eBay

sailor.v. · ‎08-31-2011

I am curious if there are any Canadian sellers who use USPS... like going down the the states and shipping their wares through there?

I'm asking because I've heard of some people doing this, but I am not sure of the logistics of it all, like, do you require a US mailing return address on it or can you use your own Canadian address? Do you even need a return address on it?

I have a bunch of posters that I would like to sell, but being from Canada, I am afraid that CanadaPost is going to charge an arm and a leg for them, so I would like to see if shipping via USPS is a viable option for me since I live near the border (though this would probably require me getting a Nexus pass to make it worth my time).

pocomocomputing · ‎08-31-2011

I believe that you are located in Surrey, BC in the lower mainland from your listings. There is a service by Books to the Border (eBay id bookstotheborder) that will provide shipping for any items by USPS. They make daily trips to the USA to do this. They have pickup locations here and for a fee can provide a USA return address.

I do not use this service but you may be interested. The savings by USPS pays for the service and you save too.

Here is their web site

http://bookstotheborder.com/

In the East, there is Chit Chat's Express for sellers in the Toronto area.

http://www.chitchatsexpress.com/

For your info. Both services post in these forums. If you do a search on their forum ids, bookstotheborder and chitchatsexpress, you can find some helpful posts on using USPS.

peterswholesale · ‎09-01-2011

I do ship out of the US from Montreal. If the drive is cost effective (it takes me an hour to get to the border and thank heavens there is a post office right there), than the easy thing to do is signup for www.endicia.com. For $10 a month you can print your postage from home (buy a good oz scale!)Going over the border costs you $10.75 and you have to have a customs declaration (e-mail me if interested, it's impossible to find doing a search). You can fill it out at home, and hand it over to them when you cross (+ the $10.75 of course!). Once you do that, just bring it to the post office, drop it off, get some groceries and your on your way home. It may sound difficult but it's really not. Do it once and your breezing through every week. Advantages are: quicker shipping time, cheaper shipping price and if you get a po box in the US you can have your stuff delivered there and bring it over yourself (no duties or broker fees, just pay the taxes!). Been doing it for 10 years, never any problems. Most customs guys know me now and let me pass through quickly. Any questions, let me know.

peterswholesale · ‎09-01-2011

oh, and yes nexxus is great, don't know why I never signed up, I just didn't. But as for the $10.75, you can get a transponder for $180/year and you don't have to pay each time you go through.

And I forgot to mention the free boxes from USPS. They give you free boxxes! (sorry i do love it, it is so much easier!)

beautiful_times · ‎09-01-2011

I ship from Toronto with USPS. I use Chit Chat Express (as mentioned above). For the return address I use Chit Chats address in NY.

The rates they charge are very reasonable:

Letter mail (which includes very thin packages that cost $0.44 or $0.64 in U.S. postage):
$0.25 per piece

First class mail (this includes small bubble mailers that don’t take up a disproportionate amount of room on the van): $0.65 per piece

Small parcels and books will remain $0.85 per piece

Large and heavy parcels:

Parcels up to 5 pounds - $1.00 per piece

Parcels up to 10 pounds - $2.00 per piece

Parcels between 10 and 20 pounds - $5.00 per piece

Parcels between 20 and 30 pounds - $7.00 per piece

Parcels 30 to max 40 pounds - $9.00 per piece

Large, light parcels may be surcharged based on the space they take up

I use Stamps.com to print my postage, as it was the only service that didn't require me to open a US bank account, the first month was free and I was given $5 in free postage.

The money that I am saving with USPS vs Canada Post is more than enough to cover the $15.99 Stamps.com charges and the fees to get my items across the boarder.

I also love the 19cents delivery confirmation on first class mail!

bookstotheborder · ‎09-01-2011

peterwholesale:

do not use yor Nexus card if going into the USA with commercial products. It makes the US custom guards very grumpy if you are caught and you will lose your Nexus card

Yearly transponder costs $205 per year not $180 and it is per calendar year---so for some people it may not be economical to purchase one now --depends on how many trips you make between now and Dec 31st

and the transponder is for one car/truck only---it is not interchangable if you have more then one vechile

bookstotheborder · ‎09-01-2011

Sailor: Posters are very light. Don't be tempted to use the free USPS Priority TUBES. Ship them First Class

sailor.v. · ‎09-01-2011

Bookstotheborder: What do you mean by not using the USPS tubes? Are you suggesting to purchase my own tubes to ship, and have them shipped via First Class? Or to fold them up? I doubt people would be happy to have folded up posters...

Couldn't I just take the free tubes, and cover them up with packaging paper?

Thank you all for your answers, I'm totally clueless when it comes to USPS!

sailor.v. · ‎09-01-2011

beautiful_times: I tried signing up for an account at Stamps.com, but I got stuck at the credit card section. It requires me to register a credit card in order to purchase stamps from them, and it looks like only US is only acceptable. How did you overcome this when you signed up?

beautiful_times · ‎09-01-2011

Sailor: I had to use Chit Chats US address in New York and for the payment I used my canadian visa, which I also use to add funds to my account.

As long as you have a US address stamps.com doesn't care what country your credit card is in.

If you have problems registering you can call them, as their toll free number works in Canada.

trulyphoenix · ‎09-01-2011

according to the website it says Alberta as well...do they do calgary? I am curious about charges and all the good stuff.

beautiful_times · ‎09-02-2011

Bookstotheborder: What do you mean by not using the USPS tubes? Are you suggesting to purchase my own tubes to ship, and have them shipped via First Class? Or to fold them up? I doubt people would be happy to have folded up posters...

Couldn't I just take the free tubes, and cover them up with packaging paper?

Thank you all for your answers, I'm totally clueless when it comes to USPS!

What Bookstotheborder means is to ship the posters First Class Mail with delivery confirmation.

USPS gives away free boxes and tubs for Priority Mail. However the cost for Priority is more than purchasing a tube and shipping the poster with First Class Mail.

Do not use Priority packaging with a First Class mailing label. If USPS notices they will charge your customer the rate difference, which won't lead to a happy customer.

peterswholesale2 · ‎09-02-2011

bookstotheborder, you are absolutely right, I haven't checked in a while, it used to be $180! Rates are always going up. For me, I find just paying the $10.75 each time easier. The nexxus card is too much of a hassle, not sure if I would ever get the chance to use it anyway, I always bring pacels through, ever when going on vacation:)

Also, I do recommend endicia over stamps.com, you can use a canadian cc, no problem. It may be $10/mth, but you get free delivery confirmation and their dazzle program sends all the tracking #'s directly to you ebay customers without having to manually fill them in. Also, I think stamps.com is $16/mth.

In any event, good luck with the shipping, I guess I'm not the only one that thought of doing this!

bookstotheborder · ‎09-03-2011

trulyphoenix

I have quite a number of customers in Alberta that use me----some of them in Calgary

Sailorv: "Couldn't I just take the free tubes, and cover them up with packaging paper?"

No---if you are using any of the Free Priority packaging then you can not cover them with packaging paper or attempt to disguise them in anyway. YOU MUST SHIP PRIORITY. Even used Priority boxes can not be used for anything except Priority if shipping via USPS

But that said---the Post Offices do not keep the tubes in stock anyways---you would have to order them from the USPS site--and to do so you need a PO Box or USA mailing address

pjcdn2005 · ‎09-03-2011

I have quite a number of customers in Alberta that use me----some of them in Calgary

Books...how do those customers usually get their items to you?

trulyphoenix · ‎09-05-2011

Yes please let me know how the items get to you? and what are the fees?

homeffects · ‎09-10-2011

Sailor. Not sure if you got stamps.com fixed up yet. You have to call them when you make your first credit card purchase. Ask to talk to accounting and explain the situation. They will process the credit charge. You may have to do this the first couple of times, but once you're set up all is good.

homeffects · ‎09-10-2011

bookstotheborder. Do you have this service available in eastern Ontario? ie Kingston area. I've been shipping my own packages across the border for the past six years, but a change in my regular job has left me working 9-5 monday to friday.

pjcdn2005 · ‎09-10-2011

As mentioned in post 2, chitchatexpress does something similar in Ontario. I think that he is in the Toronto area but he could probably help you in Kingston. The website is http://www.chitchatsexpress.com/