Canada Post website, January 14, 2013

[cumos55]

Interesting results showing....on the Canada Post website....

(1) Tracked Packet  has a fuel surcharge added on

(2) Shipping to the USA

shows Tracked Packet International 

as well as Tracked Packet USA

(2) Small Packet USA surface not showing..

Goes contrary to the fact that Small Packet USA Surface would be available until February 11

and

Tracked Packet USA would not be available until February

Website does not agree with announcements....

Maybe Canada Post should have introduced Tracked Packet in August 2012

and then remove Small Packet today.....

Do the same as .....Expedited Parcel USA which was adjusted in August a few years back....

[toff3]

JT,

You really shouldn't think of postal prices with GST included. This can be misleading.

That said, why are you surprised prices have increased? Canada Post raising prices in January is as inevitable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.

More to the point, why is Canada Post charging prices that are higher than the published ones?

Tom  

[jt-libra]

You really shouldn't think of postal prices with GST included. This can be misleading.

That said, why are you surprised prices have increased? Canada Post raising prices in January is as inevitable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.

More to the point, why is Canada Post charging prices that are higher than the published ones?

Tom  

When I'm listing shipping costs, I always calculate with the GST ... so, in my mind, the cost of shipping a light packet went up 18 cents, in my reality.

My post did say that I was aware of the Canada Post increases ... my surprise was that I had not read about the increase to the light packet.

[doumb21]

The new price for Light Packet is "kind of" a not so bad news for small sellers like me.

I often have to send 2 items to USA in a day.

It used to cost 2.48 + 2.48 = 4.96

Because it is under 5$ I had to pay tax, bringing the total to 5.70

But now 2.65 + 2.65 = 5.30

It is over 5$ so I do not pay tax.

Bang !! I save 0.40 everytimes I have to send 2 envelops in a day.

If I only sell 1, yes it cost me 19 cents more.  But the savings made on a 2-envelop shipment to USA cover for two 1-envelop shipment.

In a long run, I think I will save on shipping even if the unit price is higher.

[toff3]

Jt,

I know what you mean but still you should compare base prices,  not prices inclusive of tax. If you mail several taxable items out of the country at the same time and the total postage exceeds $5.00, you don't pay tax on any of them.

Also, the tax rate may change from one year to the next so any comparison year-over-year falls apart.

As to your surprise that Light Packet rates increased, I think you can take it as a given that Canada Post makes sure the price of every service increases annually.

Tom

[toff3]

The Card,

Hoo boy, that's a bit of a stretch...That's certainly not the way I would look at a price increase.

What I find inexcusable is that Canada Post is charging a rate that differs from that published on their website and printed in their Postal Prices leaflet.

Tom

[Anonymous]

I never rely on Canada Post website as they continue to give out wrong information all the time.  I use PayPal Shippng and did purchased 2 shipping labels.

No more Small Packets Surface.  It is insane that Canada Post would retire it and then wait to offer us Tracked Pack until next month.  Why not offer us NOW?!!

I see the increased postage rates.

Here I go again having to revise everything.  I did revised them last summer when I had too many buyers complaining about the shipping costs so I added the other option which was Surface Small Packets and now I have to revise them once again!!  I am too nervous to offer the Light Packet Air as it doesn't include insurance.  

I had too many "where is my item?" the last 12 months which was the highest in my 5 years as a seller and I had to file for claims with Canada Post too often.  Now they retired the Surface Small Packet and offer us Tracked Packet which is double that will hurt my business.  It is insane to think Canada Post can do that and get away it.  We need to vent that complain on Feedback.

I read somewhere here that someone should vent it on Feedbcak and I haven't see it being done.  Why not do it and maybe it may be a success to get Canada Post to rethink??

I wouldn't mind Tracked Packet but they could at least offer the postage rates of Surface Small Packet rates with a little increase for the first year but not to jump like double or more!!

[jt-libra]

As to your surprise that Light Packet rates increased, I think you can take it as a given that Canada Post makes sure the price of every service increases annually.

Quite correct 🙂

[forester_studios]

Canada Post's 2013 changes to their shipping services have got to be the biggest mess I've ever seen related to selling on ebay. X-(

The new "Tracked Packet" rates are so high that I doubt I will use them.  Before the changes I could send a magazine with insurance coverage to the UK for about $10 to $20 depending on weight by Small packet air. 

Now if I want coverage I have to send by Tracked packet at a cost of around $44 to $47. 😮  No buyer is ever going to pay that kind of shipping cost.  So basically I have the choice of sending overseas with no coverage or no longer selling overseas at all. 

What's really annoying is I don't need tracking if I have insurance.  Seems to me Canada post is making a big cash grab attempt with the new Tracked packet.  I bet a lot of sellers won't pay those high fees.  Wonder how many will simply stop shipping to overseas destinations?

[pocomocomputing]

What's really annoying is I don't need tracking if I have insurance.  Seems to me Canada post is making a big cash grab attempt with the new Tracked packet.  I bet a lot of sellers won't pay those high fees.  Wonder how many will simply stop shipping to overseas destinations?

Or if you have tracking, you do not need insurance.

In the USA with USPS, they have "tracking" or more correctly delivery confirmation available on most services for free or 19 cents for items shipped within the USA when using eBay/PayPal shipping labels.  In those ebay USA forums they recommend no insurance because of the DC for most items.  Insurance is recommended for more expensive items if really lost or damaged.  Damage claims apparently are hard to win with USPS because they will say the item is not packed properly which most likely is true many times. If the item is over $250 USD (actually the PayPal transaction value), then for PayPal seller protection, Signature Confirmation is required by PayPal.

As for no insurance on Small Packets, I think one of the reasons why Canada Post dropped insurance on the service was that they were too many claims and payouts.  Buyers learned to scam with Item Not Received claims to get the item free and sellers got their money back from the PO.

Tracked Packet with DC and insurance means a lot less payouts for false INR claims because of the DC. So insurance claims should be less. From Canada Posts point of view, they will save on insurance claims. Hopefully they took this into account when pricing the service.

[cumos55]

For Canadian sellers, Paypal requires signature confirmation if the the total of item price and shipping cost is over $325.00 Canadian.

Recently did a search to confirm this...

[cumos55]

Many sellers have used Small Packet Air  to the US and Internationally.

The transition to Tracked Packet, USA and International is not perceived as a big step in cost....

[forester_studios]

[/quote]

Tracked Packet with DC and insurance means a lot less payouts for false INR claims because of the DC. So insurance claims should be less. From Canada Posts point of view, they will save on insurance claims. Hopefully they took this into account when pricing the service.

[/quote]

Apparently they didn't as it will cost me 2 to 4 times more money if I send a magazine by "Tracked Packet" if I want coverage than by Small Packets which has no coverage.  So as a seller I pay alot more or take all the risk if a buyer says INR.  So either way the sellers get the short end of the stick.

[forester_studios]

Many sellers have used Small Packet Air  to the US and Internationally.

The transition to Tracked Packet, USA and International is not perceived as a big step in cost....

I think paying 2 to 4 times more to get insurance coverage wilh Tracked packet IS a huge increase over what was previously available with Small packets.

[cumos55]

Clarification... For the  0.5 to 1.0 kg weight range...

Talked to a seller earlier today.

Admittedly for lower weight items... Things look to be very painful....

[toff3]

As for no insurance on Small Packets, I think one of the reasons why Canada Post dropped insurance on the service was that they were too many claims and payouts. 

Poco,

I doubt that. Losses in the mail are negligible. I am quite sure the number of INR cases reported on eBay doesn't amount to a hill of beans when viewed against the total number of shipments. If every eBay seller who shipped a Small Packet that was successfully delivered reported it to the Discussion Forum, the site would blow up because of the overload.

It didn't bother me one bit that Canada Post dropped the insurance coverage on Small Packets because it had only benefited me twice in 12 years of trading. What did bother me was that CP did not lower the rate, or at least keep it the same, to compensate.

No, I think Canada Post cut the insurance coverage purely and simply as a minor cost-cutting measure. CP has nickel-and-dimed us for years, they'll continue to nickel-and-dime us.

Tom  

[raanana]

Since 2001 all  (100%) of my small packets were delivered.I could sllepwell with $100 insurance.Not anymore,for the same price I have no insurance,not fair to say at least.

NI'm sorry,but new Tracked packet is simply a nasty joke (to say polite) from Canada Post .Only 21 country on a list !! It is 21st Cent.and only 21 country can support tracking system ?

How many ship to Luxembourg,Croatia or Latvia ?

What are my options now  for overseas mail? Ship bigger and heavier items as registerd and pay about $20 for $60 insurance ,-not even funny.Surface parcel overseas,way to long and expensive as well.Air,even more expensive.

It looks like the only solution is takea  risk and shipp regular mail or small uninsured packets.

😞

[toff3]

Raanana,

You write, since 2001 ALL your Small Packets were delivered. Judging by your feedback score, you're a high-volume seller so that statistic you quoted has real meaning. But then you go on to say, now that Canada Post has withdrawn insurance coverage from Small Packets, you'll have to "risk" sending mail uninsured.

What risk??

What's the big deal? Is this the end of the world as we know it?

If, inexplicably, lack of insurance keeps you awake at night, then self-insure or use a third party.

You're dead right about Tracked Packet. For USA we already have what is essentially the same service (Expedited Parcel) and Internationally, the rates are significantly higher than the already outrageous Small Packet Air rates and the number of participating countries is far too restricted. Tracked Packet is a (bad) joke.

Tom

[toff3]

I see that Canada Post has corrected the Light Packet USA rates in the Business Prices 2013 document.

However, the Small Packet Surface USA rates listed (as valid to Feb 11) are 2012 rates. Cumos was quoted $12.98 for a 0.8 kg packet by his local postal outlet; the 2012 rate was $12.66.

Tom

[cumos55]

Paid $12.98 for Small Packet USS surface  on Tuesday January15...

[albeethere1]

I totally agree with you as far as another cash grab.  In all my years on-line, I have never had one issue with small packet, either air or surface.  I am going to offer the trackable service but am also going to state that if they choose the lesser non-insured route, I will not be liable if it is lost or not received.  I will always refund for damage (none to date!).  I only hope that the scammers out there will not take advantage of this.....if it becomes an issue, this service will be removed.  Wishing everyone luck with the changes!