Selling toys in Canada, becoming a lost cause?

[Mike]

Ok, so Im selling some toys online, and I just want to ship a few deluxe figures to the US. Im finding with Canada post, if its over 1 kilogram, which if you're mailing more then 2 or 3, then it is. It's gonna cost $19 dollars. And that's the cheapest way, by ground mail. Priority mail is $65 dollars. That is just insane. Even to mail a package to the other side of the city is over $12 dollars.

Is there any other way to send a small package cheaper? It would only cost $5 or $6 dollars to have them mailed to me, from the U.S.

Am I jsut stuck not being able to sell these toys because shipping costs are outrages, or is there an alternative way to ship them. No one in their right mind is going to buy from me at those prices. I'd be better off just donating them to Value Village or something.

What are you guys that sell online doing, just not bothering?

[Witterquick]

Without having a P.O. box across the border and living close to be worthwhile, I don't think so. Canada Post is nearly the only way I know of to ship, but i'm no expert on this. I'm sure one of the bigger sellers here has more insight though, if you just wait a bit.

[Gunn2025]

Well considering I do not know where under my bed is, lol, I can only tell you what I do, I live in Vancouver so I just drive over the border to ship, sometimes it is a bit time consuming but you pocket will appreciate it.

[pud333]

Unless a toy is worth something decent, I don't bother to sell anymore. You can't even donate them sometimes, to like a children's hospital or anything, because they are looking to take in only unopened donations. So here's what I did recently with a bunch of useless toys.

The DC infinite heroes line is basically dead, and most of the figures aren't worth the listing price to post on ebay. I had like 30 of these, and I knew five or six were worth something. I took the rare ones that were worth something, and packaged them together in a lot with a bunch that weren't worth anything. So I had five lots, with one or two rare figures bundled with the crap ones. I sold each lot on average for $15-20. The buyers were willing to pay the $20 shipping because they desperately needed the rare figures to complete their collections. If I had sold the rare ones on their own, the shipping cost would have been huge for just one toy, and I'd be stuck with 20-25 crap figures that no one wants.

I also did that with an alternity convoy that I was selling that had been scratched up a bit. The shipping on its own was too much, so to justify it, I tossed in a ton of other stuff I couldn't sell. There were crap GI Joes, extra weapons, some MU and DCIH. Just a bunch of junk. Someone wanted the alternity, but I made him take the whole thing or no deal. Adding the extra junk I didn't want only added a buck or two to the shipping cost, and the buyer figured he could use or sell the other toys as parts fodder for customizers.

So the lesson of the day: package the shit pieces with the sought after ones, and you'll find someone willing to pay the shipping.

[chans formers]

get/apply for the canadapost "venture" card.
if you're shipping lots of stuff,it'd be the way to go for waaaaay better shipping deals.
just inquire at your local post office

[Robimus]

Originally Posted by Mike

Am I jsut stuck not being able to sell these toys because shipping costs are outrages, or is there an alternative way to ship them. No one in their right mind is going to buy from me at those prices. I'd be better off just donating them to Value Village or something.

You seem hung up on online sales here. There are certainly better options available to you than giving the stuff away.

Local Kijiji type sites for one, or if you have enough items to sell you could try getting a table at a local toy show, comic con or the like.

And of course the B/S/T on Cybertron.ca might be helful as well. A lot depends on what exactly it is your selling.

[Alexander Quinn]

Screw the US. They have enough toys. Sell to Canadians. We already know our postal system is ass, so we're not as likely to complain about cost or the time it takes the package to "process" at each post office it stops at along the way. I've had a sales thread going for about a month now, and I've only ever had one person get snippy with what shipping would cost.

[Dark Rage]

Originally Posted by chans formers

get/apply for the canadapost "venture" card.
if you're shipping lots of stuff,it'd be the way to go for waaaaay better shipping deals.
just inquire at your local post office

Venture Card will only save you 5% on express or expedited shipping, and using the tools online will only save another 3%

Originally Posted by Robimus

You seem hung up on online sales here. There are certainly better options available to you than giving the stuff away.

Local Kijiji type sites for one, or if you have enough items to sell you could try getting a table at a local toy show, comic con or the like.

And of course the B/S/T on Cybertron.ca might be helful as well. A lot depends on what exactly it is your selling.

Boards are good, but getting a table at a convention is probably the best way to unload stuff all at once. TFcon and the upcoming April show, anyone?

Originally Posted by Alexander Quinn

Screw the US. They have enough toys. Sell to Canadians. We already know our postal system is ass, so we're not as likely to complain about cost or the time it takes the package to "process" at each post office it stops at along the way. I've had a sales thread going for about a month now, and I've only ever had one person get snippy with what shipping would cost.

Sadly shipping stuff to the US can be cheaper than mailing within Canada, since their postal service network is more sophisticated.

[Cheers Ian]

Have you tried posting them on here?

[Dark Rage]

Seeing your old sales thread, don't expect to sell that stuff easily. Loose Hasbro stuff often goes for very little. I only only recommend attending the TFcon parts party or perhaps setting up a table at TFcon or the Collectible Toy Expo in April. You can always split the cost of a table with another member too.