Same here. Canada Post raised rates the same day as the USPS and the situation is every inch as bad in Canada. Some international rates have jumped nearly 100%, others even more.
Canadian sellers depend very heavily on international sales, particularly to the US. Foreign buyers will likely balk, and rightly so, at the new higher shipping fees with the expected effect on sales. I'm not just talking poster sellers here, but the thousands of small businesses who make use of the mails for shipping parcels. In one fell swoop the post office may have finally killed off something that has been one of its mainstays for over a century: the small mail order business. An odd move at a time when package mail, with the explosion of ecommerce over the past few years, has become so important. I have no problem with increasing rates moderately, but this price gouging may very blow back on Canada Post as the volume of package mail dips in response to the price increases. On the other hand, as Rich said, they're probably run the numbers and decided that even if doubling the rates costs them, say, 25% of their business, they still end up ahead. That's brutal math and they can only get away with it because they have the monopoly on "inexpensive" small package delivery. There's nowhere else for sellers to go. Courier prices are still astronomical in comparison. Awful. Dave _____ From: MoPo List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Richard Halegua Comic Art Sent: February-09-13 6:44 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [MOPO] OMFG: International shipping costs have shot through the roof!! Holy Schmoley Folks.... I just returned from the post office doing the weekly International shipping, and I am absolutely flabbergasted. I'm right now doing recalculations of what shipping was 3 weeks ago & what shipping is now, but it looks like shipping to Canada has more than doubled, Shipping to Australia is up 40+% and shipping to the UK is up also about 40+% New size restrictions are in, so the 36" long tube I had going to the UK as Air Mail under 3lbs can now only be shipped by Priority Mail. Same thing with the 36" tube going to Lebanon (fortunately, we can cut the tubes down a couple inches and repackage these 2 orders). Unfortunately, what that means is that I also have to raise my rates and while previous rate increases were along the order of $1 or $2, this rate increase is going to startle all of you. A simple 2lb package going to Canada, which I have been charging $11.00 for shipping, will be $19.00 (our rates, just as with all sellers, includes approx $3.00 for shipping materials and labor). It looks like Australia and Europe will be increasing to $27.00 from $20.00 for just the basic orders These new rates make it all the more important to be able to merge several week's worth of auctions into one package for International bidders, which our International buyers have known we do all along. It's more important now.. I can't imagine what this does to the casual seller on fleaBay who sells a few posters here and there. Does anyone use Carrier Pigeons?? Rich Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
