CANADA POST SCREWS US YET AGAIN

[hdwrench1]

HI All,
I got the word today from the Canada Post Outlet that ALL packages are now going to be charged the cubed weight.
SO what I used to be able to ship as a small package to the US weighting under 500 grams in an 8x6x6 box is now going to cost $8.50. Get this .....length x width x height= divided by 6000 = cubed weight Even if the box weights 200 grams the rate is $8.50


Another *&%#ing over by Canada Post.

hdwrench1

[llee2]

hdwrench1,

Another thing that makes me think that the postal clerk screwed up. In an automated CP system, when the measurements are entered in the computer, it spits out the shipping methods available and corresponding prices. Your parcel should have been $3.35. Now, since you were incorrectly cubed for a small packet, I'm wagering the post office you use doesn't have the automated system. ie. the clerk has to look up the prices in a CP book for the method you choose to ship. Keep your receipt and call CP to tell them what happened. They should (and probably will) cut you a cheque for the overpayment.

Lincoln

[www_pixelbarrel_com]

I'm not entirely sure how shipping it once a week so it gets to our American buyers in 3-5 days is better for the buyer considering we usually ship within 1-2 days of receiving payment. Now if we shipped only once a week from, say Niagara Fallas, NY or Buffalo, a person who pays us may have to wait 6 days before we actually ship the item...meaning he/she won't receive the item until 9 to 11 days since he/she paid us. I loathe auctions that state that they ship only once a week.

Had we sent it Expedited, it would have arrived in 6-9 days or had we sent it small packet air, it would have arrived in approximately 5-9 days. (That's been our usual delivery time for those two services -- California being the exception.)

We are also in Richmond Hill and driving once a week to the border would probably take 1.5-2 hours...and lots of aggravation. 4 hours of driving (to and fro) would not make it worth it for me...especially with the cost of gas these days. Now if I was living right on the border and it was nothing to cross over, I'd be singing a different tune. 😉

CM

[designr-splurge]

You don't have any problems going across the border with a large number of items. Don't they ask you if you have anything to declare. What do you say? I can understand doing this for a few items if you live close. But if you are travelling a great distance with a truckload to make it worthwhile, I assume under this scenario you have some explaining to do.

[phoebescollectables]

My one experience is that it is quite simple going across the border. I called ahead to make sure I knew what I was doing. Because it was my first time I still went into US customs for help with the form (Yes, I did declare everything). There are 2 different forms depending if the items are duty free or not. If an individual shipment is under $200 US then they are duty free. You can have 10 packages worth $200 each as long as they are all going to different addresses.

I just had to fill out where they were going and what was in the box. I already had the postage on the box (endicia.com). I had to pay a $5 US fee (tax deductable) for clearing it thru customs. I drove to the post office and gave them the packages. It was just too easy!!!!

For your drive you would have to check the costs and see if the shipping differences is worth it. You may also want to consider bringing packages for other people ($1 a package).

In speaking with the customs officer, it was obvious that I was not the only person doing this. This happens on a regular basis.

[rd1000]

Each package is individually addressed, so the value for duty is based on the value of each package. You have to have invoices showing the value of each package and the addressee. If a package goes over $200.00, then there may be duties charged to the recipient.

You have fill out a manifest (very easy) if the collective total of your items is under $2000.00. Over $2000.00 there is a different procedure and manifest that I am not familiar with. As soon as I have $2000.00 worth of packages, I go.

It saves a lot of money. Customs are becoming very familiar with this as many people are doing it. Canada Post does not comprehend the law of diminishing returns IMO. Then again, they don't have to worry about it.

[designr-splurge]

Just imagine you start mailing out packages for other people and you don't know the contents or you are mislead as to the contents.

[shooger]

auctiondropship saves $2000 a month by doing this. If he saves $2 on every package, that means he's shipping 1000 packages a month! Wow!

You must be really busy! How come your feedback isn't like over a million yet? 😛

[shoplineca]

I told my CP rep last year about the increase in Cdn Power Sellers and other businesses taking their packages across the border on a weekly basis and he concurred he and CP were well aware of it. So what did CP do about it? They raised their prices to the remaining Canadian customers last January 12th.

The biggest difference I have seen, and is somwehat related to the topic of this thread is with respect to cubing.

When CP introduced it last year, my items were being picked up and 'cubed' at the main postal station. So I began taking my larger items to postal outlets and each one I went to, the clerks pulled out their measuring tapes and 'cubed' my parcels.

Now none of my items are being cubed at any of the postal outlets I take them to. What went from being an almost religious frenzy of having 2 postal clerks trying to figure the cubed size of a guitar from a year ago is now nothing more than placing my instruments onto a scale and plugging in the actual weight.

I also found that close to 75% of my items sent to the main postal station were no longer being cubed.

Lets face it, there was no incentive for inside workers to spend 10 minutes per package cubing everything and then face the rath of their bosses that they were only able to process 1/3 of the mail they normally would have handled.

While cubing became a cash cow for CP I also think that it became a great burden on their staff and they were not able to handle it properly and efficiently. That is not to say that it may not be done from time to time, its just that I am able to clear about 90% of my items without having them cubed (and most of what I ship are at least 2'-3' in height).

Malcolm

[rd1000]

Hopefully it will continue like that for you Malcolm. I send parcels within Canada under 1 kg. My postal outlet was measuring only when it went over 1 kg. After about 10 months, Canada Post called them and told them to start measuring every package. They specifically mentioned my name. Now I have to make sure the cube weight of each box is under 1 kg as well or I pay more.

They also told her there is a minimum size for expedited parcels. So I have to get boxes that are a minimum size yet not so large as to be cubed over 1 kg.

I am tired of dealing with Canada Post. I go to the US and the parcels are put on the scale and the postage applied. Fast, easy and predictable. And cheap. It is a shame that it has to be so difficult to do business in this country.

[shoplineca]

I never deal with the same postal outlet and I no longer have my packages picked up by CP. I take my items to any one of 5 or 6 different outlets twice a week and none of them near each other.

I dont specifically drive out of my way but plan my day to drop off items when I am heading to different parts of the city on other business.

I live in the far south end of the city, have my inventory in the east end and am often in the west end so the number of different postal outets I pass on any given day can be quite a few.

With the majority of my customers now being Canadians, the US trip is not an option given my current volumes.

I also have to look at what I ship compared to many posting on this board. With my smallest item measuring about 2' in height, I have items as large as full sets of drums taking up 2 large boxes measuring close to 3' X 3' X 3'.

Malcolm

[auctiondropnship]

Expedited, it would have arrived in 6-9 days

If your packages are arriving in that time frame then that great. However 90% of the people using Canada Post complain about the arrival time frame to American .


The American Customs form to file out is here. Yes we do the volume . But we also do it off our web site and Ebay drop off Store

https://forms.customs.gov/customsrf/getformharness.asp?formName=cf-7533-print.xft&preference=PDF

[laplaya29]

I just came back from the Postal Outlet that I use, and they have a new rubber and ink stamp. They cubed my boxes for the first time in about a year since I started on e-bay. Everything today fell within the guidelines, but what if I have a 220 g small packet and it cubes out at 770 g.. the rate jumps from $5.05 to $11.40 for Air. The official Canada Post Rate Guide on their website says this package will cost me $5.05 to ship but the clerk is going to want $11.40. Shouldnt the rates on the website be in line with what the clerks are charging??

[phoebescollectables]

If your small packet fits within the small packet rate guide then it should go as a small packet.

[shooger]

There's that word again - "should". If things ran how they "should", this thread wouldn't be here. 😞

[www_pixelbarrel_com]

If your postal clerk is trying to cube your small packet and won't believe that it shouldn't be cubed, then take your package and go to another outlet...because they don't know what they're doing there.

It's not inconceivable that the clerk doesn't know what he or she is doing.

CM

[llee2]

I called Canada Post today and they confirmed that small packets are NOT cubed. A 220g package with dimensions falling into the small packet category ships to the US for $3.35 ground or $5.05 air. Cubing applies only to parcels (Expedited, Xpresspost, Priority, etc.)

[auctiondropnship]

Find that on the CP site and print it and take it in

[teaser777]

GOOD OL CP CHARGES 5.10 TO SHIP A PARCEL 15 BLOCKS IN TORONTO SAME PARCEL 5.60 TO OTTAWA AND TO FLORIDA OR CLIFORNIA 3.35 / TO ENGLAND 4.20 / 6.40 BY AIR / FOUND A SIMPLE REMEDY TOOK CDN SHIPPING OFF MY SITE NOW IF THEY'RE INTERESTED THEY EMAIL FOR A SHIPPING QUOTE / IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BUY IT

[rd1000]

I just came back from the post office. I had 2 small packets for overseas. The postal clerk measured them for MINIMUM and maximum size restrictions. She said the computer system now requires it, but it is not for cubing rates.

Although I can see that coming in the near future. I fear that is the next big rate hike.

Rob

[whoscloset]

At my outlet, if the package does not meet the minimum requirements the postal clerk just increases the size in the computer until it passes....Guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

Monique