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 Replies: 55 / Views: 6,388 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2366 Posts |
So, I've been selling on ebay for a while now. One of the 'problem' areas you have to figure out how to deal with is shipping charges. You are only covered by seller protection if you ship with tracking. However, buying a shipping label with a tracking number costs in the order of $10+ and nobody is going to pay that for a $2 coin so you need to decide up to what point you ship by first class mail and 'take the loss' and at what point you start paying for the tracking number. For me, I picked $100 as the tipping point. Less than that I take my chances with letter mail and honest buyers but more than that I buy a shipping label with a tracking number. The cheapest and easiest way to buy that is through Paypal shipping. Just click the Print Shipping Label link, get your roughly 10% discount and Bob's your uncle. So I've got an inch high pile of these shipping labels now paying $7-$13 per. Just got an 'Item not Received' case on a shipment to the US. "No problem," I think to myself. I click the tracking number link to go to the Canada Post website and the page shows me that they haven't received the package yet. "That's weird," I think to myself as it was dropped off at the post office a full month ago. So I dig through my pile and find my piece of paper and confirm the number and it's correct. So I hunt around and find a phone number to call them. After a bit I get through to somebody who eventually understands what I'm asking. The VERY SURPRISING answer was 'Oh, we don't track those packages. Never have.' To which my stunned response was "But I have a tracking number?....". So, in short, after 3 hours of working the phones going around Canada Post, Paypal, ebay.com, Canada Post, Paypal etc what I have learned is: 1. Paypal sells Canada Post shipping labels with tracking numbers. 2. Some of these tracking numbers, depending on the service chosen, are not actually tracked. No indication is given during the purchase process as to which are which. 3. Only tracking numbers that are tracked and SHOW DELIVERY allow you to invoke seller protection in the case of an Item Not Received case. Without this, you are financially responsible for reimbursing the buyer as usual. So the question you have to ask yourself is, "Why am I paying Paypal $10 for a shipping label that provides me no more protection that if I ship by first class mail for $1.50?" A couple of notes for clarification: 1. This experience was with shipping to the US. Shipping within Canada I use the Expedited Parcel option (as the discounts make it cheaper than the regular parcel). The tracking numbers provided in this case ARE tracked. 2. After arguing my way up a couple of levels in the escalation process at Paypal ("YOU sold me this tracking number through YOUR system") I did get promised a reimbursement of the claim amount but it took over 3 hours of my time to get there. Needless to say, I've removed all international shipping from my ebay listings and cancelled all bids from international buyers on my current auctions. If the only way I can safely sell internationally under the current system involves shipping charges of $50+ then what's the point? Nobody's going to pay that for a $50 coin. |
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Valued Member
United States
493 Posts |
It's essentially the same going to Canada from the US. No way to track, even though the you get a number, it is only good in the US system and Canada Post doesn't track it. I can see that I mailed it but at no time will it show that it was delivered.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
686 Posts |
I send as a Small Packet to the USA. It costs about $6.00 for ground. It's not tracked, but it comes with $100 insurance. Unfortunately you have to wait at least 45 days after shipment to begin a claim.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
2366 Posts |
Yes, funny coincidence that Paypal Buyer Protection extends for 45 days from the day of purchase and Canada Post can't even start an investigation until after 45 days....  |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2366 Posts |
p.s. I was told during a differenct conversation with Canada Post that the insurance only covers damage during transit and non-delivery wasn't covered. I have not confirmed that though.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2366 Posts |
For perspective, I have had 1,546 sales through ebay to date; only between 50 and 100 (3.2%-6.4%) of them have been international sales outside Canada. I have had 12 'Item not received' problems. 5 (41.7%) of those have been for international sales. The risk/reward is just too far out of whack for my taste. Particularly when the 'Seller Protection' turns out to be just smoke and mirrors.... |
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Moderator
 Canada
10458 Posts |
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
Edited by SPP-Ottawa
02/01/2013 1:54 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1192 Posts |
FYIs: Canadapost no longer offers $100 insurance on small or light packet shipping to the USA. They've moving to a new "tracked packet" which comes with $100 insurance and a tracking number. Cost of around $15-18 if I recall.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
615 Posts |
I'm having to consider shutting down shipping internationally personally. The recent rate hike is insane. I used to be able to send a bubble mailer to Canada for around $3, now it's over $6.
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Valued Member
Canada
287 Posts |
Quote:For perspective, I have had 1,546 sales through ebay to date; only between 50 and 100 (3.2%-6.4%) of them have been international sales outside Canada. I have had 12 'Item not received' problems. 5 (41.7%) of those have been for international sales. I think you're overreacting. There's no need to discontinue international shipping, especially since your 'Item not received' claims are so low. There's a pretty simple solution to this. Be your own insurer. Raise your shipping price on all your sales by a small amount, something like 25-50 cents. Then earmark that for an "insurance fund". Next time you get burned by an INR claim, your fund should cover the loss. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1005 Posts |
I hate to mail any coins worth more to me then their face value and the cost of the 2x2 envelope and stamp. Sometimes you can get lucky and hand your ebay sold item right to the buyer, (or their spouse) $100 to $500 I really only like using express post to Canada with signature. The extra cost to ship gives me and the buyer comfort in knowing it will get there fast and reliable. |
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
I commented on CP in another thread..FYI for all Registered or Express Post to the US...CP tracks it to the border only After that they are not responcible for..Take it from me I have lost some very exp. items to the USPS.. I spoke directly with a rep from there and they told me They dont even bother tracking that they are not set up for scanning at all the depots.. Now my issue is with ebay.. They are a Billion $ corp.. I am sure they have ins. to cover the losses.. so why take it from us.. They have to change their system to protect the seller. Once we mail it it is out of our hands.. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2366 Posts |
Thanks for the suggestion but I've already done that as much as I can without pricing myself out of business. :-) And for some reason, it's predominantly the expensive coins that don't arrive. For example, I've sold 4 of the 1812 proof silver dollars w/ gold plate for about $85. Two of them have been INR'd. Don't get me wrong, 99% of buyers are honest and 96% of coins arrive safely (Canada Post's number as well as mine). Remember, my main point to this rant was that Paypal is telling us that we are covered by Seller Protection if we ship with tracking, Paypal is selling us those tracking numbers, then ebay is turning around and saying those tracking numbers don't qualify us for Seller Protection as Canada Post DOESN'T ACTUALLY TRACK THEM. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2495 Posts |
I use Expresspost all the time to the US (from Canada) and it shows tracking each and every time.
It also shows when and by whom it was picked up (signed for).
What's everyone talking about that Expresspost is not tracked in the US?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
933 Posts |
Wow, I'm glad you posted this kuh. I am in the midst of the same thing. I sold a samsung tab that I won at work, sold it on ebay, and for the FIRST time ever used the pay pal shipping lable because the tracking would be cheaper to the us. just like you I shipped it the same way, and its been about 2 weeks, with the tracking showing NOTHING! I just hope I have an honest buyer. Now I know why it shows no tracking info...never using pay pal again for shipping with tracking :@ |
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Pillar of the Community
1007 Posts |
They do track expedited and express, that's it. They never say they track small packet or light packet, that number they provide isn't a tracking number it's just a order # or something. Unfortunately they send it to the buyer as a tracking #.
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Replies: 55 / Views: 6,388 |
Posted 02/01/2013 1:21 pm
