Cheapest way to send parcel from Canada to US?

[Mismatch]

Hey, ponies!
 
So, I've started doing sales a while ago.  I usually send ponies via Canada Post US surface mail using Paypal shipping labels, but recently one of my purchasers expressed a concern that my postage costs seemed to be higher than what she was paying for similar packages from Canadian shippers.  I've requested for her to please contact her previous vendors and provide me with information on smart shipping so that I can improve... but in the interim, do any of you have any advice on this?
 
Thanks!

[RainbowWindy]

Don't know what kinda of deal those seller are getting since the cheapest rate for small packet surface is $5.97 Cdn (for packages under 250 g). Maybe they are getting a special business rate from a shipping service? Nothing that I could compete with since I'm not a business. 

[Ringlets]

Hmm.. it might be that your buyer has bought from businesses in the past who get special rates as Rainbow Windy suggested.   Or perhaps you use more packaging or heavier/bigger boxes so that your parcels cost more to send ? in that case you could use lighter boxes/packing materials to reduce costs (weigh your parcels on a kitchen scale/digital scales to get an accurate weight and you should be able to tell how much its going to cost by checking the PO website)
 Other than that , could it be that it costs more to send surface than airmail? I'm not sure about Canada but I've heard that that is the case in some countries 

[Mismatch]

Hmm.. it might be that your buyer has bought from businesses in the past who get special rates as Rainbow Windy suggested.   Or perhaps you use more packaging or heavier/bigger boxes so that your parcels cost more to send ? in that case you could use lighter boxes/packing materials to reduce costs (weigh your parcels on a kitchen scale/digital scales to get an accurate weight and you should be able to tell how much its going to cost by checking the PO website)
 Other than that , could it be that it costs more to send surface than airmail? I'm not sure about Canada but I've heard that that is the case in some countries 

I actually get small boxes and cut them down to size whenever I'm shipping so that they fit the ponies exactly... plus I always do a comparison weighing between the cost of shipping in a parcel vs. bubblewrap... and I get shipping quotes printed with pricing lists at the post office so I can pick the cheapest method 
 
Thanks for your advice.  Sigh... it must be the small business thing.  I wonder how I'd go about qualifying for that?

[ponylady]

I am not familiar with costs on Canadian post to the US.   It sounds as though you do make sure you are giving the cheapest and most accurate shipping rate.
 
I looked up some options for you for small business's, and the only one I could find was the one listed below:
http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/business/solutions/ventureone.jsf
 
 
But am I reading it correct that it was a customer who brought this to your attention?  Because in my opinion there are people who try to tell new sellers that their postage is incorrect to try and get a better rate.  Just a thought?      

[lunar_scythe]

it could be that one/some of the sellers she is talking about live close to the border; I know one seller used to take a trip into the US once a week or so and send the packages out through USPS to save money.

[Mismatch]

 

I looked up some options for you for small business's, and the only one I could find was the one listed below:
http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/business/solutions/ventureone.jsf
     

Oh, COOL!      Thanks, Ponylady!  This is awesome!  I'm definitely going to check it out!
 

 
But am I reading it correct that it was a customer who brought this to your attention?  Because in my opinion there are people who try to tell new sellers that their postage is incorrect to try and get a better rate.  Just a thought?      

Yeah, I thought that was a possibility too... but I figured you always want to give them the benefit of the doubt, y'know    Thanks for the advice!