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Flat rate to Canida from US ??

AJ Drew

AJ Drew

So I want to start saying yes to seed inquiries from Canada.  I am trying to decide what a normal flat rate to charge for shipping.  Anyone have a clue what is normal to charge for a bubble envelope to Canada from the US?
 
When I ship Seeds out of the US I always just use a regular envelope with bubble wrap inside and it only costs $1.15. Never any problems with crushed or damaged seeds. AND you don't need to fill out a customs declaration because it's still considered a letter.
 
Just.. please, please don't take cues from PuckerButt.. They charged me $11.50 USD per order. On one order I only had 2 packs of seeds and on the other only 3 packs of seeds. Ford's wasn't much better - $7.25 for 3 packs of seeds. The stamp on my envelope I got from Ford's shows they only paid $2.29 for the postage, making that quite the hefty nearly 200% mark-up.. In both cases, that's quite the killing. And unlike others, such as Buckeye Pepper Company and PepperLover, they don't throw in any freebies.
 
This isn't a judgement in the slightest on the quality of their products (which, in my experience, has been good), but when you get tagged with excessive shipping costs like that, it's really quite the turn-off from ordering from them.
 
The first time I sent seeds international was to the Netherlands and they wanted to charge me $13.50 for a bubble mailer. It was only one pack of seeds too. I put them in a regular envelope with 2 layers of bubble wrap and it was $1.15. That's a crazy difference.
 
Our two local post offices charge the package rate for a normal letter if it is more than a certain thickness.  Bubble wrap puts it over that thickness.  I am thinking I am going to go with five bucks, then adjust as orders give me experience.
 
I think the limit on thickness is 1/4 inch. I've done the double layer bubble wrap many times now and they've never charged me package price but I guess it depends where you go and how picky they are. I think it's ultimately up to the clerks judgement
 
I've been buying from Justin (whitehotpeppers) from Canada since a while now, and he uses a small yellow bubble envelope but it's not think at all. In fact, from the outside, you would never guess it is a bubble envelope at all. I'll take a pic when my next seeds arrive. I'm sure he gets a flat rate when shipping to Canada using those.

PS: this is my very first post in the community :)
 
bassianus said:
I've been buying from Justin (whitehotpeppers) from Canada since a while now, and he uses a small yellow bubble envelope but it's not think at all. In fact, from the outside, you would never guess it is a bubble envelope at all. I'll take a pic when my next seeds arrive. I'm sure he gets a flat rate when shipping to Canada using those.

PS: this is my very first post in the community :)
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Welcome to THP.  Ye, thought to ask the folk from Pepper North because I have done some business with them.  But then it occurred to me that there to here would be different than here to there.  Thank you for mentioning White Hot fondly.  I think they had some variety I put on my list for next season.  Can now order with more confidence.  Something about crossing a boarder that always makes me nervous.
 
 
Edmick said:
I think the limit on thickness is 1/4 inch. I've done the double layer bubble wrap many times now and they've never charged me package price but I guess it depends where you go and how picky they are. I think it's ultimately up to the clerks judgement
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Right. The thickness and rigidity. I have these envelopes that are not rigid, they bend, but they are thick so bending it harder to do, and they always want to charge me parcel. I have to mention they are not rigid and sometimes fight for first class rate, as the manager there once was called over and said it was not rigid. I actually get so stressed about the window visit I just stamp them, write first class on them, and put in the mailbox. No problems lol.
 
The Hot Pepper said:
 
Right. The thickness and rigidity. I have these envelopes that are not rigid, they bend, but they are thick so bending it harder to do, and they always want to charge me parcel. I have to mention they are not rigid and sometimes fight for first class rate, as the manager there once was called over and said it was not rigid. I actually get so stressed about the window visit I just stamp them, write first class on them, and put in the mailbox. No problems lol.
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I've started just stamping them too. Even that makes me nervous though cuz one time they told me I NEEDED to use an international stamp but another time they told me I could just use US postage as long as it equals $1.15. Those damn people at the post office frustrate me. I think they just make this stuff up as they go along.
 
First, the disclaimer, you need to know Canadian Seed Importation rules & regs.> The ABCs of Seed Importation into Canada
 
Now that you know what your suppose to do, I always take the anally retentive path (You'll notice I create clickable links, not just dump the URL in the sentence.) and follow the letter of the law. .....BUT...... I have read of others who shop the local dollar stores for cheapo cards & envelopes that look like various holidays (The envelope is not white & has an imprint of something festive.) then follow Edmicks advice:
 
 
Edmick said:
use a regular envelope with bubble wrap inside
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EDIT: Forgot, it is 1/4" max thickness & "bendable", your PO interpretation may vary!
 
bassianus said:
I've been buying from Justin (whitehotpeppers) from Canada since a while now, and he uses a small yellow bubble envelope but it's not think at all. In fact, from the outside, you would never guess it is a bubble envelope at all. I'll take a pic when my next seeds arrive. I'm sure he gets a flat rate when shipping to Canada using those.

PS: this is my very first post in the community :)
Click to expand...
:welcome:

There's a small thin bubble envelope you can get, for example, order a cell phone batter from ebay, and it will cone in it. I suppose it is like this https://www.fastpack.net/mini-4-x-5-kraft-self-seal-bubble-mailer-build-a-bundle/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyYmfmKLY1wIVx1YNCh3kRgpvEAYYCSABEgLo3_D_BwE
 
AJ Drew said:
 
Oh damn.
 
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I've bought seeds from plenty of different U.S. vendors since I first disappeared joined THP a few years back and they all use either regular envelopes or bubble envelopes and I've not once seen them have to go the extent that government page implies is required.. I think the government only really worries about large-scale quantities (i.e. shipping pounds of seeds at a time). :)
 
(note: the error above wasn't auto-correct - that was my brain getting ahead of my typing.. edited to put the correct word lol)
 
I ordered vegetable seeds from all over the world and I never saw the Customs to refuse to let the seeds come here in Canada.
If on the small seeds envelope it is clearly written "Capsicum" it will not be seized because there is no danger to spread in the nature, with our northern climate it is difficult to grow them during the summer.
as for the bubble envelope, here too it is considered as a package.
Then I take a regular envelope and I place the seeds between POLYETHYLENE FOAM
 
 
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PS  hurry up because I have to place an order next week at your store   :P
 
 
 
bassianus said:
"Small seed purchase are exempt from CFIA importation requirements as long as the seed is not under quarantine, on the Prohibited Noxious Seed Weed List or otherwise excluded from importation under applicable local, provincial or federal laws." Via: https://www.seedwise.com/resources/support/importing-seeds-canada-united-states/
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Wow, thank you.  With that information, I am off to figure out how to charge a flat rate for one country but not another.  Sure the software can do that.
 
 
I know they do. Since they shut down our local post office and send all out outgoing mail to Kansas City, they automatically assume a #000 bubble envelope is over 1/4" thick and must carry package rates.
 
When I went to the post office to complain after one was returned for insufficient postage, the woman there pulled out their template and said if the envelope doesn't fit through this slot, it has to carry package rates. Guess what, it fit through the slot, but I couldn't get her to say that her comrades in Kansas City were wrong. So now I have to pay $2.61 to ship instead of $0.69. They should read and understand their own damn regulations!
 
And why do they rape you on international shipping? I recently sent a #00 bubble envelope overseas and it cost $45.00! I will be sending lots of Christmas cards from now on.
 
Edmick said:
I've started just stamping them too. Even that makes me nervous though cuz one time they told me I NEEDED to use an international stamp but another time they told me I could just use US postage as long as it equals $1.15. Those damn people at the post office frustrate me. I think they just make this stuff up as they go along.
Click to expand...
 
 
When I ship internationally I use 2 stamps on a letter. If I bring it to the post office they charge me another 15 or so cents, but when I put it in the post office drop box it always goes without the added postage. 
 
I've even had people send me seeds in the 7inx9in bubble mailers with 2 stamps on it and it got through. It's pushin it but apparently it can be done.
 
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