mo' CP Blues

[realjazz-123]

With your past advice I decided to list my vinyl records and ship worldwide WITHOUT INSURANCE. Now get this. Shipping a package  of 500 grams to UK by untracked, uninsured basic airmail costs $18.20.  A package of 501 grams costs $35.69. Shipping 500 grams to Japan is $20.08 and 501 grams is $37.68. In comparison, shipping 500 gram tracked insured to Florida is $16.50 and 501 gram package is $19,50.  For all examples shipping package between 501 and 1000 grams does not change price.!!!

             Now a secure box with lp will weigh from 494grams to 504 grams, depending on lp type which varies in weight. How many international buyers will pay such shipping costs for an relatively inexpensive lp (eg. $10-40). Forget about savings for combined shipping of 2 or more lps.

                 Why is there almost a DOUBLING of shipping costs for international from 500 to 501? I understand an increase at some point like 500 g, but why not gradual increase of a few $$$  like when shipping  to US.

           I have already had  several canceled transactions and lost sales for international buyers even with shipping basic airmail. Before I stop completely in trying to sell international, can any lp record sellers or anyone shipping similar sized packages tell me if there is another shipping method I am missing?? As always, thanks for any comments..

[mr.elmwood]

Simplicity of the system. Specific weight categories have specific prices. There should be a different price for each gram of weight? That is 1,000 price points, up to 1 kilo. That would be fair! Oh! Wait! What about size. Shouldn't smaller be cheaper due to using less space? Well, lets put a sliding scale based on size, interface it with weight.

What do you have? Maybe 10,000 price points for every size and weight up to one Kilo? How about up to 2 Kilos? Let's have 20,000 price points!

Work with the system.

[realjazz-123]

Why is there an increase of 18% for 500 to 501 g in US shipping and 94% in international rates for same increase?? I  will return to computer at noon to read your explanation.

[tobyshitzu]

Hes just saying it should work like most other postal services (including USPS, couriers and even cps other services) where 1 gram doesn't double the price.  No idea how anyone can work within the system when they are unlucky to have items that are slightly the wrong weight.  Not that they are going to change it but it sure sucks to have something where a few grams costs a fortune extra, and only because you live in Canada.  CP sure doesn't give the impression they have done anything out of concern for "simplicity"

[rose-dee]

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@realjazz-123 wrote:

Why is there an increase of 18% for 500 to 501 g in US shipping and 94% in international rates for same increase?? I  will return to computer at noon to read your explanation.

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Hi - I thoroughly sympathize with your dilemma, because I have parcels of all shapes and sizes going to Canada, the US and Europe.  My thought on your comment above is that the reason for the higher international rate is probably volume, i.e. the vast majority of shipments from Canada go to the US, not overseas. 

Now I do have a suggestion for you.  You say on LP, packed in a box, will weigh about 494 to 504 gms.  When I started selling I used to often have the same problem of a parcel just sneaking over the break-point in Canada Post's tiered pricing.  I had to find a solution to that issue, for the reasons you've stated. 

Here's what I did: First, I bought a decent weigh scale (about $15 in London Drugs), lots of bubble wrap, tissue paper and "air bags" for packing.  Whenever I prepare a parcel now, I pile everything loosely in the box, including all the packing material, and put it on the scale.  If it looks like it may just go over the weight by a few grams, I substitute lighter packing material (air bags or bubble wrap) for the paper, to see if that will bring it down enough.  If not, I do some strategic box-cutting.  Sometimes just cutting the box down by a couple of cms is sufficient to save a few grams.  

I don't know how you pack your items, but you might find that instead of a box packed with crumpled paper, styrofoam peanuts, airbags or bubble wrap will be lighter.  Actually, with LPs you might try a sort of strong cardboard wrap-over -- i.e., place the LP face down on a flattened piece of cardboard wide enough across and deep enough so that you can just score the cardboard to be able to wrap the ends, top and bottom over the LP.  Tape very securely and put "Fragile" and "Do not Bend" stickers on.  

In the end, a lot of us have issues with finding ways to send items securely yet keep costs down.  Take an afternoon off and experiment with a few different sizes and ways of packing until you get a technique that you know will work for most LPs.

As for combined shipping, you may have to do what many sellers do (including me), and "subsidize" your buyers' shipping costs in order to get the multiple sales.  I offer free shipping for any 5 items purchased, but usually the sale of just one of those covers the cost of shipping, and the rest are sales I probably wouldn't have got so quickly.  

Overall on eBay: think solutions, not problems.  Maybe that's what Mr. Elmwood was trying to say.  

[recped]

It should be extremely rare for a single LP to exceed 500 grams.

I've mailed out tens of thousands of lp's over the years and I can count on one hand the number that have been over 500 (usually gatefold sleeve with heavy pressings).

Tricks to employ (presuming you are using purpose made LP mailers:

- Trim the flaps if necessary to shed up to 20 grams

- If you are using square cardboard stiffeners switch to bubble wrap instead, you can cut about 50 grams per insert.

I mail to the USA via USPS in Niagara Falls so my goal is to be below 450 grams (1 pound), 99% of the lp's I ship are under 1 pound when packed.

If your volume picks up maybe you have enough to make taking the ferry to Port Angeles a viable option. You can send your US orders via Media Mail (dirt cheap) and International via USPS will be cheaper than Canada Post.

Get creative, find a couple of other small eBay sellers and share the load with them. If you can save $5 - $10 per package you can cover travel expenses even with a modest number of packages.

As a bonus you'll get much faster delivery times to your US buyers.

[femmefan1946]

Because the rate that carries 501 grams also carries a kilo. Those are the parameters.

[mr.elmwood]

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@realjazz-123 wrote:

Why is there an increase of 18% for 500 to 501 g in US shipping and 94% in international rates for same increase?? I  will return to computer at noon to read your explanation.

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There isn't.

How do you rationalize the 18% difference between 251grs and 999 grs? That is a 398% difference in weight. Does the price change by 398%?

The system has weight points and price points. All systems do. Now, it is up to us to work with the system. ebay's answer is to "pass the costs onto teh customer". That is what ebay told me to do.

[realjazz-123]

Again, the advice given is most appreciated. I have solid cardboard mailers which are very good for protecting records. As suggested, I was able to cut away some of the top flaps which reduced weight. Some records with heavy vinyl and album gatefold may still be a problem but most should be under 500 when excess cardboard is cut away.

    I have no idea why 501 and not 601 grams was chosen as the increase point and I guess someone somewhere will be unhappy no matter what the point . Because  a boxed record is close to the price jump in weight , it will make international sales more difficult.. I sell too few to wait and send post from Port Angeles US, but the idea had crossed my mind.  However, with the wisdom of johnny Mercer, I will try to "accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and don't mess with Mr. in between."

           Also great to save a few $$$ not spent on professional  psychology sessions. Treating my personality disorders (risk aversion, unnecessary worry,  etc. )with the sound advice from you all has helped a whole bunch. Thanks.

[around_again_records]

I feel your pain. I sell records too, not many but I try.

Ditto what everyone else has said about packaging. I have found that using the 5/8" bubble wrap is a perfect substitute for a cardboard insert on the bottom of the parcel, and much lighter too. I used to collect it where I worked, but I've used all that up and ended up buying a roll. The rolls are great for records. You can get them 12" wide with perferations every 12". It doesn't get any better than that.  I use the smaller bubbles for between the record and the sleeve.

I agree most single albums easily ship below 500g. The thing that irks me is that 2 usually go just a bit over 500 grams, but it is what it is. In Canada and US the difference in cost isn't too bad, but yeah, International rates are brutal. 

If you are selling good quality rare Jazz albums, I would say it's still a good idea to sell Internationally. I'm surprised at the number of International sales I have. Usually they are hard to find audiophile albums, but others too. I've had $5.50 albums shipped to Norway and Germany that cost almost $20 to ship. Go figure, but who am I to argue. I've asked a couple times if the buyer was aware of the shipping charges... sort of apologized for the high cost, and said if they had made a mistake I would be happy to cancel the transaction. In all cases except 1 (22 albums to China) the buyers were aware of the shipping costs and wanted the album anyway.

When it comes right down to it, you can still do OK. Just be up front about the shipping and if someone wants what you have they will pay what it costs. It's a big world out there. Good Luck

[femmefan1946]

I have no idea why 501 and not 601 grams was chosen as the increase point

I have a sneaking suspicion that it is because 500 grams is half a kilo. But, you know, it could have been random.

Still, package rates do tend to be regular. 0-100, 100-250, 250-500 Light Packet.

0-250, 250-500, 500 - 1000 (1 kg), 1-1.5 kg, 1-5-2 kg SmallPacket & Tracked Packet.

[recped]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

I have no idea why 501 and not 601 grams was chosen as the increase point

I have a sneaking suspicion that it is because 500 grams is half a kilo. But, you know, it could have been random.

Still, package rates do tend to be regular. 0-100, 100-250, 250-500 Light Packet.

0-250, 250-500, 500 - 1000 (1 kg), 1-1.5 kg, 1-5-2 kg SmallPacket & Tracked Packet.

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500 grams was 1 pound (454 grams) up until the mid 70's