I feel sick. Canada Post whole bunch of missing / item not received.

[velvetfinch]

I mailed out a whole ton of items on Oct 3 and 4th.  Due to the obvious expense of tracking I opt to use discount postage stamps to save money - I've done this for years with seldom an issue.

Well this lot of shipments in early October, almost all of them have mysteriously disappeared, not shown up, a few have shown up very late.  I don't know what the heck is going on??? I'm thinking a Canada Post plane or truck went up in flames or someone at the Post Office stole the whole lot (unlikely)

Has anyone else experienced an unusual amount of lost packages lately?  I guess there is nothing I can do, I have no proof of postage purchase as I used stamps.  Is there even any point of contacting CP about this?

I just feel sick about it.

[momcqueen]

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@ricarmic wrote:

.....I have a person who gets their sheets etc cancelled and puts them in one of the expedited plastic things that we use for our packages to the US or international. The stamps are just hodge podge inside.... cancelled and then put in!

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Wow! I'd really like to see something like that. It would surely blow the mind of the people hired to serve the counter for the big Christmas rush at my local authorized postal dealer. As I complained elsewhere in another thread, they think UK is part of a postal code for Yukon; Milan is in California, and New South Wales in Great Britain. I am That Jerk Customer who stands in line and politely corrects them when they tell the person in front of me that 'International Parcel Surface has no tracking to Germany, you have to use Xpresspost' and also explains the reason the 289 g package costs twice what the 246 g one to London, England is because the price for Small Packets Airmail doubles at the 250 g vs 251-g mark. You know, those things the person working the counter might be expected to know. I get so frustrated sometimes. 

[ricarmic]

Hi Mjw! As I've said before if you ask 5 different postmasters the same question, you'll get 6 different answers 😉

[velvetfinch]

Well, just as I thought.  I sent a very detailed letter about the items I mailed that went missing, addresses, shipping method, contents, value, etc.  They really didn't seem to care and just said that because they weren't mailed with tracking they had no way to look into it. Then just said that they'd probably turn up eventually. Oh well, I guess they get tons of messages like mine, so I kind of get it.  But you think they'd "pretend" to care?

[momcqueen]

I do think they'd pretend to care. I think it's time to send that letter to your local newspaper and/or radio, member of parliament and mayor. (With exact addresses redacted for privacy reasons.)

[momcqueen]

Make that an updated version of the letter where you mention that you already spoke to Canada Post about it and they didn't seem to care. Then cc the person at Canada Post that you spoke to. Maybe your local RCMP detachment and/or police too. 

That will get their attention. 

[velvetfinch]

....aaaaand another 2 people just filed claims for missing items (these sent a couple weeks later).  Funny thing is, this is the EXACT same brand of item that is going missing.  There is no clue on my packaging as to what is inside, just generic 'child's outfit'.  I am just so confused and so upset over what is happening.  I cannot keep on losing items this way.  Is someone on to what I am selling and opening them up and stealing?  I just don't get it, it's crazy.

I will take the above advice and write a letter again and escalate it to the Ombudsman if needed (or is there really any point???)

Do I just have to be satisfied with a postage system that simply doesn't work?

[momcqueen]

I would fight this as far as I had to fight it. It is not possible that this many parcels have been delayed. Someone is up to something. Make as big a stink about it as you need to. I would! Really, letters to the head of Canada Post, newspapers, the police.... the ombudsman is also a good idea. I would not go gently into that good night where theft from me is concerned.

[pocomocomputing]

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@velvetfinch wrote:

....aaaaand another 2 people just filed claims for missing items (these sent a couple weeks later).  Funny thing is, this is the EXACT same brand of item that is going missing.  There is no clue on my packaging as to what is inside, just generic 'child's outfit'.  I am just so confused and so upset over what is happening.  I cannot keep on losing items this way.  Is someone on to what I am selling and opening them up and stealing?  I just don't get it, it's crazy.

I will take the above advice and write a letter again and escalate it to the Ombudsman if needed (or is there really any point???)

Do I just have to be satisfied with a postage system that simply doesn't work?

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You said you use discount postage stamps. Maybe someone likes pretty stamps and is taking the packages?

I use discount postage stamps and so far in 5 years of use, no packages lost but one to the USA. All shipped Lettermail, Light Packet or Small Packet to Canada, USA or International. And that was an Item Not Received that may be true or buyer scammed me. Will never know.

I was always afraid someone would swipe a package because of the pretty stamps (a real eyecatcher for a colorful package in all the plain ones as I would use 20 to 100 stamps on a package - lots of low denominations like one package of 100 x 8 cents stamps and a 3 cent to make Small Packet $8.03 on a big bubble envelope to the USA.) Thank goodness stamp collecting is in decline, for few collectors to have interest along the way and for giving us low cost postage from mostly unwanted stamp collections.

Are all lost packages with discount postage?

[ricarmic]

Hi Velvet!

If all the items lost are the same "thing", is there something about the packaging for that "thing" that might be catching in the machinery and damaging the package? (things like can the contents shift around as it is being shipped?)

The odds are smaller that someone knows what it is and is taking it and/or they are delaying it for the postage when other packages with other things are going through ok, unless there is something about these "things" packages that lets someone tell what it is, or the postage has happened to be more special on it but only for these.

In my experience, destroyed package remnants still arrive either to the recipient or the sender. I have received just the top corner of a box back before....

I would suggest looking at what you are doing with those items to see if there is something about that item shipped however you are shipping it that might be the cause???

[ricarmic]

Also if that is the only item you call a "childs outfit" change the wording to "small clothes" or something different that isn't lying to see if that is what is causing the problem...

[ricarmic]

Hi Pocomo - IMO it is dangerous to use "pretty" stamps to most of the "scary" countries as it does draw attention to the package.

I personally use nondescript stamps on anything to latin america, any iron curtain countries, most asian countries (Japan is ok) for that reason unless it is tracked.

[pocomocomputing]

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@ricarmic wrote:
Hi Pocomo - IMO it is dangerous to use "pretty" stamps to most of the "scary" countries as it does draw attention to the package.

I personally use nondescript stamps on anything to Latin America, any iron curtain countries, most Asian countries (Japan is OK) for that reason unless it is tracked.

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I did ship to old iron curtain countries using "pretty" stamps. Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic for a few. Also to South Korea in Asia. No more than 1,2,3 packages for each country over the years. The buyer in Czech Republic messaged me that he sold the stamps on his package to a friend who was a stamp collector to get back a few $ on his purchase. I must have had 30+ stamps on that package, lol.

I used to be more careful when putting on the stamps for packages outside of Canada and the USA but now I just make it fit on the package to take as many lower denomination stamps as possible. I also try to not overlap and keep blocks together. Just in case the buyer is a collector. I did have a USA buyer thank me for the stamps in my feedback as his mother in law collected stamps. (I do remove the detachable perfs borders on stamps to use less room on the package to fit more stamps.)

[velvetfinch]

Yes, Pocomocomputing, all packages sent that were lost had the pretty stamps.  The only time I don't use stamps is when something is really big and can't go in the light/small packet category, or when it is really pricey and has to have insurance.

[velvetfinch]

ricarmic, there is nothing at all different on the outside on these packages that could be attracting the same person. I have other items of children's clothing that I sell (different brands) that have got through just fine. It is just so weird it is hurting my brain!  I will try to change the customs description anyway as you suggest.

[pocomocomputing]

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@velvetfinch wrote:

Yes, Pocomocomputing, all packages sent that were lost had the pretty stamps.  The only time I don't use stamps is when something is really big and can't go in the light/small packet category, or when it is really pricey and has to have insurance.

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I reread the topic but did not find this question asked or answered.

Do you drop in the corner mailbox or at a post office?

Can you change where you put the items in the mail?

[velvetfinch]

These ones I specifically remember taking in to the post office because there were so many.  I usually do a combination of both though, sometimes in to the post office, sometimes to the mailbox.

[pocomocomputing]

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@velvetfinch wrote:

These ones I specifically remember taking in to the post office because there were so many.  I usually do a combination of both though, sometimes in to the post office, sometimes to the mailbox.

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Is it a Canada Post branch or a Retail Post Office (Shoppers Drug Mart)? (I reread the topic and did not see this asked as far as I can tell.)

Since it may be that post office problem (thief, poor sorting/handling, whatever) where you brought the items, can you go to another post office in the future? I have 4 or 5 locations near me if I ever need to go. One Canada Post branch (useless because of short daytime hours and no weekend / holidays) and Retail Post Office in 7-11 and Shoppers Drug Mart here. The 7-11 retail PO is great because they are open until 9 pm Mon-Sat and Sundays reduced hours, others close at 7 pm, closed or reduced hours Sat Sun. But I sell so little, I drop in corner mailbox and only take Tracked Packet, Expedited Parcel to a Post Office for an acceptance scan.

[velvetfinch]

Oh, and if anyone is interested, this is the exact reply I rec'd from Canada Post.

"Thank you for writing to Canada Post regarding the status of your items.
I see you used Small Packet International and Light Packet international services to mail these packages. These services do not offer a tracking number, and therefore cannot be tracked. I do apologize but these are services that we are unable to trace or put a trace on. There is not any insurance or liability on these types of services either.  I would like to mention that Small Packet and Light Packet services can also take longer than expected to be delivered despite our estimated timeframe. I would like to assure you I am sure your items will arrive (as long as they are addressed correctly) it may just take some time.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reply to this email at service@canadapost.ca.
 
Yours truly,
 
Customer Service
Canada Post
service@canadapost.ca

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[velvetfinch]

I use the Shoppers Drug Mart postal outlet right near my house.  I suppose I could try another postal outlet.  Thanks for the tips / advice.  I appreciate it.

[momcqueen]

This entire situation sets my blood to boil on your behalf. I have copied a link to this thread to the ebay-initiated http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Share-Your-Shipping-Labels-User-Stories/m-p/318205/highli... thread. Is there any way that you can raise this with ebay Canada staff today at Board Hour? Are you available on Wednesdays during the day? It starts at 1 pm (or sooner) EST/EDT.