As you may recall from our previous blog post: What's up with shipping!?, we wrote about how shipping within Canada is quite expensive. And, how setting up shipping rules within Shopify is not the easiest—the idea of mixing and matching Lettermail items with Parcel items (e.g., fragile items, and batteries).
Privacy is very important to us, and implementing 3rd party modules to implement shipping just didn't feel right—especially when your address information is being sent to a 3rd party to process.
For a number of months, we've looked into various modules, and none seem to process cleanly within Shopify like Canada Post. And, to incorporate other logistics companies like UPS, FedEx, and DHL into Shopify is far too expensive per month to keep expenses under control, or prevent an increase in product pricing.
Logistics Companies That We Work With
Canada Post/Xpresspost
For all domestic and International orders, which do not include batteries, we'll use Shopify's built in integration with Canada Post. It's the cleanest and least risk for sharing personal information.
Rates are calculated at checkout and include tracking numbers for your convenience; packages are also insured for $100CAD in case anything goes wrong. If you'd like to ship with more insurance, please contact us before checkout, so we can increase the insurance coverage and adjust your cart.
DHL
For all US and International orders, which include batteries, we shall leverage our relationship with DHL for logistics. It's a bit of a process, but we can get it done!
If you are visiting internationally, please contact us, so we can arrange how to prepare your order and send it logistically.
In a Nutshell
Any international orders which have batteries included will require shipping by DHL. If by chance you have included batteries in your order, we will not be able to fulfil your order via Canada Post/Xpresspost; the option to checkout will not be available.
What about Lettermail, or Registered Lettermail?
Within Canada, Lettermail or Registered Lettermail is absolutely possible; however, the awkwardness around lettermail is that there's no easy way to configure it in Shopify—to automatically determine the difference at checkout.
The current module stacks lettermail shipping on top of package shipping costs, which essentially compounds shipping, which is unreasonable.
To prevent confusion, we kept packaged order pricing configured within Shopify, and handled [registered] lettermail in a separate dialogue with our clients.
Things to Note
If you're considering lettermail, there are a few things to note:
- Either a paper envelope, or bubble envelope will be used.
- There is no tracking information.
- There is no insurance.
- We are unable to refund lost or stolen packages, or replace any broken items.
- Lettermail has a flat rate of $5.00; however, we are limited to what we can place in one 200mm x 270mm x 5mm bubble wrap envelope.
- If the order exceeds the maximum thickness, it will need to be sent via parcel service.
If you're considering registered lettermail:
- Either a paper envelope, or bubble envelope will be used.
- There is tracking information.
- There is insurance; up to $100CAD.
- Signature requirement.
- We can work with Canada Post/Xpresspost to issue up to $100CAD back for your lost or stolen package; and replace any broken items.
- Shipping is variable, and begins at $13-ish CAD; we are limited to what we can place in one 200mm x 270mm x 5mm bubble wrap envelope.
- If the order exceeds the maximum thickness, it will need to be sent via parcel service.
The following is a collection of items which may work well with lettermail packaging.
One Last Item To Note
Lettermail doesn't seem to work well internationally—it is treated as a package.
As soon as we try to ship a component via [registered] lettermail, which requires customs declaration, the letter auto-magically turns into a package. Meaning package pricing supersedes lettermail pricing.
This is what we've learned over the past few months; hopefully this helps you understand what we're experiencing, and how we try to get your orders to you safely, swiftly, and economically.
📦 🙃
Clickety Split
For the love of split keyboards.