New seller asking for shipping experience

[doubledoubleshop]

Hi,

I am a new seller. After weeks of photographing, describing each item, open paypal account......now, I got stuck on the problem of SHIPPING! I will sell pre-owned antiques, most of them are porcelain or pottery arts. Yesterday, I went to a post office trying to get some standard of shipping rate. Then I realized they all are in different size and weight, also, I don't know where are my future customers come from? E bay encourages FREE SHIPPING, I feel it is unrealistic for antique selling. THEY ARE HEAVY! 

OKAY, my question is : how can I give a accurate shipping rate while I posting the listing? Should I estimate each item size of package, and weight, then put the numbers into CANADA POST CALCULATOR ? 

Expecting for experience!! 

Thank you,

Tina T

[femmefan1946]

Never estimate!

Let me rephrase that

NEVER ESTIMATE!!

Go to Canadian Tire in the morning and get a scale.

Mine is a digital Starfrit Kitchen Scale that weighs up to 5kilos and cost me around $20.

You also need a tape measure.

IKEA gives away metric tape measures.

Metric is very important.

Canada Post went metric in 1974 and any other measurements will be inaccurate.

You should bookmark this:

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

While you are out,stop at the postal outlet and ask for a Small Business Solutions card. Actually, never mind, I think you can get a number online (same website, look around a bit) and they will send you the card later.

You also need this:

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/business/shipping/find-rates-ship/snap-ship.page

But you will probably find you can access Canada Post shipping labels through Paypal.

They will want your SBS number, btw.

Oh and this may start being useful sometime soon, so sign up and bookmark:

https://goshippo.com/register?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=paid&utm_term=43149455699&utm_content=sh...

That's a mouthful, isn't it?

Now.

realized they all are in different size and weight, also, I don't know where are my future customers come from?

That's right.

Don't panic.

Free Shipping is great if you can use Letter or Light Packet rates, but most antiques are more than 500 gms and/or 2cm thick.

So you will be using Calculated Shipping.

Now, this is where having done some previous buying would be useful. You'd probably already noticed that some sellers offer Free Shipping*, Flat Rate Shipping, or the exact amount to your door.

The last is Calculated Shipping.

EBay knows your customers location and will tell her the shipping cost using her postal code, plus the weight and dimensions you entered. Remember the scale and measuring tape?

It's not easy.

You will screw up.

Don't sell anything you can't afford to lose**.

Don't ship outside North America until you have at least 10 DSRs and know what DSRs are.

Ask questions.

You can attach more questions here (use Reply not Comments) or start another thread.

There are a lot of very supportive busybodies members here, who will be happy to tell you what you need to know.

Mind you, you may not always want to hear it.

*which just means the cost of shipping is included in the asking price.

**you probably won't lose it completely, but you may lose money.

[ypdc_dennis]

1. Go to the Canada Post website and sign up for a free "Solutions for Small Business" membership. This will give you some shipping discounts and allow you to use Expedited Parcel inside Canada (same as regular parcel, but includes insurance, a delivery time guarantee, and slightly faster).  Canada Post is running "free" Tuesdays in October for members (1 free shipment every Tuesday when the label is bought online)

2. Use the calculated shipping on Bay.CA for Canada Post -- eBay will let the potential buyer know what the shipping will cost (no need for you to worry), Guessing is okay if you're on the high side (but too high will cost sales). The Starfrit 5kg scale at Canadian Tire is a good accurate choice (especially when on sale) for smaller weights (I'm still using the one I got around 10 years ago -- but then I ship mostly lightweight items under 1kg where a few grams can end up costing $$ especially for international, I don't want to guess those).

3, Package up a couple of items (with extra protection for the breakables) and check weight and dimensions to get a feel for things. Size of package will matter, since Canada Post (and other shippers) charge extra if the box is too big. But, if you use calculated shipping it will include any surcharge, so not something you need to worry about when starting.

4. If over 500g use Expedited parcel for Canada. For the USA use tracked packet (up to 1kg) or Expedited Parcel (long side must be at least 21 cm, max weight of 30kg).  Do not bother with International until you get some experience.   All of those services have ebay discounts if the labels are bought online through goShippo (another learning experience),

...

eBay's selling advice is very generalized -- so feel free to completely ignore it -- go with what works for you.

-..-

[vintagenorth]

I don't sell breakable items myself, but from what I have read from other sellers, breakables like pottery and china should be well packed in a box, then placed in a larger box with at least 2" of peanuts surrounding the inside box. Don't forget that when the pkg drops off the conveyer belt the pkg that drops off next on top of yours could be full of something heavy like books or even bricks! Good luck with your selling and welcome to the community.

[doubledoubleshop]

Thank you for sharing the experience! Canada Post business website is really helpful 

[doubledoubleshop]

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@ypdc_dennis wrote:

1. Go to the Canada Post website and sign up for a free "Solutions for Small Business" membership. This will give you some shipping discounts and allow you to use Expedited Parcel inside Canada (same as regular parcel, but includes insurance, a delivery time guarantee, and slightly faster).  Canada Post is running "free" Tuesdays in October for members (1 free shipment every Tuesday when the label is bought online)

2. Use the calculated shipping on Bay.CA for Canada Post -- eBay will let the potential buyer know what the shipping will cost (no need for you to worry), Guessing is okay if you're on the high side (but too high will cost sales). The Starfrit 5kg scale at Canadian Tire is a good accurate choice (especially when on sale) for smaller weights (I'm still using the one I got around 10 years ago -- but then I ship mostly lightweight items under 1kg where a few grams can end up costing $$ especially for international, I don't want to guess those).

3, Package up a couple of items (with extra protection for the breakables) and check weight and dimensions to get a feel for things. Size of package will matter, since Canada Post (and other shippers) charge extra if the box is too big. But, if you use calculated shipping it will include any surcharge, so not something you need to worry about when starting.

4. If over 500g use Expedited parcel for Canada. For the USA use tracked packet (up to 1kg) or Expedited Parcel (long side must be at least 21 cm, max weight of 30kg).  Do not bother with International until you get some experience.   All of those services have ebay discounts if the labels are bought online through goShippo (another learning experience),

...

eBay's selling advice is very generalized -- so feel free to completely ignore it -- go with what works for you.

-..-

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"Do not bother with International until you get some experience. " ---It is a important and in time reminding! Thank you!