U.S. sellers overcharging Canadian buyers on shipping

[maybepossible]

Why do the vast majority of U.S. sellers want to charge Canadian buyers the same shipping rates as THE REST OF THE WORLD when the USPS has significantly cheaper postage rates to Canada (and vice versa, incidentally, for Canada Post to ship to the U.S.A.)? Numerous times I have complained to American sellers about this, and usually they have conceded my point and given me a proper Canadian rate, but I shouldn't have to ask in the first place - eBay makes it easy to list different shipping rates for different countries (something at least one American seller has claimed they don't, as a seller as well as buyer I know that eBay do).

[oragex]

If we are talking about the GSP which is used for most of transactions, I'm under the impression the seller can add his own fees to the final shipping cost.  I have purchased a phone and paid around $12 for shipping, then purchased the same phone from another seller and paid $25 for shipping.

If the seller would rather ship the item by himself, it is true that most are not aware USPS has an inexpensive shipping option.  It looks like USPS is 'hiding' this option somewhere on their site, perhaps they - USPS - don't want US sellers to use this cheap shipping option for some reason.

As for the sellers adding extra shipping fees for the Canadian customers, it may have to do with some mentality.  Before the GPS entered the scene, US sellers were little willing to ship to Canada for luck of trust or even for some sort of nationalism reasons.

[maybepossible]

When I posed the question, I was only letting off steam. I know American sellers in general don't care about non-American sales, and I don't doubt they are ignorant about overseas USPS postal rates and are happy to remain that way. Fortunately for me, I live in a border crossing town and when required I can buy "American" and pick it up from a U.S. business address who charge US$3.00 - of course, we all know how generous the Canadian import allowance is for ordinary people (Free Trade, there's a joke, there's not even Free Trade between the provinces) but border crossing guards are not concerned about harmless U.S. purchases, up to a point. My advice to all Canadians (I'm only half of one), live with it, you live in such a wonderful country (you are constantly being told that) you should be happy with the status quo.

[bert1630]

Why can I buy a transister radio from TOKYO for $9.00 U.S and get free shipping.Yet pay $25.00 to have it shipped from the US.????

[izzame]

I guess the short answer is because they can and as others have said, they really don't care about sales going outside of USA. Many, many US buyers just hit the USA only button and shop. 

Just tonight I was looking at a CD on .ca , US seller, price seemed reasonable until I saw the shipping. I'm still trying to figure that out. They are not with the GSP, CD under 25.00 CDN shipping 153.87 CDN. OK, took glasses on and off, put face closer to monitor .... shipping amount stayed the same. So if the message really is they don't want to ship to Canada why even include it as a country to ship to or they plan on personally delivering it and want some travel/expence $$$ or just complete insanity (ebay has totally pushed them over the edge)

I have noticed over the past month a huge increase in US sellers shipping costs to Canada ... almost double even CP rates and that is just not possible. We (CP) have almost the highest shipping rates in the world. Kind of goes hand in hand with having the most expensive toll road (407/ centre of the universe) in the world.

[reallynicestamps]

I saw a dress pattern with a $35 shipping price attached and politely asked the US seller why.
She thanked me, noting that she had accidentally used Priority Shipping instead of First Class.
The shipping was changed a few hours later.

When you see what seems to be an inflated shipping cost, it is often worthwhile to ask if the seller meant it and perhaps to suggest an alternative.

If the seller says no, she doesn't want your money, so move on.

[sweetcryssy]

Personally, I don't think most American sellers even care they are overcharging Canadian customers. The fact they can lump in higher postage rates to send items to us, and then pocket the difference is actually what lures them to do it. The thing is, they are only hurting themselves in the long run. They could very well sell items faster and turn over their inventory, if the postage rates were more reasonable. I'm a buyer, but I refuse to purchase from someone who charges me more for shipping then I'm paying for the actual item. And I know a lot of other Canadians feel the same way I do. If I'm looking for something and can't find it without having to pay ridiculous postage rates, well, then I will go without. Or find another way to get it other then ebay. I'm Canadian and I'm nice, but hell if I let you walk all over me. 

[momcqueen]

I agree completely. Postage paid is a necessary evil. If someone is padding it with excessive andling fees, I won't shop there. As a Canadian seller, not only do I NOT charge a handling fee but I also subsidize my buyers' postage costs. Buyers pay less for postage to me than I pay to Canada Post so I am very much intolerant to any attitude that it's all part of the selling price.

[momcqueen]

Those US-based sellers who lump in Canada with the rest of the world postage-wise are best ignored. If they haven't figured out we are attached to them and share the longest undefended border in the world, it's best to take a hard pass as a buyer. I do. Smart Canadians know very well it doesn't cost the same amount to ship a shoebox from the USA to Canada as it does to Azerbaijan. 

[femmefan1946]

Because they don't know there is a lower rate for Canada (and possibly also Mexico).

All we can do is politely let the seller know about their error BEFORE bidding.

If we can also give them some direction, it would be a nice thing to do.

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

The seller wants the Shape and Size icon, btw. And those rates include Confirmation of Delivery.

While eBay does give the seller a chance to choose the Canada rate when they make their listing, it is important to remember that the USA is the largest economy in the world, that only 9% of Americans hold passports (and most of those are immigrants), and that the population of Canada is 1/10th that of the States.

Even Americans who will ship internationally find that less than 5% of their sales go outside their borders.

Politely.-- Captain Malcolm Reynolds

[maybepossible]

I am fully aware of America's size, economic power, etc. etc., and, sadly, the "small world" attitude of many Americans. BTW, you are wrong about the passports, 36% of Americans (according to the State department) hold passports, although it is a relatively low figure compared with other countries.
As a (now occasional) seller in Canada, very little gets sold inside the country, and very bluntly, Canada Post doesn't make it easy, but then Canada Post is another example of a government owned job creation scheme run for the benefit of its employees at the expense of customers and taxpayers. Don't get me started about LCBO, and I am almost teetotal.

[momcqueen]

Canada Post ISN'T tax-payer subsidized unlike USPS. You've got that backwards.

[maybepossible]

So you think Canada Post can stand on its own two feet without "financial assistance"? Dream on.

[momcqueen]

It does. The Canadian federal government does not support it with tax dollars. It is self-sufficient. Legislation, aka the Canada Post Act, prohibits it. Please read to learn more at:

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canada-post-corporation and

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGcpc-e.asp

[momcqueen]

Wait, this is a better link. It's the Act itself:

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-10/index.html

[momcqueen]

Here's one from a left perspective. http://rankandfile.ca/2016/06/30/seven-myths-about-canada-post/

Check point #2.

[maybepossible]

Tell me about the Canada Post pension fund. And the people who work in my local Canada Post Post Office don't know what work is, but they sure know their holiday entitlement. I concede one thing, my regular delivery guy does earn his pay, considering the length of his round, and he's a real nice 'Canadian' too. There is nothing business-like or efficient about Canada Post, an effective monopoly when it comes to the needs of ordinary people and small businesses.

[momcqueen]

Where is your post office? Are you certain it's a post office with a postmaster or postmistress and not an authorized dealer at a retail outlet? Regardless, there is a 1-800- number to report any issues you may be facing with customer service.

[maybepossible]

Yep, I'm so stupid I can't tell the difference between the Post Office franchises at my local Independent & Shoppers Drug Mart (2 of those) and the official Canada Post one. Is there a 1-800 number to report people with too much time on their hands and not enough intellect? Now try answering my question about a problem with Turbo Lister 2, and if you actually know what you are talking about and solve it for me, I will say THANK YOU.

[momcqueen]

Turbo Lister is no longer supported by eBay. That was announced more than a year ago. eBay replaced it with the Seller Hub on eBay.com which has not yet come to eBay.ca. There is no 'help' for Turbolister anymore, if you're having trouble with it you'll have to look for a replacement. Other threads can give you recommendations for replacement service, I can't.

[maybepossible]

Wrong, see http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/turbo-lister-ov.html
Turbo Lister 2 is still available on eBay and it still works perfectly on my Windows 7 PRO PC (I used it today to upload), and until very recently it was working fine on my Windows 10 PRO PC, but Microsoft seems determined to mess everything up these days with their constant updates beyond the required security ones. Now please go to bed or watch TV or something else a lot more useful than stalking my original submission.

[momcqueen]

You're not going to gain anything by being rude. I'm not incorrect.

[maybepossible]

If I was being rude, I would have said something like "On yer bike". You don't know what rude is, son. Goodnight.

[kh-leslie]

Hi folks,
Please remember to keep the boards friendly and welcoming for everyone. In addition, please make sure to keep the thread on topic. Further hostility and off-topic comments will result in the thread being locked.
Thanks!

[momcqueen]

Re: Turbolister. https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Updates/2016-Fall-Seller-Update/td-p/349044

Rodney's first reply, eight or nine comments down.

[maybepossible]

Problem is, to reiterate, Turbo Lister 2 is still available on Canadian eBay as a download, AND, it still works fine on Windows 7 PRO, so please someone tell me what is actually happening rather than what eBay says is happening.

[bert1630]

Yes you are right about the US rates.  I can ship one card,well protected in a plastic top loader for $1.20 Canadian to anywhere in the USA.Yet the same card coming my way to Canada they want anywhere from $12.00 to $18.00 US. And our Canadian EBAY does nothing to protect us from this robbery.

[hyperrush]

Posting to canada is a risk, tracking isn't working, item not delevered false claims, this raises the price.

[maybepossible]

That's not a reply, it's a cynical excuse. If you regard Canada as a risky country to ship to, you simply exclude it as a selling destination. For all its cheap, tax-payer subsidised USPS tracked shipping rates, I bet the incidents of false non-delivery claims inside the USA are just as high as in Canada.

[hyperrush]

i took my experience, but i still ship to Canada.

[momcqueen]

I certainly don't count Canada among 'risk' countries.

[sweetcryssy]

I've NEVER had an issue tracking my packages if they've been sent via the USPS. As long as the tracking information is entered correctly by the seller, I've always been able to track my packages to the Canadian border via the USPS website, and then using that same information track it via the Canada Post website. This goes for any site I purchase from that uses USPS. Only time I've had issues is if a different carrier has been used, or the item I've ordered comes from any country other the the US. Canada Post isnt perfect, I've had packages sent from one side of Canada to the other, and have had sorting issues occur and my package end up being sent to a city other then my own. I've eventually received the package, but I've had to wait. That being said, I'm sure the USPS has the same issues sending items in the US.

No delivery system is infallible. Mistakes happen. And as it was mentioned in a reply above.. I'm sure if you did a comparison, the incidents of false non-delivery claims would be just as high in the US as they are in Canada.

[bert1630]

You don,t think we get shipping problems in Canada?