Shipping On Ebay ( Letter Mailer, Parcel and Tracking questions) CANADA

[omgb_16]

Hi I am in Canada, I want to start selling on Ebay and shipping seems very hard to understand. 

I have a bunch of questions starting with, 

1. If I am shipping inside Canada can I use lettermail service with a bubble mailer to send TCG cards which are goods, because I only heard that you can't ship goods internationally with letterpost is this true?

2. I saw shipping inside of Canda for only 3 dollars when I try to do calulated shipping I can only use FedEx shipping, which is at least $18 BUCKS!! If I use lettermail with tracking it is about $15 bucks. (INSIDE CANADA) 

3. If I want to ship inside Canada with Canadapost Ebay only allows me to use a flat rate, but dosent the cost depend on how far away they are? How can I set a price if I don't know the cost (lettermail service [using bubble mailer]) If I choose to ship with Canada Post lettermail and I can only take a flat rate (inside Canda) how do I know that I will lose money if the persons in lets say PEI or is the price the same all over Canada.

4. If I don't ship with tracking how do I know I won't get scammed. (can I ask for signature or do I need to pay the same price that it would have been with tracking) 

5. (probably a dumb question) but lets say I do use Ebay and I select CanadaPost LetterMail do I have to buy tracking and stamps on the CanadaPost website? 

Thank you everyone for helping me out, and thank you in advance. 

[flipistics]

---

@omgb_16 wrote:

Hi I am in Canada, I want to start selling on Ebay and shipping seems very hard to understand. 

I have a bunch of questions starting with, 

1. If I am shipping inside Canada can I use lettermail service with a bubble mailer to send TCG cards which are goods, because I only heard that you can't ship goods internationally with letterpost is this true?

2. I saw shipping inside of Canda for only 3 dollars when I try to do calulated shipping I can only use FedEx shipping, which is at least $18 BUCKS!! If I use lettermail with tracking it is about $15 bucks. (INSIDE CANADA) 

3. If I want to ship inside Canada with Canadapost Ebay only allows me to use a flat rate, but dosent the cost depend on how far away they are? How can I set a price if I don't know the cost (lettermail service [using bubble mailer]) If I choose to ship with Canada Post lettermail and I can only take a flat rate (inside Canda) how do I know that I will lose money if the persons in lets say PEI or is the price the same all over Canada.

4. If I don't ship with tracking how do I know I won't get scammed. (can I ask for signature or do I need to pay the same price that it would have been with tracking) 

5. (probably a dumb question) but lets say I do use Ebay and I select CanadaPost LetterMail do I have to buy tracking and stamps on the CanadaPost website? 

Thank you everyone for helping me out, and thank you in advance. 

---

1. You can't send goods internationally by lettermail. You can send goods within Canada as lettermail as long as they aren't hazardous goods or things which could hurt the workers, equipment, or other mail. The mail has to fit within the size and weight limits for lettermail / oversized lettermail.

3. Lettermail is the same price no matter where it goes in Canada. There are different price tiers depending on the weight though. You can set a fixed price for shipping for every item, a flat rate price for any number of items the buyer wishes to purchase, or build shipping into the asking price and offer "free shipping".

4. Getting scammed is always a possibility. In my experience (in other fields such as DVDs and CDs) it is exceptionally rare. I would assume it's a little higher for things like cards and some video games. Make sure you don't list high value cards until you've built up good feedback and get some experience. That will help a lot. If the value is a little higher, you can ship it with the new "Expedited Lite" service which is about $8 and provides tracking.

5. You don't need to use the website. Tracked items (through the expedited lite service) can be bought on eBay and stamps can be bought wherever you would normally buy them. They can also be purchased over the counter at the post office.  If you wish, you CAN do it over the internet with a postal indicia mark (you have to sign up for the service). This means you don't have to have stamps on hand, which is really nice.

Other: I would probably suggest shipping cards in small stay-flat envelopes rather than bubble mailers if possible. If not, make sure to add some cardboard stiffeners to the package, and try to do so in a way that won't make the buyer tear their hair out trying to open it. Make sure each card is also in its own penny sleeve (or better).

[pjcdn2005]

---

@omgb_16 wrote:

Hi I am in Canada, I want to start selling on Ebay and shipping seems very hard to understand. 

I have a bunch of questions starting with, 

1. If I am shipping inside Canada can I use lettermail service with a bubble mailer to send TCG cards which are goods, because I only heard that you can't ship goods internationally with letterpost is this true?

---------

Yes, you can use lettermail within Canada for non hazadorous goods as long as they meet the weight and dimensions criteria for lettermail.  You are correct that you are not use letter mail for goods outside of Canada  though I suspect some card sellers do use it.

2. I saw shipping inside of Canda for only 3 dollars when I try to do calulated shipping I can only use FedEx shipping, which is at least $18 BUCKS!! If I use lettermail with tracking it is about $15 bucks. (INSIDE CANADA) 

----------

If you saw $3 on a listing they would be shipping lettermail.  Canada post does have a service on eBay that you can use for smaller items called expedted lite. Here is some info.   https://www.ebay.ca/sellercentre/shipping/ebay-labels/canada-post-expedited-lite

3. If I want to ship inside Canada with Canadapost Ebay only allows me to use a flat rate, but dosent the cost depend on how far away they are? How can I set a price if I don't know the cost (lettermail service [using bubble mailer]) If I choose to ship with Canada Post lettermail and I can only take a flat rate (inside Canda) how do I know that I will lose money if the persons in lets say PEI or is the price the same all over Canada.

----------

You can use calculated shipping on eBay so I don't know why you are saying that you can't. 

4. If I don't ship with tracking how do I know I won't get scammed. (can I ask for signature or do I need to pay the same price that it would have been with tracking) 

----------

You don't know that you will not get scammed but I do think most buyers are honest.  I'm sure that one of the sellers that sells cards can tell you if that category has more problems.

You can't get a signature without tracking.  If yoy have tracking on eBay and the item sows that is delivered you will have protection from eBay if the buyer opens an item not received.  If an item plus shipping is $750 plus, you must have a signature.

5. (probably a dumb question) but lets say I do use Ebay and I select CanadaPost LetterMail do I have to buy tracking and stamps on the CanadaPost website? 
-----------

no, you can buy them anywhere even on eBay.  But make sure they haven't been used.

---

[reallynicestamps]

1. If I am shipping inside Canada can I use lettermail service with a bubble mailer to send TCG cards

If you package is under 500gr and 2cm thick, yes.

2. I saw shipping inside of Canda for only 3 dollars when I try to do calulated shipping I can only use FedEx shipping, which is at least $18 BUCKS!! If I use lettermail with tracking it is about $15 bucks. (INSIDE CANADA) 

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/tools/find-a-rate.page

The highest rate for domestic LetterMail is $5.47. For the USA it's $11.14.

You need a Solutions for Small Business account.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/business/small-business.page?

This gives you discounts on purchasing labels online or at the counter.

EBay has some discounts of up to 53%! Most are closer to 5%.

You can also buy discounted postage stamps on eBay and online which can be combined with labels.

The postal system is almost always cheaper than private couriers.

3. If I want to ship inside Canada with Canadapost Ebay only allows me to use a flat rate,

A 92c stamp carries a 30gr letter anywhere in Canada from Meat Cove NS to Tuktoyaktuk NT, to Coal Harbour BC.

It's a flat rate anywhere, based on the weight.

You will have difficulty with shipping if you have never even sent a letter before.

4. If I don't ship with tracking how do I know I won't get scammed. (can I ask for signature or do I need to pay the same price that it would have been with tracking)

You don't.

But although there is a lot of paranoia online (makes good clickbait) actual losses for most sellers run below the retail industry average of one percent.

If you are sending something valued over $650, eBay insists that you use Signature Confirmation to be covered by their Seller Protection. This costs $1.75. Better than any postal or third party insurance.

You can, if you wish, use SC on any shipment for your own peace of mind. Tell your shady customer that it is for his further protection.

5. (probably a dumb question) but lets say I do use Ebay and I select CanadaPost LetterMail do I have to buy tracking and stamps on the CanadaPost website?

You cannot buy postage stamps online through eBay shipping or on the Canada Post* website. You can buy discounted postage stamps from several sellers *cough* here on eBay. Do not buy hinged stamps, or "unused" stamps. The former have been licked and the latter are being reused which is illegal.

POs carry postage stamps as do some larger stores like Costco.

*Well..... Canada Post does have a subscription service for collectors... but that's not useful to you.