URGENT! Canada Post changes are not allowing international buyers to purchase!

[bright_future15]

THIS IS AN URGENT MATTER AND I URGE ALL SELLERS TO SHARE THIS!  It is not only US based buyers it is also any buyers outside of Canada.  Canada post recently changed their shipping information requirements in the last couple of days.  They now require a phone number to ship internationally.  As we know most buyers do not have their phone number attached to their shipping information.  When a buyer tries to purchase or make an offer it tells the buyer that the seller does not ship to the buyers address!  The problem is Canada Post is flagging the shipping address as being incomplete.  I am currently on hold with Canada Post but I think I ma the first to call as no one seems to know.  I suggest we all call, message and post to Canada Post, Ebay Canada, Ebay and PayPal.  This is killing our sales!

[bright_future15]

THIS IS AN URGENT MATTER AND I URGE ALL SELLERS TO SHARE THIS!  It is not only US based buyers it is also any buyers outside of Canada.  Canada post recently changed their shipping information requirements in the last couple of days.  They now require a phone number to ship internationally.  As we know most buyers do not have their phone number attached to their shipping information.  When a buyer tries to purchase or make an offer it tells the buyer that the seller does not ship to the buyers address!  The problem is Canada Post is flagging the shipping address as being incomplete.  I am currently on hold with Canada Post but I think I ma the first to call as no one seems to know.  I suggest we all call, message and post to Canada Post, Ebay Canada, Ebay and PayPal.  This is killing our sales!

[sylviebee]

Entering your own phone number works.

That's what I've been doing as have other sellers posting to this board.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@bright_future15 wrote:

THIS IS AN URGENT MATTER AND I URGE ALL SELLERS TO SHARE THIS!  It is not only US based buyers it is also any buyers outside of Canada.  Canada post recently changed their shipping information requirements in the last couple of days.  They now require a phone number to ship internationally.  ...  The problem is Canada Post is flagging the shipping address as being incomplete.  ...

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This is a SELLER shipping issue, it is not a BUYER sales problem.

Solution: Use your own phone number. The number is only there to be used if there is a problem at the delivery end. I've entered my phone number for years and have never had it used.

-..-

[jt-libra]

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@sylviebee wrote:

Entering your own phone number works.

That's what I've been doing as have other sellers posting to this board.

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I'm sorry but I don't understand.  Where are sellers entering their phone number?

[bright_future15]

To enter your phone number or some other random number only solves the shipping problem.  The problem is bigger than that.

Canada Post now requires a phone number to be included on a mailing address.  A buyer located outside of  Canada that does not have a phone number connected to their mailing address is unable to purchase form a Canadian seller.  When the address goes from Ebay to PayPal and is checked with Canada Post an error message is sent back.  The error states that "Seller does not ship to your location".  It is a generic message and happens due to the shipping address being "incomplete".  The same message would happen if a incorrect postal or zip code is entered.  

We are losing sales right now and because of this why would a buyer come back tomorrow and try again?  This would also be across all platforms using PayPal for their shipping.

[carter-dress*casual]

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@bright_future15 wrote:

A buyer located outside of  Canada that does not have a phone number connected to their mailing address is unable to purchase form a Canadian seller.  

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I still don't understand.  Haven't they always had to provide a telephone number when they registered with eBay?  I know that you can request a buyer's telephone number from eBay when you have an issue .... although most of the time they're out-of-date.

Sellers are saying they are using their own telephone numbers ..... again, WHERE are they plugging this information in?

[bright_future15]

The phone number is within there paypal shipping addresses.  It is not required to include your phone number in your mailing address with paypal.  They have your phone number but it is not required to input your mailing address and is a separate input to their personal information.  Most people do not include their phone numbers in their mailing address.  Most people have a concern about giving their number out and having telemarketers call them.  I don't know why Canada Post wants people phone numbers either.  If you look at an eBay invoice to a buyer, usually the phone number is blank.

[jt-libra]

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@bright_future15 wrote:

THIS IS AN URGENT MATTER AND I URGE ALL SELLERS TO SHARE THIS!  It is not only US based buyers it is also any buyers outside of Canada.  Canada post recently changed their shipping information requirements in the last couple of days.  They now require a phone number to ship internationally.  As we know most buyers do not have their phone number attached to their shipping information.  When a buyer tries to purchase or make an offer it tells the buyer that the seller does not ship to the buyers address!  The problem is Canada Post is flagging the shipping address as being incomplete.  I am currently on hold with Canada Post but I think I ma the first to call as no one seems to know.  I suggest we all call, message and post to Canada Post, Ebay Canada, Ebay and PayPal.  This is killing our sales!

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Did a buyer contact you about this?  Are you still on hold?

[jt-libra]

THIS IS AN URGENT MATTER AND I URGE ALL SELLERS TO SHARE THIS!  It is not only US based buyers it is also any buyers outside of Canada.  Canada post recently changed their shipping information requirements in the last couple of days.  They now require a phone number to ship internationally.  As we know most buyers do not have their phone number attached to their shipping information.  When a buyer tries to purchase or make an offer it tells the buyer that the seller does not ship to the buyers address!  The problem is Canada Post is flagging the shipping address as being incomplete.  I am currently on hold with Canada Post but I think I ma the first to call as no one seems to know.  I suggest we all call, message and post to Canada Post, Ebay Canada, Ebay and PayPal.  This is killing our sales!

[bright_future15]

A buyer did contact me and I am concerned that others have not.  I have not sold any items to an international buyer in the last 48 hours that did not have a phone number.  Ebay has been informed and have seen that there is a problem,  an investigation is open.  Canada Post has been contacted but cannot do anything until ebay/PayPal contact them.  I have been assured they are looking into it.  Paypal has added it to the open ticket that is ongoing for the issue with printing labels.  These labels were from sales previous to the change.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@carter-dress*casual wrote:

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@bright_future15 wrote:

A buyer located outside of  Canada that does not have a phone number connected to their mailing address is unable to purchase form a Canadian seller.

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I still don't understand.  Haven't they always had to provide a telephone number when they registered with eBay?  I know that you can request a buyer's telephone number from eBay when you have an issue .... although most of the time they're out-of-date.

Sellers are saying they are using their own telephone numbers ..... again, WHERE are they plugging this information in?

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You plug the phone number into the shipping form WHEN you ship. Only certain types of Canada Post shipping services ask for a phone number. It's not required inside Canada. It's not required for light packet or small packet.

-..-

[bright_future15]

It is required now by Canada post.  All services require it, any international shipments regardless of service.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@bright_future15 wrote:

A buyer did contact me and I am concerned that others have not.  I have not sold any items to an international buyer in the last 48 hours that did not have a phone number.  Ebay has been informed and have seen that there is a problem,  an investigation is open.  Canada Post has been contacted but cannot do anything until ebay/PayPal contact them.  I have been assured they are looking into it.  Paypal has added it to the open ticket that is ongoing for the issue with printing labels.  These labels were from sales previous to the change.

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Based on your additional information, this NOT a Canada Post problem.

It is a problem if paypal or ebay are actually blocking purchases because the buyer doesn't have a phone number.

-..-

[bright_future15]

Correct, but they should have checked this before implementing the new system.  Paypal stated that they were unaware of the change until sellers contacted them about an issue printing labels.  PayPal, Ebay and Canada Post all need to work together to resolve.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@bright_future15 wrote:

It is required now by Canada post.  All services require it, any international shipments regardless of service.

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Incorrect.

I just checked on the Canada Post website using EST (Electronic Shipping Tools).

Buyer's phone number is NOT required for Small Packet,  NOT required for Light Packet. It is only a required field for tracked services -- as it has been for years. This not new.

-..-

[bright_future15]

I just shipped out six items today.  Two to Sweden and 4 to the USA.  All small packet air and all required me to input a phone number.  I ship an average of 300 items a month, all over the world.  First time I have had to do this.  The Canada Post website is incorrect.  

Besides, you are speaking about shipping and I am speaking about the ability for a buyer to actually make a purchase,  I offer both tracked and tracked services.  A buyer cannot even get to the shipping page and are given the error message of "buyer does not ship to your country".  

Canada Post's plan may be one thing but the result is currently another.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@bright_future15 wrote:

Correct, but they should have checked this before implementing the new system.  Paypal stated that they were unaware of the change until sellers contacted them about an issue printing labels.  PayPal, Ebay and Canada Post all need to work together to resolve.

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It sounds like you are talking about two different issues:

One. Buyers unable to purchase because they don't have a phone number. A problem which would only make sense for calculated shipping. Flat rate only checks your ship-to country.

Two. Sellers unable to buy a label through eBay/paypal because the buyer doesn't have a phone number. The old work around was to edit the shipping address -- is paypal now preventing that?

-..-

[ypdc_dennis]

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@bright_future15 wrote:

I just shipped out six items today.  Two to Sweden and 4 to the USA.  All small packet air and all required me to input a phone number.  I ship an average of 300 items a month, all over the world.  First time I have had to do this.  The Canada Post website is incorrect. 

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The Canada Post website is correct. Which means that paypal is the one that is wrong. Nothing new about that.

-..-

[bright_future15]

1. Correct.  Buyers cannot complete a purchase with out a phone number.  I only do calculated shipping, so I cannot speak to flat rate or free shipping. 

2.  The new shipping format introduced awhile back will force you to enter a phone number.  The old format accessed by the link will let you go through the process but will tell you "Paypal shipping is currently not available.  your account was not charged".

[jt-libra]

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@ypdc_dennis wrote:

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@bright_future15 wrote:

It is required now by Canada post.  All services require it, any international shipments regardless of service.

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Incorrect.

I just checked on the Canada Post website using EST (Electronic Shipping Tools).

Buyer's phone number is NOT required for Small Packet,  NOT required for Light Packet. It is only a required field for tracked services -- as it has been for years. This not new.

-..-

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I mailed an Expedited USA parcel on March 3rd.  I have a copy of the shipping label which does not show a telephone number for me or for the addressee.  And I don't recall a field where it was asked for when I prepared it.  So I decided to pretend I was "shipping another".  My phone number shows up on both the classic and new first screen of the PayPal label but, under the addressee, it shows their e-mail address (new format) and Phone No. (Optional) on the classic format.  I use flat rate shipping and have never entered a phone number on any label I have ever purchased for Canadian or US shipments.

However, having said that, in another thread this evening, I indicated that when I checked the tracking for this parcel, I saw a note that a label correction had been applied at the Winnipeg processing center.  Maybe something to do with the telephone number, maybe not.

Something for me to watch out for, though.

[lucitabby]

If a buyer was unable to purchase because they don't have a telephone number with their mailing address and received an alert stating  "seller does not ship to your address"  are they showing up in your site preferences under your Blocked Buyers Activity Log??