eBay

msau4301 · ‎04-24-2023

Saw this email this morning, thought I'd share it if anyone may be interested and didn't get the email, decent discount:

Upcoming rate changes for Canada Post shipping on eBay Labels

eBay Canada is updating the rates available to sellers printing Canada Post shipping through eBay Labels.

Previously, sellers using eBay Labels received Canada Post rates equivalent to the Solution for Small Business Level 1 discounts. Beginning April 27, all Canada Post shipping rates purchased on eBay Labels will be equivalent to Solution for Small Business Level 4 discounts.

These new rates are automatically applied to all sellers purchasing through eBay Labels

See an overview of select services with their new discounts below. Click here for a comprehensive overview of the new rates for all Canada Post services.

Service Previous Discounts Discounts starting April 27

Domestic Expedited Parcel	Up to 11%	Up to 32%
Tracked Packet to US	Up to 40%	Up to 43%
Expedited Parcel to US	Up to 11%	Up to 20%
Tracked Packet International	Up to 45%	Up to 53%
Xpresspost International	Up to 45%	Up to 53%

Discounts vary based on the location of both buyer and seller. Tax and fuel surcharges may apply.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎04-25-2023

@mrdutch1001 wrote:
I use flat rate shipping for everything on eBay and my other selling sites and my buyers see the shipping cost as whatever I quote it as in my listings...I rarely have to refund as my shipping costs have been very well refined over the years...I may choose to adjust my shipping costs from time to time to reflect savings but otherwise it's buyer's choice...pay my price or not.....

@mrdutch1001

Too many variables at play so have always used calculated shipping for my items. And then I only need to edit for flat rate on the few I do have applicable. A fully functional flexible calculator should not be rocket science for eBay. They've been available with purolator/dhl/ups/Fedex since the mid 80ies/early 90ies for business applications.

-Lotz

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎04-25-2023

Confirmation as per Shippo received this morning.

(Shippo)

Apr 25, 2023, 10:27 AM PDT

I just heard from our Carriers team, and they confirmed that eBay Canada users will receive the new Canada Post rates starting on April 27 as announced by eBay.

If you are utilizing the Canada Post account through eBay, those rates should show what you will be charged when utilizing the Canada Post account through eBay.

-Lotz

joels-retrocade · ‎04-25-2023

Yea it takes a lot of work to maintain lol; they started me out directly into level 4 because of how many packages I ship out. By the time I signed up I was already pretty established. I am happy for all the small sellers! This is a big win indeed for all Canadian eBayers! Now I could potentially use eBay labels; time to buy a printer lol

doc_scribe · ‎04-25-2023

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
@doc_scribe
@dinomitesales

Interesting!! No idea. I haven't purchased parcel postage at the post office with my card in ages. The only change I was aware of was online discount matched counter discount effective a few months ago.

-Lotz

Admittedly, it's a different vibe out here in the T0L 0H0. As sick as it sounds, I actually look forward to my trips to the Post Office. 🤗

Nevertheless, these increased SFSB discounts should be very good news for any other sellers with no practical access to online shipping alternatives, especially rural.

dinomitesales · ‎04-25-2023

@doc_scribe wrote:

Are we certain that the over the counter SFSB discount hasn't changed as well?

On Friday I had a U.S. Tracked Packet with a couple of booklets of stamps that I had priced out in me wee old noggin as approximately $45 with Fuel Surcharge + GST. And then, my receipt showed this:

Where else could that SFSB savings of $7.24 on a $45.00 purchase have come from? It certainly wasn't the stamps...

The savings you're seeing at retail (over the counter) are from an update about a month ago. Previously, Canada Post had a separate "Level 1" savings depending on whether you purchased your labels online or at the post office (the online one was always greater). But about a month back they just merged the two, so now evereyone with a SFSB account is getting the Level 1 Online discount, which is why you're seeing an increased discount at the counter.

Level 1 discount is still the highest discount you can get at the post office counter though, so if you want these new Level 4 discounts you'll have to purchase your postage online through eBay (or online through Canada Post SnapShip/EST if you spend more than $7500 annually on postage).

doc_scribe · ‎04-25-2023

@dinomitesales wrote:
@doc_scribe wrote:

Are we certain that the over the counter SFSB discount hasn't changed as well?

On Friday I had a U.S. Tracked Packet with a couple of booklets of stamps that I had priced out in me wee old noggin as approximately $45 with Fuel Surcharge + GST. And then, my receipt showed this:

Where else could that SFSB savings of $7.24 on a $45.00 purchase have come from? It certainly wasn't the stamps...
The savings you're seeing at retail (over the counter) are from an update about a month ago. Previously, Canada Post had a separate "Level 1" savings depending on whether you purchased your labels online or at the post office (the online one was always greater). But about a month back they just merged the two, so now evereyone with a SFSB account is getting the Level 1 Online discount, which is why you're seeing an increased discount at the counter.

Level 1 discount is still the highest discount you can get at the post office counter though, so if you want these new Level 4 discounts you'll have to purchase your postage online through eBay (or online through Canada Post SnapShip/EST if you spend more than $7500 annually on postage).

As a niche seller, I have rarely hit the threshold necessary to benefit from those CP Level 4 discounts @dinomitesales . And yet, for over 20 years I have been a substantial and steady Canada Post customer.

For any other Sellers routinely falling through that same 'not-small-but-not-big-enough' service level crack, I am celebrating this particular Canada Post change because so far it *seems* like we will all benefit, regardless of business scale or locale.

mrdutch1001 · ‎04-25-2023

As someone who has been using Canada Post for "everything postal related" for the past 60 years and have seen the huge increases in postal costs and the many changes in postal services, and as an online seller for the past 20+ years, it is exceedingly appreciated to get this most welcomed discount on CP costs here on eBay. This is one of the few positive things that eBay has given to us eBay sellers in recent times...

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎04-25-2023

Does anyone have a ballpark for what a level 4 tracked packet USA label costs for the 0-100 gram tier and the 101-250 gram tier?

The "up to" makes it vague. On eBay's printing tool, I currently see 9.16 for 100g, and 11.21 for 250g. I assume these aren't level 4 rates, since it is not the 27th yet.

With savings level 2 on Snap Ship, I see 9.31 for 100g, and 11.42 for 250g.

Chit Chats is creeping up, but still is only about $8.00 for the average package of a similar size to both those price points. It would be a lot more convenient to use Canada Post, but saving as much as $4 for a package adds up quickly.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎04-25-2023

@ilikehockeyjerseys wrote:
Does anyone have a ballpark for what a level 4 tracked packet USA label costs for the 0-100 gram tier and the 101-250 gram tier?

The "up to" makes it vague. On eBay's printing tool, I currently see 9.16 for 100g, and 11.21 for 250g. I assume these aren't level 4 rates, since it is not the 27th yet.

With savings level 2 on Snap Ship, I see 9.31 for 100g, and 11.42 for 250g.

Chit Chats is creeping up, but still is only about $8.00 for the average package of a similar size to both those price points. It would be a lot more convenient to use Canada Post, but saving as much as $4 for a package adds up quickly.

@ilikehockeyjerseys

I tested with a previous 500 gram parcel from Calgary to California. Discount shows as 30 %. Old charge level 1 was just around 16.31. With discount it would be in the neighbourhood of 14.00. Will vary slightly if your parcel is affected by cubing.

According to CP Counter rate, same parcel by Small packet air would be 15.07. With Level 4 the total would be 13.79 (8 % discount)

-Lotz

msau4301 · ‎04-25-2023

@ilikehockeyjerseys wrote:
Does anyone have a ballpark for what a level 4 tracked packet USA label costs for the 0-100 gram tier and the 101-250 gram tier?

The "up to" makes it vague. On eBay's printing tool, I currently see 9.16 for 100g, and 11.21 for 250g. I assume these aren't level 4 rates, since it is not the 27th yet.

I did up a label today for 200 grams with Tracked Packet USA and the price was $11.21 through eBay (as you saw) and $11.42 through Shippo (that is my usual price, and I'm at Level 3).

It looks like eBay labels started earlier than the 27th (they are usually much higher than that $11.21). I think that must already be Level 4 price. I'm curious to see if Shippo will go down after the 27th though.

I can't see it getting close to your $8.00 Chit Chats so you have to weigh the value to you. For me my Canada Post outfit is a few minutes away (I could walk it if feeling ambitious) so that is always my go to (after printing the labels of course).

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎04-26-2023

Shipping via Canada Post is more convenient than Chit Chats. 99/100 items that I sell are bubble mailers or small parcels that fit in red street boxes. I have Canadian Lettermail orders daily, so the marginal time of depositing a USA order sent via Canada Post is nothing.

The thing is that $2-$3 an order adds up significantly for the volume of orders I have to the USA. I'm fortunate that Chit Chats locations in my city are in areas near other things, so I can usually pawn off my packages on someone else running an errand. Canada Post would still be better from a workflow POV, because I would not have to deal with arranging an impending Chit Chats dropoff every 3 business days.

I would love to switch to Tracked Packet, but do not think raising rates to switch to Tracked Packet is an option. If I were to switch, I'd have to eat the 2-3 dollars. My USA shipping rate is already below what it actually costs when considering supplies and insurance. If you also consider eBay fees on the shipment portion (which is a grey area), they are well below the market value fo what I pay. I still have USA buyers who are astounded that it costs me $8.99 CAD to ship them a bubble mailer.

mrdutch1001 · ‎04-26-2023

switching to Tracked Packet is definitely an option...

Canadian sellers have NEVER been able to compete with the cheaper USA postal rates. That is a fact of life....

USA buyers have never been able to understand or comphrehend the fact that other countries(except maybe China) do not have their same/similar cheaper shipping costs. USA buyes don't want to see or comprehend the realities of the higher postal rates from other countries...

However, IF buyers genuinely want an item they will pay whatever it takes to get it...

dinomitesales · ‎04-26-2023

Printed a label today through eBay Labels: 80 g Small Packet USA. Came out to $8.63, which is the correct Level 4 discount with appropriate fuel surcharge, so it seems like the rates have gone into effect a little early. Checked Shippo too and still only getting a Level 1 discount there.

Hadn't printed an eBay Small Packet label in a while so kind of annoying that it still enteres that transaction number or whatever it is as the "tracking number". However, I noticed that if I go into the order details I can just hit "Edit" next to the number it automatically enters and change it to the UR number we all know tracks just fine through eBay.

intimewithmusic · ‎04-26-2023

Cheaper yes but a reminder of a couple of caveats that may or may not be important to you...

1. Only $100 insurance is readily available with Tracked Paket on eBay. Shippo = unlimited

2. No USA return labels available from eBay

3. No commercial customs invoices from eBay. (You may not need but I do)

I'm watching this closely to see if Shippo cracks the same deal with Canada Post.

Please correct me if I'm wrong on these 3 differences.

IT

38e_avenue · ‎04-26-2023

@dinomitesales wrote:
Printed a label today through eBay Labels: 80 g Small Packet USA. Came out to $8.63, which is the correct Level 4 discount with appropriate fuel surcharge, so it seems like the rates have gone into effect a little early. Checked Shippo too and still only getting a Level 1 discount there.

8.63 sounds really good - it's not much more expensive than ChitChats. We will see if Shippo adjusts tomorrow.

intimewithmusic · ‎04-26-2023

Does anyone know if eBay Canada offers "ShipCover" insurance on Tracked Packet USA and INT like the US site offers on USPS? It says in the help section that it does but if you click the link you end up on the US site and you get their rates..

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎04-26-2023

It depends on what you sell.

Media under 30 or so dollars is highly competitive when it comes to US buyers. Most titles have more sellers available to the US than buyers. Margins are also very slim. If you sell something like that, and you can either keep your price down by 2-4 dollars using Chit Chats, or increase your margin by 2-4 dollars, that is a huge difference on lower priced order.

For something that is highly collectible and niche, there are very few buyers, but also almost no sellers. That's where what you're describing might come into play. One of the few buyers who is a big enough collector of media to want an item priced in the hundreds of dollars isn't going to be swayed by a $4 difference in shipping. That's not applicable to common and highly competitive items though, which is what most people who sell media sell.

rocketscollectibles · ‎04-27-2023

Went to purchase a expedited label for a small package 20cm x 20cm x 4cm and 600g today. QC to ON, still cost over $16.00. Nothing crazy. They write 'up to 32%' but the actual discount was 20%. Not sure when the full 32% is applied but i feel kinda fooled. I waited 2 days to ship that package today and get the discount, they made it look like a big thing and it's maybe a $0.50 discount on what we had already. Would be curious to know when the discount is fully applied, cause here it did not change much.

flipistics · ‎04-27-2023

I sent one off this morning, 4x4x4 box 160g (boy do we need a small parcel rate) ON to QC and it cost ~$12.50 with a discount of 27%. I'm not clear if the $12.50 includes tax (and hopefully will be broken out in the monthly tax invoice) or if it's already tax discounted.

I'd really like to see an option not to safe drop. Does anyone know if writing it in on the label would be honored since it's a free option?

regs43 · ‎04-27-2023

The UP to 32% or whatever % they show is for international destinations (europe etc).

Canada is very minimal %, each level gets a bit better maybe 7% per level so maybe max 25-30%, but once you take the discount off the base price you add fuel surcharge % to that and it brings you back to the starting point, then add tax, its pretty much a wash lol

USA has 15cent-20 savings from each level on a small packet (so level 1 and 4 would see a total of like 80cents savings)

The key word is UP to, not guarenteed on the service you select