any Canadians figure out a way to ship to the States inexpensively??

[icefields]

i have been trying to ship to the states via lettermail and having no luck
Canada Post has given me 3 different scenarios for why my items came back.
nothing but paper materials i was told - no toploaders, no sleeves no nutin.
first i tried with just cardboard protection - no can do i was told
they have a scanner that "sees" all non paper material.
no sure what cardboard is made out of but it might be paper.

so i tried shipping with paper folded a certain way to protect the edges - no luck

then i was told no hockey cards - specifically that - no hockey cards.

i have talked to different canada post agents on three separate times and gotten different responses


anybody else frustrated as well. minimum cost for a regular thickness card in a toploader $12.00

but birthday cards are okay.
even the ones with the electronics (i sent one to a relative and it made it)

i call bulls**t on their "scanner" scam

also a guy i talked to at Canada Post told me the scanners arent used at the border. we sometimes just "feel" whats inside.

dont know who to believe or what

[sleepn0t]

I really thought you could actually ship sportscards from Canada to US within a plain white envelope, even if the card is in a soft sleeve plus a toploader... And that, only with a regular stamp, or whatever needed to cover the dimensions and the weight of the envelope. Also, in that case, I would not expect to have to fill out the customs declaration. Since it's only lettermail...

A few years ago, I recall having received hockey cards from the US, that were in a plain white envelope, and nothing went wrong. Plus, the sender probably paid less than a buck to ship it or them to me. But now you say we can't do the same (anymore) when sending something to the US. Anyway, thank you very much for sharing your experience, and for letting us know all this. I wasn't aware, at all, that by doing this there was a good chance that my envelope comes back to me. Good to know!

Lately, I came very close to conclude a trade with someone on here who is based in the US. I would have had a really bad surprise then... Wish I could help you with that, and find the solution. However, as I said, I actually did not know that until you post this thread. Please let us know if you ever find something, and/or if there's any updates on this. Thanks!

[piper1]

Check out Chit Chats for a location near you. The outlet near me takes outgoing mail directly to the USPS and I can send for half the price that Canada Post charges per bubble mailer.

[odjickfan]

I really thought you could actually ship sportscards from Canada to US within a plain white envelope, even if the card is in a soft sleeve plus a toploader... And that, only with a regular stamp, or whatever needed to cover the dimensions and the weight of the envelope. Also, in that case, I would not expect to have to fill out the customs declaration. Since it's only lettermail...

A few years ago, I recall having received hockey cards from the US, that were in a plain white envelope, and nothing went wrong. Plus, the sender probably paid less than a buck to ship it or them to me. But now you say we can't do the same (anymore) when sending something to the US. Anyway, thank you very much for sharing your experience, and for letting us know all this. I wasn't aware, at all, that by doing this there was a good chance that my envelope comes back to me. Good to know!

Lately, I came very close to conclude a trade with someone on here who is based in the US. I would have had a really bad surprise then... Wish I could help you with that, and find the solution. However, as I said, I actually did not know that until you post this thread. Please let us know if you ever find something, and/or if there's any updates on this. Thanks!

Toploaders in a bubble-mailer shipped as oversized mail was my way to go, but I stopped last winter when I heard several reports of returned bubble-mailers. I'm wondering if what you suggest (toploader in PWE) would work. I stopped trading to the USA because of the ridiculous cost of mail.

[30ranfordfan]

I've been okay, so far.

I have not done much in the way of selling to the USA or trading with Americans lately - other than purchases, the biggest part of the hobby for me the last year (or so) has been TTM autographs.

Typically, I'm sending two cards (in card savers), a letter, and a self-addressed / stamped envelope. I put those into a PWE with a $1.38 stamp (the current cost of sending a letter to the USA). I've never had a problem.

Occasionally, I send more than that (most of what I'm sending is custom cards, sometimes I'm asked for a extra copies). Sending a bubble mailer with 10 copies of a card, inside some kind of plastic protection.... it's still thin enough that it will fit through that magic slot, and the post office near me always asks "do you just want to send this letter mail?". It costs less than $4.

[scarrman]

I mailed a card recently, sleeve, toploader, team bag, bubble envelope, cost was $9.36. Sent regular mail, no tracking. I have never sent a PWE package, always bubble mailers. They always ask what I am mailing, I tell them hockey cards. But they have never asked about packaging, if in plastic sleeves/toploaders, or even mentioned scanners. Besides that, the bubble envelope is all plastic inside and out. Canada Post even sells plastic bubble mailers, so any scanning would be redundant.

Last comment, I go to a small outlet, in the back of a tiny little grocery place that sells food and lotto. I have been to larger outlets, London Drugs, Shoppers, way more questions. This little place, they know me, they even answer the dangerous goods questions for me and get me on my way. I think this little place skips over some of the new Canada Post issues. Maybe see if you have a different Postal place you can try.

[icefields]

thank you for everyones comments
i have tried multiple outlets, they are all the same in their responses. small town Toronto area
i used to be able to ship 3 or 4 cards in a bubble/toploader/sleeve for $3.19 plus tax. (up to 100 grams)
now they directly ask me are these hockey cards. i will not lie.
i have become a known man lol
thanx Pete i will look into chit chats

[allonblack]

Someone mentioned Chit Chats in my post about US shipping costs on eBay. I'd never heard of this service before but man, I wish it was available here on Vancouver Island.

[Powerforward]

I guess after all these years Canada Post/ USPS are clamping down. The rule was no merchandise in lettermail; but up until recently it was not enforced. There's a discussion on the eBay Canada forums with many people saying their lettermail to the US being rejected/returned.

[CANADABLUE]

Have a buddy that works for Canada Post. Sells on Ebay and the small/low end cards he is going to try sending in a "Thank You" Card. Figures it could work. Cost 1.30 or 1.38 not sure.
He will give the US buyer the option of either that or the bubble envelope for $10.00 or whatever the cost is.