Canada Post introduces Flat Rate Box for eBay users

    eBay and Canada Post co-branded Flat Rate Box will simplify selling and
    shipping for eBay sellers

    TORONTO, May 15 /CNW/ - Canada Post and eBay Canada today announced the
launch of a Flat Rate Box for eBay sellers in response to growing demand for a
simple, convenient and environmentally sound shipping solution for items
bought and sold on eBay.ca.
    The new eBay and Canada Post co-branded Flat Rate Box, designed for new
and casual eBay sellers, is available exclusively through eBay. Shipped using
Canada Post's Expedited Parcel(TM) or Expedited Parcel(TM)-USA ground parcel
service, the Flat Rate Box allows users to send items at three convenient flat
rates: Regional C$9.99 and National C$12.99 (for shipments within Canada), and
USA C$17.99 (for shipments to the United States).
    The Flat Rate Box is being offered at introductory discounted flat rates
for the first three months: $8.99 Regional; $11.49 National; and $15.99 USA.
    "Canadian eBay users ship millions of parcels through Canada Post each
year," says John Swettenham, general manager of parcel strategy at Canada
Post. "That makes the eBay community an extremely important customer base.
Canada Post saw an opportunity to improve our service offering for eBay
Canada's users, adding to our role in the growth of e-commerce in Canada.
We're looking forward to a positive response from eBay members."
    The Flat Rate Box shipping solution is expected to improve the eBay user
experience considerably. eBay listings that include shipping costs are more
likely to end in a sale, and both sellers and buyers will appreciate the
online tracking and delivery confirmation. Sellers will find it easier to list
their items without the weighing and measuring previously required, and will
appreciate being able to drop their parcels in any street letter box or at any
post office.
    The three flat rates apply to items up to five kilograms (11 pounds) that
fit in the one-sized Flat Rate Box, which measures 28 cm by 21.5 cm by 14 cm.
Canada Post's Expedited Parcel and Expedited Parcel-USA services offer
reliable delivery to every address in Canada and the United States, including
post office boxes. The Flat Rate Box includes tracking and delivery
confirmation, an on-time delivery guarantee (within Canada only), and coverage
for loss or damage up to C$100.
    To send an item in the Flat Rate Box, an eBay member will create, buy and
print a Flat Rate Box shipping label through eBay's online shipping tool,
which self-populates with the sender's and recipient's addresses
(www.ebay.ca/flatratebox for more information), affix the shipping label to
the Flat Rate Box, and simply deposit the box in any Canada Post street letter
box or at any post office.
    "A shipping product that is convenient and simple to use provides real
value for our sellers," says Andrew Sloss, country manager for eBay Canada.
"Flat-rate shipping, delivery tracking, the ability to print shipping labels
with postage included, and not having to make a trip to the post office will
make selling on eBay easier, faster and more convenient. The Flat Rate Box
takes the guesswork and the legwork out of shipping items sold on eBay."
    The boxes are free, with a shipping and handling fee of $1.95 for a
bundle of three. eBay members can order the boxes online at
http://stores.ebay.ca/CanadaPostFlatRateBox, and the boxes, folded flat, will
be delivered by letter carrier within ten days to most Canadian addresses.

    eBay Canada by the numbers:
    ---------------------------
    -   eBay transactions account for one-quarter of the roughly $5-billion
        (US) spent by Canadians in online purchases each year, excluding
        travel and groceries.
    -   Of the approximately 24 million Internet users in Canada, one in four
        is currently registered on eBay.
    -   Canadians spent more than $1 billion (US) on eBay in the past 12
        months.
    -   eBay is the number-one visited retail site in Canada and is visited
        by almost one out of every two Canadians online.

    About eBay Inc.

    Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people around
the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate
together. eBay Inc. does this by providing the Internet platforms of choice
for global commerce, payments and communications. Since its inception, eBay
Inc. has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world,
including eBay, PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Shopping.com, and others. eBay Inc. is
headquartered in San Jose, California. In Canada, eBay was visited by more
than 10 million Canadians in February 2008. (comScore Media Metrix, February,
2008).

    About Canada Post

    Canada Post delivers over 11 billion pieces of mail each year to
14 million destinations. Its 72,000 employees and 6,600 post offices - the
largest retail network in the country - serve 32 million Canadians and over
1 million businesses and public institutions from coast to coast to coast. In
2007, net income for Canada Post and its affiliates, which include Purolator
Courier Ltd., Progistix-Solutions Inc. and Innovapost (jointly owned by Canada
Post and CGI), was CDN$ 54 million on revenues of CDN$ 7.5 billion. Canada
Post is a world leader, providing innovative physical and electronic delivery
solutions, creating value for our customers, employees and Canadians.
www.canadapost.ca.

For further information: Media Contacts: Catharine Heddle, Environics
Communications for eBay Canada, (416) 969-2729, cheddle@environicspr.com;
Briana D'Archi, Porter Novelli for Canada Post, (416) 422-7166,
briana.darchi@porternovelli.com