# Shipping plants within Canada



## Sameer

How do you guys do it? I had a small box, checked the rates on C.Post and Fedex and both quotes start at $13 no matter what the size. Its just bull. So Im wonder for the people who do ship, how do you do it? got lots of rare plants you wont find in Canada but Im trying to learn how to affordably ship.


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## Darkblade48

Have you checked their prices for regular letter mail (just use a bubble envelope)?


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## Greg_o

^Yes. Under 2cm (I think) you get letter mail rates.


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## Fishfur

Sameer, the main issues with the costs is that nowadays they don't just go by the weight of the parcel. There is a surcharge for fuel dependent on the distance it's going, and they also charge by the size of the parcel. 

Dimensional weight is calculated based on the length, width and height of a given parcel. Whichever rate of the two, actual weight or dimensional weight, is the highest will be the rate charged. So keeping a parcel super lightweight won't necessarily save any money on shipping. 

You also have to consider the weather. The price on longer lasting heat packs has gone sky high just in the past few weeks. Used to be able to get a 72 hour pack, such as they use for shipping reptiles, for $5., now they are at least three times that price and more. Even the little bitty ones for your pockets are a couple of bucks each and they only last about 6 or 7 hours from the moment you open the package, so if it's freezing, even with really good insulation, plants without heat might not survive long.. meaning you really have to use overnight shipping and pay the highest rates of all.

Regular parcel mail seems to be the least costly method aside from letter mail, but you get no guarantee, no tracking and no signature. It is very frustrating.. it just kills me every time I go to ship something, how much it costs to do it, even when I keep the size and weight down as much as humanly possible. 

IF you can get a plant into an envelope that meets Canpost standards for first class letter mail size and weight, and that's all posted on their website, then letter mail is quite cheap, but how will you insulate it ? You would probably not be able to guarantee live delivery if the temperature drops below freezing during the shipping time if it's in an envelope.

I find bubble wrap, which is not horribly costly, makes great insulation. So does the styrofoam from packaging, cut to fit my box, which is a damn nuisance in time and mess but at least I don't have to buy it. 

Whatever you do, don't add water to the bag you put the plants in. Wrap in a damp paper towel and puff a bit of air into the plastic bag you put the wrapped plant in. In good weather, unless it is screaming hot, that's good enough for insulation. But winter temps, especially if it's near or below freezing, need some sort of heating. You also can't put those hot packs right against the plant bag. There has to be some separation, layers of something such as paper, because they can hit 130 F at peak heat and that's enough to do real damage. So it's not just shipping cost that you have to factor in.

The only way I know to get half decent shipping rates is to have a large commercial account with one of the big courier companies such as FedEx, Purolator, CanPar or UPS. If you know anyone who has access to an account like that, maybe you can do a deal with them. But you have to be a big volume shipper to get a good break on the prices.


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## Sameer

Thank you all for the input. Prices in Canada, atleast Ontario are a joke. In US, plant trading is alot bigger. For US to US plant selling people charge only $7 for shipping. My bros in US and has had 4 different people ship aquatic plants to him with no problem. Im going to have to look into it more. Now that winter is here, I dont think shipping is possible.


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## fishclubgirl

Sameer,
Unfortunately we cannot match the price and the shipping standards of us post. I have travelled to us and ordered plants there and the rates are awesome!! As I sell plants online, here's how I ship. First off get a Venture one card, gets you a discount on parcels, priority envelopes, etc. I use priority envelopes and they are guaranteed 2 day service within Canada for around fifteen dollars and you can get them by region and they are even cheaper then. Pack the plants flat with no air and then put them in a plastic bubble envelope(ordered online from Staples). Put them into the priority envelope and put them in the mail just before pick up or use an indoor mailbox. Make sure you're shipping to an indoor dropoff and you can ship most of the time but things can get lost at xmas. Hope this helps and if I can be of further assistance, please pm me. We need more local suppliers in Canada!!


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## CanadaPleco

Canadian shipping rates are STUPID high, it sucks. There is nothing we can do about it either.

Its cheaper for us to ship to the US then to Alberta, by 50%.
It's also cheaper for us to ship to EUROPE!!! And way faster!

Ugh, I really hate our postal system.


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