Why No Shipping To Canada?

[dr.chop]

I ship to Canada all the time...no problem doing a form on usps.com it's like 4-5 lines literally, and flat rate usually kicks out 1 label instead of the normal 4 copies...

 

[stn51]

all of the experiences i have had shipping north of the border have been horrible. mostly the expense, and then the customs costs on the other end,negative feedback, customs etc. i think it has become a difficult thing, but for me it is the same thing internationally all around.

 

[InfiniteHero]

I ship international all the time. Literaly hundreds a month. Here are the issues. We will go the Ebay route. INTERNATIONAL Tracking is only provided on Priority Mail and Express Mail. To ship east or west of the US a Juliet (15oz (10oz packaged good)) will cost Priority Mail Package---35.99 average. Express Mail same package is 55.00. Now, we all see the flat rate stuff, not bad for somethings, but i have even seen members ship in the flat rate medium box for a pair of glasses which is 13.00. I ship the same way for 6.00. Australia, Canada, and Brazil are the three places I cringe on shipping, even Priority. For some reasons, when there is an issue, it is always going to there. Customers after 3 weeks, get pissed, leave neg feedback and try to get a refund, THEN the items shows up for them. Sending an item, first class mail only tracks to the customs of the country it is being sent too. After that no one can find it. Ebay and Paypal will not protect for shipping that way, only priority and express. SET up listing, for the weight and priority and express only, and make them calculate the price and pay whatever the Ebay calculator says. Makes it alot easier.

AucTANE Shipping app for Ebay and other places works excellent. Does everything for you nice and simple. Check that out, and you get discounted prices for USPS.

Now for tricks on Ebay----- Two Ebay fees, one final value, and one shipping fee. If you set up your listing for free ship, then there is no fees at all for any type of shipping. Put 6.00 for priority, and 19.99 for express CONUS. International only offer Priority and Express, and let ebay calculate for the buyer by weight and zip. No matter what option is used you will have no fee. Alot of the times, Buyers use the priority for 6.00 option and then you are making more on the deal. Now ALWAYS ship CONUS Priority mail no matter even if the buyer chooses the free ship. It has tracking, which you need. So sometimes you make a little less, but often more if your selling numerous items. In the end the customer saw "free first class" and then they get Priority. THey are much happier. Hope this helps some. THERE is a short form for international shipping under a lb now.

 

[THE X-MAN]

its the standing in lines at the local government run post offices that makes it difficult.and im sorry but the employees at the post office are not a nice lot of people.

 

[Dallas O Hog]

its the standing in lines at the local government run post offices that makes it difficult.and im sorry but the employees at the post office are not a nice lot of people.

Lol nope. Not even after they lost my package for two weeks

 

[dr.chop]

I ship international all the time. Literaly hundreds a month. Here are the issues. We will go the Ebay route. INTERNATIONAL Tracking is only provided on Priority Mail and Express Mail. To ship east or west of the US a Juliet (15oz (10oz packaged good)) will cost Priority Mail Package---35.99 average. Express Mail same package is 55.00. Now, we all see the flat rate stuff, not bad for somethings, but i have even seen members ship in the flat rate medium box for a pair of glasses which is 13.00. I ship the same way for 6.00. Australia, Canada, and Brazil are the three places I cringe on shipping, even Priority. For some reasons, when there is an issue, it is always going to there. Customers after 3 weeks, get pissed, leave neg feedback and try to get a refund, THEN the items shows up for them. Sending an item, first class mail only tracks to the customs of the country it is being sent too. After that no one can find it. Ebay and Paypal will not protect for shipping that way, only priority and express. SET up listing, for the weight and priority and express only, and make them calculate the price and pay whatever the Ebay calculator says. Makes it alot easier.

AucTANE Shipping app for Ebay and other places works excellent. Does everything for you nice and simple. Check that out, and you get discounted prices for USPS.

Now for tricks on Ebay----- Two Ebay fees, one final value, and one shipping fee. If you set up your listing for free ship, then there is no fees at all for any type of shipping. Put 6.00 for priority, and 19.99 for express CONUS. International only offer Priority and Express, and let ebay calculate for the buyer by weight and zip. No matter what option is used you will have no fee. Alot of the times, Buyers use the priority for 6.00 option and then you are making more on the deal. Now ALWAYS ship CONUS Priority mail no matter even if the buyer chooses the free ship. It has tracking, which you need. So sometimes you make a little less, but often more if your selling numerous items. In the end the customer saw "free first class" and then they get Priority. THey are much happier. Hope this helps some. THERE is a short form for international shipping under a lb now.

Here is what I have come to find after closing my ebay account after too many fraud/customs related issues and sh!tloads of lost money from chargebacks and reversals: 1) Piss on Brazil shipments period. Sorry Brazzy's but you guy have more thieves, liars, and fraud than ALL other areas combined....Period! 2) If you ship international on ebay, roll the dice with the USPS because here is how it works (you print the label and drop it off, assuming you are good to go and have done your part. Wrong!!! Physically have every single item you take to the post office that is Ebay/Paypal related scanned by the counter person, it puts it in their system and their hands immediately, otherwise it may NEVER show up even after delivery and you lose) international shipments sent with the postal service have to go through customs. Not a specified customs, just any customs for that region (both sides), and it can take 3-4 weeks or more if they decide to hang it up for "inspection". If you use Fedex/DHL/UPS or a carrier of the likes, they have, here is the kicker, THEIR OWN customs handlers. That means it is in and out usually within 24 hours, and total delivery time can be between 5 days to 7 days max most of the time. I used Fedex RELIGIOUSLY when I shipped internationally for those reasons.

USPS issues

1. ALL PAYPAL generated first class, priority, and express have tracking.
2. Paypal payments will allow 1st class shipping as well, where no matter what you do on USPS.com, there is NOT an option for it.
3. If you walk in the USPS and use a counter person or the apc machine, you still pay an additional $.90 cents for tracking on the 1st class, so you may as well save yourself the headache and ship priority.
4. Just so you know, Priority is ESTIMATED 2-3 business day delivery, NOT guaranteed and certainly NOT held to that standard. Hawaii and Other non domestic territories don't apply at all and can take up to 28 days, as I was told by the USPS.
5. If you have to know that an item is in the USPS system, ask for it to be scanned and get a receipt. They will scan just like fedex/ups when you drop off a prepaid item, you just have to ask. They also may say "my system can't give you a receipt, but I can scan it", know this: that is bullshit. If they can scan it, they can print a receipt. It is the clerk being a lazy ass. Wait in line and get the proof if it is critical.
6. Try to find your regional processing hub and USE it. Mine is 30 minutes away and it processes for most of So Cal (San Diego has one too) and it is waaaaaay faster. They have later drop off hours in case you get in a time crunch, and the item doesn't have to change hands between the carrier, local post office, truck, then to the processing hub. It is from the hub straight out. Cuts times down by a couple days or more depending.

Here is the downfall to using the other carriers.

1. If an item is taxed and you don't set the recipient to be liable, YOU get stuck paying upwards of 40% duties/taxes. Yes you!
2. If an item is refused for refusal to pay taxes and or duties, YOU pay the FULL price to get it back, meaning if UPS charges $120 to send it back, you guessed it, that's what you pay, no matter if your account has a discounted rate, because that only applies to sent items, not returns.
3. Also, if the item is returned for refusal to pay taxes and or duties, you also get stuck paying the taxes even though it WASN'T imported in. Yup, I got screwed twice in Brazil for that one...Uh huh, I fought Fedex for months, I lost.
4. You better know the limits of what can and can't be imported into said country, it's on you if they deny the item. Example, I had a buyer win a watch on ebay, was $250. Winner was in the Russian Federation. I sent the item Fedex, insured, etc. Well, got snagged in the UK at their customs check for exceeding the maximum import value of $100 for jewelry. So, it cost me $86 in return shipping, plus the $50 original trip out there, the negative feedback, ebay fees (yes, they WON'T refund you since you as the seller never delivered), paypal fees, and so on. Wound up costing me a few hundos for a negative feedback.

Ebay/Paypal Issues

1. You are on the hook until the item shows delivered, so protect yourself
2. Get receipts for all dropped packages
3. Insurance is required for items over $250 as well as a signature confirmation.
4. No protection for unconfirmed addresses, so that's gonna suck if you don't CYA
5. Tracking is a REQUIREMENT for ALL international items to get any sort of buyer/seller protection
6. Ebay/Paypal trick I learned and it pays like a champ!! If you ever sell an item and get the "item under review for potential fraud" or something like that, I don't recall the exact verbiage cuz my ebay has been gone for nearly 2 years now, GENERATE a shipping label asap!! Yes, I said generate the label. Here's the trick: That usually happens when an account has been hacked and someone bought something on the hacked account. Send an empty box/package. YOU will be protected under seller protection as long as it is shown as delivered to the address in the transaction history. You get to keep your item and get money back. Yes, it's sneaky, but those pricks have beat us users out time and time again. I have had it work and several others I know did as well. It is the same as if a buyer (this happened to badpd) claims an item isn't as described, sends back a box with a fake POS instead of the real item you sent. You get screwed royally! So get some SON!
7. If you sell on ebay, NEVER under ANY circumstance devalue the customs declaration. YOU are only protected to the amount declared, and YOU get spanked if it's lost. Plus, it's fraud. That applies to forum trades too though. If a payment is paid as normal (non personal) send it fully declared. That is why I offer the 2 options to members. If it is personal and a BALANCE transfer, NOT credit/debit card (avoids us fees), then I in turn, mark low value to avoid the buyer/trader the duties, taxes, and customs pounding that is coming their way. If it is card/regular payment, FULL POP.

These are all things I have personally experienced. Take it for what it is worth, but don't take for granted the fact it's your ass if you are selling and using paypal/ebay. They can and WILL take your money at will.

 

[InfiniteHero]

Not going to quote that, but it is SPOT ON. Take these valuable lessons and use them. This might change how some things are done on here.

 

[OakleyCan]

It's definitely a frustrating barrier for Canadians. We're neighbors...

Countless times I have received packages from opposite ends of the United States and the average cost is $5-15 for pairs in box. As for the form, not sure what the big deal is, perhaps waiting at the post office for one. Maybe that needs to be streamlined.

As far as Ebay a new barrier is the Global Shipping Program, and the fact that its a default setting on Ebay. Its BS, applies import charges to situations that aren't applicable and rates that are inaccurate. Please opt out of GSP in Ebay.

 

[OakleyFrankFMJ]

Too bad there aren't a couple of forum members who just happen to live right near the border on both sides who can just walk across every once in a while.

 

[OakleyCan]

There are companies that do parcel receiving just south of the border. For some its feasible to ship there and go across and pick it up. The parking lots there are crammed with Canadians.