eBay

sylviebee · ‎03-10-2019

I just sold a small inexpensive item to a buyer about an hour's drive from me.

When I calculate shipping cost I find that shipping to her via Small Packet costs $14.18.

Shipping via XPresspost costs $14.53.

Shipping to the UK costs $9.96.

Can all that be correct? Is there a less expensive way to ship within Canada? It's a small jewelry item which will be about 4 cm. thick and will weigh about 80 grams when packed.

Has anyone else noticed that Expedited is now more expensive than Small Packets?

Also, I tried to insure something being shipped via Expedited and found that in order to insure I also have to purchase Signature confirmation when using Expedited and I don't want or need signature confirmation. Yikes!

mrdutch1001 · ‎03-10-2019

Yes it has been that way for many a year...yes it is often more expensive to ship an item within Canada than to USA or elsewhere.

However, Expedited parcel rate is somewhat less than Xpresspost and Expedited does come with $100 insurance coverage. Additional coverage can be purchased for $2.25 per $100

sylviebee · ‎03-10-2019

@mrdutch1001 wrote:
Yes it has been that way for many a year...yes it is often more expensive to ship an item within Canada than to USA or elsewhere.
However, Expedited parcel rate is somewhat less than Xpresspost and Expedited does come with $100 insurance coverage. Additional coverage can be purchased for $2.25 per $100

Yes. I realize that it's been more expensive to ship within Canada than out of the country for a long time, but has the difference always been that notable? Is there another option for shipping within Canada?

Also, It costs quite a bit more to buy additional insurance now for Expedited than $2.25/$100. I found that I was forced to buy Signature Confirmation if I wanted extra insurance.

And............ Until now Expedited didn't come with Signature Confirmation. Maybe it's still not not an general option available and is only forced when buying added insurance.

And......... what happened to that discount for Expedited?

mrdutch1001 · ‎03-10-2019

I do all my shipping via PayPal (purchase my shipping labels online via PayPal) and I have NEVER been asked to purchase Signature when purchasing additional insurance....but I also have not shipped anything over $500-$600 value...perhaps it is different for jewelry...

However, I do know signature is required for high value items(something that was recently introduced) and someone can correct me if I am wrong, but seems to me over $800 value now needs signature.

There is only a 5% discount or whatever discount level you have attained on Canada Post account..the other discounts were discontinued last year.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-10-2019

Well you could use Lettermail if the package (bubble envelope?) weighs less than 500 g and is less than 2cm thick.

You can add Registration for tracking within Canada, but there is some question if eBay will accept domestic registration as being electronically viewable. It will not for international shipping. Registration is $9.50 plus the normal postage.

With the exception of the USPS, tracking is expensive.

Do you need to track? It is a basic Seller Protection,of course, but your buyer is in Canada, not the more litigious USA.

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

You get some discounts on some services when you print out labels, but they are basically the same as the counter Small Business Solutions discounts. The only advantage to my mind is that you can drop your package in the nearest mailbox, without waiting in line at the PO.

I use postage stamps rather than labels, because I buy them much cheaper than most can, and only go to the PO when I am shipping something that needs tracking. Then I attach my stamps and the counter clerk attaches the sticky label. Normally I pay a tiny differential but sometimes I'm right on the button.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎03-10-2019

Back in the olden days(Early 90ies) working in Winnipeg, we used to mail out approx 20 to 30 packages a day, most under 1 kg throughout Manitoba, N. Ontario and our regional offices across Canada. Most arrived in under 3 days using standard mail without tracking. Average postage was under $3.00. Before GST, fuel surcharges or additional fees for rural areas. We didn't really worry about tracking because mail just arrived like it should. If there was a miss-sort, it was fixed in a timely manner by the post office and not the sender having to make a call. This makes one either feel very sad or very frustrated!!!

-Lotz

sylviebee · ‎03-10-2019

@mrdutch1001 wrote:
I do all my shipping via PayPal (purchase my shipping labels online via PayPal) and I have NEVER been asked to purchase Signature when purchasing additional insurance....

That's what I'm saying. Either the PO has made these changes recently or these are glitches at the CPO website.

Are others still getting discounts for Expedited because the CPO website didn't and shipping for Expedited was higher than for Small Packets and that's not the way it used to be?

This was one reason for the big difference between Domestic and over seas shipping costs.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-10-2019

@sylviebee

I was forced to buy Signature Confirmation if I wanted extra insurance.

At a Post Office ? or at a postal outlet?

The outlet clerks are nowhere near as well trained as the post office employees, who usually have years of experience.

sylviebee · ‎03-10-2019

It was the CPO website.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-10-2019

@mrdutch1001

I do know signature is required for high value items(something that was recently introduced) and someone can correct me if I am wrong, but seems to me over $800 value now needs signature.

It's not that recent. Well over a decade.

But it is only "necessary" if you believe there could be a problem and an Item Not Received dispute.

It's an eBay/Paypal rule, not a post office one.

The value at which the Signature Confirmation is demanded by eBay is $650, I think.

Signature costs $1.50 and is excellent insurance if you are uncomfortable with a sale of any value. An adult has to sign before the carrier will deliver. This means a possible scammer, on a $100-600 item has to look the carrier in the eye and agree the shipment was received. Good insurance for a buck fifty.

sylviebee · ‎03-10-2019

Just trying to find the least expensive way to ship this $30 item. I buy all my postage on line via Shippo but was forced to go to the CPO site recently and what I found was what I posted.

Not sure if these are glitches for that site or recent changes. That's why I posted here about it.

esclyons · ‎03-10-2019

about 6 months ago, they changed it to automatically add the signature option when the value is 200$ or more..

sylviebee · ‎03-10-2019

@esclyons wrote:
about 6 months ago, they changed it to automatically add the signature option when the value is 200$ or more..

I found that when I didn't add insurance there was no added fee for signature confirmation but when I added insurance there was a fee for signature confirmation.

Does Expedited now come with a Signature option? It used to be that the only way to get a signature was to upgrade to Xpresspost.

ypdc_dennis · ‎03-10-2019

Small Packet is not available for Canada -- that is for USA and International only.

* Oversize lettermail -under 500g, under 2cm thick, no tracking, no insurance. Cheap flat rate anywhere in Canada.

* Regular parcel - insurance is extra. First weight step is 1-750g (same price gives light stuff a disadvantage). Volumetric calculation is more forgiving (LxWxH /6000).

* Expedited parcel - fancy version of regular parcel, includes $100 insurance, goes on the truck ahead of regular parcel. Volumetric calculation is worse than for regular (LxWxH /5000). First weight step is 1-750g. On time delivery guarantee or shipping refunded.

* Xpresspost - faster, more expensive than expedited. $100 insurance included.

* Priority - fastest and most expensive. Signature and $100 insurance included.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/personal/sending/parcels/compare-services-canada.page

There are also boxes with flat rate available at some post offices (fill and mail). I've never seen them.

And Canada Post was testing a light weight parcel option back in 2017 for light packages in two weight ranges 1-250g and 251-500g. No news since then for this Small Packet equivalent for Canada.

For lucky Canadians that are close to a reshipper (like ChitChatsExpress) there are discounted parcel rates available for Canada.

-..-

ypdc_dennis · ‎03-10-2019

Canada Post started requiring signature for it's insurance back in 2017 starting from $200 worth of insurance. The CPC software automatically adds signature (if not already included) when buying a label with extra insurance.

Shippo extra insurance is provided by a third party insurer rather than Canada Post, so signature would not be added. And PayPal never bothers to update their Canada Post label stuff unless forced to by errors.

-..-

sylviebee · ‎03-10-2019

I rarely ship small inexpensive items within Canada and so I'm always taken aback when I see the cost.

I guess the discount for Expedited disappeared a while ago? Didn't realize that either.

redqube · ‎03-11-2019

IMHO, on a 30$ item I wouldn't bother with insurance or signature confirmation/registered mail within Canada. I'd put the item in a bubble or hard cardboard envelope and mail it the cheapest way possible. I've sold a few coins or pieces of jewelry and that's the way I did it for items under 50$, I worry more for items going across the border but for a local shipment, if your buyer has a reasonable experience (viewed by way of feedback) you should not worry. I can't believe it will cost you more than 10$ shipping on a small item like this going a short distance.

pjcdn2005 · ‎03-11-2019

And............ Until now Expedited didn't come with Signature Confirmation. Maybe it's still not not an general option available and is only forced when buying added insurance.

As far as I know, a signature has always been an option for expedited within Canada but not to the US.

And......... what happened to that discount for Expedited?

I think that discount has been gone since last summer or fall. There is still a small business discount but that can be fairly small for expedited.

pjcdn2005 · ‎03-11-2019

I can't believe it will cost you more than 10$ shipping on a small item like this going a short distance.

It would cost me $12 to mail a small 100 gr package to someone in the same city that I live in. It might be less expensive for those who have a processing plant in their city but in general, the shipping cost is fairly expensive regardless of where a package is going.