Ways to avoid Post Office Line-Ups? Are there any?

[finells]

Hello Again,

I know we have all caused the dreaded post office line up. You know the one where you turn around and there are 15 angry people behind you waiting to mail letters to their grandparents.

I tried to get home pick up but my packages do not qualify as they are too small.

Any ideas, suggestions, or methods that have worked for you in the past?

[sunward-hobbies]

Buy stamps at some other store ( I use Staples )
Get a scale. Place in Mail box.

Only time you have to wait in line is if you are sending an insured package, such as small package airmail.

If you have enough parcel volume, open up an online account and do paper there. At the post office - must be a main outlet - just leave at the side.

Angelo

[muminlaw]

I would just add that you can pick up a supply of all the forms that you might need (Expedited, small packet, customs, Registration, etc. - both domestic and international) at the post office and have them all filled in and ready, slap the appropriate parts on the package, fill in the insurance amount where needed and put the postage on the package. You still want to go to the PO to get the receipt date-stamped, but you won't take long and you won't get the glares from people behind you.

Glenda

[shoplineca]

I just took 5 large packages to one of the main postal sorting stations and I was the 1st in line but the CP clerk in seeing me with my 5 parcels got all flustered and it took him close to 3 minutes to get organized to start to take my packages.

I had them all sorted in order of my manifests and placed each one on his scale. He wrote down the weight and carried each to the back room, then he returned to the back room bringing each one out as he forgot to scan them.

He then took the manifests and threw it on a pile of papers telling me that he is so busy that he doesnt have time to sort all his paperwork out and will have to stay late.

By this time there are now 5 people behind me. By the way, this is the regular postal clerk who is there everyday taking my items.

As fars as I am concerned this is what the posties call "Cristmas Rush". That does not me an increase in volume of things to handle nor does it mean to work faster to clear items.

It means to slow everything down so that they can put in their over time which they are accustomed to and trained to do every stinking year.

I saw this 2-days ago at another CP location where the CP clerks were putting the stamps on Christmas card envelopes for people with 30+ envelopes while I stood in line with 3 or 4 heavy items.

I would say, avoid CP's corporate locations and go to the franchised outlets where and when possible for faster service.

Malcolm

[marcopoloca]

They are so good with these "organized" delay, they'll be doing another price increase on january 1st to pay for their overtime.

[shoplineca]

Almost 20 years ago right after we had our first born, two of the people that attended birthing class with us were old high school student friends of mine (brothers) and their wives.

The one brother was a genius, never studying and always getting over 90% in everything. Half the time he was stoned because it all came to him so easy so he turned to drugs out of frustration (not enough challenge).

He and his bother and their wives were all inside postal workers (he never went to University). The house where we met to have a BBQ, was his 4th home and he was about to buy his 5th. He doesnt sell them, he buys them and then rents them out.

They figured out how to maximize their annual take from CP, when to slow down, when to request overtime etc. So back in 1985, each of the four were pulling in over $115,000 per year against a salary of around $45,000 all due to overtime.

Certain times and certain days, certain holidays etc and you would be paid double time. I also believe that you work the first 3 hours at 1 1/2 times your wage and then it goes to double time your wage into the 4th hour and beyond.

There were also conditions that would warrant a bonus being paid on top of double time and those 4 had it down to a "T".

So the next time there is an increase in postage rates, just imagine all the CP employees that you have helped reach early retirement with net worths probably exceeding $1 million

Malcolm

[mahsauction]

Get an account with CP, you can make up your mailing lables and customs forms online. All the mail is paid for. All you have to do is drop off the packages. If there is a line up in front of me, I just go to the empty till and drop off the packages and leave.

[weedsellit4u]

mahsauction,
I also use the Desktop tool and print the labels & customs forms before I take them to the post office. But don't you have the clerk sign and date stamp your copy of the manifest for your records? Otherwise you have no proof that you dropped them off? Or maybe Canada Post allows this? I sent a package to Japan yesterday Express Post for $189.00 & since it was over $100.00 the clerk said she had to phone & get authorization before she would sign my manifest. Of course there was a line up of about 6 people waiting.

[mahsauction]

Nope I don't need the clerk to do anything. I just drop off. The online program doesn't print out any manifests to be signed or dated. I used to use the desktop tool but it sucks.

[ospreylinks]

Which leads to another question. If the online version doesn't print a manifest, how do you prove you shipped the item outside of a tax jurisdiction in case of an audit?

I used the online a couple of times, but without the manifest, I was fearful of not being able to prove actually shipping and the guy I talked to at support indicated it was a problem that CP was working on (but evidently have not corrected as of yet).

Jeff

[discountlabelsupplies]

Before I started getting pick-up, I did what the other poster suggested you do. They gave me stacks of customs forms and air mail stickers and I filled in the weights and amounts. They used to double check and weigh each package but up to 15 packages per day over 2 years they started to trust me. Now I have pick up and its fantastic. No manifests or anything. I use electronic desk top and upload the manifest.

I'm a bit surprised that the post office wont do pick up. I think I pay $6.00 per week and if I am away and ship less than 15 parcels they charge $15.00 per week.

[mahsauction]

When using the online tool, they generate the labels in PDF so I just save all those forms.

[weedsellit4u]

I use SAPro and with the Desktop version I am able to get the customers address information and import it into the Desk top tool so I don't have to type addresses. With the online tool is there a way to do a bulk import Customer(s) information and get an export of the tracking numbers & shipping costs back?

[mhha]

Good day!

Pickups are not contingent on package size, simply volume (although CPC is not exactly consistant with their sale programs, so you may have been told something completely different!).

CPC will pickup for any volume and it's free when you get to a specific volume.

I have free pickup for 50-100 parcels a week and most of them are small packets.

When in doubt with CPC push and ask to speak to someone else.

Mary Helen
eBay mhha

[blackknight19]

If you get there first thing in the morning it is empty most of the time

[recped]

Timing Timing Timing
Location Location Location

Of course if you're not in some horrible megacity you may not have such a choice of Postal outlets (real or franchise).

My usual outlet can be very busy at times so I don't go there at lunch or around 4:00pm. I can go to a number of outlets all within a 5 minute drive but only my "usual" has the "flexible" scale!!!!!!!

[sunward-hobbies]

"flexible" scale

?

Angelo

[scouttech-outfitters]

The post office lines are unpredictable and very nasty, the only times I ever wait in those is to pick up a parcel, I even buy my stamps at a different counter where possible.

Call Canada post and set up an online account. Not only do you get to avoid lines but you get 7% off to start, feel free to negotiate with them too...

[recped]

"Flexible scale"

A scale where a small packet weighing 510 grams somehow only requires under 500 gram postage.

I once went to a "real" post office with a small packet weighing 501 grams, they forced me to repack to get the under 500 gram rate. Last time I ever went to that post office.

Ben

[sunward-hobbies]

Oh.

Haven't been to a flexible scale yet.

My worst horror is the first class envelope has to fit on its own through the size slot easily - NO pushing allowed.

Angelo