eBay

gamesnhobbies23 · ‎10-12-2018

I am in Canada and am looking to start selling in the US and Canada. Is there a convenient way for me to ship to the US without me having to pay ridiculous international fees that Canada Post charges?

Also, with the Canada Post strike looming, what alternatives are out there?

Thanks guys!

snoopwiz · ‎10-12-2018

Hi. Where in Canada are you?

momcqueen · ‎10-12-2018

There is no need to worry about a postal strike until one is called. This isn't quite like the last time.

ypdc_dennis · ‎10-12-2018

@gamesnhobbies23 wrote:
I am in Canada and am looking to start selling in the US and Canada. Is there a convenient way for me to ship to the US without me having to pay ~~ridiculous~~ international fees that Canada Post charges?

If you are located in area of Canada that is close to a crossborder shipper, you can save some money on shipping for USA sales. Way it works: you get the package to the shipper, they take it across the border for a small fee, and the parcel gets mailed and travels at cheap, tracked USPS domestic rates.

Currently this can be done for items worth less than $800us -- but the rules may change next year and that easy exemption drop to $100us.

Here are some I know about:

Chit Chats Express can be found at chitchats.com (Vancouver area, Toronto area, Montreal, Halifax, with Ottawa in the plans)

...

RunninRed.com (Winnipeg)

...

StallionExpress.ca (Toronto)

...

For several Alberta locations there is DYKpost.com

...

CrossBordersPickups.ca (Mississauga, Markham) will also bring packages into Canada for buyers, as well as take packages to the USA for sellers.

Some of these companies also offer discounted shipping for Canadian addresses.

-..-

ypdc_dennis · ‎10-12-2018

If you have not already done so, sign up for a free Canada Post Solutions for Small Business membership that will give you shipping discounts when you buy labels online.

It will also allow you to ship one package (to a Canadian address) each Tuesday in October for free.

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Free-Domestic-Shipping-Tuesdays-in-October-with-Canada-P...

marnotom! · ‎10-12-2018

@momcqueen wrote:

There is no need to worry about a postal strike until one is called. This isn't quite like the last time.

And besides, that "last time" was a series of rotating walkouts that slowed down but not shut down postal service.

It was Canada Post that shut down postal service with a lockout.

momcqueen · ‎10-12-2018

Very true.

ypdc_dennis · ‎10-13-2018

@marnotom! wrote:
@momcqueen wrote:
There is no need to worry about a postal strike until one is called. This isn't quite like the last time.
And besides, that "last time" was a series of rotating walkouts that slowed down but not shut down postal service.
It was Canada Post that shut down postal service with a lockout.

For those that unfamiliar, "last time" means 2011.

2016 was Canada Post and the Union playing chicken with strike/lockout announcements. Very stressful on sellers (at least for me).

2018 -- Canada Post has promised no lockout for lawful rotating strikes. The sides are not that far apart (based on recent CUPW postings) so the union will not opt for a full strike but go for rotating if needed as a bargaining tactic. Result: the mail will keep moving.

Deadline: the union's strike mandate will expire November 10. So if there is no agreement by early November, the union will take strike action (they will not go back to the members to vote on renewing the strike mandate).

-..-

rose-dee · ‎10-14-2018

@ypdc_dennis wrote:
2018 -- Canada Post has promised no lockout for lawful rotating strikes. The sides are not that far apart (based on recent CUPW postings) so the union will not opt for a full strike but go for rotating if needed as a bargaining tactic. Result: the mail will keep moving.

Deadline: the union's strike mandate will expire November 10. So if there is no agreement by early November, the union will take strike action (they will not go back to the members to vote on renewing the strike mandate).

Thank you for the update, very helpful, this is what I was hoping to hear (I know you've seemed to be well informed on Canada Post issues in the past). I wish eBay Canada would post exactly this information somewhere very prominent for Canadian sellers to check on. Simply telling us to stay open is next to useless.