N.S. small businesses see holiday sales decrease due to Canada Post strike

As Canada Post unionized workers enter the second week on the picket lines, small businesses in Nova Scotia are missing out on holiday sales. Some are changing how they do business.

Chelsea Thornton, the owner of Dianne Dancewear in Windsor, N.S., says she usually makes about a quarter of the year's sales during the holiday season. But she has had to pause sales on her Etsy shop.

Through Canada Post, Thornton only paid around $8 per package delivered to the U.S., where most of her clients are located. 

Now, she is looking at a shipping price of around $25, something she says no client is willing to pay because it is more than half of the price of her regular products. 

"Etsy did offer alternative shipping through Ship Station and Chit Chats," said Thornton. "It was a significant price increase and so, as a company, we can't exactly absorb that cost."

Around 55,000 postal workers went on strike on Nov. 15, with wages and benefits the main issues. Thornton said the timing is not the best for small business owners, as many see a rise in demand around Black Friday and end-of-year holidays. 

Sarah Duggan, an artist and business owner in Dartmouth, said she had to halt international and out-of-province sales. She is focusing on local clients, personally delivering around the Halifax region.

Not only is Duggan seeing weaker sales overall, it is taking more work to keep the business she has. Before the strike, Duggan said she used Canada Post to ship orders even within Halifax since it was practical. Now, she has to communicate with clients to drop off their orders, which adds stress to her work. 

"I'm trying to be more flexible to be able to offer free delivery, driving around the city to get things to folks or offering them to be able to pick up from me, which is a lot of time spent on logistics," she said.

While Thornton and Duggan's businesses may be struggling, they aren't criticizing the postal workers.

"I know the postal workers here in our small community," said Thornton. "I drop the mail off all the time and I see them. They're part of our local community."