the US for under $2.00cdn If I ship that same item within Canada it costs anywhere from $5-11 depending on the distance from _________. The US can ship that same item into canada again for under $2.00cdn. What this means is that a US Retailer can ship the same item into canada for less than I can ship it within Canada. I can compete on product pricing but shipping costs are out of my control. Why would a Canadian customer buy from a canadian company when they can have the item shipped from the US and save money? In fact many many will not more and more consumers purchasing outside Canada and the internet is making this easier and easier.

These rates are putting Canadian businesses at a huge disadvantage that affects every citizen in some way. We need help!!! We need a voice.

Thank you for reading my concern,

Sincerely,

[skminus]

SLYCAT _ Thank you for your letter. I am going to copy that, with changes and send it to my MP and the local media. I urge everyone to do the same. Let's stop being moaning 'Eeyore' Canadians and at least TRY a letter campaign. It doesn't take much time, and how will we know it won't have an effect if we don't do it?

Look at the reserved Brits some years ago, and how they resisted the Poll Tax. Ordinary, hard working people with a campaign of letters, speeches and marching managed to make the government reverse their decision with red faces all round.