shipping chgs from US to Canada

[gaiirwi]

I would like to know why US sellers quote such large shipping costs for a single or double piece of paper (cross stitch pattern).  Sometimes sellers price the item very low and then advertise the shipping charges at enormous amounts.  For example, a x-stitch greeting card kit that lists at $6 and shipping charges of $10 to $84.   Sellers outside Canada should check to see what they are charging for shipping and adjust cost - that way they would get a lot more buyers.

[reallynicestamps]

In case you haven't been following the news, Americans are somewhat xenophobic and paranoid.

They cannot believe that anyone receiving an untracked shipment will just say thank you and move on. The idea terrifies them. So they insist on expensively tracked international shipping.

And most don't understand that there are different rates for different destinations, particularly that shipments to Canada are charged less than shipments to Botswana or Mongolia.  So they insist on using the more expensive overseas rates.

The USPS doesn't help. The website is set up to give the most expensive service first and the cheapest (First Class International Parcel) last.  By the way, both Priority and FCIP are tracked.

https://postcalc.usps.com/?country=10440

For fun, try to figure out the cheapest tracked rate to K0A 0A6 on that chart for a 3 ounce / 8x12" document.

And then there is GSP, which charges applicable duty, sales taxes and a ~$5USD service charge to handle to onerous job of filling out a three line customs form.

You may be better off to buy Canadian. Or Australian. Or French.

And please post your complaint to the Sellers Board on eBaydotCOM. Everyone here is Canadian and agrees with you.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

If you check those same sellers and how much they are charging to ship within the USA you will usually find Free Shipping for most listings. Some of those sellers either are under the impression shipping Internationally is difficult, don't believe items will arrive or they just can't be bothered. The last possibility from other reports here the US postage calculator is set up with the most expensive services listed first. They click and then only leave Canadian buyers the one option. 

My suggestion for US sellers until they mend their ways:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9SSOWORzw4

-CM

[marnotom!]

Are many of these sellers having their items shipped by "International Priority Shipping" through the Global Shipping Program?

If so, be aware that these items are being forwarded.  The seller ships them to Kentucky, incurring one shipping charge.  The item is then sent from Kentucky to Mississauga (usually) and from there its final destination, all for a second shipping charge which is added to the first.

If the seller doesn't provide information on the item's packaged size and weight, the second charge is usually inflated because the "bot" calculating the second shipping charge has to guess or use a category average.

[cumos55]

Many sellers look for an increased visibility on eBay.....  by saying they will ship outside the US  ... specifically eBay.com

However,  they do not want to sell outside of the US.

This means a very high cost for postage......  and few if any real international sales

[samsyugiohthriftshop]

Have you checked the exchange rate? I know shipping can be confusing but PayPal and eBay make it pretty easy to do it fairly. I don't think it's an "American" thing, maybe just people who love cross stitches? I don't know too much about them.