Why does no one ship to Canada?

H

Headlighted

O.G.
Dec 18, 2009
1,549
154
#1
I've been dealing with this so much lately. I'm looking for a certain bag, and I'm probably up to 15-20 sellers who will not ship it to Canada. And the ones who do, overprice the bag by a few hundred dollars.

Why is this? This doesn't seem right to me. And why are they not noting it in their auctions?
 
#2
My ebay listings always block international buyers. But, yet the international ones always email me and ask! I don't ship internationally since I have enough buyers right here in the USA.

Shipping internationally simply involves more time and expense. Timewise, it requires the seller to physically go the post office and wait in a 30 minute line (my post office is always busy at lunchtime and that is the only time FT working people can go!) and fill out custom forms.

So while I have occasionally shipped internationally--when I know I have a day off from work--I find I have quite enough USA buyers that I don't do it.
 
#3
I've always shipped to Canada and nationwide for that matter. But I think so many sellers have had bad experiences with shipping nightmares that they just don't do it anymore.
 
#5
In my listings I say that I won't ship internationally because some international customers want special allowances to get past laws--like declaring an item a gift...when I say "no"--which I always do and will being that it is against the law--it can cause sales to fall through meaning it was a total waste of my time and energy.

If a seller were to e-mail me privately and agree to meet the legal terms and conditions of a sale...I would consider it...but they need to know going into the bidding that I won't make special exceptions for anyone. But, I won't charge more for handling on my end.
 
#6
I ship to Canada, but I won't underdeclare anything. Most Canadian buyers seem to want this. They also do not want to pay more than the First Class Mail Int'l rate. Sorry, but I won't ship without tracking and insurance. So really, it's the buyers that don't want to pay the customs fees or shipping costs. They seem to want the seller to absorb the cost of shipping, mark things down, etc.
 
#7
I'll ship to anywhere as long as the customer pays for shipping. Many international customers complain the shipping is too high and want me to use the first class- which I can't buy tracking nor insurance- I always charge them actual shipping costs and pay insurance out of my pocket but it still seems too high for some people.

I always print out shipping forms via usps.com and can just drop it off at the PO. But yet it does seem to be of more hassles for sellers, so I understand why they don't do it.
 
#8
See I won't even look at auctions with First Class, after working at a post office, Priority mail international is the minimum I'll go for a package from the US. I guess I'm an exception though, I've just seen too many bad experiences with cheap shipping.

And I've found that underdeclaring does nothing anyway, I've never once been charged customs for anything I've purchased.

It's just really frustrating for someone who follows all the postage/customs rules to be excluded because others refuse to do the same.
 
#9
It really is a shame, Headlighted, and I'm sorry Canada has been grouped into that category of int'l transactions that are usually a hassle to follow through with. Personally, I don't mind shipping to Canada, but I won't ship elsewhere internationally. As for why people don't make a note of it in their auctions, I'd say the vast majority of eBay sellers make their listings quickly and aren't comprehensive about their shipping policies. Also, if you live in the US, most of the time your buyers also live in the US and I suppose people just assume. Good luck in finding what you're looking for!
 
#10
I feel your pain OP - I live in Ottawa and I've completely given up on Bonanzle altogether as NO ONE who sells on there ships to Canada - except other Canadians. I think there are about 2 of them. :P

I hate it when Canada is lumped in with other countries - I always feel like the US and us are pals and that we shouldn't get the shaft because I always think of us as one big happy family. :biggrin:

But I would NEVER EVER in a gazillion years even THINK about asking a seller to declare the wrong value on a package - that seems so wrong to me. Now I will tell ya that the shipping thing can turn me off sometimes. For example - I just ordered a Coach scarf from someone in California. The scarf was $24 and shipping was $4.00, which was perfect. I saw someone else with a shipping charge higher than the price of the scarf - that I can't justify.

But for both the Americans and Canadians - this is a very helpful website that gives the final cost of importing an item into Canada. I actually find it on the high side, so if you input the proper info, there is no way it will cost more than this - in my experience - it can be a lot less. But it's very quick and useful.

http://www.thefinalcost.com/shipments/calculate
 
#11
pigalle74 said:
I always print out shipping forms via usps.com and can just drop it off at the PO. But yet it does seem to be of more hassles for sellers, so I understand why they don't do it.
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My USPS requires me to hand an international package to a postal worker. I am not allowed to simply drop it in the bin for packages and walk out the door. Honestly, I have to wait in a 30+ minute line for a worker to wait on me--I just don't have the time unless I am on vacation. Sorry international buyers.
 
#12
DesigningStyle said:
My USPS requires me to hand an international package to a postal worker. I am not allowed to simply drop it in the bin for packages and walk out the door. Honestly, I have to wait in a 30+ minute line for a worker to wait on me--I just don't have the time unless I am on vacation. Sorry international buyers.
Click to expand...

Same here, and I also have to drop off packages on my lunch hour, so it is a big hassle. The other thing that aggravates me about shipping international is that buyers almost always want me to under declare the package, and don't like the shipping cost for Global Express mail, with tracking and insurance.
 
#13
DesigningStyle said:
My USPS requires me to hand an international package to a postal worker. I am not allowed to simply drop it in the bin for packages and walk out the door. Honestly, I have to wait in a 30+ minute line for a worker to wait on me--I just don't have the time unless I am on vacation. Sorry international buyers.
Click to expand...

Is this after printing the customs shipping form on PayPal?

Once I started doing that, two different postal workers (in two different states) told me I no longer had to wait in line; I could just drop them in the package bin and be on my way.

I know not all places have package drops though.
 
#14
^ If you're using USPS Express Mail Int'l, you can create a prepaid label on your computer, but you also need the customs form and the special plastic envelope to put it in. Not everybody has these things on hand, so I imagine most people need to wait in that awful USPS line for 20-30 minutes each time.
 
#15
OP, I feel your pain as I am also from Canada. There just isn't enough sellers up here with what I want, namely LE or discontinued items.

However, there are some sellers in the US or Japan that I found to be very good with shipping to Canada. BTW, I've never ask a seller to undeclared or to lie on the customs form although I have a couple of sellers who did it automatically.
 
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