Registered mail option?

[rocketscollectibles]

Hi there. I'm looking to set up tracked shipping on more expensive trading cards i'm selling and was looking about using CP registered mail since it seems to be the best option for me ( regular and expedited is 14-21$ depending of buyer location while registered is like 11-13$ flat depending of the stamp i need )

But i noticed we don't have a registered mail option on ebay?

I would like to let people know the item is tracked at least but the only thing i can do if i use registered mail is set up flat cost and choose lettermail, and it shows as ''economy shipping''. I'm scared it scare buyers on expensive items...

Only thing we can do if we use registered is using description? Why there's no option for it?

[raanana]

Registered mail can be tracked internationally, though not always. On my surprise Poland and Ukraine are usually pretty good.

[t_bjarnason]

You are not wrong in assuming that lower prices increase your chances to sell, but there are other ways to do this than shipping cost alone. You can offer discounts, slightly lower cost items, even flat-rate tracked shipping where you have tracked shipping at say $15 and you eat the difference (which shouldn't be more than about $5-6) which doesn't hurt too bad on a more expensive item. 

And being in Eastern Canada - you actually have the advantage. 90% of my Canadian buyers are in the East, which means my tracked shipping is always over $20 for them (I'm in Alberta). Most of your buyers should be on the cheaper end of the range ($14-16 anyways). 

As far as shipping to the USA, you have the option for CP Tracked Packet - USA, which is usually cheaper than any of the tracked options we have to ship in Canada. US buyers usually pay about $14.46 CAD to anywhere in the USA.  This makes shipping to the USA just as easy as shipping within Canada and will open up a lot more potential buyers for you, especially for expensive items. 

As @pjcdn2005 mentioned, I wouldn't worry about minimum weight. I've sent many items in the 30-40g range without issue. As you see in the example below, I have 30g as the item weight with Expedited Parcel available. 

Lastly, Expedited Parcel is available to everyone on eBay. It has the same cost as regular parcel, has better shipping times, and offers up to $100 insurance. 

I know how easy it is to phych yourself out and overthink - I've been there too, trust me. But a little trick I use is to step back and ask yourself "Have I actually experienced this first-hand?" Have you ACTUALLY lost sales because of high shipping? Have you ACTUALLY been scammed by dishonest buyers? The answer is usually no and you quickly realize that you're just in your head and the situation is nowhere as bad as you're making it out to be and what you think is happening isnt actually the case. Looking at your listings, you only have 2 items with tracked shipping and 20 total listings, so there's no way you can possibly know at this point what your buyer's habbits are. 

As I said before, simplify your shipping and stick to it. List more items. Lots of items. As many as you can. Sales suck right now in the middle of summer so don't get too caught up on low turnover. 

[recped]

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@rocketscollectibles wrote:

I guess i'll just use regular parcel, since i can't use expedited apparently it's for small business now.

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Anyone can sign up for the Small Business "account", you get a card which use can use at the Post Office, the basic discount is small but you are then able to use Expedited.

If you print postage via eBay (probably PayPal as well) you automatically get to use Expedited regardless if you have Small Business account.

Sign up here:

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/business/small-business.page?

[rocketscollectibles]

You guys confusing me, i mean, there's no reason to use regular/expedited parcel if i can legit use registered mail. That's just a huge mistake to offer 14-20$ shipping if i can offer it for 11-13$, with the same/better insurance/signature options. Too many contradictory opinions on the net, at this point i'll just go to CP and ask if they provide an online tracking number for it, if i understand this is just what ebay/paypal require?

[reallynicestamps]

since i can't use expedited apparently it's for small business now.

No.

The name of the service is called "Solutions for Small Business" but my sister uses it to mail care packages to her kids.

Yes, that is a little White Knight /Alice in Wonderland.

And since you are selling stuff (and hoping to be profitable) guess what? You are a business anyway.

Get the card. Use the card. Save money.

I've been in mail order for ove 30 years and there has never been a time that just anything could be sold profitably by mail order.

Actually it's true of B&M retail too. Remember penny candy? Not profitable now, a cash cow in the 50s.

This is why you see "bundled" items, or bagged candy, or Free Shipping where the shipping cost is part of the asking price.

The point is to find the sweet spot where the customer's payment feels comfortable to her, and doesn't make her think about how it is all split up.

[reallynicestamps]

if i can legit use registered mail.

You can use it.

But count the number of experienced sellers telling you it's a bad idea.

And also look at the ACTUAL cost of using it.

Within Canada $9.75 PLUS ordinary postage  (At least 92c but more likely to be $1.30 or $194) PLUS you can't print it online and have to make a trip to the PO.

To the USA - apparently you are buying Xpress Post and they will call it Regisitered. (Both Expedited and Tracked Packet are cheaper than XpressPost)

And $17.50 PLUS postage internationally.

Poor economics.

But yeah-- it's legal.

A lot of dumb stuff is legal.

[pjcdn2005]

You mentioned not being able to use expedited so we are trying to give you the correct information.  Why don't you check Canada post online to get the correct information fir registered mail.  You will see that there is online delivery confirmation for within Canada.  For international it includes a stamped receipt. I'm sure that  receipt is not online however as another poster mentioned, some countries will scan it when delivered in which case it would show online but there are no guarantees that it will.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/personal/sending/letters-mail/registered-mail.page

[rocketscollectibles]

Yeah thanks, i think i'll give a shot to registered mail actually. I seen that link already, but i noticed this time at the bottom it's written they give a tracking number. It's cheaper and i personally prefer flat costs so there's no reason to not use that. Except the fact you can't print at home i don't understand why it's not recommended over regular/exepedited. Do you guys know if signature is an option or obligatory? Might be why it can be problematic to use it

[femmefan1946]

Okay use it.

EBay won't recognize it if you run into trouble.

But go ahead.

Signature can be added to anything.

EBay requires it to win Not Delivered claims on items over $650, but you can use it on items of lower value.

Note that eBay recognizes the purchase of Signature Confirmation as equivalent to actually having a signature, because of COVID.  Don't panic.

But it's irrelevant for Registered Mail , because eBay doesn't accept Registration as tracking.

[rocketscollectibles]

It does have online delivery confirmation within Canada so eBay treats it the same they treat any service with tracking

But it's irrelevant for Registered Mail , because eBay doesn't accept Registration as tracking

That's what i meant by you guys are confusing. One says it's legit, one says it's not 

[t_bjarnason]

That's what i meant by you guys are confusing. One says it's legit, one says it's not 

...therefore I think we can come to a conclusion that Registered Mail is unreliable for INR claims and thus the reason why no-one uses it, in addition to other factors such as inconvenience. 

[esclyons]

Registered mail, is absolutely o.k., to use on ebay, as a valid form of tracking..

In Canada only, and in the past i have won 2 chargebacks when registered mail was used..

This was with paypal...

[recped]

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@t_bjarnason wrote:

That's what i meant by you guys are confusing. One says it's legit, one says it's not 

...therefore I think we can come to a conclusion that Registered Mail is unreliable for INR claims and thus the reason why no-one uses it, in addition to other factors such as inconvenience. 

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One of the issues I recall from earlier discussions is with sellers who wanted to use Registered Mail for the Signature aspect. The problem with that is (at least for International) Registered Mail Signatures (if they are obtained...not 100% certain) are not viewable online and therefore are useless for eBay's seller protection on shipments valued over $750.

I know that even 20 years ago when I was receiving a lot of cash payments via Registered Mail Canada Post rarely required a signature on delivery.

The only other negative about Registered Mail is that it is the slowest service there is because of the special handling.

[kawartha-ephemera]

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@rocketscollectibles wrote:
 Do you guys know if signature is an option or obligatory? Might be why it can be problematic to use it.

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Signature is not optional. If you use Registered mail you will be forcing your buyers to pick-up the item from the post office counter, they will be required to present photo id to the clerk and sign for it. The majority of customers will not appreciate being inconvenienced in this way, most certainly won't be thinking they've had a lovely time!

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[rocketscollectibles]

Thanks for the infos, seems more clear now

The majority of customers will not appreciate being inconvenienced in this way, most certainly won't be thinking they've had a lovely time!

I think it depends of the person, personally i would not like having to go at the post office too, but at the same time i find it outragous when i have 200$ item dropped on the floor of my front door. I don't think anyone would drop a negative feedback for having extra security on their expensive purchases

[reallynicestamps]

Canada Post does require that there be a "suitable" place for delivery.

A mailbox of some sort, or a slot in the door, would be one choice.

And both apartment mailboxes and community mailboxes (which also have a package delivery spot).

The space between the storm door and the house door is also usually acceptable.

Having no box and no slot should mean having no delivery.

If the recipient has no box and no slot, he shouldn't complain that it is "  outragous when i have 200$ item dropped on the floor of my front door. "

Recognizing that no everybody finds it acceptable to have packages left between the doors, Canada Post now has a FREE FlexDelivery service which is equivalent to paying for a PObox, but only used for packages.

[dinomitesales]

I think much of the confusion in this thread is the "domestic vs. international" utility of Registered Mail, which I don't even think was a point brought up by OP; it seemed like they were just asking about using it within Canada. I agree that it shouldn't be used internationally due to the unreliable nature of tracking amongst countries.

I have used Registered Lettermail numerous times for domestic shipments. I offer free domestic shipping on everything and simply choose "Economy Shipping" so once the buyer pays it's my decision how I want to ship it. If we're dealing with an item that fits the size/weight specifications for Lettermail then I have my own set of guidelines I like to follow: under $50 value it will go untracked, and above $50 I will probably send it with tracking. If I decide to send it by tracking then I will explore my options and usually choose the cheapest one, and that cheapest option usually is Registered Lettermail. Registered Lettermail definitely IS the cheapest option for tracked shipping within Canada - Expedited and/or Xpresspost (even pre-paid options) are almost always going to be more expensive. Other benefits of Registered Lettermail include faster delivery time (goes by Air unlike Regular/Expedited which are ground services), and a signature is collected (some might consider this a drawback of the service, but I've always appreciated the solace offered to me in knowing there's basically zero chance of the item being stolen, and I've never had anyone complain about having to go into the post office to get their item *knock on wood*). Anecdotally, the signature actually BENEFITTED me on a recent order - a Registered Mail shipment was marked as "Delivered" but no signature was captured (likely a mistake by a letter carrier who was understandably confused regarding the ever-changing rules regarding COVID practices). I didn't really care because the signature wasn't the reason I purchased the service; however,  a quick chat with a Canada Post representative on the website resulted in a cheque being left in my mailbox fully reimbursing me for my shipping costs about a week later.

The thinking that "eBay doesn't recognize Registered Lettermail as a valid form of tracking" is something that I've been hearing people throw around for years; mainly sellers that have been on the platform for a long time. That being said I've never once seen evidence that a claim was denied because an item was sent by Registered Mail. Maybe that was how it worked in the 'old days'? I don't see why it WOULDN'T count as proof. It has online tracking and proof of delivery just like any other tracked service offered by Canada Post (and @esclyons has first-hand evidence that it was acceptable proof, albeit that was with PayPal and not eBay directly).

Perhaps this is a question that we should ask Tyler directly during the next weekly chat session.

[reallynicestamps]

tyler@ebay 

Will eBay accept Registered Mail as a service to prove delivery within Canada? To the USA ? Overseas?

[dinomitesales · Accepted solution]

For anyone viewing this thread in the future I just wanted to cap off this conversation with the official word from eBay when asked about using Registered Lettermail for shipping:

From the August 11th, 2021 Weekly Chat Session:

A shipment needs to have an electronic tracking number (meaning I could look it up on a carrier's website and it would show transit events as well as an attempt of or actual delivery). An electronic tracking number should also be able to display the date of attempted or actual delivery, the city and postcode of the attempted or actual delivery, and also provide signature confirmation if it meets the required 750CAD threshold.

As long as the registered mail service meets those requirements you should be fine!

Domestic Registered Lettermail meets all these requirements, and would therefore be considered a valid option for tracked shipping within Canada (and sufficient evidence to hold up to an "Item Not Received" claim). With regard to the electronic tracking information provided by Canada Post for Registered Lettermail, it is identical to that which is provided for parcel services.

Be careful with International Registered Lettermail sent through Canada Post, as it would only be considered valid tracking if it has "end-to-end" tracking with confirmation of delivery (for many countries the tracking will end once the item leaves Canada).

[mr.special-editions]

Correct, I've had customers message me before purchasing requesting a form of delivery where their item is not left on their doorstep.  Buyers expect to recieve their item, especially expensive items.  Most will appreciate they can retreive that item from a safe place.  I highly doubt a buyer would prefer not getting their item and filing a INR case over the minor inconvience of going to their nearby post office or postal outlet.