Canada Post 2018 parcel changes

[ypdc_dennis]

 https://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/assets/pdf/business/parcelRate_2018_OoC_en.pdf

Highlights:

1. Light Packet dies. Small Packet and Tracked Packet get an additional 0-100g price range to help compensate.

2. Expedited Parcel (Canada) gets a volumetric change. Starting January 15 the divisor will be 5000 instead of 6000.  This will push some parcel sizes into a higher price range. Regular parcel will remain unchanged with a 6000 divisor. So for some sizes Regular Parcel may be a better price than a discounted Expedited Parcel price.

3. Domestic prices will be up about 4% and the rest of the world up around 1.2%

4. Manual Small Packet labels will be phased out -- bar codes will be required (even if they are not tracked).

Actual 2018 parcel rates still to be released.

...

More: https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=service_and_price_ch

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[rose-dee]

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@ypdc_dennis wrote:

Will looks-like-a-document, feels-like-a-document result in Oversize Letterpost use to the USA?

Will more sellers use border shippers and the USPS for delivery?

Will more sellers modify their listings to bundle their items?

Like shipping two music cds for $8.49 instead of one music cd for $8.49 (101-250g)

...

Will some sellers buy discounted postage, and take their stamp covered parcel to their local postal outlet and buy their shipping over- the-counter?

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Unfortunately almost none of these alternatives will work for me.  I'm nowhere near the border,  I don't have time for sourcing, purchasing, sorting and sticking on stamps and slogging every parcel off to the Post Office.  I don't dare test the new system by hoping a commercial item will get through to the U.S. as letter mail, even if it might pass as a document in other ways.   I don't need more INRs. 

The only option that might help (somewhat) is bundling, but it's a tricky thing attempting to guess what items buyers might be willing to purchase together in my area of selling.  Tastes and desires vary so much.  

I may get through another year, but there will inevitably come a time when my U.S. buyers simply won't pay half the cost of an item for shipping, no matter how unique the item is, and when I won't be able to afford to pay a decent portion of it for them.  I think the days of selling interesting but relatively inexpensive items on eBay from Canada to anywhere outside the country will soon come to a close.   

[sylviebee]

"""" New surcharge for suspended orders

• A new $25 surcharge will be applied to all orders that suspend during the automated system validation process. Suspended orders require manual intervention to address the issue and reprocess the file (e.g., for missing mandatory information such as weight, postal code, content). """""

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What is a "suspended order"?

[pjcdn2005]

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@sylviebee wrote:

"""" New surcharge for suspended orders

• A new $25 surcharge will be applied to all orders that suspend during the automated system validation process. Suspended orders require manual intervention to address the issue and reprocess the file (e.g., for missing mandatory information such as weight, postal code, content). """""

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What is a "suspended order"?

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An order that can't be processed due to  missing mandatory information such as what is described in the last sentence. 

When they refer to content I wonder if they are just referring to international packages that do not have the package contents listed or if they are also referring to packages such as letterpost that have something other than documents. I am going to guess no since that isn't actually missing content. 

[momcqueen]

So you might remember a recent thread of mine about waiting on registered (untracked) mail from Europe. When the final of my two parcels arrived, it had only my address and name on it. There was nothing for a Customs declaration whatsoever, no form at all. And it was a box measuring at least 30 x 28 x 14 cm and weighing about 900 g. Clearly not filled with 678 letters from my Long Lost Italian Lover. So..... how did it get through Customs like that? 

[pjcdn2005]

I don't know....Customs may have xrayed it and decided it wasn't anything to worry about. I'm sure that in the past there are many packages sent without customs information. My guess is that they worry about things like that more from high risk countries. Or, perhaps they are stricter about that here than elsewhere. If a company there generally ships within the EU they don't have to use customs forms and  perhaps they didn't think about it.

If it was sent registered mail then perhaps registered mail means something else there too???

[femmefan1946]

A discussion for expats in Italy about their post office.

http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-italy-post

I was interested to see that the primary focus of La Posta is banking.

[momcqueen]

Yes, banking. As odd of a concept as it is to me as a Canadian, this was one of the new avenues or revenue streams considered by the traveling panel on Canada Post of MPs that went across country in 2016. 

[ypdc_dennis]

@momcqueenwrote:

Yes, banking. As odd of a concept as it is to me as a Canadian, this was one of the new avenues or revenue streams considered by the traveling panel on Canada Post of MPs that went across country in 2016. 

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You left out the "young" in front of Canadian.

The Post Office Savings Bank was active until the end of the 1960's.  And still remains in zombie mode until the last of the deposit accounts are closed out.  Only branch left open is at Canada Post HQ.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._19552561/page-1.html

Back on topic: Regarding manual Small Packet labels. My local postal outlet is still handing them out when requested.

[momcqueen]

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wrote:

@momcqueenwrote:

Yes, banking. As odd of a concept as it is to me as a Canadian, this was one of the new avenues or revenue streams considered by the traveling panel on Canada Post of MPs that went across country in 2016. 

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You left out the "young" in front of Canadian.

The Post Office Savings Bank was active until the end of the 1960's.  And still remains in zombie mode until the last of the deposit accounts are closed out.  Only branch left open is at Canada Post HQ.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._19552561/page-1.html

Back on topic: Regarding manual Small Packet labels. My local postal outlet is still handing them out when requested.

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No kidding. I rarely if ever think of myself as a 'young Canadian' anymore. Speaking of that CPC national panel, I received an email from the right honourable chair of it today. I haven't poured through it enough to understand the implications of this release but here it is: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/news/2018/01/renewal_of_canadaposttoputservices...

If I do review it later tonight and unearth some nuggets, I'll open a new thread for discussion. In the meantime, enjoy.

[markiku]

Looks like the party`s over.

We just have to leave it in Ebay / Canad post /and Shippo `s hands to negotiate better prices for us, I`m sure they will fell the squeeze by February, March 2018.

Practically no sales in 20 hours and we have over 1000 items listed

USPS does this for Amazon why can`t Canada post or Shippo do the same ??? 

So what happens when the Canadian postal rates go up again in 2019 ??

[jt-libra]

I`m sure they will feel the squeeze by February, March 2018.

I wouldn't hold my breath.  The most innovative sellers will find a way to continue selling their items in spite of the increased postage.  Unfortunately, I'll be the one feeling the squeeze by February/March.

I think there is less reason for the various shipping platforms to offer a discount this time around.  When Shippo was implemented, discounts were offered in order to allow sellers to become accustomed to the new site, and PayPal matched these discounts.  When light packet was discontinued, we were offered a discount on Small Packet.  I hope I'm wrong, but there no longer seems to be an incentive to continue with discounts for Canadian sellers.

[markiku]

The most innovative sellers will find a way to continue selling their items in spite of the increased postage

the only option for them is shipping from the US other than that they are taking profit losses, we used to get 20% FVF discount now it`s 10% FVF , yes you can still sell but it makes you wonder if the low profit is worth it anymore, the higher the shipping the higher the fvf also.

I`m having No Canadian sales since the calculated  price is probably scaring them away especially in other provinces.

It`s a shame we Canadians are stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to being competitive with our shipping prices 

Im giving it till the summer then we will try something else in the mean time

[ypdc_dennis]

---

wrote:

" New surcharge for suspended orders

• A new $25 surcharge will be applied to all orders that suspend during the automated system validation process. Suspended orders require manual intervention to address the issue and reprocess the file (e.g., for missing mandatory information such as weight, postal code, content). "

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What is a "suspended order"?

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My guess is this applies to bigger shippers that submit their info directly to Canada Post.  For the small shipper buying their label from Shippo/PayPal/CPC or over-the-counter this should not be an issue since all required info has to be supplied before the label can be purchased.

-..-

[mrdutch1001]

and to my way of thinking there is little incentive to sign up for &/or use Shippo for shipping. There is little benefit anymore and since I never did jump on that Shippo band wagon, I will continue to use PayPal shipping &/or Canada Post Snap Ship.  Works for me. I ship very very little outside of Canada and the USA and that is fine with me too.

I am listing less and less on eBay since so many of my handknits and other items have been pirated/scraped by the numerous .top scam sites.

Going forward my eBay listings will be comprised of the easy to deal with lower value/low cost printed matter items such as the patterns, craft books, and various back issues of hobby & craft magazines etc.  These items are easy to deal with when it comes to shipping.

[momcqueen]

I can see your point of view. I am a firm convert to the Shippo bandwagon but that has much to do with the fact Paypal Shipping/Pitney Bowes refused for two years (and counting) to accurately reflect the Tracked Packet destinations offered by Canada Post. I actively use Tracked Packet to all 31 countries, I needed it, I had every right to expect that service, and they just failed to deliver. So I left. If all had been merry and bright with Paypal Shipping for me, I would not have had the same incentive to make the change to Shippo. But I have, and Shippo truly has not disappointed me. 

[momcqueen]

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wrote:

---

wrote:

" New surcharge for suspended orders

• A new $25 surcharge will be applied to all orders that suspend during the automated system validation process. Suspended orders require manual intervention to address the issue and reprocess the file (e.g., for missing mandatory information such as weight, postal code, content). "

--------------------------------------------------------------------

What is a "suspended order"?

---

My guess is this applies to bigger shippers that submit their info directly to Canada Post.  For the small shipper buying their label from Shippo/PayPal/CPC or over-the-counter this should not be an issue since all required info has to be supplied before the label can be purchased.

-..-

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I think you're right. The only time that I've ever experienced a 'suspended' order was as a buyer where the courier handling my international delivery lost the Customs documentation so the progress of the parcel was halted, suspended, and returned to the point of origin.

As a sender, I think this is something you really want to avoid as it upsets both your buyer and your carrier. 

[jt-libra]

I have no preference between PayPal or Shippo  .... now.  Up until recently, Shippo's Expedited Parcel within Canada was $1 to $2 cheaper than PayPal, so I stuck with them.  When I think that there might be a question about the shipping cost, I use PayPal since their label shows the actual postage, which is almost always less than the buyer has paid.  The shipping cost doesn't show on the Shippo label.

There are days when I'm experiencing a glitch on one platform or another so I'll move from one to another ... even Snap Ship.

I'll continue to sell larger items which require Expedited Parcel or Small Parcel U.S.  Those items were never my problem.  It's the smaller items which I used to ship by Light Packet that are of concern to me.  Even though I still have a lot of inventory to list, my heart is simply not in it anymore.  I'm spending less and less time on eBay and I'm enjoying my leisure time more. And sales have been so slow lately, that I don't feel motivated to list additional items.

I'm thinking of a way to sell off all my inventory and, as I mentioned earlier in this thread, find some other way to supplement my income.

[jt-libra]

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wrote:

When I think that there might be a question about the shipping cost, I use PayPal since their label shows the actual postage, which is almost always less than the buyer has paid. 

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I meant to say  "which is almost always MORE than the buyer has paid."

[gifts_of_elegance]

I am not holding my breath either.  I did call, several times, just to be told it was beyond their control.

I no longer get excited over anything that happens on eBay.  I don't care anymore!

[markiku]

I used to sell on Ebay, c o m ever since we switched to , CA I noticed less sales also

My competitor who basically has the same product lines but has half of what I have  

Sells twice to 3 times more than I do because he or she uses a local company to ship threw the USA from Niagara falls, I ship daily so for me to drive a total of 80 minutes a day to Mississauga is not worth it, I think the US shipping prices to the US is almost half of our prices to the US ??

Sorry to keep on ranting but this is really frustrating for me and I`m sure for a lot of you also.