@pseudonymity wrote:
I did set up a Stallion account recently and it looks as if the options are UPS only? Though I haven't actually tried to ship anything yet. Maybe I'm doing something wrong in the workflow.
Stallion I can help you with.
Go to your Orders tab, and select Products from the top menu. Then you want to create a new Product. Make up a SKU (something that means something to you, but won't mean anything to USPS in case it's on your label, they told me the SKUs get printed on the label but I haven't seen that yet).
You will fill in the description, price, weight and size of your item/package. Stallion says don't click the override button or it will override you filling out the customs form with the details in the SKU.
You will pick a customs description (which will try to connect with a HTS code and description for US Customs). And provide manufacturer information. If the manufacturer no longer exists, you're not supposed to use Stallion to ship that item, however I have quite a few SKUs with information that doesn't exist (the company did exist, but closed down in the last 10 years, many of these companies existed for a long time, so US Customs accepts the manufacturer information).
You will verify the manufacturer. If it doesn't verify, try fixing the address or making small changes, sometimes it doesn't like the format. The province and state if Canada/US will be the two letter code (I found that out after none of my Canada SKUs would validate). If you still can't validate it, email stallion at their "hello" address and let them know you need to have the manufacturer verified. Someone will do it in the background and hours or a day later it will be working (they usually don't answer me when they do this, I just go and check later and it's working fine).
Once you've set up the SKU, use the SKU as your product information when you ship. You can fill out a detailed description and price of the item on the customs form (it won't take what's in the SKU unless you leave it blank). You will have to provide country of origin in the customs form even though it's in the SKU. The customs description and HTS code can remain blank, it will copy from the SKU.
Then fill out the weight and size of your package. (I think it defaults to the SKU if you leave it blank, but I always fill it out).
After all that, then you will see your shipping options which will include US Economy and USPS Ground Advantage. I use both, whichever is cheaper for the zipcode I'm shipping to. Once you select your option, it will show you a breakdown with shipping, brokerage fee (it's 1.49 for me, but could be 0.99 to 1.99 depending on how many items you ship each month), an admin fee (I've seen anything from 0.07 to 0.19, it's not much), and then the duty you'll have to pay. You can get an idea on duty from the dashboard and it will tell you which duties apply (if you want to know before you list and pick prices for stuff).
It also gives you the option for Stallion protection. It's kind of steep to do that on every package, so I reserve that for things which will be a big financial hit if they don't arrive (for me that would be a big silver coin that I'm only making 10% commission on, I have to remit to the store what they're asking regardless of whether or not the package is received by the buyer, I get scammed, it gets lost, etc). So I insure selectively, as most of the time there isn't a problem needing to collect on insurance. The maximum insured is $300 CAD.
If you are getting UPS only, it's because you didn't set up the SKU and use it for your customs form when filling it out. The other options show up once this is done.
Let me know if you need any further help, you can reply to me here, or PM me.
C.
