Did I miss something?

[michaelpatko]

I sold a single on eBay and the buyer is in Canada.
I went to my local post office after packing it in a 000 bubble mailer.

More than $7 to get it to Ontario Canada ?!?!

When did this happen?

Canadians, what does it cost you to ship to the US?

[Rraincock]

Welcome to the new world ruined by the post office. It is about the same for us Canucks to send down to you. Maybe a little less... I usually budget for between $7 and $10 for tracked, or (if you are a gambler) $3 or $4 untracked. On my eBay auctions I have been charging $3, but that is mostly on smaller items that I can put in a penny sleeve, top loader and perhaps even some board (the type used for framing matting) and I chuck the whole thing into one of those greasy white envelopes that everyone hates so much.

To be clear, I offer the bubble mailer typical shipping format on all my auctions (for a higher postage fee) and make it mandatory for anything that sells for more than $10. I also offer tracking if someone wants it. I hate it when the card isn't worth more than the postage that I pay for it (and I am assuming you do to).

So far, in the past year, sending out cards worth less than $10 seems to work well this way. I mostly deal in team schedules through eBay, so the paper is a little more forging than hockey cards. I used to hate it when I recieved a white envelope in the mail with a card - now, as long as the card is properly bound up (penny sleeve, top loader and something to stiffen the package), I am ok with it. I hate tape though - people: you don't need to use a whole roll of tape on a package!


What I wish would happen with the post office is that there would be a 2nd class mail service. Sure, it would take an extra week to get there, but imagine how well eBay would pick up if you could send your item across the boarder for $1.50 again.

[spxrules]

Costs me $5 to ship to the USA

Thats CAD so $7USD to Canada to us is like $10CAD....that is ridiculous....

[pwaldo]

Yeah this is a big reason why a lot of people stopped trading with people in Canada on here

[Gallinator]

I sold a single on eBay and the buyer is in Canada.
I went to my local post office after packing it in a 000 bubble mailer.

More than $7 to get it to Ontario Canada ?!?!

When did this happen?

Canadians, what does it cost you to ship to the US?

Yeah, the bubble mailers are the kiss of death nowadays - makes them a "package" instead of a "letter". I've switched to rigid cardboard DVD mailers (I buy them at Wal-Mart, 20 for $5) - card in a sleeve, top loader, team bag and decoys each side for protection for Global rate ($1.15) plus 21-cent non-machinable fee - $1.36 total. Just print out stamps from the kiosk (or buy Global Forever and 21-cent stamps from the counter) and avoid the clerks when mailing. Works for me and a lot of others as well, but doesn't work for some if their local P.O. clerks are uptight about it and intercept them after you drop them off.

Good luck!

[Rraincock]

Not sure I agree... $7 us seems like what I pay for shipping, the envelope and the supplies...

Costs me $5 to ship to the USA

Thats CAD so $7USD to Canada to us is like $10CAD....that is ridiculous....

[Drewk86a]

I've switched to rigid cardboard DVD mailers (I buy them at Wal-Mart, 20 for $5) - card in a sleeve, top loader, team bag and decoys each side for protection for Global rate ($1.15) plus 21-cent non-machinable fee - $1.36 total.

Agree 100%. Also work great for US domestic mail where bubble wraps are considered packages.

avoid the clerks when mailing. Works for me and a lot of others as well, but doesn't work for some if their local P.O. clerks are uptight about it and intercept them after you drop them off.

Not always clerks at the PO. I've had clerks accept them only to have the destination letter carrier deem it a package and mark it postage due. Then I've got an angry buyer on my hands who thinks I tried to swindle him.

[Gallinator]

Letter carrier deciding it needs postage due: Definite risk, from what I've heard, but I've never had it happen to me (fingers crossed lol) and as long as you are prepared for it, should be worth the risk.

[dahabsfan]

To the Canucks being over charged for Can to US shipping:



Oversized lettermail from Canada to the US is $2.95 regardless of what your post office may try to tell you. Have them look up the guidelines for lettermail and you will find you are 100% able to send a hockey card in a bubble envelope as oversized lettermail to the US. Been through this with all 4 of my local outlets and one went so far as to phone head office and find out I was correct.

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/m...letterml-e.asp

The important parts:

1

What Is Lettermail? any other mail that the sender chooses to post at the Lettermail price and which meets the regulatory requirements 2 Unacceptable Items The following items cannot be mailed as Standard Lettermail: bottle caps loose coins* food stuffs glass jewellery keys liquids pencils pens powders seeds anything fragile or perishable anything that may soil or harm other mail, postal equipment, or can cause injuries to persons handling them. The above items may only be mailed as Other (Non-standard and Oversize) and the applicable price shall be charged.

As long as you meet the size and weight requirements they do not have any grounds to refuse you the oversized letter option. If they do, start phoning head office or find a post office that wants your business...preferably one of the private outlets is better as they tend to be more interested in making their percentage and moving the lines.

If you want tracking that's a whole different ballgame. Since the elimination of registered mail to the US. The cheapest options for a bubble envelope runs around $15 depending on departure point and destination.

Darren

[Drewk86a]

For USPS a letter cannot be more than 1/4 inch thick. They have a plastic card they use to measure the height x width ratio. The card also has a1/4 slot cut into it. If the bubble envelope fits through the slot (without forcing) it should be considered a letter.

Three other considerations:
1) Tracking number? The USPS requires tracking barcodes on all packages. Many eBay sellers like to use tracking for their customers. When a USPS employees sees that bubble envelope and a tracking barcode they are going to think "package".

2) Make sure postage label does not say "PKG"
Attachment 101122


3) Orientation of the address label: The height of the envelope will be measured based on the orientation of the address. If you place the label "wrong" you will get hit with package rates.
Attachment 101123