Canada Post - tariffs? / calculated shipping

[rdemaree]

I used to use Canada Post calculated shipping for everything both domestically and internationally (including USA) but obviously now I can't for USA because ebay pulled it as an option.

I now use ChitChats for USA only and list "Standard shipping" and "Expedited Shipping" as the shipping options for Americans here on ebay. I sell mostly made in Canada handmade art supplies and have CUSMA approved all of my handmade stuff with a ChitChats broker. Packages are going through although orders are less, shipping times are practically double and there is a small merchandise fee on each package now.

I was hearing that Canada Post and essentially all postal shippers have no access to CUSMA even if the items are for sure made in CANADA, USA, and MEXICO. Essentially you have to use a courier like UPS/ FEDEX/ DHL or a 3rd party shipper like ChitChats/ Stallion Express/ Swiftpost.

If what ive heard is correct- why do I keep seeing people in this forum posting about Canada Post and Zonos? is this all just people shipping items not made in Canada or shipping tariff exempt stuff like books and media?

Currently I use Canada Post for everything EXCEPT USA. I wish I could use Canada Post for everything to consolidate orders and make things simple. I also can't use ChitChats for international (non-USA) orders because their partner shippers are so picky about regulations regarding art materials and its too much beaurocracy for me to deal with so I choose not to consolidate to chitchats plus I like calculated shipping. Makes things much easier for me.

Do you think ebay will ever separate USA from the "international" category? I would like to offer calculated shipping and use ebay Canada labels for Canada and International (non-USA) destinations and use flat rate ChitChats for USA ONLY. Currently I have to use Flat rate for ALL non- Canada countries because of the trump idiocy. Meaning I basically have to ballpark shipping rates globally and then buy the Canada Post label here on ebay because I will ship anywhere possible because im not one to turn down customers or money where they can be found and never have been. I have shipped multiple times to almost ever continent and even to rare locations such as Laos, Brazil, Poland, China, Thailand and a few others you wouldn't suspect. I want business anywhere it happens to be.

I know ebay is working on the EIS program but I have a feeling like it will be expensive and time consuming for customers so I might only use it for some items or as a backup plan if ChitChats has issues. Currently I charge a flatrate of $10 CAD/ 6-13 business days for shipping into the USA for small packages. If EIS would be more than $13 CAD/ 8-15 business days for my customers for the same package then its a no-go for me! That doesn't leave alot of wiggle room so I assume EIS will be reserved only for certain items and as a backup plan option.

To summarize my post into 2 questions feeding off of everything above for context:

1.Is it absolutely true that Canada Post doesn't have access to CUSMA and who still uses Canada Post for USA customers and why?

2. Is ebay planning on separating USA from the International category into its own entity since in all practicality it operates under its own chaos and rules different from other nations and honestly its the only reason I can't use calculated shipping rates globally and makes no sense to throw a wrench into all of my other countries I ship to just for one countries bad policies. I would like to just use flat rate shipping/ 3rd party shippers for USA ONLY!!! Calculated Canada Post for EVERYONE ELSE!!!

Let me know your thoughts and insights. Thanks

[dinomitesales]

There is no CUSMA exemption when using Canada Post/Zonos, that is correct.

I continue to use Canada Post because there is zero duty for the stuff I sell (mostly media and video games), and also zero duty for anything "Made in USA" (of which I have some of). I also don't have access to any cross-border shippers where I live, so Canada Post is pretty much my only choice to the States at the moment. For anything not Made-in-USA or duty exempt I've just been adding the cost of the tariffs to the flat rate shipping for United States. Understandably, my sales to the USA are nonexistent at the moment.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

To answer your second question, one work around for you might be to make duplicates of your listings and use different shipping policies.

• Make one listing for Canada + International (with USA blocked in the shipping policy).
• Make another listing for Canada + USA (with international blocked in the shipping policy).

Doing this would also help you work the tariffs into the Buy It Now price for the USA.

Keep in mind that duplicate listings ARE against eBay policy. With 59 listings, I think that you're unlikely to get in trouble for having duplicates that you created in good faith with different titles, texts, and policies.

But if you're extremely worried about this, since you manufacture your own products, it would be easy enough to create your own sub-line of products with a different SKU called the "Priced For The USA Market Series" (don't call it that) that is technically a unique SKU from the rest of your line and thus not a duplicate listing.

As far as who uses Canada Post for US shipping, it is mostly people who sell duty free items.

What you need to do is figure out what the HTS code is for your paints. Download the Zonos app on your smartphone. Manually enter in a product using the same HTS and customs info you would if you sold one, put in a random value (say $100), and see how much duties you will be charged via Zonos. Because you manufacture your own items and sell items that are all the same thing (handmade oil paint), it will make it easier to figure out how to work the cost of the tariffs in. If you go with creating a unique SKU for the US market and go with the duplicate listing approach, you could raise the BIN price for that SKU by 35 percent (or whatever the amount is) to cover the tariffs. 

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

If you're CUSMA approved with Chit Chats, I don't know why you'd want to use Canada Post that doesn't include CUSMA for postal shipments.

I'm using Stallion and found out I can submit a CUSMA certificate to be approved so my items will be duty free (for the stuff made in Canada), there's no advantage to using Canada Post and paying the tariffs if they can ship duty free.

C.

[rdemaree]

I want the simplicity of using one post office for everything and the simplicity of ebay automatically calculating and charging the shipping rate and taking into account cost increases instead of me manually having to increase it once or twice per year for every country on earth.

Honestly I would be fine sticking with flat rate for USA ONLY and adjusting it once or twice per year when costs go up but id prefer everything else be calculated ebay canada post. I dont know why ebay doesnt have this as an option. They definitely should. I have a feeling EIS program wont be cost effective for small item businesses, same reason UPS and Fedex arent a good business model for small item business. Many people will continue to use flat rate/ 3rd party companies like chitchats for USA but will want to use calculated Canada Post for Canada and International. 

Ebay really should treat USA as distinctively different from international destinations.

Also I do plan on moving from Toronto to London or Windsor in a few years from now to get a house in a cheaper area and using chit chats and stuff like that will be a little more complicated when I do that.

trump and his chaotic policies have really thrown a wrench into my business model and life goals/ plans.

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

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@rdemaree wrote:

trump and his chaotic policies have really thrown a wrench into my business model and life goals/ plans.

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You and me both (and probably everyone else in the forum).

A year ago I was doing well enough that I wanted to quit my job once my house was paid off because I'd no longer need to earn enough for a mortgage payment. Due to the Trump policies, that's not going to happen. At least I got to keep my job, but quitting is not on the horizon with all of this uncertainty. Before all this happened (like in 2024 and earlier), I was doing well enough that I could pay my bills with eBay revenue provided I didn't have a house payment to make as well.

C.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

I understand why you want that, but it is unlikely to happen. The closest thing that you will get will be the eIS. 

The big hitch for most people with eIS is that the US buyer has to pay double shipping (domestic+internetional) and then duties (if applicable). It seems like you might be at a competitive advantage with eIS because of where you are located.

The eIS hub will apparently be in Mississauga. According to your listings, you're located in North York. It might end up that eIS shipping rates work out well for you compared to Canada Post because it might only cost you a few dollars to ship each small parcel to the eIS hub. It will depend on how eBay handles CUSMA compliant items for duties, along with what kind of US rates they get. 

So if you highly value everything being automatic and standardized, I might wait a month or so just to see how things shake out with eIS and see what rates are available to your US customers once it opens. 

[rdemaree]

It will be a month or so of learning and trial and error. 

I can survive using flat rate for everything outside of Canada, it will just be inconvenient. 

Tha main thing I hope they change is the giant warning message on all of my listings to Americans. Most of my items are already CUSMA approved and moving across the border without tariffs. 

I will have to see how the EIS program looks for shipping times and prices. I am willing to have a slightly higher shipping price and shipping time if it makes my life easier but if it goes up significantly then it wont be worth it as it will scare off buyers.