Canada into the USA letter mail is extremely slow!! Tracked packet is not an option!

[redlinegraphic]

I never had issues sending lettermail into the USA from Canada. This last 2 months I have received numerous requests for refunds!! I havent had to do that in the last 15 years!!! My items are paper thin and only sell for $15-$20. So tracked packet is not an option. If I charge more I put myself right out of the market. I am based in Winnipeg, no chitchats, etc... What do you do? Please help! Im loosing money now!!  TYIA

[femmefan1946]

First,  international mail is subject to the rules of the Universal Postal Union and have been since 1874.

Those rules do not allow "goods" to be shipped by lettermail internationally*.

So when we do this we are breaking the rules.

Since lettermail cannot be tracked, we are also gambling,

not that our items will arrive  since the postal system is very good at what it does,

but that our buyers are honest and will not open an Item Not Received claim since they know that we cannot prove delivery.

And that comes down to your customer demographic.

Do the buyers of your decals fit the "criminal demographic" of 15-35, male and probably not formally married?

If so, you are going to have a higher percentage of fake INR claims than someone selling say, dress patterns or scrapbooking supplies.

FWIW eBay currently has a more than 50% discount on Tracked Packet USA and has had for some months.

But even $7-8 is more than a $20 sale is worth.

Some sellers use the slightly cheaper Small Packet USA, which is not tracked, but which does have a barcode and may appear to be to a mildly sketchey recipient.

You can use either Tracked or Small Packet with discount postage stamps purchased here on eBay for 20% or so off face.

You can raise your asking  prices or your shipping price.

You can use Cookie Jar Insurance , which is adding a small amount to every asking or shipping price as a premium against INR claims or other problems.

You can move to Free Shipping, which means putting your shipping costs (including Cookie Jar Insurance ) into the asking price.

Don't Panic!
Which is cheaper -- a $20 item with $10 shipping or a $30 item with Free Shipping?

*Canada Post allows domestic shipping of goods by LetterMail.