eBay

2015dybl · ‎03-11-2017

Am I doing something wrong. I am new to selling on ebay and starting to think this is not a good idea in canada. I have a .54 gram tshirt in a small poly mailer and the post office said to ship from Toronto to Vancouver is $15.27 .. not worth it for anyone to buy a 3 dollar tshirt if they have to pay that much in shipping... I hope I'm doing something wrong.. help

pocomocomputing · ‎03-11-2017

You can use Lettermail Oversize to ship small thin parcels under 2 cm thick and less than 500 gram for $5 or less. Your item if placed in a larger flat envelope to make sure it is under 2 cm thick. It may bunch up and get thicker before you mail it. Someone will tell you how to keep it thin. I would fold it around a thin cardboard insert. Lettermail Oversize has 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 grams breaks going from $1.80 to $5.05 + sales tax.

no tracking for Lettermail oversize but a good cheap service. Loss is rare but buyer could make a false loss claim.

momcqueen · ‎03-11-2017

You have a choice to make.

If the item is under 2 cm thick (and will stay that way through the entire journey as part of the mail stream) you can mail it cheaply and untracked using domestic oversize lettermail for $1.80 to $5.30. Depending on weight. (Regular lettermail for a buck is just that: letters. Like up to four sheets of folded paper.)

Or you can send it via Expedited Parcel which is tracked with Delivery Confirmation. Those rates vary depending on origins and destination but you can get a discount if you purchase and print that label via Paypal Shipping. If the item is wider than 2 cm and over 500 grams, you have no choice but to use a parcel rate.

Cost aside, there are other pros and cons. Cheap, untracked means you have absolutely no protection from (a) Late Shipment reports and (b) Items Not Received claims filed. Only Delivery Confirmation is good for that. That means your buyer can receive their item and get their money back if they are dishonest and so choose to exploit your shipping choices. Or ruin your standing with ebay since the mail was delivered late through no fault of your own. Most sellers would consider the former a greater risk than the latter.

Or, you could try bundling your products in such a way that it would make sense for the domestic buyer to want to buy tracking and be happy to pay for it.

ypdc_dennis · ‎03-11-2017

For cheap stuff, oversize lettermail is your only real option for Canada -- but only if the item fits.

No tracking, no insurance, but usually reliable.

Using stamps (up to 5mm thick):

000-030g .. 0.85
031-050g .. 1.20

Using stamps (5mm to 2cm thick):

000-100g .. 1.80
101-200g .. 2.95
201-300g .. 4.10
301-400g .. 4.70
401-500g .. 5.05

...

Parcels in Canada are expensive for the light weight end in part because the first pricing step is 0-750g (a 50g item is the same cost as a 700g item. They include tracking, and if you buy expedited through paypal (for the same price as regular) it also includes $100 of insurance in the price and a delivery time (or money back) guarantee.

-..-

mrdutch1001 · ‎03-11-2017

For similar type items, I place item flat as possible inside an appropriate size ziplock bag, deflate by using a large straw to remove as much air as possible or vacuum seal and then sandwich between thin layers of cardboard taped together. Place in a poly mailer and off it goes as oversize letter rate.

2015dybl · ‎03-12-2017

Thanks so much for the replies!! I guess I was doing something wrong ty !!

momcqueen · ‎03-12-2017

Not necessarily wrong.

With the size 2 tshirt you have listed, I would add measurements to the listing. I don't trade in clothes but I understand that category has a high rate of Returns so the more information you can offer to aid a buyer in making an informed decision, the better.

silverstallionstore · ‎03-13-2017

@mjwl2006 wrote:
Not necessarily wrong.

With the size 2 tshirt you have listed, I would add measurements to the listing. I don't trade in clothes but I understand that category has a high rate of Returns so the more information you can offer to aid a buyer in making an informed decision, the better.

yea correct