posted on March 7, 2001 08:06:29 PM
I normally post that I will only ship orders in the U.S., but that doesn't seem to stop people from bidding. Canadian shipping really gets my goat, though. I have some oversize books that won't fit in the Global priority envelopes, so I expect this will cost someone BIG TIME. I warned them. What's the best way to ship these? I may ship the other lot by flat rate envelope, but these will have to got some other way.Is surface shipping to Canada REALLY 4-6 weeks, as they say? I wonder if I'm not going to have another bitching bidder to add to the lot that are blaming me for slow shipping on media mail, since the PO rates changed.
posted on March 7, 2001 08:16:45 PM
Well, with an attitude like that I sincerely hope no non-USA person bids on your stuff.
However, if they are foolish enough to do so, you might want to brush up your postal knowledge. You can mail up to 4 lbs to Canada through Global Priority Letter Post (which would involve using real packaging materials -- quite frankly, hardcover books should be boxed -- those Global Priority envelopes are a sure way to invite damage).
Be that as it may, you might find this link useful as it clearly sets out the applicable airmail and surface rates. Surface can take 4 weeks, it can also arrive in 2 weeks, as with the regular Media Mail within the U.S. itself.
posted on March 7, 2001 08:33:55 PM
I ship in the cardboard flat rate envelopes. Have not had problems if I pack well. Yes, I have an attitude problem about folks who can't read when my ad says I won't ship outside the US. I don't like to send stuff that can't be easily/reasonably shipped. The US and Canada need to sit down and think up some realistic rates/ways for shipping books in this new "Global Economy". It's a further distance from here to my home town than to Canada, but it's cheaper and faster to ship there than to a closer Canadian address! It costs almost as much to ship to Europe as Canada.
posted on March 7, 2001 08:46:33 PM
I don't sell a lot of books to non-US buyers, but a few, here and there.
I always feel kind of guilty when I have to tell them what it costs to mail the book. I send them the USPS website with the results, so they can see I'm not making it up.
I always use boxes, although I offer to use an envelope to lower the weight if they don't hold me responsible for damage. Only 1 took the envelope.
I don't want to discourage my non-US buyers, because obviously they were willing to pay more than bidder no 2 and every little bit is good for me. I just wish shipping (of my larger books) wasn't so very expensive. It can be a nasty shock to a Canadian newbie.
