eBay Workshop with Canada Post: Thursday, July 7, from 1-2 PM ET

[carly@ebay.com]

Please join us on Thursday, July 7, 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

[canadapost2]

Hi, phoebescollectables
You had a question regarding why Canada Post charges for cubing for items going to the US.

I will try and clarify this better for you. Canada Post does charge for the cube of the item because we actually incur the vast majority of the handling. Items do not just get dropped at the border – Canada Post will often deliver further into the US to allow the item to be delivered faster. The handover to the USPS may only be at the very last point.

Hope that helps. Kim:-)

[canadapost2]

Hi canuckaloo & zeddosaurus,

We are looking at offering online postage that you could access from home... but it is not out yet.

Stay tuned...

- Kim

[canadapost2]

Hi modern_tech_solutions,

Your question was will Canada Post ever offer a signature option to the US?

Currently we do not offer signature on Expedited Parcel-USA or Xpresspost-USA as the cost to do this is extremely high. We want to keep our costs down as much as possible for you.

If you need signature, we do offer Purolator International service at our retail outlets.

KimB-)

[canadapost2]

Hi hatrick007 & zeddosaurus,

Canada Post is not raising the rates from $1.70 to $3.95! It is just a question of what you are allowed to ship by letterpost, and what you can't.

What is happening is that a CD must be shipped as a small packet as it does not qualify for lettermail rates. The reason for this is that letterpost must only contain documents and no goods.

- Kim

[canadapost2]

Hi amandalee76,

We think that a shipping calculator is a great idea!

Canada Post is currently working very closely with eBay and determining strategies for the future. Stay tuned!

In the meantime you can always access our rate calculator right on our website www.Canadapost.ca

- Kim

[phoebescollectables]

Hi Kim,

Thanks for the clarification on cubing but now I am even more confused. I was under the impression that expedited parcels go by ground service. Does that mean that Canada Post delivers by ground past the US border?

Thanks

[canadapost2]

Hi zeddosaurus,

Your question is one of the hottest topics we've seen. You want me to clarify what can be shipped via Letterpost.

We have recently sent out clarifications to our customer service and retail staff to try and avoid any confusion.

Letterpost is mail that is composed exclusively of paper -- including letters, self-mailers, cards, postcards.

Unacceptable items include goods, diskettes, CDs, DVDs, small packets and any other items than paper.

Kim:-)

[canadapost2]

Hi jccomp18,

If the Xpresspost bubblemailer was too high for the item you were shipping, another service that is available is Expedited Parcel-USA. Also, depending on the size of your item, small packet is a very economical way to send to the US.

- Kim

[laird@ebay.com]

Kim... here's a question from genealogyresearcher left on the PowerSeller discussion board.

"I may not be here then, but would like to ask when/if the free bubble packs will be available again?"

[canadapost2]

Hi phoebescollectables,

To answer your question about ground service into the US, the answer is yes -- Canada Post still brings the item into the US past the border.

Kim

[canadapost2]

Hi genealogyresearcher,

Glad to hear you liked the flexipacks for eBay PowerSellers! We're currently researching if we can continue this program. We'll keep you posted.

Kim

[laird@ebay.com]

Another one from the PowerSeller board from montrealmaps...

"Will the TRACKING NUMBER FOR INTERNATIONAL SMALL PACKETS AVAILABLE AGAIN? It WAS until January 2004 and it WORKED VERY WELL! It was cancelled and replaced by Xpresspost which costs 3 times more (what makes many of my items "not-sellable" to international buyers).
For example: a small tube, 0.2 kg weight sent to Poland - before: 16 CAD, now - 48 CAD. Because of that I had to change the structure of my business. In effect: I lose the money, eBay loses the money, Canada Post loses the money too (because I don't pay more as expected - I simply don't send anymore!). Who won..?????"

[canadapost2]

phoebescollectables, another message for you,

You asked about insuring the full sale value of the item shipped. We follow the industry practice of insuring the cost of the item shipped, not the sale price. In most commerical situations, if a shipment gets lost or damage in transit, the shipper would recoup their cost and ship another item - therefore still making the same profit on the sale. eBay sellers are considered to be commercial customers as they are sending purchased products and not gifts. There is a link on our website that explains it in more detail:http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/tools/pg/manual/b08-E.asp

- Kim

[laird@ebay.com]

One from sugabeads left on the Selling Board about EST...


"How in the world do you use EST?! I have an account so that part is taken care of (venture one card and have ordered the green customs tags). I need to use the shipping tools to send out small packet to the USA but I have no clue if I have the right equipment or if it requires a special paper to print out. I did try it once only to hit the wrong button and be charged without getting my postage DOH! I called and had them reverse it but haven't tried it again since I don't know if I need a special kind of printer or paper to do it."

[laird@ebay.com]

And one more from sugabeads about an "Attemted - Not Known" message...

A USA bound package was returned to me today marked "Attempted - Not Known". I wondered exactly what that meant and found it means "Delivery attempted, addressee not known at place of address."

Does this mean my buyer does not live at that address? I'm very confused! What would that prove?

[canadapost2]

Hi Sugabeads,

So glad you asked. You can access EST through www.canadapost.ca on the business side. Just click Ship Now and you can get a userid/password online and start shipping!

You don't require any special software or printer -- All of the labels print on regular 8 1/2 X 11 paper.

Try it again and let us know how you like it.

KimB-)

[eserafini]

how does Canada Post assess the "cost" of an antique? TimelessClassicElegance

[canadapost2]

On the question about tracking on small packets....

Small packets used to have a registration option (e.g. registered mail) that allowed you to get a signature option. Small packets was since de-regulated, which meant that it no longer got access to some regulated postal features such as registration. With the exception of this registration signature option, small packets never had tracking.

Expedited Parcel or Xpresspost come barcoded and have tracking if you want it, although I realize that for small items these services are more costly.

- Kim

[laird@ebay.com]

The Canadians are quiet today -- must be the sunshine 🙂

A good EST question from Merritec left on the Selling board yesterday... Merritec asks

I am not sure if this question has been asked before but I could not find an answer in the board search.

I mailed a bunch of Items to the US with the EST and now I have adjustments on 2 of them for roughly $0.20 and $0.70.

I know I must have made a mistake on the measurements or weight, but I used a postal scale and triple checked the measurements.

I could not find a way on the CP web-site to look up why the changes were made.

I would like to know what I did wrong so I do not do it again. But there does not look like any easy way to find out.

Any suggestions or do I have to call CP.

Thanks
Merritec

[canadapost2]

Hello all,

I thought I'd address one of the biggest concerns that was raised on the last discussion board. Many of you have had mixed experiences with our retail outlets and staff.

All of your comments that were posted last time were raised to our executive level and there is a commitment to improve the overall retail experience.

Communication has occured regarding hours of operation, improved product info, and re-enforced the value of the VentureOne program.

Thanks for the feedback!!
Kim:-)