Canada Post ~~ Flat Rate Shipping Program

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Canada Post Flat Rate Box Promises Shipping Benefits for Canadian eBay Sellers and Buyers

On May 16th, 2008, Canada Post quietly launched a new Flat Rate Box shipping program for items shipped through eBay. "Canadian eBay users ship millions of parcels through Canada Post each year," Canada Post's John Swettenham said in a CBC news release. "That makes the eBay community an extremely important customer base." This program promised to assist both sellers and buyers particularly when items are combined and shipped together.

The program was released quietly; the original CBC news release, which did not contain a lot of particulars, is at CBC May 16th news release. I wrote this page in response to the fact that little information about it was available.

Contents at a Glance

Packaged On This Page You Will Find:
The Benefits of Using the New Flat Rate Box
In Brief, Here Is How It Works

Simple Steps For Obtaining and Using the Flat Rate Box
Find More Information About Canada Post's Flat Rate Shipping Boxes
Your Opinion Regarding Canada Post's New Flat Rate Box Shipping Service

more...

Packaged On This Page You Will Find:

The Benefits of Using the New Flat Rate Box
In Brief, Here Is How It Works
Simple Steps For Obtaining and Using the Flat Rate Box
Find More Information About Canada Post's Flat Rate Shipping Boxes
Your Opinion Regarding Canada Post's New Flat Rate Box Shipping Service
Canada Post in the News
Shipping Scales/Postage Meters
Bubble Wrap
Bubble Envelopes or Mailers
Poly Envelopes
Tyvek Brand Envelopes
Packing Tape
Packing Peanuts
Tape Dispensers
Shipping Boxes
I Look Forward to Using the Flat Rate Box, When Appropriate, To Ship Any Items From My EBay Store to You!
Please 'Weigh In' On This Canadian Shipping Option and On This Page!

The Benefits of Using the New Flat Rate Box

The benefits of using a Flat Rate Box can be a savings in time - less measuring or weighing. Also promised are a potential savings in cost, a simpler shipping process through eBay's online shipping system (if you do not already use it) and the usual advantages of Canada Post's Expedited mail service.

In Brief, Here Is How It Works

You must use a specially designed box from Canada Post that is only available on eBay. While it is 'free', you must pay $1.95 plus tax to have three boxes shipped to you. The box measures 28 by 21.5 by 14 centimeters and you can use the box for items weighing up to 5 kilograms.

You pay just one charge for as much as you can put in this special box. Regional rates will be $9.99, national rates $12.99 and USA rates $17.99. Since all Flat Rate Boxes ship with Canada Post's Expedited service, they will include the usual benefits including free tracking and delivery confirmation, on-time delivery guarantee within Canada and $100 of insurance for loss or damage. This box is not good for any other class of service. It can only be used for the Flat Rate program with labels created, purchased and printed through eBay's online shipping tool.

Simple Steps For Obtaining and Using the Flat Rate Box

Order boxes online through Canada Post's eBay store at eBay Item Number 280268605006.

Your boxes will arrive flat. You must assemble and seal them using shipping tape.

Next purchase and print the expedited shipping label at eBay's online shipping tool.

Affix the label to the flat rate box and pack it with any number of items, up to 5 kilograms.

Finally, seal using shipping tape and deliver to any Canada Post location.

Find More Information About Canada Post's Flat Rate Shipping Boxes

More information is available at at Canada Post's Flat Rate Box eBay store. There is a helpful section called Frequently Answered Questions and a chart defining the regional and national terms.

Your Opinion Regarding Canada Post's New Flat Rate Box Shipping Service

Do you think this new shipping service will help your eBay business?

Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Yes

JaguarJulie says:

I would think this shipping service will help the traveling squid project once it hits Canada -- it's currently touring the U.K.! ;)

Posted April 17, 2009

The_Homeopath says:

I'm in the US where we've had flat rate boxes for a while - I love them!!

Posted October 26, 2008

Treasures-By-Brenda says:

I hate to be the first to comment here particularly since I have not received my boxes yet and, therefore, have not used the new Flat Rate Box system although I do ship all of my eBay parcels through eBay's online tools so that part will not be new to me. Have you used the Flat Boxes? How is it working for you and your customers? I think it has great potential, especially for Canadian customers who choose to buy more than one item from one seller and have them combined for shipping. I'll be watching for your comments. Brenda

Posted May 22, 2008

No

Treasures-By-Brenda says:

Almost eight months have passed since the launch of this new service. I have to admit that I was thrilled at first with the idea. I did manage to put the box to good use because I sold many boxed sets of books that perfectly fit into one of Canada Post's Flat Rate Boxes. That made the boxes convenient and cost-effective when items were shipped to the far reaches of Canada (from Ontario) and to the U.S.

I think, however, that many eBay sellers were disappointed because they thought they would be able to use these boxes to combine items and help the customer save money on shipping costs. The box, however, turned out to be too small to enable one to pack much into it and, in many cases, did not provide much if any cost savings.

I am not sure what you would have to send to be able to put 5 kilograms in the box -- the book set that I mailed many during and since the summer filled the box to capacity and it weighted in at less than 3 kilograms. Other than these book sets, I think I have only used a couple of the boxes for other combined purchases.

In my mind, the perfect box would have combined the benefits that this one has as discussed elsewhere on this page but they would also have given a better price savings on the cost of shipping.

What do you think? Have you had success or failure with these boxes?

Brenda

Posted December 29, 2008

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