Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
A question about mailing donations...The cost of mailing from the US (95% of donations) to Canada has been a bit of a sore point. We have looked at getting a drop-box across the bridge in Port Huron Michigan, but here are the issues:
Depending on the service we use, and expected flow, the cost can be about $350 a year and in some cases they will only hold items for 30 days.
It can be a 2-3 hour return trip depending on traffic, weather and how happy US/Canadian Customs Officers are that particular day. Both Dave ("lemaven") and I live about 2 hours (roundtrip) from our office here in Sarnia, so the additional time expenditure away from work would have an even more significant "cost".
We are thinking it might be better for us (well Dave, as I'm only helping him with SOR communications...) to simply subsidize the mailing costs where requested to facilitate the donation since this will be a personal expense. But we have no idea what that might look like.
Our request: could someone please do a few test cases for us by taking some smaller/larger envelopes/packages/boxes of stamps to your local post office and getting a quote on sending it to a US address in Port Huron Michigan vs Sarnia Ontario (you don't have to actually send it) - and let me know by PM?
Many thanks, Craig.
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03:08:45pm
"could someone please do a few test cases for us by taking some smaller/larger envelopes/packages/boxes of stamps to your local post office and getting a quote on sending it to a US address in Port Huron Michigan "
You can do this yourself on usps.com: https://postcalc.usps.com/
Roy
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03:16:45pm
"We are thinking it might be better for us (well Dave, as I'm only helping him with SOR communications...) to simply subsidize the mailing costs where requested to facilitate the donation since this will be a personal expense. But we have no idea what that might look like."
You would be better off to solicit one volunteer in the US to act as a "receiving agent". Someone who lives near a small post office and is not intimidated by the simple customs declaration form in repacking all donations in bulk and sending one big package to you in Canada. You could subsidize that person's shipments and it would be much cheaper overall - especially if you provide discount US postage (which I have been selling on Stamporama for 65% of face (sold out for the time being).
Roy
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Another consideration for thought.
I just mailed a 7 lb package to Canada for $39.75 through UPS. Using the USPS would have cost me $62.42. UPS is cheaper, but they require a receiving telephone number which should not be a problem.
Mel
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11:25:46am
Thanks to Steve Wilner ("cardstamp") for another great donation.
A question about mailing donations...The cost of mailing from the US (95% of donations) to Canada has been a bit of a sore point. We have looked at getting a drop-box across the bridge in Port Huron Michigan, but here are the issues:
Depending on the service we use, and expected flow, the cost can be about $350 a year and in some cases they will only hold items for 30 days.
It can be a 2-3 hour return trip depending on traffic, weather and how happy US/Canadian Customs Officers are that particular day. Both Dave ("lemaven") and I live about 2 hours (roundtrip) from our office here in Sarnia, so the additional time expenditure away from work would have an even more significant "cost".
We are thinking it might be better for us (well Dave, as I'm only helping him with SOR communications...) to simply subsidize the mailing costs where requested to facilitate the donation since this will be a personal expense. But we have no idea what that might look like.
Our request: could someone please do a few test cases for us by taking some smaller/larger envelopes/packages/boxes of stamps to your local post office and getting a quote on sending it to a US address in Port Huron Michigan vs Sarnia Ontario (you don't have to actually send it) - and let me know by PM?
Many thanks, Craig.
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10 Sep 2019
03:08:45pm
re: Update & Feedback Requested
"could someone please do a few test cases for us by taking some smaller/larger envelopes/packages/boxes of stamps to your local post office and getting a quote on sending it to a US address in Port Huron Michigan "
You can do this yourself on usps.com: https://postcalc.usps.com/
Roy
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this post
BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 500 categories
10 Sep 2019
03:16:45pm
re: Update & Feedback Requested
"We are thinking it might be better for us (well Dave, as I'm only helping him with SOR communications...) to simply subsidize the mailing costs where requested to facilitate the donation since this will be a personal expense. But we have no idea what that might look like."
You would be better off to solicit one volunteer in the US to act as a "receiving agent". Someone who lives near a small post office and is not intimidated by the simple customs declaration form in repacking all donations in bulk and sending one big package to you in Canada. You could subsidize that person's shipments and it would be much cheaper overall - especially if you provide discount US postage (which I have been selling on Stamporama for 65% of face (sold out for the time being).
Roy
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Update & Feedback Requested
Another consideration for thought.
I just mailed a 7 lb package to Canada for $39.75 through UPS. Using the USPS would have cost me $62.42. UPS is cheaper, but they require a receiving telephone number which should not be a problem.
Mel
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this post