How to ship to Canada and be compliant with all of PAYPALS policies?

Mickey71 · June 7, 2010 6:35AM

I had someone win an auction $140 from Calgary Alberta, Canada. Even though it clearly states I do not ship outside the states. How can I make this transaction work and still be PAYPAL safe? And what will I have to charge the buyer and will it be bubble wrap envelope or box? Please be very specific as I do not ship to Canada normally. Thanks in advance.

Mickey71

storm888 · June 7, 2010 7:10AM

USPS Express Mail International is PayPal compliant.

About $30, with full insurance.

You can pack the cardboard-wrapped card in a bubble mailer,
and put the bubble in the large EMI envelope.

DO NOT check the signature waiver on the EMI form.

artistlost · June 7, 2010 7:13AM

I believe you can send it Registered in a bubble envelope and that will provide you with tracking to comply with Paypal. The cost is around $12.00

mathew

storm888 · June 7, 2010 7:27AM

In USPS-speak, "Registered" is an "Extra Service," NOT a class of mail
service.

Currently, EMI and GXG are the only two PayPal-bulletproof shipping
services to Canada. Neither is available with the "extra service" known
as "Registered." "Registered" would be redundant to an EMI/GXG item.

Mickey71 · June 7, 2010 7:56AM

So should I just tell him $30 for shipping and probably receive my negative feedback even though I only ship to the U.S. in my auctions? What should I do? I can see this is not going to be good.

wrestlingcardking · June 7, 2010 8:15AM

What kind of feedback does the buyer have? I know they cannot get a negative, but are they sellers too? Do they have some sort of history that you might want to take a chance on? I have at times just went on faith, and I must say that only rarely do I get burned. Worse comes to worse, I can live without $140.

storm888 · June 7, 2010 8:37AM

<< <i>So should I just tell him $30 for shipping and probably receive my negative feedback even though I only ship to the U.S. in my auctions? What should I do? I can see this is not going to be good. >>

///////////////////////////////////////////

You can try to get the guy to cancel the deal, based on the
fact that your listing says "USA only."

If he NEGs you for cancelling, you can try to get it removed;
50/50 - likely better - chance.

In the SYIF, you need to check the countries that you want to
include/exclude. Writing it in the listing invites situations like this.

.................

$30 freight is not that terrible on a $140 item. It is "high," but not
terrible.

You could call him on the phone and explain the PayPal situation.
Maybe he would pay by International Postal Money Order, and
avoid the high freight. (Don't make that offer in writing.)

On account of me being lazy, I would just cancel the sale and
fight with EBAY about any NEG FB.

msassin · June 7, 2010 9:54AM

<< <i>What kind of feedback does the buyer have? I know they cannot get a negative, but are they sellers too? Do they have some sort of history that you might want to take a chance on? I have at times just went on faith, and I must say that only rarely do I get burned. Worse comes to worse, I can live without $140. >>

I agree with the above. I actually had the same thing happen to me last week on a similar priced item. Feedback looked good so I sent it knowing that if the guy fills out a claim, I am out of luck.

onebamafan · June 8, 2010 1:59AM

I quit shipping there..............too much of a hassle. Unless it is a valuable card and buyer agrees to the $30 shipping, i would pass on the potential frustration.

Frozencaribou · June 8, 2010 2:29AM

All I know is that US based sellers who do not sell to Canada lose out in a big way when it comes to hockey cards. For example, 4SC eased up on their shipping prices and guidelines to Canada about a year ago, and their hockey stuff has realized much higher prices.

As for a casual American eBay seller who doesn't deal in hockey? Probably not worth your time to ship to Canada if you want zero risk.

I would say a $30 shipping charge on a $140 single card is a nonstarter for most collectors.

But for the record, we Canadians are, in general, a trustworthy bunch.

-Nathanael

ndleo · June 8, 2010 2:33AM

This is one reason I stopped selling hockey cards. Our Canadian brothers bid heavily and my biggest fear is that they actually win. Some buyers get and ask what is the S&H, but most pay me before I get a chance to adjust the invoice.

storm888 · June 8, 2010 2:44AM

"...But for the record, we Canadians are, in general, a trustworthy bunch...."

//////////////////////////////////

I agree.

I am not nearly as worried about them filing bogus PayPal claims
as I am about Americans doing so.

My concerns with Canada - outside of EMI - are the customs issues
and the "final leg" delivery issues. (I won't falsify the customs forms
and the "private couriers" that sometimes do the last leg are a disaster.)

...............

Leave it to EBAY/PayPal to remove the "worldwide" from the www.

..

Reljac · June 8, 2010 3:39AM

If something like this happened to me, I would just ship the card the safest method and eat the difference of my shipping charge and $30. $27 is worth not getting the neg for me. I have blocked all international shipping though and don't deal in hockey cards, so that I don't have this issue.

artistlost · June 8, 2010 3:58AM

When will the US just invade Canada and make us the 51st state?

That would solve a lot of the shipping problems.

mathew

Mickey71 · June 8, 2010 4:27AM

After all of the responses; I'm even more confused than before. For the folks who send to Canada and don't charge over $30 shipping---How do you ship? and obviously you are taking your chances. For a 3 oz. PSA card there is no method under $30?

storm888 · June 8, 2010 5:20AM

<< <i>After all of the responses; I'm even more confused than before. For the folks who send to Canada and don't charge over $30 shipping---How do you ship? and obviously you are taking your chances. For a 3 oz. PSA card there is no method under $30? >>

//////////////////////////////////////////

EMI and GXG are the methods that are PayPal-bulletproof.

Other methods may be "safe," but if you wanna be "compliant
with all of PayPal's policies," EMI or GXG are the methods to
use.

..............................

A cheaper option can be used with known/trusted buyers. If
you are sure such a buyer will cooperate with an insurance
claim, you can use Priority Mail and insure it. This method is NOT
PayPal compliant, but protects against lost/damaged items.

To me, "known/trusted" means what it says. It does not mean
some stranger/joker that does not even read my listing that
says I DON'T SHIP TO YOUR COUNTRY.

..................................

ShootyBabitt · June 8, 2010 5:22AM

I just shipped a PSA card to Ontario. Paypal only allows priority or express, which was a minimum of $19 I believe. I thought that pricing was way too high (especially for a $65 card), so I ended up sending it First Class International which has to be done in person at the post office. It cost $2.01.

Until reading this thread, I didn't even think of any Paypal policies or the like. Ah well, fingers are now crossed.

KbKards · June 8, 2010 5:52AM

Express Mail International in a flat rate envelope to Canada is $26.95. Don't check the box to waive signature on delivery. Pack well and you won't have to worry about damage, and the signature required on delivery will protect you from loss. This method is what you need for PayPal. While Canadiens might be a trustworthy bunch they're also a sneaky bunch. He knew he was ignoring the terms of your auction. He knows what it's going to cost you to do things right. All that's left now is a suggestion to fudge the declared value. You can either assume all risk and send it first class at postage cost only, or tell him it's $26.95 for delivery and you'll be covered by PayPal. He knew that was the deal all along. If he wasn't able to extort bargain shipping from you and the deal goes bad you will be able to get the neg removed and low DSR's from non-US buyers aren't counted against you. Most people will roll the dice with a buyer that appears to be fine based on feedback but that's up to you.

After this edit all your items to have Ebay automatically block non-US bidders if that's your desire.

storm888 · June 8, 2010 6:41AM

"...If he wasn't able to extort bargain shipping from you and the deal goes bad you will be able to get the neg removed and low DSR's from non-US buyers aren't counted against you...."

//////////////////////////////////////////////////

Foreign DSRs are not counted.

EBAY is now holding that a seller who undertakes to ship an
item - regardless of the circumstances under which the sale
was initially made - is liable for the consequences of any FB.

The only way to assure that such FB will be removed is to
NOT ship the item. When the buyer NEGs, EBAY will usually
remove it, provided the listing clearly stated "no international
shipping."

....................................................

Folks who don't wanna ship internationally need to check
the appropriate boxes in the SYIF. That is the ONLY sure
way to avoid "sales" like this one.

RonBurgundy · June 8, 2010 7:30AM

Great question. For years I shipped on faith to Canada without any issue. Then some pondscum stole a 1961 Topps lot from me in February, claimed he never got it. Maybe he didn't, but he never contacted me first about it, never answered my emails, just simply filed a paypal claim. "magnolia-lane" or somesuch, I forget his precise ID. So from here on out, I list the $30 shipping charge to Canada. I want to put in my listings that the high shipping is due to a thief. I'm still inclined to have one of my Canadian barristers to give this guy a call just to rattle his cage.

wrestlingcardking · June 8, 2010 7:55AM

In this era of technology I think it is rather ridiculous there is not a cheaper tracking system between the US and Canada. 90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border, does a package that costs only a couple bucks to ship really need another $28 for that last 100 miles of travel to cover a seller? Seems like a scam to me.

Mickey71 · June 10, 2010 8:35AM

Emailed the buyer that the shipping would be 26.95. No response in over 24 hours. Not sure if this is going to end well. If I wanted to buy something internationally I would find out about shipping before I bid especially if it says they only ship in the United States.

ahkmedbinladen · June 10, 2010 10:29AM

Mickey,
Is he buying 71 BB by any chance? and is his first name Chris?

Mickey71 · June 10, 2010 11:57AM

Yes

MULLINS5 · June 10, 2010 1:32PM

I ship A LOT of eBay auctions (hockey cards/memorabilia) to Canada and have had only a couple problems. Perhaps if you want to be open to international bids you can ask the buyer in your listing to meet you half way, say $15 shipping, and explain that you're making zero money by doing this. Just an idea.

The problems I have had were not huge but have made me reconsider the way I ship internationally. The only reason I'm open to ship to Canada is because my items are hockey.

Currently I am selling off everything and hopefully getting out of this hobby for good this time with everything slated to be gone by August. So far I've sold some items which were very close and meant a lot to me, so with the Band-Aid pulled I know I can finish off the rest.

WinPitcher · June 10, 2010 10:38PM

The buyer is in Canada and knows the drill.

Charge him accordingly and move on.

If he balks and negs you reply to his neg.

This is not rocket science.

Steve

Mickey71 · June 11, 2010 2:25AM

Buyer has paid for express mail international and card is being shipped today.

Come on Steve...I never said I was a rocket scientist; but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

How to ship to Canada and be compliant with all of PAYPALS policies?

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