Just the Goods is comprised of two lines -- over 140+ are offered as "Just the Goods", handmade products are priced at public wholesale rates, which are 70 - 150% lower than retail. Since shipping is not hidden in the product cost, I charge the real cost of shipping via Canada Post, or USPS, depending on where you're located. For more information about how I price, please click here: http://justthegoods.myshopify.com/pages/how-are-just-the-goods-products-priced.
There are 9 products + samples in another line called "petal, leaf, root. by Just the Goods" -- this line is priced according to more standard retail/wholesale conventions, so from time to time coupons are offered for that line. More information about that line, and how it is priced, can be found here: https://justthegoods.net/collections/petal-leaf-root-by-just-the-goods Reduced shipping rate options for these conventionally priced products to addresses in Canada and the US can be found here: https://ujimaa.com/Seller/justthegoods/
USA
If you are based in the US, please note that JTG's default pricing is in Canadian Dollars, which convert to approximately 24% less than USD, ultimately translating into an automatic 24% discount. Shipping is based on weight -- the heavier an order, the more the shipping cost. However, since heavier orders usually involve multiple items, the shipping price per item reduces significantly. For example, the first shipping rate is $5.85 which covers one average item... shipping each item in your order individually would be $5.85 CAD + $5.85 + $5.85 + $5.85 etc -- combined shipping, even as many 20 items can cost as little as $15.65 CAD, depending on weight.
Also important to note with respect to parcels destined to the US: I'm in Canada but ship to the US using USPS domestic mail by contracting the services of an international brokerage agent and a cross-border courier. Those costs I absorb myself. The advantage for clients, of course, it that they get cheaper domestic mail rates, faster service with tracking, and don't have to pay duty on products crossing the border. Alternatively, shipping to the US with tracking starts at $22.00 CAD.
CANADA
If you are shipping within Canada, sadly, due to the massive size of our country and the cost of fuel, shipping is higher depending on our distance (i.e. British Columbia and Newfoundland are priced at the highest rates relative to Manitoba), but also depending in your distance relative to the nearest sorting centre in your area. Shipping rates are calculated automatically by Canada Post using their authorized app. Canada Posts raises prices each year, typically in January. Beyond this, it is important to know that any parcel over 2 cm thick must travel as a parcel since Canada Post does not offer a light packet option, much to the frustration of many since that is available from USPS as well as other carriers worldwide. This is sadly a constant problem for all small-scale producers and shippers in Canada. Did you know it costs over $11.00 to ship a single lip balm within my own city of WInnipeg, and over $15.00 to ship one single lip balm to Toronto? Wow...
INTERNATIONAL
Just the Goods products are sold at public wholesale rates, so they are not inflated to create the illusion of cheap or free shipping. As such, parcel rates are calculated according to weight: the heavier an order, and the further it must travel, the more fossil fuels must be consumed in transportation accounting for a higher shipping price.
With that being said, Canadians sadly pay some of the highest rates in the world for things like telecommunications and internet service, and shipping rates. It costs over $11.00 CAD for me to mail one single lip balm within my own city of Winnipeg because it is over 2 cm thick. It costs as much as $15.00 - $18.00 to ship to major cities in other parts of Canada, or up to $20 to ship to isolated rural areas in Canada.
Furthermore, Just the Goods' default international rates include door-to-door tracking and insurance. In the past I allowed people to purchase air mail rates that were less expensive, but they didn't read the shipping policy published on my page, and would get angry that there was no tracking, or insurance with those lower priced options. And, over time, I'm afraid an increasing number of parcels were "lost" and, without insurance, I was forced to provide compensation. I can no longer take personal responsiblity for missing or damaged parcels.
If you would like to access a lower shipping rate you have two options:
- you can try a re-shipping service like BorderLinx or Planet Express as linked in the section above. I recommend you conduct research from your own location to find out which is most favoured in your region
- I can offer lower air mail rates, but only with the very clear understanding that there is:
a) no insurance
b) no tracking
c) no confirmed arrival time
Such orders may take 2 - 6 weeks, or longer since untracked parcels are given low priority at international customs and air mail rates offer no delivery time guarantees.
More About Shipping by Weight
Ultimately, shipping rates are calculated according to the weight of an orders, not the value of an order, which means that heavier orders cost more to ship than lighter ones. And, again, since I don't increase my product prices to hide the true cost of shipping via the carriers mentioned above, there isn't a way to create the illusion of lower priced shipping.
Over the past 12 years of operation, I've worked as hard as possible to make shipping as transparent and as affordable as possible. My best tip is to combine multiple items into a single parcel to reduce the per item shipping price. Even better, order with friends to divide the cost of shipping between multiple people 😊