Shipping via Canada Post as a new seller - tips please!

baylou
Community Member

I'm thinking about getting into selling. Haven't much for years, just been a buyer, so am very rusty, so I really feel like a new seller! Thinking now about selling my vintage jewelry collection and clothing on eBay, so I will be needing mainly to mail small to medium packages.

 

I don't have a regular, registered business or anything. I am just a regular jane wanting to sell some stuff on eBay Canada and am trying to figure out how to make it worthwhile -- ie not all my time and profit eaten up in shipping efforts.

 

I had a look at Canada Post online, and don't find it very clear. Can someone like me (not a registered business with a business tax number etc) use Snap Ship or other Canada Post services? Anyone with insight or experience, advice, please reply!

 

And any other shipping tips appreciated. Or anything else you think someone just starting ought to consider. Thanks.

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

Sign up for Canada Post's Solutions for Small Business membership (if you're selling on line, you are in-the-business, and qualify).

It gives you some shipping benefits and you can buy some strong plastic envelopes (406 mm x 305 mm) with the eBay brand name at 25 for $3.50 including shipping. I'm still finding way to use them.

Most (but not all) of the other supplies Canada Post has, can be bought from your local business supply store for less.

 

 

Shipping to Canada:

 

Up to 500g, up to 2cm thick you can use oversize lettermail

One flat rate anywhere in Canada, but no tracking or insurance.

Not recommended for your jewelery if the item is valuable.

 

Up to 2cm thick

051-100g .. 1.80
101-200g .. 2.95
201-300g .. 4.10
301-400g .. 4.70
401-500g .. 5.05

 

Over 2cm thick, you need to go to parcel. Expedited parcel is recommended.

Comes with tracking, $100 insurance included (more available), and a delivery guarantee (or your shipping cost refunded). Buy shipping through eBay (the sale info will have a Print shipping label link) or elsewhere using your Solutions for Small Business membership.

 

Drawback: variable cost depending on location, but if listing on eBay.ca you can have eBay calculate the cost to your buyer automatically. Size of package required, so you need a ruler/measuring tape (in cm) and scales (in grams) (I recommend the Canadian Tire Starfrit when it's on sale). A rough idea of the package size/weight is usually all you need for your eBay listing.

 

Expedited Canada weight ranges: 0-750g, 751-1kg, then 0.5kg steps up to 30kg

 

Caution: Don't use too big a package or you may find the cost will jump due to dimensional weight charge.

For Canada: length x width x depth (in cm) divided by 6000 will give the dimensional weight. Shipping cost is based on the higher of actual or dimensional weight.

Example: 20x20x20 cm would be treated as 1-1.5kg package, even if you only had a 200g item inside

 

 

...

 

 

For your items, if you decide to sell outside Canada, I'd suggest USA, UK and Japan as countries to consider.

 

-..-

Answers (1)

Answers (1)

In the short run you will do better shipping through Paypal, who offer a discount (5%to 17%) on most parcel services.

Letter Post is not covered by any online service.

Light Packet is-- but is not tracked. Cheap and fast though.

 

There is a Canada Post Small Business option. Ask for a card next time you are in the PO. Even the outlets can do this for you.

But Paypal has better discounts. But get the card anyway.


Over the next few months there are going to be several changes in shipping.

 

ypcdennis has been posting about these in the Seller Boards, as have some other sellers.

 

This is the part of the Canada Post website I find most useful.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

 

You can also buy discount mint never hinged postage stamps here on eBay from various sellers. *cough cough*

 

BTW-- if you are able to ship LetterPost/LightPacket you can also list on dotCOM in US dollars using Flat Rate Shipping.

If you must use Packet shipping, you are safest to list here on dotCA and use Calculated Shipping.

You already know about only giving dimensions and weights in metric, right?

 

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