European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

tch_ca
Community Member

It has become abundantly clear that Canada Post has started to purposely throttle inbound shipments that are shipped using "registered" method from other countries. CPC also recently removed the ability to track these shipments on the CPC website, and while tracking is still available on the originating sites, it is very limited.  I'm not sure what the CPCs beef is with other postal services, but registered shipping is the most common method of shipping internationally in many countries and by far the cheapest way to ship with tracking. Although CPC does not allow foreign bound registered shipping to contain anything other than paper, other countries (eg;UK and most of Europe) do not put such limitations on the contents of registered shipment.  The delays are atrocious (in a few cases over 60 days) and are clearly done by CPC in Canada and are only specific to anything sent "registered". It is borderline criminal that CPC is holding recipients hostage to force other Postal Services to encourage their clients to ship using products other than "registered". 

Message 1 of 37
latest reply
36 REPLIES 36

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

For some reason, Registered Mail (and specifically Registered) is not considered by eBay and Paypal to be electronically trackable.

 

Newer services like ExpressPost and Priority Post, have taken over the market, are electronically trackable wherever the postal system has a compatible system, and are cheaper for the postal systems to handle.

 

I disagree that Registered Mail is cheaper.

 

If you were sending a 250gm /2cm thick shipment to Europe it would cost you $20.60 in postage plus $19.50 for Registration.($40.10) and includes $50 insurance. Delivery Confirmation is not necessarily available once the shipment leaves Canada.

 

Tracked Packet (to Belgium) would cost you $40.59. And it would track to your customer's doorstep.And include $100 insurance. Effectively the same cost.

 

Priority Post would cost $101.69 and includes both Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation . Much more expensive.

 

You can play with costs here;
https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s2

 

I chose Belgium because it has a sophisticated postal system. If you were to choose a poorer European country like Belarus results may differ.

Message 2 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

vinage
Community Member

It seems it is about time to complain to their boss, the "Minister of Public Services and Procurement " the honourable Judy M. Foote :

 

See the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Mandate Letter

 

Canada Post is not a private business: they are accountable to the Government through their Minister.

 

Here her contact info:

 

11 Laurier Street
Place du Portage, Phase III,
Floor 18A1
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0S5
minister@pwgsc.gc.ca

Message 3 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

And add a complaint about the disappearance of Light Packet from the website as a printable label. 

 

 

Message 4 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.


@reallynicestamps wrote:

And add a complaint about the disappearance of Light Packet from the website as a printable label.


Canada Post has never had Light Packet available for online purchase on the Canada Post website.

Message 5 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

You are, as usual, right.

But it has been available from other providers. So I'm a little bit right too.

 

*smug*

 

 

Message 6 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

It would be a good time to dump 'registered' from postal descriptions altogether, for international stuff.

 

Although some countries, like USA, keep this description, it has no international application and AFAIK it never has.

 

When it existed, British Registered Post was a purely internal service. The American equivalent is still just that. If you dig into the UPU treaties, no country is obliged to provide the equivalent of whatever registered post means in the sending country. Registered post sent internationally is just a waste of  the extra fee for a registered letter.

 

The best way to send anything anywhere is the cheapest way, up to 2 kilos small packet post.

 

It is vastly cheaper to insure against the very small risk of loss than to pay extra for some for of premium delivery.

 

 

Message 7 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

This is not what I am talking about. I am well versed in CPC's outbound rates be it registered or not. I was referring to inbound mail.

Message 8 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

It works both ways.

 

Registered Mail was originally called Money Letter, in the 19th century. That name was dumped as a foolish idea.

The name is not the thing.

Don't get caught up on words.

Look at your needs and buy the service that fits your needs.

Message 9 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

As afantiques mentined registered mail is not tracked by many receiving countries so Canada is not unique in that respect.

Message 10 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

When it existed, British Registered Post was a purely internal service.

 

Philatelists and postal historians would disagree with you.

 

I actually have a few Newfoundland to UK Registered Air Mail covers up for sale right now. First Flights from 1939 through 1942. And similar covers came in the opposite direction. Other destinations in the estate were Turkey, India, Finland and Belgium.

 

The service was trackable well into the 21st century, but then was phased out as barcoding arrived and truly overnight shipping became possible.

Registered Mail was very slow, because it was recorded (by hand) at every single stop on the way.

And of course, there were jokes/ rumours that "Registered " was (insert foreign language here) for "Steal Me".

 

 

Message 11 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

And of course, there were jokes/ rumours that "Registered " was (insert foreign language here) for "Steal Me".

 

I think this is valid. 50 or so years ago there was a fad among British criminals for robbing Post Office vans, just to steal the bags of registered post.

I always believed it was best to avoid anything that made a letter or packet stand out in any way. So everything was hand addressed and sent  by basic airmail, with a customs form saying 'somthing boring' valued at 'not worth stealing'.

 

My loss rate was minute.

 

I do not know why Europeans would be reluctant to ship to Canada, I never had any problems but that was a few years ago

I'd be more reluctant to ship to USA now, UK to USA used to be just a few days or a week , then there was the toner bomb scare, and a ban on mail on passenger flights plus more screening at port of entry.. By all acccounts this turned a week into a month, not dissimilar to mail times in about 1800.

Message 12 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

Paypal shipping DID offer light packet.

Message 13 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

Again, for clarification as you might have discovered this is the "buyer's" forum not the "seller's". This discussion was not meant to discuss shipping methods via CPC, a topic that has been beat to death. And again, no one (legally) should be shipping any content other than paper via registered mail outside of Canada and yes most people that sell internationally are well versed in the CPC product quiver that tops the G20 in price. That aside.... The stop by CPC of tracking inbound registered mail is recent (about 3 months). The question is why. Secondly there are no limitations on what most European services allow (or maybe just close their eyes) to what can go registered. If it fits in the envelope, it goes. So as much as CPC would like to force foreign mail service users to use more expensive products, the reality of that is nil. Maybe Ebay and/or Paypal should ban the use of the registers product. Just in the last 3 months Paypal refunded 2 shipment (One from the UK, one from the Netherlands only to have the product show up weeks later. I've been shipping stuff from Europe for a decade. It's never been this bad.

Message 14 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

Maybe Ebay and/or Paypal should ban the use of the registers product.

 

EBay has not accepted Registered Mail as being 'electronically viewable' for some years now.

Sellers have to keep up on these things because they cost us money, in lost Item Not Received disputes.

Message 15 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

Incorrect, and further more inbound registered tracking WAS view-able on the CPC site until a few months ago. The only criteria for a seller is to provide a tracking number for the purpose of buyer protection. The seller is not required to provide proof of what product they used. It is absolutely a loss to Paypal and Ebay since Paypal basically has to cover the loss. The buyer gets a refund for non delivery and the seller gets seller protection if he supplies a valid tracking number. Paypal will loose Thousands if Canada Post continues to delay mail sent via this method. A dealer friend of mine in the Netherlands told me that the postal service there will not even open a trace for Canada bound shipments until 2 months have passed. I've already processed and have been refunded 2 shipments with Paypal and I just opened a 3rd one. All from different countries, all over 8 weeks in delays and all (from what I can see on foreign tracking) delayed in Canada.  

Message 16 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

No and no.

view-able on the CPC site until a few months ago.

It's been a several years. Certainly before 2014 because I had a heated discussion about this with our manager before we closed the shop and retired.

The only criteria for a seller is to provide a tracking number for the purpose of buyer protection.

Not tracking Confirmation of Delivery, a much lower level of proof.

Tracking is a record of the package as it moves from point to point.

A Confirmed Delivery package is recorded when accepted and after the carrier delivers it. It might be recorded along the way, because it is easier for the postal worker to do so than to specifically not do so (work rythyms), but there is no requirement.

A tracking number proves nothing.

Only proof that the package has been delivered not that it has been shipped.

 

And one criterion, two criteria.  And lose not loose.

I spent too many years copy editing for that to slide by me.

 

Message 17 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

And one criterion, two criteria.

 

In the interests of pedantry I'd say one criterium, two criteria for the latinate plural to apply.

But I am very old.

Message 18 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

We are not going to agree on this. The removal of tracking on registered products INBOUND is recent. The statement relating to outbound is. Also wrong on the second point. You can argue the technical merit of tracking, If a seller provides a valid tracking number (irrelevant of the product they use), that uses delivery confirmation (which registered mail does) and the product does not deliver, Paypal refunds and the sellers gets to keep the money. It's not complicated.

Message 19 of 37
latest reply

European sellers are starting to be reluctant shipping into Canada.

Lack of clarity on my part typing on a phone. So here it goes again. No one disputes the inability to track outbound registered mail on the CPC site and frankly I don't care since never use the product. However the inability to see on the CPC site where an incoming shipment is within Canada is recent. I've exchanged numerous emails through my MPP to CPC on the topic. CPC acknowledges the change (We no longer, blah, blah, blah...)...One thing they will not tell you is "why" and more so they refuse to explain the huge recent delays.

 

 

 

 

Message 20 of 37
latest reply