Canada Post Expedited Service Now Averaging 18-20 Days To US??

[snoopwiz]

Ever since early December, a vast majority of our shipments via Canada Post Expedited Service has been taking, on average, 18-20 days to the U.S. We are shipping from Toronto and it doesn't seem to matter if its going to New York, Florida, California or points in between. I can understand the holiday season back-log adding a few days however, phoning the Post Office for an explanation only seems to bring me a "it's not a guaranteed delivery time of 7-8 business days, thats just an estimate". When i asked why over 99% of all our packages to the US over the previous 2 years would arrive within the alloted 7-8 biz days, I was told that, I'm sorry, I really don't know and is there anything else I can help you with?"
Looking forward to hearing from others in similar (or not) situations with CP expedited service.

[belldandyrose]

Hello,

I had the exact same issue.
I mailed a parcel via expedited on January 3rd and it was received a couple of days ago 😞

The buyer was worried and I called CP and got the same response...

[momosworld]

Just to give you a heads-up as most counter reps dont know this, Expedited Parcel is actually "ground mail" with a tracking #

[vesivus]

And, for those that don't know, the EXPEDITED USA and the CANADIAN EXPEDITED services are guaranteed delivery times.

If the package doesn't arrive within the stated time (for us, it seems to be 11 days for most USA destinations), you can phone into Canada Post and get your shipping fees paid back.

John

[whoscloset]

If the package doesn't arrive within the stated time (for us, it seems to be 11 days for most USA destinations), you can phone into Canada Post and get your shipping fees paid back.

Not to the U.S. They will claim that it was held up in custom's which is out of their control.

[tobyshitzu]

Expedited USA is not gauranteed no matter what

postal guide:

"From 6 to 12 business days between major urban centres from Canada to the U.S.A. Business days do not include Saturdays, Sundays or statutory holidays.

These service standards are not guaranteed. Service standards are estimates of how long it will take for the mail to be delivered"


Which is very diffrent then xpresspost USA:

"On-time Guarantee: Xpresspost-USA includes an On-time Service Guarantee. Canada Post offers replacement service or credit equivalent to the shipment charges (transportation charges) if the customer’s shipment is not delivered on time, as measured against the published service standards for Xpresspost-USA and in accordance with the General Terms and Conditions."

[snoopwiz]

About 80% of what we ship weighs 25-40 lbs+ so Xpresspost is just out of the question, cost wise. I am in negotiations with Fed-Ex right now and, with their discount they have offered, thinking about switching our business to them. I have lived with CP's paltry 5% Venture discount for 2 years and have seen their delivery times become more sporadic, less dependable and their customer service agents leave a lot to be desired. We just might try Fed-Ex for a one month trial period and see how their rates/delivery time & Customer Service stands up agains CP. We can make our decision based on that. Anyone using Fed-Ex now and cares to comment? Thanks !!

[gifts_of_elegance]

I have recently sent a package to USA with FedEx, over-night delivery. I sent it Thursday for delivery on Friday. I was so very careful to fill out all the necessary documents, invoice and Customs Declaration and asked the driver twice to check it to make sure everything was in order. On Monday, I received a call from FedEx asking me to give them a value for the velvet box the necklace came in.(packaging) Tuesday I received another call asking what the necklace was made of (Swarovski crystal)It was finally delivered on Thursday. Cost of this service: $55

Had a similar experience with Purolator. Picked up at my house Thursday for Friday delivery. Didn't leave Canada until Friday, no delivery over week-end, customer not home Monday, re-delivered on Thursday. Also $55.
I talked with 3 different people and got three different excuses:
1) claimed item picked up at Post Office on Friday, not my house
2) claimed item had wrong shipping label and had to go to Purolator's office to get a new one causing one day delay
3) claimed it was picked up at my house on Friday, not Thursday. (It was picked up Thursday).

[chantalscraftycorner]

I have also had similar experiences with Expedited deliveries to the US. I was told the same thing as stated above, that Expedited is a fancy name for regular shipping with a basic tracking mechanism, that nothing was guaranteed. I shipped parcels out that took over 4 weeks to deliver, I had to field a bunch of emails and promise a refund within three weeks if the parcel hadn't arrived otherwise my buyers were going to leave negative feedback.

[alphaducentaure]

Hi.Canadapost seems more interested in raising cost than offering good reliable service.Recently i had many of my "expedited" shipping to US that took a month or more.The so called tracking give no real infos.This caused me lots of problem with buyers.

[snoopwiz]

Because of the long transit times, lack of informative on-line tracking, and relatively high costs involved with sending our larger items (which makes up approx 80% of our shipments) we contacted Fed-Ex, negotiated a favourable rate and now give all our larger shipment business to them. Before we made the leap, we spoke to CP to inquire about a better rate than the pitiful 5% that the Venture One Program offers and were very curtly told to "take it or leave it". So, we left it. For the meantime, we will still be giving our small packet biz to CP but hope to be able to have Fed-Ex extend our discounts to the under 1 kg packages we sometimes send, resulting in the loss of our CP business in full. We were averaging $600 - $1100 a month in CP charges, which apparently does not phase them in the least. We would have much preferred to give our support to a Canadian business however, the rates and service time difference was just too enticing so, good-bye CP (for the most part) hello Fed-Ex. Sorry it had to end up like this, old friend.

[ciderantiques]

Here is a simple solution and believe me it works ! Put an AIRMAIL sticker on your expedited parcel. Yes, the clerk will tell you that it isn't needed and will actually try to remove it. Tell him or her that it will save you 2 weeks, once it crosses the border.

All my parcels are arriving in 6 to 10 business days to the USA. Even California. I think the airmail sticker is the ticket ! No airmail sticker - it seems to default to surface mail once it crosses the border. It's worth a try and it has worked for me.

[bigvpotvan]

After 40 days(sent on January 4th) one of my package finally arrived today in Louisiana via Expedited Parcel from Toronto. Have to say this is the first one that took this long. Fortunately, buyer was very patient and understanding!

[tobyshitzu]

They should remove airmail stickers from expedited or bill the customer for xpresspost since expedited is intended to be surface...

[ciderantiques]

Re: surface mail. I have never been told expedited mail is meant to be surface mail. My expedited parcels are always put in the Airmail bag at my local post office. Canadapost (well, shall I clarify and say the clerks I deal with) treat these parcels as airmail, with or without the airmail sticker. They are certainly treated as surface mail once they cross the border. Thus the slow delivery times.

[ciderantiques]

p.s. the reason the clerks provide for not using the airmail sticker is duplication.

[tobyshitzu]

Expedited USA is the basic, ground service. Clearly explained on the website.

[wsboyd]

Got a phone # to order AIRMAIL stickers ?
B-)

[tobyshitzu]

You can order them on the website. They'll send them xpresspost, signature required. So if you aren't home you'll have to go to the post office to pick them up...which you could have done without ordering them.

[lina-mallows]

We too are experiencing the same problems.

Toronto to California- fourteen days, now twenty days- I could drive there and back faster!

I called Canada Post and complained that "EXPEDITED PARCEL" as a term, implies a degree of care, and concern, that is not accorded these packages, and as such the term is inappropriate.
Canada Post took my complaint, and issued me a Case number.
I await their response.
Depending on that reply, I will possibly escalate this complaint to the Canada Post Ombudsmen's Office, and Industry Canada.
The term "EXPEDITED", when used in the case of SURFACE- WHENEVER IT GETS THERE- IS OK WITH US- SERVICE is clearly False & Misleading !




THE MORE COMPLAINTS THE BETTER- please call Canada Post at 1-888-550-6333