Shipping Expectations Canada to USA

[SNobles]

I have had a few buyers lately ask for tracking numbers on their cards when they only paid the $3 for regular mail.

I understand that from USA to Canada you are basically forced to pay the $9usd and that comes with tracking, but has that now become an expectation for regular mail from Canada?

I may have to modify the text regarding shipping to state that regular mail does not include tracking but I assumed since they were only paying $3 they would assume that.

Thoughts? Anyone else run into this?

 

[THSN]

I already have it in my listings. I don't think it's done out of malice, just ignorance.

 

[Craig2]

I already have it in my listings. I don't think it's done out of malice, just ignorance.

Exactly. They get automatic tracked shipping for all of their small packets within the U.S., so there's just an expectation that the same must be true of packages coming from Canada.

I wish a cheap tracking option existed, I think both buyers and sellers would appreciate it.

 

[SNobles]

I already have it in my listings. I don't think it's done out of malice, just ignorance.

This is what I assumed as well. I do not think people are trying to screw me on shipping but I wondered if it was just assumed that it was both ways now.

I will adjust my listings to cover this.

 

[BillInDallas]

What is the cost to get tracking? Does the tracked vs. non-tracked get to the States any quicker or slower? I'm now curious because I bought a bunch of Spectrum cards and noticed many shipped without tracking. I'd much rather pay a few dollars more to know where everything is rather than cross my fingers and hope.

 

[dahabsfan]

What is the cost to get tracking? Does the tracked vs. non-tracked get to the States any quicker or slower? I'm now curious because I bought a bunch of Spectrum cards and noticed many shipped without tracking. I'd much rather pay a few dollars more to know where everything is rather than cross my fingers and hope.

Minimum for tracking is in the $16-17 CDN range and goes up from there. Time wise seems to be a bit faster (approx 7 business days) by tracked packet or expedited parcel than regular mail (10-12 business days has been the norm but can be much longer). On the couple ultra high end pieces I have shipped lately by Expresspost ($40+ CDN shipping) it has been quite decent at about 4 business days.

Darren

 

[Hama]

What is the cost to get tracking? Does the tracked vs. non-tracked get to the States any quicker or slower? I'm now curious because I bought a bunch of Spectrum cards and noticed many shipped without tracking. I'd much rather pay a few dollars more to know where everything is rather than cross my fingers and hope.

Not sure what it is for small packets going Stateside - but for me it usually starts at about $10-15 US for tracked shipping by Canada Post - which essentially is Priority Post once it crosses the 49th

 

[BillInDallas]

Thanks for all of the info! Definitely good to know going forward when something is a little bit timely.

 

[GoalieFan89]

Yes I don't think many US buyers know the cost of sending tracked Canada to USA. I also have had USA buyers say that my shipping speed is slow, although they got the item in 5 business days....

If items get held up in customs it can take 4-6 weeks for the item to arrive...

 

[winniescards]

Just sent one card to a person in Minnesota and the cost was $36.00 Canadian.That was with insurance and a signature.Guaranteed 5 days delivery.So it is not a bit more,it is a lot more compared to regular mail.But well worth it if the card(s) are of much value.

 

[holygoalie]

$17.26 small packet shipping with $100 insurance and tracking for single card weight in a top loader. Sent the last dozen plus USA bound packages from different post offices locally. Hope that helps. -Mike

 

[Oilersareback]

Canada to US:
tracked package $17
signature $26

 

[JayKayZee]

Sounds like you've just had the experience of a few buyers unfamiliar with the "extra steps" crossing the border. Living near the border, I'm well acquainted with the extra wait, and it just comes with the territory. Tracking does seem automatic as far as shipping within the US, at least as far as FeeBay. Also, the 'Bay does list arrival times from Canada as being longer, so anyone buying through them is made aware of the longer wait time..
Sadly, I have to say, I've had a few packages from the Czech Republic show up to my door faster than some from parts of Canada (particularly Quebec and New Brunswick, although the last mailer delivered from Sorel-Tracy arrived pretty quickly ). Are there any restrictions crossing Provinces? Just wondering if there is an extra step crossing through Ontario since packages from Calgary and Moosejaw don't seem to take as long..

 

[charnick]

Canada to US:
tracked package $17
signature $26

And this is, of course, in Canadian dollars, right? Been going back and forth with a Canadian seller trying explain why I don't think it's fair to spend $17 US on shipping for a card, when $17 and change to Canadians is only $12 or so in USD.

Not to mention, he was explaining how it needs to have insurance, while I, as a buyer, am already protected through eBay. Insurance is for the seller's benefit, not the buyer. If you want insurance, you pay for it, not me.

The 2 weeks it usually takes for an untracked small packet to get to me from Canada has never been a problem for me either.

 

[quincy]

The buyer always bears the cost of business. Always.

You don't like it? Don't buy from that seller. Or me. Because I'm charging you all of those costs and don't give a tinker's cuss about your objections. I state up front what costs you will be expected to bear.

 

[charnick]

Yep, agreed. I didn't buy from that seller, and I moved on to the next. Probably missing out on an extra $50 US (or more considering they've been sitting on a card for over 2 months that should have sold almost immediately) by not working with me, but OK.

I'll overpay for a card I want, but I won't do is have a rude seller try to lie to me about why he needs to overcharge for shipping, and think I'm some rube who doesn't see that they're only doing it so they can profit an extra $5 on shipping.

Shame to hear that attitude, quincy... you ever ever of "kill 'em with kindness?" You'd really rather let a potential sale to the highest payer go than charge the *actual* amount it costs you to ship something?

 

[SLanding]

There's more then the actual shipping cost involved in shipping. If it costs $17 CDN from the post office to ship I am charging $20-$22 CDN. Bubble mailer, top loader, sleeve, team bag, my time to package, gas, wait time at the post office, etc. It's all a factor that is passed onto the buyer. Don't like it, as the other fellow said, don't buy from me.

 

[SNobles]

Don't forget that depending on where you sell it that various places like eBay or PayPal will take a % of the shipping you are charging as well.

For me it is a win some, lose some game when it comes to shipping. I charge $3usd for shipping in NA. That is roughly $4cdn right now. If I ship to Canada I usually end up slightly in the plus ($2.10 for the stamp plus supplies to ship) if I ship to the USA I end up slightly in the negative ($3.30 for the stamp plus supplies to ship).

Same thing with tracked shipping. $10usd or Canada, $15usd for USA and $20usd for INT. If I happen to ship to someone close to me in ON I will end up in the plus, if I ship to someone in BC or NS I will end up in the negative. In all cases I end up losing to USA and INT with those rates.

My main concern with this thread was about the perception when it came to regular shipping from Canada to the USA and it should like it is a mixed bag so I will need to be more clear with my listings.

 

[SLanding]

Don't forget that depending on where you sell it that various places like eBay or PayPal will take a % of the shipping you are charging as well.

For me it is a win some, lose some game when it comes to shipping. I charge $3usd for shipping in NA. That is roughly $4cdn right now. If I ship to Canada I usually end up slightly in the plus ($2.10 for the stamp plus supplies to ship) if I ship to the USA I end up slightly in the negative ($3.30 for the stamp plus supplies to ship).

Same thing with tracked shipping. $10usd or Canada, $15usd for USA and $20usd for INT. If I happen to ship to someone close to me in ON I will end up in the plus, if I ship to someone in BC or NS I will end up in the negative. In all cases I end up losing to USA and INT with those rates.

My main concern with this thread was about the perception when it came to regular shipping from Canada to the USA and it should like it is a mixed bag so I will need to be more clear with my listings.

I forgot about the paypal % as well and I know personally several collectors whose nearest post office is 30-40 mins away. There is a cost associated with that.

And yes majority of the US buyers have no idea that regular shipping from CDN to US does not come with tracking and many use that against the CDN by filing bogus claims of non receipt.

 

[charnick]

There's more then the actual shipping cost involved in shipping. If it costs $17 CDN from the post office to ship I am charging $20-$22 CDN. Bubble mailer, top loader, sleeve, team bag, my time to package, gas, wait time at the post office, etc. It's all a factor that is passed onto the buyer. Don't like it, as the other fellow said, don't buy from me.

I'd also like to say that I too sell cards, primarily on eBay. In fact, I'm sending a Lundqvist RPA out to Red Deer, Alberta today. That being said, I never charge more than I actually pay for shipping. And eBay rules don't allow for charging for gas and wait time at the post office.

This argument has been going on for time immemorial... bubble mailers and supplies cost mere cents per unit, I give my packages to my mailman, or the post office is cents of gas away, and I never have to wait, as I print at home using PayPal.

A tracked package to the US from Canada, even if you figure in the most liberal estimates for time and supplies would not exceed $18.26 CAN. If you're spending over a dollar per shipment for supplies and even time and travel, you're doing it wrong.

Example of how it should be done: a couple of years ago, UD had a dual Dionne/Esposito Signature Renditions card /15. I probably paid twice what it should have gone for, but I wanted it, and only saw one or two others ever come up for sale since. But the seller was asking an exorbitant amount for shipping. Got in touch, explained to him the situation, pointed out my flawless feedback, and after a reasonable conversation, he split the shipping costs with me, even sent it untracked at my request, and it arrived safely, and he made a solid hefty profit from it, and all was right with the world.

If you don't want to ship to the US and want to discourage Americans via high shipping rates, fine. If you want to profit off of shipping, even if you're not allowed to, fine. Just be honest and say so, and let's move on. But stop with the defensive and rude attitudes about it, you're only costing yourselves money.