Thursday, September 1, 2011

Canada Post strikes again

I have been heartened to receive emails and Facebook messages from friends across the country who want to read And the Seas Shall Turn to Lemonade. However, I had not bargained for the greed of Canada Post. My book fits nicely in a small bubble envelope, and innocently I set off to post one to a friend in the Maritimes, with an invoice for $15, the selling price of the book. Canada Post charged me $12 to post it. No express delivery. No special priority. Just regular mail. Add that to the cost for me to purchase the book for sale, and I find myself in the ridiculous position of losing money on the sale of a book. I am now going to have to rethink things. Even if I charge shipping costs, if I charged enough to make it worthwhile it brings the cost of the book into the prohibitive range. Suddenly the ebook format seems especially appealing. Which I will do eventually. But for all of you out there who want to read it in a print form, and hold the book in your hands, please order it through the following link -- it will be the best for me as the author: https://www.createspace.com/3562582 . Anyone with thoughts or suggestions to share in this regard? I would love to hear from you....

3 comments:

  1. Hi Sandra - Back in 2005 I sent review copies of my first book "My Friend W" to various contacts. I used those padded mailer envelopes and because the book and envelope just fit through a measuring slot the post office has, I was able to mail each of them for $2.45 plus tax. However, I just checked and my book is only half the thickness of yours. If your book can fit through the post office's measuring slot by itself, maybe you could wrap it in one thin layer of paper and forego the mailer envelope. I'm guessing though that it will probably still be too thick.

    Then again, I mailed a promotional copy of my latest book last year and it only cost me $3 plus tax. I'm sure I used a mailer and that book is about 3/4 the thickness of yours. Maybe there's hope yet. I would phone the post office and ask what the maximum thickness is to avoid package rates. If you're close then just use minimal wrapping.

    Dave

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would like to say that this blog really convinced me to do it! Thanks, very good post. Viking Microwave Repair in Los Angeles

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would like to say that this blog really convinced me to do it! Thanks, very good post. Santa Barbara Sub-Zero Appliance Repair Services

    ReplyDelete