Why can't I ship my item with Canada Post Expedited Lite to BC Postal code?

[transtraders]

I sold a DVD to a customer located in BC (I am all the way over here in NB btw) and when I went to print my label eBay has the Expedited Lite option greyed out so it can't be selected. 

The package measures 23cm x 18cm x 2cm and weights 161 grams.

The cheapest option I am allowed to select is UPS for $16.67 CAD.

I charge my canadian customers $6.00 USD ($8.68 CAD) for expedited lite option for DVD's and never had a problem before.

I went ahead fiddled with the buyers address to see if I could get the Expedited Lite option using a different Postal Code and it worked for a Postal Code in Ontario, Quebec, and even anther code from BC itself, all worked I was able to select Expedtied Lite. But when I switch back to this particular customers Postal Code it doesn't work.

So my questions is, are there certain areas (postal codes) of the country that are not allowed to be shipped via Canada Post Expedted Lite service??

I was under the impression that ALL canadian addresses were part of this service, but I guess not?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

[marnotom!]

Forgive the lazy response, but, yes, there are some locations not covered by Expedited Lite.

@lotzofuniquegoodies explains it all in this thread from some months back:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/CP-Expedited-Lite-26-86-WHAT/m-p/506653

[flipistics]

What is the postal code? Is it possible the buyer did something silly like replace a zero with an O, etc?

I know eBay does have some issues with some areas. I got an order from someone in Whitehorse and apparently eBay's shipping rate table thought it was an urban address likely in the Prairies somewhere. That was fun. Thankfully it was a small, light item.

[reallynicestamps]

You could also ship with tracking domestically using Registered letter mail.

The Registration would be $13.75 +4.29 postage.

You can't buy that online, only at the PO counter.

No improvement on UPS, but on other lighter shipments it may be useful to know.

But if you have purchased discount* postage stamps on eBay, those can be used to pay the entire fee.

*I couldn't possible say where, because that would be self-serving.

[transtraders]

With some help from lotzofuniquegoodies we have pin pointed that any postal code starting V4Y in the spellumcheen BC area does not seem to allow for Expedited Lite service. Not sure why this is though, I am assuming this is a remote area.

[recped]

@transtraders 

If it's actually 2cm thick packed just send it via regular Lettermail, the new price for under 200gm is $4.29gm in stamps, no (overrated) tracking but probably faster than Expedited Lite.

I ship all my cassettes and cd's via Lettermail, thousands over the years, issues are extremely rare.

[transtraders]

I dont ship anything without tracking.

[flipistics]

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@transtraders wrote:

With some help from lotzofuniquegoodies we have pin pointed that any postal code starting V4Y in the spellumcheen BC area does not seem to allow for Expedited Lite service. Not sure why this is though, I am assuming this is a remote area.

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It's not a remote area, or at least not THAT remote. eBay's shipping calculator isn't showing ANY Canada Post options for postal codes there, and Sendle doesn't like the postal code either. It appears the region changed their postal codes last summer for the entire area. I'm guessing some of the shipping companies missed the memo. Definitely file a report with eBay.

[ypdc_dennis]

Minor typo there: registered is $13.15 plus lettermail rate.

[marnotom!]

I agree with @flipistics' observation: the area is more rural than remote. I know someone who moved to a town near Spallumcheen a couple of years ago and their postal code changed over the summer as well. As they found out more or less by accident, the sense I’m getting is that the changes haven’t been communicated that well. Spallumcheen posted this notice online but I’m wondering how people learned the postal code that corresponded to their address:

https://www.spallumcheentwp.bc.ca/docs/2024-08-12_address-confirm_township_postal_code_change.pdf

[reallynicestamps]

devon@ebay 

@transtraders wrote:

With some help from lotzofuniquegoodies we have pin pointed that any postal code starting V4Y in the spellumcheen BC area does not seem to allow for Expedited Lite service. Not sure why this is though, I am assuming this is a remote area.

It's not a remote area, or at least not THAT remote. eBay's shipping calculator isn't showing ANY Canada Post options for postal codes there, and Sendle doesn't like the postal code either. It appears the region changed their postal codes last summer for the entire area. I'm guessing some of the shipping companies missed the memo. Definitely file a report with eBay.

https://www.spallumcheentwp.bc.ca/docs/2024-08-12_address-confirm_township_postal_code_change.pdf

Pass this on, please?

[dinomitesales]

Yeah Expedited Lite doesn't cover every area in Canada unfortunately. Learned that myself when I got one to Nunavut and was using flat rate shipping. For that reason I made a separate Shipping Policy for items going Expedited Lite that is calculated so I don't run into these issues in the future.

Also give Lettermail a shot if it isn't high value. Most of what I sell goes untracked Lettermail and I pretty much never have an issue. More money in your pocket (caveat: If you've already advertised Expedited shipping then don't use Lettermail, but I would highly recommend experimenting with low-value items on future listings).

[transtraders]

I don't think I can do calculated shipping when listing on ebay.com versus ebay.ca, but I could be wrong. I exclusively list on .com using flat rates.

I used to do lettermail but ran into some troubles with lost items and damaged items in the mail so I ship with tracking only.

[transtraders]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but How does one "file a report with ebay"?

[dinomitesales]

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@transtraders wrote:

I don't think I can do calculated shipping when listing on ebay.com versus ebay.ca, but I could be wrong. I exclusively list on .com using flat rates.

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Ah, yeah, that's one of the downsides of listing on .com when using Canada Post's services.

I don't think there's any way to solve your issue then - unfortunately you'll just have to take the hit on any items that might sell to rural areas if you wish to continue using Expedited Lite/flat rate on .com.

[reallynicestamps]

You can't use Calculated Shipping on dotCOM from Canada.

Only Flat Rate will work.

BTW, you can ship with Free Shipping by entering $0.00 as the cost charged to the buyer.

For example on a low value item where you are using untracked letter rates.

Or on those $10 items with $5 shipping. Would they sell as easily at $15 with Free Shipping?

[flipistics]

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@dinomitesales wrote:

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@transtraders wrote:

I don't think I can do calculated shipping when listing on ebay.com versus ebay.ca, but I could be wrong. I exclusively list on .com using flat rates.

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Ah, yeah, that's one of the downsides of listing on .com when using Canada Post's services.

I don't think there's any way to solve your issue then - unfortunately you'll just have to take the hit on any items that might sell to rural areas if you wish to continue using Expedited Lite/flat rate on .com.

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Do shipping rate tables on dot com allow you to break out Canadian provinces based on urban/rural like it does on dot ca? That would be an option if so.

[transtraders]

As far as I am aware they do not. eBay seems to not care about us lowly Canadian sellers that sell on .com only. They give is very minimal shipping options to chose from.

[transtraders]

For anyone that is wondering, I went ahead a shipped via UPS and took the hit on the shipping price. Lost approx. $8.00 in profit, but not a big deal, unless this happens alot, which it won't, I hope, lol.

[dinomitesales]

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@flipistics wrote:

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@dinomitesales wrote:

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@transtraders wrote:

I don't think I can do calculated shipping when listing on ebay.com versus ebay.ca, but I could be wrong. I exclusively list on .com using flat rates.

---

Ah, yeah, that's one of the downsides of listing on .com when using Canada Post's services.

I don't think there's any way to solve your issue then - unfortunately you'll just have to take the hit on any items that might sell to rural areas if you wish to continue using Expedited Lite/flat rate on .com.

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Do shipping rate tables on dot com allow you to break out Canadian provinces based on urban/rural like it does on dot ca? That would be an option if so.

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I wouldn't imagine so. They may have shipping rate tables for different areas of the United States but I can't imagine any reason why an American site would have shipping rate tables for different areas of Canada. Similar to how we can't set shipping rate tables for the US.