Just want to ship a shirt or two and it costs like nearly $300 for DHL and $200 or something on UPS?!?!!! Insane!! Surely there’s gotta be a much cheaper way to do this…

Edit: Apologies as this is my first time doing shipping so I’m probably doing everything wrong

This subreddit along with several others will soon be filled with business owners scrambling to find alternative shipping solutions after another potential Canada Post strike.

It almost wrecked my business last year and I hope my research below will help someone out.

These shipping strikes are terrible for business. As if Canadian e-commerce wasn’t already behind enough.

For those considering cheap alternative shipping options, I’ve compiled a list of the top alternatives with a focus on e-commerce. I don’t think personal shippers have too much to worry about.

I’ve done my research and hope this helps. Let’s look at the options (as of May 5):

1. Sendle - Decent rates for small packages especially if doing regional deliveries. Starts at $8.35 for up to 500g. It’s actually an Australian shipping company partnering with other carriers in Canada.

2. Purolator - Reliable service, is actually owned by Canada Post, but rates are expensive if you sign up directly with them. Ideally use another discounted third-party solution for their service, more on that below.

3. UPS, DHL, FedEx - Similar opinion as Purolator. However, if you are spending more than 6 figures a year on shipping, you might be able to negotiate a decent contract with them. They are under quite some pressure since the strike.

4. Netparcel - Quoted me $17 for packages to Vancouver from Toronto and 5 days transit times on average. Decent service but cheaper/quicker alternatives are there. They provide discounted shipping labels from UPS, DHL, and Purolator notably.

5. Intelcom - Great final delivery solution. Super convenient for returns and drop-offs. However, service quality varies greatly, they run on a Uber-type model, “employees” are contractors and not working for them.

6. Chitchats - A decent choice for e-commerce sellers. Choose between a variety of carriers to ship. I’ve read some nightmares here on reddit but most people seem satisfied. Customer service and tech are below average. Small-time e-commerce sellers should definitely check out their prices.

7. Stallion Express - My overall pick. Great prices and customer service. Onboarding was smooth and they handed me an account manager right away. Being able to call someone at any time is a massive benefit for my scale. Also, easily the cheapest rates overall from reliable carriers (including Intelcom). I would double-check rates depending on when you read this thread.

8. Shippie - These guys promise the fastest deliveries across CA and US. The prices weren’t good enough for my margins so I skipped them. If fast deliveries are crucial for you (1-2 days), I’d give them a try. Apparently Healthy Planet ships with them.

Those were my choices for Canada post alternatives, would love to hear your thoughts, hope someone finds this helpful!

Also, does anyone have any clue if the strike is surely happening on May 22?