Airmail Small packet rate changes USA & Int again today, still wrong fuel surcharge rates too!

[ricarmic]

I created a new thread because I'm at a loss today as to what has changed again with the Small Packet airmail base rates to the US and Internationally. (Note that all the other services, including Tracked Packet do match the rates in my documents)

Note that these are Canada Post errors/changes, I'd be interested to know if the other providers are correct or not?

As well the error in my other thread that the "parcel" Fuel Surcharge rate is being applied instead of the "packet" FS rate continues.  Here is a link to it for reference: https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/FYI-New-Fuel-Surcharge-Packet-Parcel-rates-error-for-Sma... 

I can't find anything in the CP documents regarding the base rates changing for the Small Packets, but perhaps I didn't look in the right place?

Today whilst I was mailing small packets this is what I encountered:

USA under 250g small packet air (remember I use stamps so I only get the first level SSB discount level)

Based on the documentation I have the price should be

$9.48 x 1.0875 FS = $10.31

the error up till today was

$9.48 x 1.1075 FS = $10.50

Today it is

$9.80 x 1.1075 FS = $10.85 

(the rate change from $9.48 to $9.80 is 2.46%)

India under 100g small packet air (remember I use stamps so I only get the first level SSB discount)

Based on the documentation I have the price should be

$11.78 x 1.0875 FS = $12.81

the error up till today was

$11.78 x 1.1075 FS = $13.04

Today it is

$12.07 x 1.1075 FS = $13.37

(the rate change from $11.78 to $12.07 is 3.38%)

Perhaps I've missed something in the postal guides somewhere, there were updates today, but I can't find anything affecting the Small Packets prices....the rate increase is not consistent between the US one and India one....those are the only two I sent out today.

Until I get this figured out it is going to be a pain I'll have to go to the PO armed with extra stamps to put on.....

[pjcdn2005]

According to the CP calculator:

250g small packet to the US - 9.80 +.86 =10.66  Online regular price

                                                                9.17 + .80 = 9.97  Online level 1 discount

Both are using the CP posted fuel charge for packets of 8.75%

Before today you were being charged 9.48 which is more than the 9.17 that I see for level one but I wonder if

the online level one rate is better than the in person level 1 rate???  Since you were charged 9.80 that is the rate without any discount at all  plus the incorrect fuel rate.

Is it possible that the clerk was not giving you any sort of sb discount today? If so, then that number didn't go up but they missed the discount. Of course the fuel price is still wrong.

100 gr to India small packet air  - 12.07 + 1.06 = 13.13 regular online rate

                                                                     11.44 + 1.00 = 12.44 level one online

Both are using the CP posted fuel charge for packets of 8.75%

Again, your starting price today to India was without any sort of discount and with the incorrect fuel rate. 

[pjcdn2005]

I just checked Paypal Shipping for a 250gr parcel to the US, the total cost would be 9.97 so it would be the correct level one small business rate and the correct fuel charge.  It looks as if the rates may be wrong only at the post office??

[ricarmic]

Hi @pjcdn2005 

Hmm it looks like I've learned something about the/lack of discount I get.

Of today's shipments the only stuff I see a discount for were the tracked services, ie expedited, expresspost and tracked packet. I don't see any discounts being applied for the small packets. This might just mean that they start with the discounted level based on what information you provided? The charts I have come from this: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/doc/en/support/postal-guide/business-parcels.pdf 

I did know that I get the lowest discount because I'm a stamps on the box kinda guy, I didn't realize until now that I was only getting visible discounts on the "parcels". That has been true all along, I checked old receipts and they were the same not discount level showing for small packets.

I'm probably misnoming my discount level then, I knew that it was the most basic discount, it seems that that is not "level one". 

It looks as though now  starting today, for small packets only, I'm also getting the "regular" rate instead of the theoretical discounted rate I was getting before!!!

So you are correct that now at least at my own post office their equipment is incorrectly applying the fuel surcharge for the small packets only as well as somehow no longer applying the discount I used to get for the small packets.

I did check and my SSB number is on the receipt and amongst the non-discounted small packets are discounted parcels, so she didn't forget to put it in.

At least I know where to look to get the rates it is charging me, I'll have to print off the regular rates.

I won't get the temporary person to look into it, I'll wait until my PM is back next week then we can see what we can do.

The last time this happened, aside from not believing her, nothing changed until the next month's fuel surcharge was applied and it was fixed then.

This time is a bit more worrisome now as the wrong initial value isn't anything to do with the fuel surcharge, and the total "extra" I'm paying is over 5% now....

[pjcdn2005]

We never used to receive a discount for small packet but it has been around for a while.  As I never buy postage at the post office I don't know if it is normally given there or not.

[fergua3]

it was announced a while ago that there was going to be a cross the board rate increase in September.  This is the rate increase we would have seen next January, just 4 months sooner.  This means there should be no rate increase come January 2022 and that the normal annual rate increases will now happen each September, instead of each January.   The rate increase does NOT happen until January for those with business accounts, only over the counter users.

The fuel surcharge error will not be corrected.  It takes CP months to fix errors of this nature and there is little incentive for them to fix it as it is putting extra money in their pocket.

[ricarmic]

Yes I'm aware of the rate increases, and the deferral for business accounts until January (which I still qualify for although I'm "at the counter").

As far as I can see none of the September 13 rate increases affected Small Packets rates, and no other parcel related services were changed.

I'll find out more on Monday when my PM is back.....

[ricarmic]

My PO today got a head office official notification (to the country) about the wrong rate being applied (the parcel rate for the small packets), it said the tech folks were working on it an hoped to have it fixed by Friday (tomorrow).

Time will tell! (I'd like to know if it was my PMs ticket that tipped them off, I'll have to wait till Monday to find out!)

The lack of any discount problem for my small packets still persists today too.

[ricarmic]

WOW much to my surprise the CP technical folks did fix the wrong fuel surcharge problem!! They were correct for the US small packets I sent today. Didn't have any international but they should be fine now too.

So now half of my problems are fixed, the fact that I'm no longer getting any discount is still happening. 

I'll get my PM to look into that on Monday.....

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@ricarmic wrote:

WOW much to my surprise the CP technical folks did fix the wrong fuel surcharge problem!! They were correct for the US small packets I sent today. Didn't have any international but they should be fine now too.

So now half of my problems are fixed, the fact that I'm no longer getting any discount is still happening. 

I'll get my PM to look into that on Monday.....

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There was another issue with Nunavut last year where the applicable discounts was not being applied. Postal code problem. It was being applied for NWT and the Yukon. You don't notice until these things crop up when they affect you directly. CP is usually fast when it comes to resolving reported problems.  Even appreciative when you do report anything. You may need to persue directly with CP if you are looking for credits for incorrectly billed shipments. Sadly that doesn't seem to happen "automagically". Similar to eBay.

-Lotz

[ricarmic]

Yep the official announcement said to tell customers they have to call customer service if they want refunds.

That would likely be a long phone call, and I'm probably out under $20 (so far, until the 2nd problem is fixed).

My PM may take it upon herself to scare up a refund for me, a benefit of being in wee small town post office....

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@ricarmic wrote:

Yep the official announcement said to tell customers they have to call customer service if they want refunds.

That would likely be a long phone call, and I'm probably out under $20 (so far, until the 2nd problem is fixed).

My PM may take it upon herself to scare up a refund for me, a benefit of being in wee small town post office....

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I'm wondering how many even truely know they are being incorrectly billed?

The issue with the fuel surcharge at the beginning of the year by my estimate was between 100 and 150 dollar discrepancy. It was just over 2 months to resolve. For many others it could have been much more. There was nothing in the way of an apology or announcement that it had been resolved. If took  the messages of mostly 1 to get it solved. Which was greatly appreciated.  It the scheme of things if that hadn't taken place it could have been much longer. In days gone by bad billing was corrected automatically with an official heartfelt apology.

-Lotz

[dinomitesales]

With regard to the discount you're getting at the counter, note that there is a difference between buying postage at the counter (as you do with your stamps) and buying online. Even if you're at a Level One savings level, the savings are split between "Level One Post Office" and "Level One Online". You can see the breakdown in savings here.

Unfortunately there is no discount at all on Small Packet services when buying postage at the counter.

[ricarmic]

@dinomitesales  But this isn't new right?

I've always gotten the rates in the manual up until September 13th (Page 34 in the link below). If something changed that took that away on the 13th that I would understand, but I don't see anything that says that changed on the 13th?

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/doc/en/support/postal-guide/business-parcels.pdf  

[pjcdn2005]

Do you have a commercial account or a small business account as that info appears to be for commerical accounts.  

It is odd though that the level 1 small business account small packet online rates do appear to be less than what that chart says.  The counter rates and level 1 small business rates are from the CP online calculator and show the rate before the

For the US: small packet 101-250gr

9.80 counter rate

9.17 small business rate

9.48 commercial rate sheet

For India : small packet under 100 gr

12.07 counter rate

11.44 level 1

11.78 commercial rate sheet

Tracked packet USA 101-250gr

17.18 counter rate

12.97 level 1

16.14 commercial rate sheet

If the small packet discount is not given at the counter (I have no idea if it is) perhaps you were receiving the commercial discount in the past?

I always thought that the commercial account would have been better savings than small business but perhaps that isn't true at the lower levels. Or perhaps commercial rates are much better within Canada.

[ricarmic]

All I have is a solutions for small business number, it got migrated to a SSMB from whatever it was called before, that's what the PM puts in.

Until Sept 13th I was using and getting the rates in the guide.

Something changed on the 13th, such that I Iost those rates hopefully its a bug and not a permanent change.

Based on the number of packages I send, last time I checked I qualified for the largest, level 5? discount but my unfortunate problem is that stamp collectors expect stamps to be on the parcels for obvious reasons.

Because I've never used any of the discount programs beyond what I know as "the basic one" most of this stuff is new to me, your information was quite informative!

Time will tell, I'll follow up with my PM on Monday....

[katlover1952]

I am confused with the cost of my shipping labels recently also. I have been buying them on eBay which is supposed to be giving us a further discount. I do have a Solutions for Small Business card & it is set up. A lot of my parcels are at the 100 gram or under weight. I was being charged $7.78 for small packet US up until Sept 1st but now am charged $8.15. Snap ship is the same. I know rates were to increase in Sept instead of Jan but my notification also said that they would not process the increase for small businesses till Jan this time around. I tried to print off Snap Ship & it is the same $8.15. Why the difference? Is it something to do with the fuel surcharge & how often do they revised that? I do not try to make $ on shipping so am losing a wee bit on all my shipping right now. I realize it is not a lot but still does add up.  Is it then going to be even more in January? If any one knows please advise. Thanks.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@katlover1952 wrote:

I am confused with the cost of my shipping labels recently also. I have been buying them on eBay which is supposed to be giving us a further discount. I do have a Solutions for Small Business card & it is set up. A lot of my parcels are at the 100 gram or under weight. I was being charged $7.78 for small packet US up until Sept 1st but now am charged $8.15. Snap ship is the same. I know rates were to increase in Sept instead of Jan but my notification also said that they would not process the increase for small businesses till Jan this time around. I tried to print off Snap Ship & it is the same $8.15. Why the difference? Is it something to do with the fuel surcharge & how often do they revised that? I do not try to make $ on shipping so am losing a wee bit on all my shipping right now. I realize it is not a lot but still does add up.  Is it then going to be even more in January? If any one knows please advise. Thanks.

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With eBay Labels going forward you receive a level 1 discount with no accumulation to jump to the next level. In the past(approx 2 months) there was a promo giving you level 3 but that ened around the 10th. You can continue to use eBay labels or any of the other services. Whichever works best for you. Payment options vary per service. 

-Lotz

Recent Example: As per eBay labels shipping charges would be 20.02. Shippo with level 2 discount 19.39 for an expedited shipment to Ontario. 63 cents savings is 63 cents in savings. The other services also seem to be better at including all available options like shipping tubes, collection for home pick ups etc. They vary per service type.

[katlover1952]

Thanks lotz. I used to check eBay & Shippo both & there seemed to be no difference. Looks like I need to check again.

[pjcdn2005]

If you just have a level one small business discount there won't be a difference between any of the sites.  eBay had a level 3 discount for a while but that's gone now so they are at level 1 just like everywhere else.