Affordable Shipping Solutions for Stickers and Trinkets from Canada

In today's blog, I'll discuss the cost-effective methods for shipping stickers and trinkets from Canada. Canadian shipping costs can be quite high, so I'll outline the most affordable ways for your customers to receive their packages.

Shipping Stickers with Letter Mail

I primarily ship stickers using letter mail. If you've seen my packaging video, you'll know that I use cardstock backing from Vista Print. I place my stickers in a regular 5x7 envelope. You can ship most stickers this way within Canada, to the US, and internationally, as long as the package remains flat. Canada is fairly lenient with letter mail, but US and international shipping may have stricter requirements. As long as the mail is bendable and paper-like, it should be acceptable.

To ensure your mail is thin enough, use a slot guide available at Canada Post offices. If your mail fits through the slot, it qualifies as standard letter mail. Weight is also a factor; if your mail weighs over 30g or 50g, you may need additional postage. I use a scale from Amazon to verify weights.

Postage Rates and Stamps

Here's a 2021 letter mail postage rates chart for reference. For stamps, there are four main types:

- Permanent stamps for mailing within Canada: $0.92 each.

- Stamps for mailing to the US: $1.30 each.

- International stamps: $2.71 each.

- Oversized stamps for mailing bulkier items like keychains or pins within Canada: $1.94 each.

The downside to letter mail is the lack of tracking, but for non-expensive items like stickers, it's the most cost-effective option.

Shipping Pins, Keychains, and Washi Tape

For bulkier items within Canada, such as pins, keychains, and washi tape, you can use oversized mail. These items can be shipped in a normal envelope as long as they fit through the oversized mail slot at Canada Post.

For US and international shipping of these items, I use Chit Chats, a third-party delivery service. Chit Chats transports your packages from Canada to the US, where it's cheaper to ship them. I use bubble-wrapped poly mailers for added protection. 

Chit Chats operates in BC, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada. You can create an account, fill in your shipping info, and print labels at home. The downside is that you must drop off your packages at designated locations. However, the cost savings are significant. For example, shipping a small package from Toronto to the US costs around $9 via Canada Post without tracking, but with Chit Chats, it's only $6 and includes tracking. International shipping with Chit Chats ranges from $11 to $14, including tracking, though the delivery time is slightly longer.