eBay

ecgt · ‎10-24-2025

Just heard back from Luke Bradley, who is the Shipping & Operations Manager for eBay Canada. Luke confirmed via email that the Canadian eIS hub will accept Lettermail shipments.

See attached screenshot.

byto253 · ‎10-24-2025

Wonderful, thank you.

And thanks to the folks who raised this with eBay in communication and interviews.

joels-retrocade · ‎10-24-2025

Great News!

busybeas_books · ‎12-13-2025

My first eis sale (December 3) was to Hungary, which I mailed to the hub as lettermail (no tracking). There is now a tracking number on my sold-items list which links to a page showing tracking that it is on its way to the customer.

gaming-canada · ‎12-13-2025

I can confirm this personaly sent several and they all got tracking out of hub later...

dinomitesales · ‎12-13-2025

As an additional data point, I've had one eIS sale that I've opted to send Lettermail.

Dropped in Canada Post mailbox Thursday Dec 4.

Confirmed accepted at hub Tuesday Dec 9.

Dispatched from Mississauga Wednesday Dec 10.

Popped up in the USA Friday Dec 12. Currently moving through the system (DHL).

intimewithmusic · ‎12-13-2025

Is lettermail still a thing? Why on earth would someone go to the trouble of aquiring, researching, fixing, photographing, listing, stocking, selling, finding, packing, and shipping anything via LETTERMAIL. After fees how much is in the kitty?

CP has repeatedly proven it costs Canadians via Federal subsidies twice as much to deliver a widget as the stamp licker pays. It's not going to change. It's only going to go away.

To be sure, no Canada Post employee has EVER commented here in the eBay Canada Seller Central froum. Lettermail is a very bad long term business model. Regardess of your impressions no Canada Post employees are present in this forum.

Sorry folks. Lettermail's done. Fini. This is a great time to move on. The US market is suspended so none of us are getting younger it may be a good time to start dumping.

flipistics · ‎12-13-2025

@intimewithmusic wrote:
Is lettermail still a thing? Why on earth would someone go to the trouble of aquiring, researching, fixing, photographing, listing, stocking, selling, finding, packing, and shipping anything via LETTERMAIL. After fees how much is in the kitty?
CP has repeatedly proven it costs Canadians via Federal subsidies twice as much to deliver a widget as the stamp licker pays. It's not going to change. It's only going to go away.
To be sure, no Canada Post employee has EVER commented here in the eBay Canada Seller Central froum. Lettermail is a very bad long term business model. Regardess of your impressions no Canada Post employees are present in this forum.

Sorry folks. Lettermail's done. Fini. This is a great time to move on. The US market is suspended so none of us are getting younger it may be a good time to start dumping.

Lettermail is still absolutely a thing, and you can get pretty good profit margins on some things with it.

regs43 · ‎12-13-2025

@intimewithmusic wrote:
Is lettermail still a thing? Why on earth would someone go to the trouble of aquiring, researching, fixing, photographing, listing, stocking, selling, finding, packing, and shipping anything via LETTERMAIL. After fees how much is in the kitty?
CP has repeatedly proven it costs Canadians via Federal subsidies twice as much to deliver a widget as the stamp licker pays. It's not going to change. It's only going to go away.
To be sure, no Canada Post employee has EVER commented here in the eBay Canada Seller Central froum.  Lettermail is a very bad long term business model. Regardess of your impressions no Canada Post employees are present in this forum.

Sorry folks. Lettermail's done. Fini. This is a great time to move on. The US market is suspended so none of us are getting younger it may be a good time to start dumping.

90% of what I mail in Canada is lettermail, without it no one would buy my items lol

intimewithmusic · ‎12-14-2025

Yes. Thank you. We are discussing good business models. and yep, so was the Pony Express which also went away..

CP has repeatedly proven it costs Canadians via Federal subsidies twice as much to deliver a widget as the stamp licker pays. It's not going to change. It's only going to go away.

"No, Canada Post is not making money on lettermail; it's a significant source of financial losses, as declining volumes (down 60% since 2006) can't cover rising delivery costs for more addresses, forcing the Crown corporation to rely on parcels and face major annual deficits, leading to financial unsustainability in its traditional model. "

intimewithmusic · ‎12-14-2025

Sorry... no, I suppose you could say it'a a temporary thing at best..

No, Canada Post is not making money on lettermail; it's a significant source of financial losses, as declining volumes (down 60% since 2006) can't cover rising delivery costs for more addresses, forcing the Crown corporation to rely on parcels and face major annual deficits, leading to financial unsustainability in its traditional model.

flipistics · ‎12-14-2025

@intimewithmusic wrote:
Sorry... no, I suppose you could say it'a a temporary thing at best..

No, Canada Post is not making money on lettermail; it's a significant source of financial losses, as declining volumes (down 60% since 2006) can't cover rising delivery costs for more addresses, forcing the Crown corporation to rely on parcels and face major annual deficits, leading to financial unsustainability in its traditional model.

You asked why sellers would still use it, not whether it was profitable for Canada Post. Sellers use it because it's the best choice for certain kinds of items and sellers can still make good profit on lettermail sales - yes, even after acquiring, cleaning, listing, packing, etc the items.

intimewithmusic · ‎12-14-2025

@flipistics

Thanks you for your input.

To be clear, I said,

Domestic lettermail is a bad long term business model.
Sellers use it because it's the cheapest way to wing a widget anonymously and without tracking,
Lettermail is a major part of Canada Post's continuous deficit,
According to Canada Post every stamp on a widget is 50% paid for by some other Canadian thru govt subsidy.
I speculate that merch contained in lettermail will be surcharged in the cominng years. No Canadian should subsidize the profit of another Canadian who chooses to do business via lettermail.

I've spent thousands of dollars with Canada Post for ad products like admail etc. I like it that my neighbours didn't subsidizes my shipments. I don't care how other sellers ship. If stamps are your long term business model go for it.

Given the nature of the economy, the cross border sales glut (IE no LetterPost) , and the status of Canada Post's financial statement and it's impact in the coming years I feel entitled to say using domestic lettermail is a bad business model.

...That being said folks, I love to hear all the "ifs, ands or buts"

byto253 · ‎12-14-2025

Hope you do not listen to or watch the CBC, it sucks down over $1.5 Billion each year in subsidies.

reallynicestamps · ‎12-14-2025

And worth every penny- have you seen North By North?

mrdutch1001 · ‎12-14-2025

Just sent out 13 Christmas cards last week(including 1 to the USA) via "lettermail"....

and I still utilize oversize "Lettermail" for lightweight items under 500g within Canada(items for which there is still an acceptable profit after ALL expenses are calculated)...so for me, "lettermail "is still very much alive!...and will be utilized by me until I stop sending items that fit within its guidelines!!!

dinomitesales · ‎12-15-2025

@intimewithmusic wrote:
No, Canada Post is not making money on lettermail; it's a significant source of financial losses, as declining volumes (down 60% since 2006) can't cover rising delivery costs for more addresses, forcing the Crown corporation to rely on parcels and face major annual deficits, leading to financial unsustainability in its traditional model.

Why is this a relevant statement in this context? Sure, Canada Post might lose money on Lettermail, but Lettermail isn't going anywhere. The price may increase, but that's nothing new. As long as it sticks around, and continues to be a cheaper alternative than tracked parcel shipping, then many people will still continue to use it for their business.

I would consider it a "good business model" for my business (as do many other Canadian sellers). It has resulted in thousands of extra dollars in profit in my pocket over the years that I haven't had to spend on tracked parcel shipping.

@intimewithmusic wrote:
Why on earth would someone go to the trouble of aquiring, researching, fixing, photographing, listing, stocking, selling, finding, packing, and shipping anything via LETTERMAIL. After fees how much is in the kitty?

I'm not even sure what this means. What does any of this have to do with the method of which an item is sent to the buyer? eBay isn't charging extra fees if we send things by Lettermail - it's the same fees as any other transaction. I'll send anything up to $50 value via Lettermail. The number of losses I've had in the past 20 years I can count on one hand. It's a very reliable (and generally fast) service in my experience.

reallynicestamps · ‎12-15-2025

eBay isn't charging extra fees if we send things by Lettermail - it's the same fees as any other transaction.

Well, acktchully.

Lesser fees, since our shipping charge to domestic buyers using Lettermail can be as little as $1.24 compared to over $6 by any tracked service.

On a $10 sale that's an important advantage.

It allows us to use Free Shipping as an inducement.

Same percentage of course.

dinomitesales · ‎12-16-2025

@reallynicestamps wrote:
eBay isn't charging extra fees if we send things by Lettermail - it's the same fees as any other transaction.
Well, acktchully.
Lesser fees, since our shipping charge to domestic buyers using Lettermail can be as little as $1.24 compared to over $6 by any tracked service.
On a $10 sale that's an important advantage.
It allows us to use Free Shipping as an inducement.
Same percentage of course.

I think you're nitpicking what I said lol. I think we're all aware that the fee percentages are based on the total of the sale price plus shipping plus taxes (assuming non-eIS), so yes obviously the less you charge for shipping the less you pay in fees. I would argue that it ends up being the same fees for most people regardless though. If a buyer is willing to pay $20 all in for an item, then it doesn't make a difference if it's $19 + $1 lettermail shipping vs $14 + $6 tracked shipping; the fees you pay are the same (but the profit is much nicer with the Lettermail!).

If you really want to nitpick you could also argue that we do pay less fees if we offer cheap (or free) Lettermail shipping when factoring in International orders, since the fees are based on the lowest domestic shipping charge.

intimewithmusic · ‎12-16-2025

Fellow eBay sellers and silent visitors and not to leave out @lotzofuniquegoodies !

"Lettermail is accepted by the Canadian eIS hub CONFIRMED"

is about using domestic lettermail in combination with EIS (eBay International Shipping). To be clear, I said, "Domestic lettermail is a bad long term business model."

Hear's why, but first, what the heck is a business model?

"A business model is a company's core plan for creating, delivering, and capturing value, outlining how it makes money by identifying its value proposition, target customers, revenue streams, and cost structure. It's a high-level blueprint explaining what you sell, to whom, and how you profit, differentiating it from a detailed business plan, which details how to implement the model. "

Many of you are defending "stand alone" lettermail (non EIS). You will use it until it no longer makes sense. No one knows if that's a month, 6 months a year or when changes that render it a non business practise will take effect. If you are thinking about starting a business selling on eBay Canada using lettermail in combination with eBay International Shipping here are links to a few of the research points that made me decide it is not a good long term business model.

I have never used lettermail. Due to the downturn of the Canada/USA music memorabilia market I researched the possibility of using domestic lettermail for some of my items. Here are links to some of the research;

From Canada Post on Sept 25, 2025 1. Canada Post welcomes changes announced today by the Government of Canada Work can now begin to save ...

From the Federal Government on Sept 25, 2025 2. Government of Canada instructs Canada Post to begin transformation

3. AI Overview
Q. Is Canada Post lettermail sustainable?

A. No, traditional lettermail is not financially sustainable for Canada Post due to massive volume declines (from 5.5B letters in 2006 to 2B in 2024) and increasing costs to serve more addresses with fewer letters, forcing the Crown Corporation to rely on parcel revenue and seek regulatory changes for financial health, though they are pursuing environmental sustainability via carbon neutrality and plastic reduction.

Financial Sustainability (The Challenge)
Declining Revenue: Lettermail, once the core business, now generates insufficient revenue to cover costs, especially with increasing addresses and declining volumes.

Shifting Model: Parcel delivery is now about half their business, and they need flexibility to compete, requiring reforms to delivery models and regulations.

Mandate Conflict: The dual mandate (serve all Canadians, be self-sustaining) is challenged by declining letter revenue, leading to calls for broader changes to secure the future.

Environmental Sustainability (The Progress)
Carbon Neutral: Domestic Regular & Expedited Parcel delivery is carbon neutral through offsets supporting Canadian nature projects.
Plastic Reduction: Eliminating plastic from Neighbourhood Mail by June 2025 will remove 200 million pieces of plastic annually.
Net-Zero Targets: They have approved net-zero targets and participate in the government's Net-Zero Challenge.

In essence, while Canada Post is making strides in environmental sustainability, the financial model for lettermail itself is unsustainable, necessitating significant operational and regulatory changes to ensure the long-term viability of the entire postal service, according to their own reports.

If you read those recent articles you can see changes are coming to lettermail. eBay Canada is different for each Canadian seller depending on your 4 parameters.

LOCATION, WHAT YOU SELL, TARGET MARKET and HOW MUCH YOUR TIME IS WORTH.

For those interested here are the approximate Canadian minimum wages.

(Late 2025 Estimates)
Nunavut: $19.75 (Sep 2025) Yukon: ~$17.94 British Columbia: $17.85 (June 2025) Ontario: $17.60 (Oct 2025)
Nova Scotia: $16.50 (Oct 2025) PEI: $16.50 (Oct 2025) Newfoundland & Labrador: $16.00 (Apr 2025)

Manitoba: $16.00 (Oct 2025) Quebec: $16.10 (May 2025) New Brunswick: $15.65 (Apr 2025)

Saskatchewan: $15.35 (Oct 2025) Alberta: $15.00 (Oct 2018)

-----------------------------------------------

EIS

I have been in the eBay International Shipping program. I have some experience with it. I have had communications with my customers in Europe and in the USA.

I'm not debating some of you have done well with domestic lettermail but have you combined it with EIS? If your answer is yes, instead of defending lettermail as a stand alone, please share your success using EIS with lettermail. Is your success because of your location, what you sell, your tarket market and/or how much of an hourly wage you need for your time sourcing, researching, photographing, listing, shipping, book keeping and sweeping aroung your shipping bench.

If the combo of domestic lettermail is working in tandom with EIS please share.

I have combined EIS with Expedited Lite. Here is the result;

This is a $15 Christmas related item sent to a repeat buyer with a normal delivery time of 10 -14 days. IE: (December 10-14)

SHIPPED TO BUYER
Arrives Tue, Dec 23 - Tue, Jan 6
SABIAN CYMBAL Christmas Cards DEALER EXCLUSIVE 1990s Artistic Used Lot of 3
Shipped to our hub
Wed, Nov 26

Shipment history
Hub to Buyer (Step 3)
Asendia USA:
Fri, Dec 12
4:59am
Dispatched by Asendia

Fri, Dec 12
2:46am
Sorted by Asendia
VAUGHAN, ONTARIO L4K 5W2
Tue, Dec 9
3:13am
Processed by Asendia
VAUGHAN, ONTARIO L4K 5W2
Tue, Dec 2
1:57pm
Shipment Information Received

Tue, Dec 2
8:16am
Tracking number provided

At Hub (Step 2)
Tue, Dec 2
8:16am
Item arrived at hub

You to Hub (Step 1)
Canada Post:Wed, Dec 3
12:01am
Expected delivery date updated

Mon, Dec 1
7:47am
Item processed
MISSISSAUGA, ON L4W 1S2
Mon, Dec 1
7:47am
Item processed
MISSISSAUGA, ON
Sun, Nov 30
8:20pm
Item arrived
MISSISSAUGA, ON L4W 1S2
Sun, Nov 30
8:20pm
Item arrived
MISSISSAUGA, ON
Sat, Nov 29
2:38am
Item departed
WINNIPEG, MB R3H 3H3
Sat, Nov 29
2:38am
Item departed
WINNIPEG, MB
Fri, Nov 28
10:19pm
Item in transit
WINNIPEG, MB R3H 3H3
Fri, Nov 28
10:19pm
Item in transit
WINNIPEG, MB
Fri, Nov 28
7:19pm
Item processed
WINNIPEG, MB R3H 3H3
Fri, Nov 28
7:19pm
Item processed
WINNIPEG, MB
Fri, Nov 28
3:45pm
Item arrived
WINNIPEG, MB R3H 3H3
Fri, Nov 28
3:45pm
Item arrived
WINNIPEG, MB
Fri, Nov 28
9:09am
Item departed
REGINA, SK S4P 0B0
Fri, Nov 28
9:09am
Item departed
REGINA, SK
Fri, Nov 28
8:45am
Item arrived
REGINA, SK S4P 0B0
Fri, Nov 28
8:45am
Item arrived
REGINA, SK
Thu, Nov 27
7:29pm
Item in transit
CALGARY, AB T2E 0A0
Thu, Nov 27
7:29pm
Item in transit
CALGARY, AB
Thu, Nov 27
4:29pm
Item processed
CALGARY, AB T2E 0A0
Thu, Nov 27
4:29pm
Item processed
CALGARY, AB
Wed, Nov 26
3:43pm
Item accepted at the Post Office
KELOWNA, BC V1X 6A0
Wed, Nov 26
3:43pm
Item accepted at the Post Office
KELOWNA, BC
Wed, Nov 26
2:31pm
Electronic information submitted by shipper
KELOWNA, BC V1X 1X0
Wed, Nov 26
12:31pm
Tracking number provided