# Shipping- go figure



## TeleToons (Aug 13, 2014)

So I just received my latest import. A flea bay buy of 500, 1 Watt, 1% metal film resistors, 50 varieties in 10 packs. Advertised with free shipping but I opted to pay the 3 dollars Cdn for registered mail so it could be tracked.

What I can't for the life of me understand is how an item can be shipped to my door, from the other side of the world, for free. At some point it has to be handed over to Canada Post. It was delivered by Canada Post. It came from China so probably entered in Vancouver I am guessing. I can't get anything shipped within Canada for free. It's 13 bucks to order something from a parts store only 10 miles away. Ordering anything from the States is insanely costly.

How do they do it ??


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I don't know but I order my eye glasses from China (Zenni Optical) and get $500.00-600.00 glasses for $90.00-120.00. The shipping costs me around $8.00 and I have had them delivered in six days although it's usually 10-14 days and delivered by DHL courier. That kind of delivery has to come be air.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

They are able to do it because the Chinese government is footing the bill for the shipping. It provides a competitive advantage so that you will buy more and more products direct from China eliminating the middle man (Walmart, etc) and making sure that all the trade dollars flow in their direction. This is a long term strategy that ultimately will make China the most powerful country on earth (though it could be argued that they are already there) with all other countries economically beholden to them. It should be noted that EMS Post- the most widely used international courier which handles almost all express mail (including that sent via Canada Post) is a Chinese owned company.


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## TeleToons (Aug 13, 2014)

The Chinese Gov. is paying the shipping....even to the point of paying the Canada Post portion of the bill ? Wow, would that not be against some kind of trade laws? There has been no stink raised over this in Parliament that I can remember. That must add up to billions worldwide in shipping every year.

I see if you are in the States, there are a lot of opportunities to buy out of your own state and get free shipping in the lower 49, does that mean the American Gov. is subsidising the mail service there too? Too bad the Feds here have not kept the cost of Canada Post down. They are pricing themselves out of existence.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

Yup. Shipping within Canada sucks. Canada Post is the cheapest option available that is realistic for residential deliveries and it costs $12 to send a box the size of my fist to a town one hour away, let alone to the other end of the country.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

In this day and age of ordering stuff online, I think there should definitely be a charge for shipping. Its a process like anything and the cost needs recouped from the delivery companies prospective. They have people to pay and equipment to maintain. People seem not to buy as much in store anymore. But shipping does vex me. I can get flat rate shipping from Digikey for $8 with no border costs. Yet when I order from Mouser, shipping costs $20 American and UPS shits on you at the border. You'd think one of the larger parts suppliers in the US would want to look into how Digikey does it. Flat rate $8 shipping from Mouser would have me never looking at Digikey again, even if I do like their search function better.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I ordered three microphone clips from MF last week for a total of $5.97 and they shipped it free via UPS. I think this has to be a marketing plan to keep all of their customers happy. It was a last minute order and I had just ordered something else and asked if I could add it to the other order. They said no, they couldn't add it, it had to be a new order. They must have lost money on that one.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

dcole said:


> I can get flat rate shipping from Digikey for $8 with no border costs. Yet when I order from Mouser, shipping costs $20 American and UPS shits on you at the border. You'd think one of the larger parts suppliers in the US would want to look into how Digikey does it. Flat rate $8 shipping from Mouser would have me never looking at Digikey again, even if I do like their search function better.


 You may already be aware of this, but digikey is shipping out of a Canadian warehouse (Wpg). And for that $8 it's next day shipping. I had no idea. I figured all the big US companies would be the same so I always used Mouser. Of course some pricing may be different, but for my purposes it's close enough. Now I can get stuff next day instead of sometimes up to 2 weeks. Do I sound like a digikey convert? :smile-new:
I guess they are such a massive operation that their bulk shipping rate allows them to do this. I don't know how else you can get something next day for $8.


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## Church-Audio (Sep 27, 2014)

I spend $15,000 a year approximately on shipping with Canada post. They are the cheapest game in town I recently got a UPS account the prices are going down. But I can't compete with companies that do huge volume and have huge discounts with UPS. Canada post sucks for customer service once they lost $5000 worth of my products because a broker went bankrupt and the sherif locked the doors. But all and all they do a good job.


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## Church-Audio (Sep 27, 2014)

Digikey ( next day )
Mouser ( next day )
Newark electronics ( next day )
Electrosonic ( next day )
Element 14 ( next day )
If you place an order before 12 noon at most major centers.


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## sorbz62 (Nov 15, 2011)

This is another thing that really grinds my gears (or as I say - grips my shit) after moving here from the UK (alonside the illegal monopoly that is Rogers/Bell and the absolute ripoff that is car insurance :sSig_Idontgetit: ). Canpost charges are outrageous. 

Still prefer living here though! 

Internet commerce in Europe is much more advanced than here with free shipping on most things, particularly if you don't want the item the next day. It is not any government that pays, it is the company absorbing the charges and having an account with the shipping company. Selling in bulk reduces their charges.

Oh btw - I have been here only 2 years and Canpost has already lost 3 expensive parcels and a few letters, all tracked but ...... :confusion:


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

Just to expand a bit on Chris' post a bit

Digikey ( next day ) - $8.00
Mouser ( next day ) - $20.00 for next day, $8.00 for USPS
Newark electronics ( next day ) - $8.00
Electrosonic ( next day )
Element 14 ( next day ) - same comapny as Newark above
If you place an order before 12 noon at most major centers. Digi-Keys cut off is 8:00 central so for me it's 9:00pm

One option other than Canada Post is Fed Ex Ground. Depending on weight they can be cheaper than CP. Just watch the $6.00 pick up fee.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

dtsaudio said:


> One option other than Canada Post is Fed Ex Ground. Depending on weight they can be cheaper than CP. Just watch the $6.00 pick up fee.


I looked into it before and it seemed to be more expensive. But after checking again, I'm starting to thing I was very wrong. Canada Post charges a $10 surcharge for packages larger than 40" (ie: tolex). FedEx has no such charge and the rates seem much cheaper overall. And there are locations near my house and the office.

Here to Toronto; a couple of yards of tolex through Canada Post = $25. Via Fed Ex? $17. And that is being VERY generous regarding package size and weight. Looks like I have a new shipper. It also looks like I have a long weekend ahead of me re-doing our online shipping system.


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## Church-Audio (Sep 27, 2014)

The bottom line is as with everything it really does pay to shop around. Today I had to send a few things to California it was $28 for $300 worth of coverage for expedited canada post. UPS was $40 I reduced the insurance to cover my hard costs $200 and the price jumped down to $22 I really do think in light of the reduced gas prices we would have seen a substantial reduction in shipping but that's not happening. Especially for international packages that accounts for about 93% of my business. This is probably due to the poor exchange rate our dollar is now at $.79 last time I checked. Tell you what I'm am greafull I get paid for my other business in USD. But it's killing other businesses in Canada that rely on US goods for doing business.


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## JHarasym (Mar 27, 2007)

jbealsmusic said:


> I looked into it before and it seemed to be more expensive. But after checking again, I'm starting to thing I was very wrong. Canada Post charges a $10 surcharge for packages larger than 40" (ie: tolex). FedEx has no such charge and the rates seem much cheaper overall. And there are locations near my house and the office.
> 
> Here to Toronto; a couple of yards of tolex through Canada Post = $25. Via Fed Ex? $17. And that is being VERY generous regarding package size and weight. Looks like I have a new shipper. It also looks like I have a long weekend ahead of me re-doing our online shipping system.


There are even better rates available if you have some volume. By joining the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (annual fees about $250) you get access to group negotiated rates. I got a quote of $10.68 for your shipment (Nepean to Toronto, assumed a package of 5 lbs. 48x6x6") via Canpar.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

JHarasym said:


> There are even better rates available if you have some volume. By joining the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (annual fees about $250) you get access to group negotiated rates. I got a quote of $10.68 for your shipment (Nepean to Toronto, assumed a package of 5 lbs. 48x6x6") via Canpar.


I was using 5"x5"x60" at 10lbs as a test package.

This thread is a gold mine. What's better for us is better for our customers. Now to actually implement everything...


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

I use a company called Flagship Courier Solutions. You book with them, and pay them. They get the bulk rates form Fed Ex, UPS and Purolator. It is quite a bit cheaper using this service - up to 30% cheaper and you have your choice of who you want to ship with according to quotes they supply. Works great.


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## TeleToons (Aug 13, 2014)

I had never used Digi-Key before. Always Mouser.ca. After following this thread, I tried it out again. Their search menu is better than it was before, I could never figure out in the past. Anyway. Ordered yesterday and got my shipment today, for 8 bucks! Pretty nice. They did not carry some of the brands I am used to but all in all got my full order from them. So thanks for the advice.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

jb welder said:


> You may already be aware of this, but digikey is shipping out of a Canadian warehouse (Wpg). And for that $8 it's next day shipping. I had no idea. I figured all the big US companies would be the same so I always used Mouser. Of course some pricing may be different, but for my purposes it's close enough. Now I can get stuff next day instead of sometimes up to 2 weeks. Do I sound like a digikey convert? :smile-new:
> I guess they are such a massive operation that their bulk shipping rate allows them to do this. I don't know how else you can get something next day for $8.


I thought they had a Canadian facility but had always heard it was in Calgary. Talking to a lady in the States from customer service at Digikey as well as reading the shipped from label led me to believe it was being shipped right from Thief Falls,Minnesota.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

dcole said:


> I thought they had a Canadian facility but had always heard it was in Calgary. Talking to a lady in the States from customer service at Digikey as well as reading the shipped from label led me to believe it was being shipped right from Thief Falls,Minnesota.


I don't have the box anymore and didn't check the label. But I placed the order around 2:30pm on the 14th and according to Fedex tracking, it was in/leaving wpg. at 5:30pm. There is no sign of it having been at any other fedex facility other than wpg. That's why I concluded they have a wpg warehouse. The delivery exception is because my guy wasn't home. He did get a note that they had attempted delivery.


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