otteropp
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posted on April 30, 2007 08:04:03 PM new
Most of you know that I am in Canada. Each January our Postal Rates go up which causes a bit of confusion for a short while but not to the extent I have just seen while browsing EBay for goodies to buy from the United States!
I was looking at Bird figurines that are 4-5" tall.
Shipping rates to my Postal Code in British Columbia were quoted on various sellers items as $6.15, $5.45, $16.00 and the one that took the cake was $19.65! These little guys sell for $5-$10.00 each.
We can ship the same sized package to anywhere in the US for US$8.00
I thought I would throw this one out to the knowledgeable folks at Vendio...what do you think the shipping should be? No fancy mail services..just the normal.
Maybe it is me that is suffering sticker shock but what do you think!
PS. I have not bought anything!
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kozersky
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posted on April 30, 2007 08:10:55 PM new
What is the weight? I'm sure you don't ship by size only.
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hwahwa
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posted on April 30, 2007 08:28:45 PM new
Depends on how you pay.
If you pay via Paypal,that 19.65 may be EMS or Fed Exp or UPS so it is trackable.
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Lets all stop whining !
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otteropp
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posted on April 30, 2007 10:25:29 PM new
Canada Post has a rate for 500 grams or less which covers many items, for example a a Cup & saucer, a Sugar bowl, a figurine would all fall under the same cost. The cost converted to US$ is $8.00.
We can ship to anywhere in the US for that amount.
If we ship within our own Country it is based on individual Postal Codes and that same parcel would cost anywhere up to US$11.00 if it were going from Vancouver Island on the West Coast to Halifax on the East Coast.
Do your rates really vary from $5.45 to $19.65 for the same parcel?
I am not saying that any of the Sellers are wrong I just want some idea of your rates so I will have a better grasp on whether a Seller from the US is charging a FAIR cost for S&H.
Edited to correct my late night spelling!
[ edited by otteropp on Apr 30, 2007 10:28 PM ]
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otteropp
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posted on April 30, 2007 10:27:31 PM new
The Seller who is charging $16.00 states it is being sent by USPS Economy Parcel Post.
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kozersky
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posted on April 30, 2007 11:01:23 PM new
I would be careful with shipping costs, because many may have changed theirs to meet the new postal increases. At a recent workshop, an ebay rep. mentioned that ebay is allowing for higher shipping costs over the next few weeks, because of the new increase which is effective on 5/14/07.
This is a confusing period, which allows those who overcharge to sneak those higher prices by us.
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cherishedclutter
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posted on May 1, 2007 05:05:06 AM new
otteropp - The seller who is charging $16.00 may be honest, but not too bright. I just went to the USPS web site and checked the prices for sending a 16oz. package. $16.00 is the price given for (the badly named) economy parcel post.
Sent via air letter post the cost is 3.95. All of the options range in price from $2.85 to $34.75 with estimated shipping times varying between 1 day and 6 weeks. And that's just the U.S. postal service - if the seller is using UPS, FedEx or some other service, I'm sure there are even more price options.
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amber
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posted on May 1, 2007 05:07:43 AM new
otteropp: I also live in Canada, and I can't believe the increase in prices on some of the US items. I looked at 2 skeins of yarn, 3 1/2 ounces, and the postage came up as $14.50 ground and $16.99 priority. My US buyers have a hard time because I have to charge $4.25 for the same amount from Canada to the US. I have found the same thing on a lot of the auctions, and I think as kosersky said, it's the new postage rates.
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pixiamom
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posted on May 1, 2007 07:09:54 AM new
Sorry to hijack this thread but my kid is driving me NUTS waiting for an eBay purchase shipped from Toronto to Oregon on April 16th. Seller stated US shipping times as 6 to 12 days. It still hasn't arrived. When should I contact seller?
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otteropp
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posted on May 1, 2007 07:59:13 AM new
Hi Pixiamom
Canada Post gives the 'Estimated time of Delivery' in BUSINESS DAYS so since April 16th today is the 12th Business day.
We always make sure we tell Buyers that the estimate is Business days..causes some confusion when Canada & the US have Stat Holidays and Saturdays & Sundays during the time right after mailing.
My best guess is that it will arrive later this week.
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otteropp
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posted on May 1, 2007 08:04:24 AM new
Cherishedclutter ( love your name) thank you for checking on the price for me.
I had noticed that one Seller who was charging $5.45 did say Air Mail Letterpost! It scared me to think that a porcelain Bird could be 'stuffed' into an envelope...LOL.
I think I shall put off my buying spree until Sellers have settled down and have spent time researching your new Shipping costs.
I would never buy anything that was sent using UPS or FedEx...too many scary stories about UPS charging brokerage fees to Buyers.
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pixiamom
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posted on May 1, 2007 08:35:29 AM new
Thanks for the info, otteropp!
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amber
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posted on May 1, 2007 09:11:15 AM new
pixiamom: Something else to remember is that when packages have to cross the border, they can get held up at customs. I mail about 40 items a week to the US, and the delivery times are completely erratic. I have had them arrive in 5 days, but some have been up to 21 days or even more. Not as slow as a package mailed media rate when my husband was visiting our son in Arizona, that one took 9 weeks!! I won't do that again.
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ihh
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posted on May 1, 2007 02:12:06 PM new
otteropp, Airmail Letter Post doesn't mean that it is in an envelope. It can be in a box. Letter Post covers anything under a certain weight (I think it has to be under 5 lbs.).
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amber
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posted on May 1, 2007 03:43:23 PM new
That is different in Canada, letterpost is for paper only. I tried to mail an envelope with a small piece of fabric in it today, and they wouldn't let it go lettermail, it had to go package mail.
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glassgrl
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posted on May 1, 2007 04:06:22 PM new
here you go:
http://tinyurl.com/yq9kso
MAILING SMALL or LIGHT WEIGHT PACKAGES/BOXES: Small boxes (parcels) can be shipped LETTER-POST (odd name for it, but it's USPS' envelope AND small box service). Boxed items (parcels) weighing 4 lbs or less and up to 36" around (length + width + depth) can go Letter-post. (Box length cannot exceed 24".)
There are three Letter-posts: 1. Airmail Letter-post, 2. Economy/surface Letter-post and 3. Global Priority. Global Priority is a pricier form of Airmail Letter-post, using a specially marked box, packet or sticker. Economy (surface/ground delivery) is the slowest method.
Letter-post cannot be insured. But Airmail Letter-post can be REGISTERED.
NOTE on jewelry and REGISTERED MAIL requirements: USPS specifies that jewelry (incl. watches) valued at more than $5 per piece, and other specified small valuables (stock/bond certificates, travelers'/bank checks), must be sent Registered Airmail Letter-post. USPS won't insure these items and specifies that they can't be sent Parcel-post (even uninsured) or Global Express (EMS). But, per USPS, jewelry $5 and under per piece can be sent via any USPS service. Go figure! 
Airmail Letter-post is a wonderful parcel service! It's safer & faster (I've found) for fragile items, because these boxes are shipped with other smaller boxes and envelopes, rather than the larger, heavier, slower boxes of Parcel-post. And the rates are unbeatable! (Plus, I've never found 'Global Priority' to be any faster or safer than Airmail Letter-post.)
COMPARE RATES!
1. Airmail Letter-post: (1 lb) $3.95 (2 lbs) $6.70 (3 lbs) $9.45 (4 lbs) $12.40
2. Global Priority: (1 lb) $8.50 (2 lbs) $11.50 (3 lbs) $14.75 (4 lbs) $19.00
3. Airmail Parcel-post: (1 lb) $14.00 (2 lbs) $14.00 (3 lbs) $15.00 (4 lbs) $16.35
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otteropp
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posted on May 1, 2007 05:40:38 PM new
Thank you for all the information..I appreciate it. Glassgirl that info is invaluable, I am going to print it out to use as a guide.
I REALLY did not think that someone would put a figurine in an envelope....sorry...that was my British sense of humour!
Amber, I guess that the Canadian equivalent would be Small Packet with Canada Post? My DH handles anything to do with the Canada Post rates.
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leads
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posted on May 1, 2007 06:13:00 PM new
Go to the US Postal web site. We ship internationally all the time and I encourage my buyers to look at the rates.
It is www.usps.com, that way they know I am not over charging. I also ship primarily global priority. I am not into the high dollar items they are just unique collectibles in our area.
Right now we have a gentleman in France who wants to go air mail post.It is like no way because it goes the slow boat. Then he will file a claim for non shipment and there goes my profits. You get what you pay for in the premium services and thats how we ship.
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kozersky
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posted on May 1, 2007 06:28:21 PM new
otterpop - I wouldn't bother with those rates as they are changing on May 14th.
New classifications -
Global Express Guaranteed
Express mail International
Priority Mail International
1st Class Mail International
M Bags
There are new names, and all new rates.
[ edited by kozersky on May 1, 2007 06:28 PM ]
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amber
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posted on May 1, 2007 07:35:38 PM new
Yes otterop, small package would be the same I guess, we need a small package rate within Canada. As a seller, the cost of postage is killing by business.
What we in Canada also have to deal with in buying outside of Canada is the high customs and GST rates that add to the cost of everything. I am also British by the way.
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