eBay

rocketscollectibles · ‎02-21-2023

Heard a lot about shipping items with letterpost getting returned and sellers stopping using it past year or so

I still ship all my trading cards with it and never had a single return. I shipped 2 stacks of cards (around 70) maybe 2 months ago, no return, never heard back of the buyer. Package literally had the look of a brick. I'm trying this week to ship packs of protective card plastic sleeves and im more concerned about this one

For people still using letterpost or who used it, what was your returns?

Does customs open packages at borders, also can they keep them?

How much time it takes for a package to return to us? And do you lose your postage?

I'm curious about which items sellers got returned as i never experienced a single one. And also the process if it happen. If anyone would like to share their experience

brettjet38 · ‎02-21-2023

Lettermail Oversize is upto 500g if it is less than 20mm thick and kinda flatish you can ship it this way...

Non-standard Lettermail

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You can't mail the following items as Standard Lettermail™. You can only mail these items as Other (Non-standard and Oversize) Lettermail (and the applicable price will be charged)

Bottle caps
Loose coins 1
Foodstuffs
Glass
Jewellery
Keys
Liquids
Pencils
Pens
Powders
Seeds
Anything fragile or perishable
Anything that may soil or damage other mail or postal equipment
Anything that can cause injuries to people handling it

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/lettermail/non-standard-lettermail.pa...?

Lettermail is ONLY for the kind of things you listed.

flipistics · ‎02-21-2023

@38e_avenue wrote:
I'am not mixing. I simply thought the regulations apply to ALL CP Letterpost, not only US/Int. My mistake, I already admitted it.

Here a screenshot from the CP page. The merchandise is not mentioned, but is not on the list of prohibited items, either.

You are confusing Lettermail and Letter-post. They are two distinct services.

Here are the rules for Letter-post:

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/doc/en/support/letter-post.pdf

marnotom! · ‎02-21-2023

@brettjet38 wrote:

No, it's ILLEGAL to ship ANY merchandise using letter-post internationally including the USA

You must also make sure that the documentation and information is complete, accurate, and legible. Failure to do so may cause us to return the item to the sender at your expense. It could also result in delays, non-delivery, voided guarantees, or fines or customs seizure in the international destination (if applicable).

It is actually a criminal offense

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-83-807/FullText.html?wbdisable=false

The only reference I can find to "merchandise" in those regulations is a statement to the effect that samples of merchandise cannot be attached to postcards. Where are you looking?

brettjet38 · ‎02-21-2023

Postal exports overview

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A postal export is merchandise that’s mailed to another country. Merchandise mailed from Canada to the U.S. or abroad is subject to customs export rules.

You need to consider two things when mailing items to another country:

Canada has laws restricting the export of certain items.
The items will be subject to customs rules in the country of destination. See our International destination listing for specific information. In all cases, you must attach a fully completed customs declaration form to the item.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/customs-requirements/postal-exports-o...?

Anything you sell has a monertary value which makes it goods/merchandise which means you have to have a customs declaration on the outside of your package, which then means you cannot use Letterpost to ship it...

Anything of VALUE has to be shipped as a package.

It's the law...

brettjet38 · ‎02-21-2023

Customs declaration

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All mail containing merchandise must have a customs declaration form completed when sending the item to the U.S. or an international destination (see Completing customs documents). The customs declaration is part of our shipping label and also includes the addressee and sender names and addresses.

It’s your responsibility to make sure you provide all customs documentation and item content information and certificates for the goods you ship.

You must also make sure that the documentation and information is complete, accurate, and legible. Failure to do so may cause us to return the item to the sender at your expense. It could also result in delays, non-delivery, voided guarantees, or fines or customs seizure in the international destination (if applicable).

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/customs-requirements/customs-declarat...?

rocketscollectibles · ‎02-21-2023

Holy 24 messages and only 2 on the actual topic

The thread was not about the legality or the morality of shipping goods with letterpost. One message was enough, most knows it's theoretically against rules. This flood kinda ruined the thread

Thank you to people who actually answered to the post purpose

pjcdn2005 · ‎02-21-2023

I used to ship items to the US with letter post using a kraft padded envelope. After 2 of them got returned to me I stopped using letter post to the US. However, I know someone who still sends tons of item via letter post to the US without any problems but they use a standard business envelope. My impression is that they were only on the lookout for padded envelopes and that trading cards, stamps, coins etc in regular envelopes are being allowed through. I don't know if they are still stopping padded envelopes, I don't really want to find out, end up getting the package back and end up upsetting a buyer.

brettjet38 · ‎02-22-2023

@rocketscollectibles "most knows it's theoretically against rules"

Really, did you read the comments?!

Most do not have a clue, which is why you should ALWAYS read the actual rules (LAWS btw), and posting them here allows these individuales to get up to speed with facts, instead of discussing ways to conduct illegal activities and circumvent the system...

...which will bite ya in the back at some point.

rocketscollectibles · ‎02-22-2023

The worse they do is return the package with a note that it needs to be ship as a parcel. At worse they'll maybe keep the package. This was the actual purpose of this thread, having people sharing their experience about it!!! But you stole all the attention to your points by spamming

We understood your points after over 10 messages, move on. No need to destroy people threads. You're spamming the same thing over and over bringing everything to you and your convictions instead of the actual purpose of the thread. Just stop thank you

38e_avenue · ‎02-23-2023

@rocketscollectibles wrote:
The worse they do is return the package with a note that it needs to be ship as a parcel.

It's exactly what happened to me. I shipped a letter to NZ, which was returend with a note "insufficient postage" and indicating amount I need to pay extra, which corresponded with a small packet price (around 11.50 more). Well, I must admit I exaggerated a little bit with the "letter" thickness 😀. An advice: if you have a really thick envelope, do not use your own stamps, go to post office and ask to PRINT the postage. Such a printed postage would rather assure the item will be not returned.

mrdutch1001 · ‎02-23-2023

and such advice as "if you have a really thick envelope, do not use your own stamps, go to post office and ask to PRINT the postage. Such a printed postage would rather assure the item will be not returned. " is encouragement to continue to put shipped items at risk for return > IF there is no customs declaration and the contents do not feel like just "letter/documents", THAT just gives customs a reason to question/inspect further/open to see the contents...Now that Canada Post and other postal systems are stepping up their enforcement of what constitues lettermail/letterpost, the postal systems are aware, not just here in Canada but other countries as well, that goods/merchandise do not belong in lettermail/letterpost, the risks just get higher and higher going forward. Sure you and many others are getting away with it... for now, but the time may come when your luck runs out...

reallynicestamps · ‎02-23-2023

, but the time may come when your luck runs out...

Which means it is important that if you are shipping goods and paying letter, that the contents be something you are willing to lose at least once before biting the bullit and obeying the rules.

38e_avenue · ‎02-23-2023

No matter what are your advice, people WILL SEND GOODS IN LETTERS for a VERY SIMPLE REASON: thousands of both, buyers and sellers CANNOT AFFORD to pay for the Small Packet.

Yeah, sure, your next advise will be "Ebay is not for you then, leave right now and look for another job" and surely they will listen to! 😂

reallynicestamps · ‎02-23-2023

Almost everything I sell goes letterpost. We are in total agreement there. Please don't tell Helena Jaczek.

I'm just old and cranky enough to believe that Murphy's Law is slightly more important than the Laws of Thermodynamics in daily life.

mrdutch1001 · ‎02-24-2023

"people WILL SEND GOODS IN LETTERS for a VERY SIMPLE REASON: thousands of both, buyers and sellers CANNOT AFFORD to pay for the Small Packet."

I sell on 3 selling sites and many sellers who are shipping items/goods/merchandise via lettermail/letterpost to USA & Internanationl, are ignorant of the Canada Post guidelines.(because they never read them.) They just do what they've been doing for years...

and for myself, sending goods via small packet/tracked packet has not deterred those USA buyers> there are always those buyers who are willing to pay for an item and/or for a more reliable shipping service.

Sellers need not have to worry about being able to "AFFORD to pay for the Small Packet." - BUYERS pay for shipping.

brettjet38 · ‎02-24-2023

38e_avenue · ‎02-24-2023

@mrdutch1001 wrote:
there are always those buyers who are willing to pay for an item and/or for a more reliable shipping service.
Sellers need not have to worry about being able to "AFFORD to pay for the Small Packet." - BUYERS pay for shipping.

Oh, seriously? There are many buyers who will pay 10 dollars for shipping (instead of 2.50), to get a 2 dollar item?

Thank you for your explanation concerning the shipping. I worry about the cost of shipping since 25 years, steadily looking for new carriers. Apparently, I was wrong!! Yes, buyers pay for the shipping, not me, so why should I care? 😀

38e_avenue · ‎02-24-2023

Here a short explanation of the term of AFFORDABILITY, because apparently it's not correctly understood here. An example:

A seller sells 2 dollar items, and charges 2.50 dollar (letter) for the shipping . If he switches to SP (10 dollar charge), NO ONE will buy his stuff. His business will be shut down, and not provide any income any more.
CAN THIS SELLER A-F-F-O-R-D TO SHUT DOWN HIS BUSINESS?

38e_avenue · ‎02-24-2023

@mrdutch1001 wrote:
there are always those buyers who are willing to pay for an item and/or for a more reliable shipping service.

Sure, such buyers exist. But they are ONE for every TEN of interested buyers. NINE will just look for a better deal, elsewhere. Can you AFFORD to loose 90% of buyers?

mrdutch1001 · ‎02-24-2023

as I said in previous post, I sell on 3 selling sites and many USA & International buyers are well aware of the cost of reliable shipping methods from Canada and they prefer those reliable shipping methods.... MOST buyers consider TOTAL price when making a purchase and as sellers it is not up to us to judge what buyers may or may not view as an affordable shipping cost/shipping service. THAT decision is best left to the buyers.

"There are many buyers who will pay 10 dollars for shipping (instead of 2.50), to get a 2 dollar item? "

How would the buyer know the difference unless you tell them that your previous shipping was only $2.50?...Not every buyer out there follows your listings ...new buyers come along everyday...

Initially, I chose to incorporate my increased shipping costs within the price of the item and gradually made the changes over time.

You do what you do for a shipping cost & shipping service...

I do what I do and what works for me with minimal additional risks...

I have been associated with mail order processes for over 60 years and have seen mail order costs skyrocket for everything I have personally purchased over those 6 decades...

If we as buyers want something, we will pay for it because we know about this thing called SUPPLY & DEMAND, AVAILABILITY & FROM which Country we choose to purchase said items and that is the COST of doing business with Canada Post, as well as foreign postal systems.