Walmart Canada says it's abandoning increases to some of its mail order shipping fees effective Oct. 17, after an outcry from residents of remote northern Ontario communities.

Word spread on social media this weekend that the retailer had started charging a base fee of $250 to ship even small items to communities such as North Caribou Lake.

CBC News entered a number of postal codes in Walmart's mail order system while initiating an order for a single $5 boys T-shirt; orders using postal codes in Pickle Lake, Sandy Lake, Pikangikum, and Sachigo Lake had the $250 shipping fee tacked onto them, while orders using postal codes in Webequie and Eabametoong were charged just $10 for shipping.

A spokesperson for Walmart Canada told CBC News the retailer received feedback from its customers concerning the changes and appreciates that feedback.

"While the new rates do, on average, reflect the cost of shipping items that weigh more, these rates become less favourable for smaller items," director of corporate affairs Anika Malik wrote in an email.

"We take our customers' feedback seriously and will take some time to reevaluate these fees. In the meantime, effective Wednesday, Walmart Canada shipping fees will return to previous rates until further notice."

CBC News initiated an order for a $5 boys T-shirt using Walmart Canada's mail order system Tuesday. Using a Pikangikum postal code, the system added a $250 shipping charge. A spokesperson for Walmart Canada told CBC it would abandon the new shipping charges effective Wednesday. (Walmart.ca )

Malik did not explain the discrepancy in shipping charges between communities.

Vicki VanGent, a teacher in Poplar Hill First Nation, was one of the people who wrote to Walmart protesting the fees.

VanGent routinely orders non-perishable food items and housewares from Walmart and was shocked at the increase, she said.

"A small thing of oatmeal was going to cost me $290 to get to Poplar Hill," she said.

"It was crazy to read that something goes from $10 to $250 overnight. Obviously I understand if shipping costs need to go up. ... we live in a pretty remote area so it does cost and take time for things to get here, but that was an extremely drastic increase."

After being informed by CBC News about Walmart's stated plan to roll back the shipping rates, VanGent said that it's "awesome."

VanGent has ordered products from other retailers online, such as Lululemon, SportChek and Bath and Body Works, she said, and the shipping fees typically land between $10 and $30.