Unsuccessfully shipped to Mexico without tracking. Blamed myself

[johns_program22]

I'm trying to come to senses whether I've done the proper way of taking blame for the following mistake: allow shipping to Mexico from Canada with an option to ship by ground without tracking.

What I've done it allowed an item to be available to anyone in North America. The options for shipping parcels from Canada to Mexico was "ground shipping" or "air shipping". I've made those available to give customers an option: need it quicker, pay more. There was no option to ship with tracking information available.

Likewise, the person claimed -- in broken English I may add -- didn't receive the item and made a dispute with PayPal. As a seller, I'm trying to figure out what went wrong. In the end, hearing the buyers have more protection than sellers, I just bid no contest and refunded the whole thing -- regardless if the receiver got the item or not. ("Free item! Woo!", they might say.) I'm trying to come to senses that I've made a mistake to offer 1) shipping to Mexico and 2) offer wrong shipping options and 3) expect the customer to be at fault for choosing the wrong shipping.

So, did I do the right thing of making this my fault and do the refund?

[silverpinups]

Since you are new to selling I would focus on Canada and the USA until you get a feeling for selling and familiarize yourself with the different shipping options that Canada Post offers.

NEVER ship anything using "surface" shipping, it just takes to long and you will lose a "item not received" claim every time.

Always use Airmail for all your packages and if the item price dictates then send it with a TRACKING NUMBER.

You have seller protection  if you ship the item with a Tracking Number. This of course will not protect you from a "item not as described' (INAD) claim.   

Mexico is on my excluded shipping list as there is a high degree of fraudulent activity. It's not the customers as much as the corrupt Customs Agents or Postal Workers.

Unfortunately without a Tracking Number you had no chance of winning the PayPal claim against you. 

[johns_program22]

Actually, I was somewhat familiar with shipping within Canada and the US, but I was using "Tracked Shipping" as one option but added "Untracked shipping" as a low cost alternative, assuming responsibility on the buyer's decision. I never had any problems until I've tried to ship to Mexico that got me second-guessing. Because I've added an option for both "ground shipping" and "air shipping," I'm trying to convince myself it's my fault for making "ground shipping" available when I shouldn't had.

[silverpinups]

Anything being shipped to Mexico needs to go with a Tracking Number, no exceptions.

Chances of a package arriving to Mexico without a tracking number is very low, so save yourself the headaches and exclude Mexico from your ship to locations.

[johns_program22]

Oddly, I never find shipping options to Mexico that uses a Tracking Number. That also irks me. By that time, I never had a choice to ship with a tracking number.

[silverpinups]

I believe that Canada Post offers a Air Parcel service with Tracking to Mexico.

[recped]

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@silverpinups wrote:

Anything being shipped to Mexico needs to go with a Tracking Number, no exceptions.

Chances of a package arriving to Mexico without a tracking number is very low, so save yourself the headaches and exclude Mexico from your ship to locations.

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Mexico has terrible mail service, tracking won't help one bit other than to tell you that the buyer is right when they claim they never received.

Maybe Xpresspost might be reliable but not because of tracking but rather because it's likely handled outside the regular mail stream that is used for First Class or Surface Parcel.

I've had a relatively high rate of loss sending to Mexico, fortunately many Mexican buyers have mailing addresses in TX.

[a51split]

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@silverpinups wrote:

Chances of a package arriving to Mexico without a tracking number is very low,  

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Sorry, but this is complete nonsense.  Millions of packages go to Mexico every year.  The majority of them are not being stolen.

I have shipped many items to Mexico with no tracking and every one has arrived.  Eventually.  From my experience, it usually takes an unpredictable amount of time to get to your buyer.  Sometimes fast (1-2 weeks), sometimes very slow (4-6 weeks).

Yes, there is plenty of corruption in Mexico.  If you were stupid enough to describe an item as "new iPhone X", it's going to be stolen.  Be cryptic, but truthful in the description.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@johns_program22 wrote:

Oddly, I never find shipping options to Mexico that uses a Tracking Number. That also irks me. By that time, I never had a choice to ship with a tracking number.

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Here's the Canada post page for Mexico (they have one for every country):

https://www.canadapost.ca/common/tools/pg/manual/PGIntDestDetails-e.asp?table=tblCountry&txtLetter=M...

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[johns_program22]

So next time, don't leave choices for choosing tracking and non-tracking shipping to buyers, right?

[ypdc_dennis]

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@johns_program22 wrote:
So next time, don't leave choices for choosing tracking and non-tracking shipping to buyers, right?

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Actually, just have shipping with no mention of whether the shipping is tracked or untracked.

Only reason for more than one shipping option is how fast it will arrive.

-..-

[femmefan1946]

Bookmark this.

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

The only tracked services I see are ExpressPost and PriorityPost.

For the measurements I provided those cost $56.91 and $84.55.

If your customer can't afford that, it 's his problem not yours.

If he is buying it from Canada, he can't find it in Mexico.

Small Packet Surface was $11.69. And the customer got it back and a free doohickey.

[Anonymous]

Are you kidding???????????  Canada Post doesn't offer any mail service with tracking number not even XpressPost to Mexico.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Are you kidding???????????  Canada Post doesn't offer any mail service with tracking number not even XpressPost to Mexico.

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Better tell Canada Post -- they think they do:

https://www.canadapost.ca/common/tools/pg/manual/PGIntDestDetails-e.asp?table=tblCountry&txtLetter=MX

[Anonymous]

Not with PayPal Shipping.

[pierrelebel]

Hi John.

I generally do not like to say "always" or "never".  I like to answer with context.

To provide a comprehensive answer to your questions, I feel it would be best to ask them using the eBay selling ID used fot that transaction.

[ypdc_dennis]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Not with PayPal Shipping.

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Your post of no tracking was specifically about what Canada Post has available for shipping.

[Anonymous]

Canada Post doesn't offer Tracket Packet or XpressPost not even surface mail with tracking number at all.  They only offer small air packets.  Someone made a mistake saying that they do include Tracket Packet or XpressPost or surface mail with tracking number.  There is NO tracking number to Mexico, period.

[pjcdn2005]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Canada Post doesn't offer Tracket Packet or XpressPost not even surface mail with tracking number at all.  They only offer small air packets.  Someone made a mistake saying that they do include Tracket Packet or XpressPost or surface mail with tracking number.  There is NO tracking number to Mexico, period.

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As already mentioned, Canada Post does have xpresspost to Mexico and it does include delivery confirmation.  Instead of arguing, check the link that was given in post 14 which shows that xpresspost is a service to Mexico. 

Or go to the canada post calculator and check the rate to Mexico. It will also show you they so have xpresspost to Mexico and that it has delivery confirmation.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e2s1

[Anonymous]

I was at the post office this morning to buy Xmas stamps and at the same time I asked about Xpresspost, Tracked Packet and surface mail with tracking to Mexico, she said NO!