Shipping within Canada
Hey guys,
I am having hard time with shipping within Canada, I wonder how stores on Amazon selling stuff for 5 dollars or less. Some of my products start from CAD 7.99 but tracked shipping starts from $10+$stamp= $13.99. I signed up with Canada Post for small business account - no use. My product is too small for any discounts. Flat rate boxes start from $17 +. Tried UPS, Purolator- too expensive, Dhl- too expensive like I'm taking $45 start. Canadian sellers cannot buy 'Buy Shipping' from Amazon.
What usually small businesses use?
Any suggestions what to do, this is a start of failing business. Normally, regular shipping costs $2.20 (no tracking) but with tracking $13+. Amazon has made (VTR) tracked shipping mandatory :(
Shipping within Canada
Hey guys,
I am having hard time with shipping within Canada, I wonder how stores on Amazon selling stuff for 5 dollars or less. Some of my products start from CAD 7.99 but tracked shipping starts from $10+$stamp= $13.99. I signed up with Canada Post for small business account - no use. My product is too small for any discounts. Flat rate boxes start from $17 +. Tried UPS, Purolator- too expensive, Dhl- too expensive like I'm taking $45 start. Canadian sellers cannot buy 'Buy Shipping' from Amazon.
What usually small businesses use?
Any suggestions what to do, this is a start of failing business. Normally, regular shipping costs $2.20 (no tracking) but with tracking $13+. Amazon has made (VTR) tracked shipping mandatory :(
0 replies
Seller_y7W9ccUlauftE
Items up to $30 are exempt from VTR (when you use Canada Post untracked lettermail).
Some Sellers use consolidators (like ChitChats or Stallion Express) where you get the parcel to them and they send it the rest of the way for cheap, often with Canada Post doing the final mile. And there are a number of discounters who pass along part of the discount they get as a volume processor. You buy the discounted label from them and you do the rest of the shipping work.
Amazon does have option of FBA which has cheap shipping, but it does have a number of other fees/headaches when you let amazon do the order fulfilment.
And some things (as a seller doing their own shipping) are just not worth selling on amazon. There are other marketplaces that offer discounted tracked shipping for their Sellers (something amazon only does for sellers shipping from China). And there other marketplaces where you can ship with any carrier you want and have their tracking count (unlike amazon's short list of VTR approved carriers).
-;-
Jurgen_Amazon
Hello @Seller_VWaTSrBGBgCrW,
Thank you for raising this important concern about shipping costs and options for small businesses selling on Amazon Canada. While this specific topic falls outside the scope of what we, as moderators, can directly assist with, we acknowledge the value in fostering a community discussion where sellers can share their experiences and best practices.
@Seller_y7W9ccUlauftE's response provided some insightful suggestions and alternatives, such as using consolidators or discounted shipping services, exploring other marketplaces with different shipping requirements, and considering Amazon's Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program. These are all viable options that sellers have explored and can potentially help mitigate the challenges of high shipping costs for low-value items.
We understand that shipping and fulfillment logistics can be a significant pain point, especially for small businesses and when dealing with low-cost products. Amazon's policies and requirements, such as the Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) mandate, are designed to maintain a consistent customer experience but may not always align with the unique needs of every seller.
While we may not have specific solutions to offer from our end, we trust that the collective wisdom of fellow sellers can provide valuable perspectives and ideas that could potentially help address the shipping cost concerns you're facing, @Seller_VWaTSrBGBgCrW
We invite other sellers to join the conversation and contribute their thoughts and experiences on this topic. Together, we can explore creative solutions and support each other in overcoming the obstacles that come with running a successful small business on Amazon Canada.
Jurgen
