eBay

triber · ‎02-14-2022

Canada Post is now returning craft booklets and paper sewing patterns that are sent letter mail saying that have to go package rate. For sellers selling low cost craft items, having to charge or pay for package rate now makes them far too expensive. Has anyone else had them returned? I am going to phone CP and see if I can see what is going on.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎10-30-2022

@dinomitesales wrote:
Nope, just thin cardboard (think cereal-box card). It's not going to do much if someone took the item and forcefully bent it, but I believe it's enough of a stiffener to act as a deterrant and to avoid unnecessary bending during the sortation process. I also put a "Do Not Bend" sticker on the outside of the envelope.
I would like to switch to using stiffened photo-mailers but I haven't been able to find a cheap source of small ones (around 5x7").

@dinomitesales

For the mailers in assorted sizes...Ebay Canada if you can find someone trying to houseclean with reasonable shipping or unfortunately(pardon my language) the ~~River~~. They are available there but mostly timing as to if they are available from Canadian locations. Staples carries too but expensive in large quantities.

https://www.amazon.ca/ZMYBCPACK-Cardboard-Envelopes-Photography-Mailersfor/dp/B08HZ271K3/ref=sr_1_8?...

10 pack CD size for 12.00 at 123ink in Montreal. 3 sizes indiviual unit purchases.

-Lotz

rocketscollectibles · ‎10-30-2022

I never stopped shipping my stuff letterpost and never had a single return personally. I still use bubble mailers, with feedbacks buyers received. Sometimes i add paper and tape my things to it to avoid that it move and to add the paper feeling in case someone check/play with it. Last week i shipped a $3.19 package that literally looked like a small brick, post officed accepted and stamped

Maybe the problem depends on our location and some places they are more severe? I also ship US only

zee-chan-jpn-books · ‎10-30-2022

@dinomitesales wrote:
Nope, just thin cardboard (think cereal-box card). It's not going to do much if someone took the item and forcefully bent it, but I believe it's enough of a stiffener to act as a deterrant and to avoid unnecessary bending during the sortation process. I also put a "Do Not Bend" sticker on the outside of the envelope.

Ah, so that do not bend sticker hasn't triggered "alarm" from US customs that the item might not be an actual letter? I debated about writing that on the emvelope... I used to always hand write that. I haven't used letter-post to US for a while because of this thread, but with the rising small packet price with fuel surcharge I'm debating about starting to use letter-post again.

reallynicestamps · ‎10-31-2022

Time to post a picture of a sortation plant again.

Human eyes are not looking at anything at the terminal.
In my opinion, if you put it in the mailbox, no one will see it until it arrives in the mail carrier's daily workload and they are less likely to carry it back to the plant and return it, than the Canada Post counter staff.

38e_avenue · ‎10-31-2022

Last year I switched a few times from Letterpost (3.19) to USPS (7.00) and later to CP SP (9.50). Imagine, I didn't see any noticeable change in the sales volume. My items sell usually for 15-20 dollars, so the shipping price should make the difference, right? Apparently, it doesn't ....... 🙄

rocketscollectibles · ‎10-31-2022

Very highly specific to what you sell. I could add $0.25-0.50 to my items and lose sales in my category. It's about how competitive is the category. If we're 10 to offer the same item at the same price, impossible that increasing our price does not affect sales. If you can increase your shipping cost by 300% and your item price by 30%+ without being affected, there's clearly no competitors

38e_avenue · ‎10-31-2022

@rocketscollectibles wrote:
Very highly specific to what you sell. I could add $0.25-0.50 to my items and lose sales in my category. It's about how competitive is the category. If we're 10 to offer the same item at the same price, impossible that increasing our price does not affect sales. If you can increase your shipping cost by 300% and your item price by 30%+ without being affected, there's clearly no competitors

Yes, of course you are right. I should mention that. Usually, I do not have any competitor, or maybe 2, max. 3. I sell very rare items. So indeed, if someone finally finds what he/she was looking for - the item sells, no matter what the shipping price is. I think for the same reason the promoted listings never worked for me, either.

reallynicestamps · ‎11-01-2022

To my mind PL works by bringing the punters to our site, not necessarily to the item that sells.

Which means that I see more Views when I have somethings on PL, but my sales stay steady and I the percentage of what I sell with PL is lower than the percentage of items I have listed with PL.

I think it took nearly two years for me to spend over $50 on PL fees. For closing a sale Best Offer works better.