eBay Workshop with Canada Post: Friday, May 27, 1-2 PM ET

[carly@ebay.com]

Please join us on Friday May 27 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 and how you use the various services with your eBay business.

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

[able-wizard1957]

Thanks for putting this on. I have a couple of advance questions in case I can't make it on the day:

1) Does Canada Post have any plans for a within-Canada small parcel rate/class of mail? For things bigger/heavier/thicker than a letter but not big/heavy enough to be worth sending by regular/expedited parcel? (I understand why small packet rates to US are often cheaper than mailing within Canada, just wondering if there's any relief on the horizon for us beleaguered embattled Canadian ebayers).

2) When will the next rate increase occur and could we get an estimate of increases?

3) Are any plans in the works to increase the discounts available to Venture One and EST users or expand the services Venture One and EST discounts apply to?

Thanks!
Steph

[princess_peach_2004]

Is there likely to be a shipping calculator released from CP that can be used similar to the USPS one that can be inserted into your ebay listing?

[phoebescollectables]

Hi,

Thanks for allowing the advance posting of questions.

As I am sure you are aware there are a large number of eBay sellers who cross the border to the US on a regular basis to mail their items. Some even mail their items from the US back to Canada and find it cheaper. I appreciate that Canada Post does not have the same budget that USPS has to work with, but I was wondering if we will ever see some of the following features:

1) Media Mail

2) Simplified printing of online postage similar to the US.

3) Elimination of cubing (minimum density weight) when sending items to the US. After all packages going to the US only have to be brought to the border. After that USPS handles things and they don’t cube packages.

4) Flat Rate boxes for delivery within Canada with much larger weight limits, similar to what is available within the US.

5) More detailed tracking on Expedited Parcels to the US.

I like the change Canada Post instituted this year to simplify the shipping of Expedited Parcels within Canada.

Thanks

Phoebe’s Collectables

[dnc_ont]

Why can't Canada Post simply put a page up on the EST that says "Down for maintenance" rather than let us waste time and go through the process of shipping, and get charged for labels that end up unreadable and useless? Requiring spending 30-60 minutes on the phone to get a credit for the lousy $3.95 charge.

[jakeeangel]

I for one just wanted to let Canada Post know that they're losing my business. I'm driving over the border to mail my items. The United States Postal Service is less expensive and far more effecient than Canada Post! I find that even shipping to fellow Ontarians is cheaper from Buffalo, New York.

Your staff are unqualified and often have no idea of the products and services you offer. You need to properly educate and train them. There are far too many times when different clerks within the same location differ on the rules for packages. I've read too many posts about people bringing items that clearly qualify for the Small Packet service being charged for package services. Your employees are charging people the MDW rate when the item should be charged the Small Packet Rate. How do you explain that and what do you have to say for yourself? It is extremely frustrating knowing that Canadians are paying for your services and your employees only to have an unknowing person behind the counter further rip them off from the already high priced "services".

Canada Post needs to seriously clean up their act when it comes to educating and training your staff. They clearly have little to no idea how to charge for packages.

---

[tobyshitzu]

Taken from another thread and needing an explanation. The issue of "what is letterpsot"comes up almsot daily here. Why - staff at canadapost can provide exactly opposite answers day to day, even the same person! No wonder the outlet staff are cosntantly confused.

Hello,

Thank you for your message to Canada Post.

As long as your mail item is within the size and weight requirements of Letterpost -USA, you will be able to send it as such. To find out more information on the specifications of this service, please follow the
link provided below:

http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/tools/pg/manual/d08-e.asp#c004


Regards,

Simon Lalonde
Customer Service


Note, this second reply from the SAME csr says exactly the opposite of the firt reply:

Hello,

Thank you for your message to Canada Post.
Letter-post is the most economical method of sending personal and business correspondence to the United States and international destinations. U.S.A. and International Letter-post prices are available for items that meet the correct size and weight characteristics. Letter-post must be posted in Canada for delivery in a foreign country, and bear a Canadian return address. Letter-post can include:

- Letters
- Small packets [I assume this refers to padded envelopes]
- Self-mailers
- Cards
- Postcards

Goods are not permitted for movement as Letter-post. Items such as CD's and other small goods must be shipped using other International/USA Distribution Services (for example: Small Packets service). For more information on Letter-post to the United States and other international destinations, visit our website by clicking on the following links:

http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/tools/pg/manual/d08-e.asp
http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/tools/pg/manual/D09-e.asp

Regards,

Simon Lalonde
Customer Service

Other problems I've had in recent months:

Postal outlet closed during advertised hours, mutiple times in a row. Saff trying to charge 700% more then they should. Staff that have never heard of a venture 1 card. Staff that had never heard there was no GST on over $5 intl postage. Staff that put loose stamps on intl items so GST was improperly charged. One outlet does not provide receipts, even for insured services unless demanded - the supervisor there handed me a receipt that I realized after I got home must have been a previous customers complete with their expedited item #s. Hearing staff offer all kinds of weird "advice" to me or customers in front like last weeks "it can go letter but that will be a lot slower then small packet". Satffing at some outlets is absolutely dreadful, right at the top of the worst customer service I've ever experienced at any business.

[sunset_sports_cards]

Hi Kim, given the fact that a huge number of Canadian sellers drive across the border to mail packages at a cheaper rate than Canada Post can offer, what will Canada Post do to try and combat that?
And...I would like to see the small packet rate at least be competitive with respect to shipping to the USA. It just does not make any sense to pay more in Canada to ship small packet air vs. shipping to the USA small packet air. Why the difference?
Thanks in advance.

[maggiekat2424]

Will Canada post stop showing prices on parcels? UPS doesn't show the shipping cost on the parcel to my buyers. They need to have a better tracking an labeling system so being a Venture one customer I can do all my paper work before I drop of my parecels. Canada Post loses a lot of my business for these reasons and I ship a lot lately.

Thanks

[magicpixiedust]

Hi, few questions/requests:
I do all my shipping through Canada post and wish you had a flat book media rate on books. When shipping books, going by weight is really ridiculous for many books are heavy and the charge is way way too expensive! Why not have a flat book rate like USPS has.
Secondly, a 5% venture one discount doesn't amount to anything when your shipping fees increase yearly. If your shipping fees increase yearly, then the 5% discount should increase too. For someone who ships 50-60 parcels a month, I should receive a higher discount then 5% as oppose to someone who signed on for the card and ships 5 parcels in a month.
Thirdly, the venture one card should apply to small packets - not just expedited parcel or xpresspost.
Please respond

[skminus]

Things I'd like to see:

Media mail. We used to have 'Book post,' let's get it back.

Tracking on any parcel, including small packet, for a small extra amount, say $1.00.

Signature: ditto as above.

YES to post 4. I have suggested that every time I have had to phone in for a refund. Just post a message saying things are acting up, and I'll do it manually.

SKM

People who know about the powerseller program. I signed up last October, and have been using the on-line post since, averaging $400 per month. It was only a few weeks ago that I was told I had to enter my agreement number into the on-line data, to get the better discount. No one told me this when I originally signed up. They took my Venture One details, asked what password I'd like to use and said I was ready to go.
My question is this: Does this affect the refund you will be giving us this autumn? You have a record of what I've spent since then, so I hope not.

[magicpixiedust]

a tracking number on small packets would be great or signature receipt...so if we have a dispute it can be tracked with the number or proof the buyer received the item by signature..:-)

[lwhal1]

I agree with princess, a shipping calculator for us peon Canadian sellers would be greatly appreciated. Lower shipping rates would also be condusive to selling alot more. I can`t believe what costs $1.70 to ship in Canada costs $4.00 to ship to the U.S. Especially since you only ship to the border, and then the U.S. Postal system takes over. Someone had best do a study of the U.S. postal system(which makes money) and apply the findings to our Postal system(which does NOT make money). If you need help, get in touch with me. I cannot fathom how costs have gone up exorbitantly, while you have eliminated millions from payroll? Anyone remember when we had Mailmen? Get rid of the fatcats at the top!

[biddingsurge]

Thank you for having a key business partner invited to eBay to ask questions directly to. As I'm scaling my business I'm looking at automation tools to positively impact my bottom line. Currently the data download from eBay requires heavy massaging so that it fits into Canada Posts Desktop EST tool. I know Canada Post has third party vendors that work at integrating client applications with Canada Post tools. What efforts, if any, are Canada Post and eBay together taking to streamline data downloading from eBay so that it can seamlessly upload into EST and streamline order processing. Not sure if this is an eBay "TO DO" where the data could be formated to the Canada Post file layout requirements.

Many Thanks,

Sergio Correia

[islandchicks]

Dear Carly,

As an eBay seller of many books I would also like to see both the addition of Media Mail as well as a product similar to Small Packet for shipping within Canada. The high cost of shipping for Canadian buyers has a dramatic impact on business and results in the seller feeling as though they must somehow justify Canada Post charges.

At the same time, though, I do wish to commend Canada Post on the service I have received to date - the staff at the retail outlet I frequent are fast, accurate and friendly. I have received positive feedback from customers relating to delivery times as well. I look forward to any positive changes as a result of this Workshop!! Thanks in advance - JM

[holoboss]

Thanks for opportunity to ask questions here.

I will not ask trivial questions like "why it took 9 business days for a letter sent to someone in the same city I live in", or why so often I get mail addressed to completely different addresses, and I need to gtive it back to our postman. Or, why the pricing structure is so inconsistent and confusing? Or, why I always need to watch to be not overcharged by undertrained and overworked staff?
No, these are part of regular "charm" of our efficient Canada Post, and we need to take them as a fact of life, I think.

I just have just a single question, which I hope can be answered.
Is Canada Post going to be more competetive to UPS and other guys?

I mean, I spend on UPS about $5,000 a year, and I receive discount averaging about 40% for volume and consistent usage.
And - I spend about $10,000 with Canada Post.
Discount offered to me for such volume and loyalty is rather symbolic, and applies only to selected services (while all my mailings make you money) - no way to even get close to UPS.
I would gladly use even more Canada Post (despite terribly slow and unreliable deliveries) - but it would be nice to see some real discount system, not a pittance. What I get is similar to these big sales tags we have in British Columbia in government liquor stores: red tag advertising "sale" 20 cents off on a wine bottle priced $25 or so. Rather slap in the face than a discount, I think...
Perhaps it is time for CP to really find ways to keep and gain customers?

And, not a question but comment - new system of a bar code on invoice for Canadian ExpressPost and Expedited is terrible. If I send 10 or 15 such things at once, I don't know which one is which without old forms. And, when I pass my cash invoices every couple of weeks to my accountant - I have no way to handle a customer complain, to figure out what is tracking number for anything sent more than couple of weeks ago.
Why Canada Post make things more difficult every while, instead of simplyfying things? Is it what we are paying more and more every year for?
Thank you kindly for your attention.
Derek from Victoria, BC
PS.
I used for years postal services in Europe. Quite amazingly different story. Reliable in real life, not in the ads only...

[os-box]

Hi,

I am an artist, Platinum PowerSeller on eBay.
I was very satisfied with Canada Post service till I had to submit a damage claim with one of my paintings.

All my paintings are shipped insured against damage or loss and I pay high fees for insurance. Each year I spent around $ 4000 for insurance only. (most of the times the insurance fees I charge from my customers don't cover the actual insurance cost).

As I said before, I recently had to submit a damage claim. Amazingly I've been told that Canada Post will cover the cost of the materials only and not the cost of the final sale. I was furious. I have decided not to insure my paintings anymore.

I am quite surprised to hear this decision. After all, paintings are not something that I buy out of the shelf and send it to my customers.
It is something I create. For the last 3 years I spent over $9,000 just for insurance (I sent over 1,500 paintings) .... no more.

If the painting was done by Rembrandt, Picasso or Michelangelo and it was shipped insured by Canada Post to someone, and the post office damaged the item would Canada Post not settle for millions, or just pay for materials?

I have many artists colleagues that joined Canada Post after I recommended them about its great service.
I will certainly inform them about my bad experience.

Osnat

[robocanada2004]

Just a couple quick questions:

1> Just Curious on why the Venture 1 does not include a discount on all the packages I send out. Most of my mailings are 6 x 10 bubble envelopes but they don't qualify for discounted rates even though they make up 85% of my sales.

2> Also, is there ever going to be a Small packet rate within canada???

[ceel1986]

Just a couple of comments/questions.

I would like to see expedited parcels to the US scanned more often (for example at major sorting centers, customs) and not just at the receiving and destination postoffices. When parcels don't arrive, the sender cannot track it past the local postoffice.

Last summer I read an article where the CEO of Canada Post bragged about making it a profitable enterprise. Now I think it is time to make it more efficient.

I mailed a 10x12 brown envelop containing infant's clothing at a podunk postoffice in Maine on a Saturday morning for $1.35 US and it was received in California on Monday morning. A similar package (oversized letter) mailed in a city in New Brunswick on a Saturday has taken over a week to reach BC and more than 2 weeks to reach California. We seldom get Saturday - Monday delivery within the city.

I would like to understand the sorting locations/procedures for international mail. Could you explain the route that mail from NB would travel to the US and to other international centers (Europe, Asia, Australia).

I would also like to see small packet rates offered to Canadian destinations and I would like the option for all small packets to be trackable.

Thanks

Linda

[beenie99cdn]

Hi, glad to have a place to ask questions. I am a small seller, but it drive me crazy to submit a postal quote to someone in the east that runs over $9.00 when the same package by weight costs less than $4.00 to the US. It's to the point where Canadians cannot buy from Canadians because of the postal rates. I'd also like to have some kind of tracking available so if I ever get burned by another buyer I would be covered under Paypal's seller protection plan. With no 3rd party tracking available to ensure the person received the package I'm out the money from the sale. Small package and media rates for books would be great too.