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www-labels4less-com · ‎09-27-2003

An xpresspost shipment I sent was 1.3kg. It was 27cm x 17cm x 8cm. I am on level 2 and used my VCD desktop software. Shipping should have been $16.85.
I received my statement today from post. There was an "adjustment" done and the adjusted size was 80cm x 53cm x 24cm. The adjusted cost of shipping this fairly small parcel was $96.78!!!!!

Called my rep and was told that the new equipment doesn't make mistakes. I explained that I have no boxes that are almost 3 feet wide! Was told that there is "not much" that post can do. My rep explained to me that last time this happened (yes there was a last time!) she sent me 5 prepaid xpresspost envelopes at no charge BUT that she can't do it again.

I sent a fax to her manager explaining in detail the whole situation. Even went as far as photocopying the contents of what I shipped (30 small rolls of labels).
I am noticing tons of adjustments and cubes recently and I am considering alternatives. I still want to ship by Xpresspost but I think I will start bringing my Xpressposts to the post office directly . I will also look into the cost of prepaid envelopes to see if my products will fit.

can-import · ‎09-27-2003

Thats Canada Post. Is that me or we usually have problems with them? Thats what we call "monopoly". If they decide something, you cant do anything about it.

Had problems with:
-tracking numbers
-delay
-fees
-etc...

Too bad, we have to work with it... no alternative!

treasure-pot · ‎09-27-2003

Labels4less, as much as I hate the hassel of trudging through the local RPO with all my packages, your problem with CanadaPost is the main reason why I am reluctant to get automated and arrange for pick-up with them. I get a lot of odd size packages that, I know, slip under the radar but I'm convinced that would all end if I make the change. I frequently ship one package that "just" makes it as a small packet to the USA. The postage triples if this item does not ship as a small packet.

I've noticed that one of my competitors has made a switch to DHL and I'm giving serious consideration to that change. CanadaPost will never get serious about customer service.

Bill

e-scrooge · ‎09-27-2003

DHL's pretty expensive though, I thought. That's why I use Canada Post, because UPS/Fedex/DHL shipping turns buyers off sub-$100 items. I use courier by default for things over $200 though.

I heard from a Canada Post rep at the local postal depot here, that CP is going to begin to return packages to sender with insufficient postage - if the package was undercharged at the post office by mistake by the postal rep, which happens all the time. What a joke.

cmagor-ctvi · ‎09-27-2003

Hey, Labels, you didn't mention if that package was shipped within Canada or going to the states, but for me FedEx Ground service is a great alternative. I'm not good with metric measurements, but the most frequent sized box I ship is 16 x 10 x 10 inches, weighing about 3 lbs and I ship them all over the place charging my Canadian customers US$10.00 and US$13.00 for the Americans. I make money at these prices and my buyers are generally ecstatic with the speed of delivery. I'm near Windsor, ON and just about everything this side of about Kingston is overnight delivery and costs me about CA$8.70 - of this $2.00 is for residential delivery, so if you're selling to businesses, which seems likely given what you sell, you would have this add-on!

If you ship 15 or more packages a week they will pick up free of charge daily (I don't, so I drop off at the depot). It does get a bit pricey if delivery is rural or remote, with about an $8.00 add-on, but I usually collect that from the customer (and have never had a complaint) and even when one slips by me it's covered by what I have made on other shipments.

The other thing with a courier company is that you can ball-park the weight! How many times have you had a package that weighs 5 grams over the cut-off point for Canada Post and up goes the price? I've never had the weight of a package questioned and I'm sure on occasion my guesstimate has been under the actual weight.

I've been told that Canpar is worth looking into as well, and that they will pick up with no minimum requirement, but I am happy enough with FedEx that I've not taken the time to check them out.

Chris.

cmagor-ctvi · ‎09-27-2003

Oops! Shipping to a business address you wouldn't have the $2.00 add-on.

Chris.

stats-one · ‎09-27-2003

lables:

Just put in a claim.

Sales reps never give credit for mistakes or insurance claims.

www-labels4less-com · ‎09-28-2003

I'll wait and see what my reps manaager states. 80% of my parcels are small packet and I ship by air. When a customer buys 2 I have been shipping xpresspost and explaining that I am unable to combine shipping. Nobody has complained.

If shipping fedex to the U.S. does the customer have a brokerage fee?

cmagor-ctvi · ‎09-28-2003

They are only likely to run into a brokerage fee on items over US$200.00 - some of my items get into that territory. The FedEx charge at that price range as far as I know is $16.00, then there's any duty or customs charges to be paid in addition to that. I have no idea how USPS handles shipments valued in this range to be able to compare.

Chris.

jewelbay · ‎09-28-2003

labels

I'm having all kind of nightmares with canada Post lately. One problem is

Their online manifest site been stalling midway through an transaction and sometimes I get ding for shipping something Itwice, then I have to go the route of phoning them, explaining to them..blah blah blah..all takes time..

etc etc etc...I wish canada Post would get their act together. They pitiful. What a disgrace for a Post office.

your-chic-shopper · ‎09-28-2003

What you need to do is go Above the Rep's head ...Yes thye make mistakes and will continue ..I sent a parcel of 900g and they charged me 900 kg . Guess what Canada Post id not allowed to ship 900 kg . There is no rate for it , call the office and I will give you the # to the head of all the reps in B.C

brcyclesalvage · ‎09-29-2003

On the topic of express post...I ship my parcels Expedited Parcel in Canada. I've noticed no real time differences than express post. I've even sent one of each to a location and they arrived at the same time.

Ryan

brownboxit · ‎09-30-2003

My own experience is that xpresspost is faster than expedited.

I really want to automate it with the shipping tools, but I'm put off by that broker combo for commercial expedited. My items are usually under $20 - I don't need any more fees, CP is brutal - so inefficient. I'm reluctant to go through the process of getting the accnt / software too.

your-chic-shopper · ‎09-30-2003

My Canada Post Rep said they were going to change the VCD program to also include items under the value of 200.00 would not have the brokerage fee. To ground parcels over 1kg to the USA. The vhage is happening in Oct

cyrus0027 · ‎09-30-2003

The cubing of the boxes is driving me insane, and there is no consistency to their methods. I've shipped about 300 items with them so far and they have lost 5. How's that for a nice ratio.

amberwoodottawa · ‎10-23-2003

Monopoly is the word. I shipped 2 guitars to the same person in the smae state in the same size package. The first one I was charged actual weight with a $36 bill and the next week I was charged $189 based on cubic size.

Over a 2 month period, I shipped out 28 violins, all the same size and same weight and was billed 21 different weights by Canada Post.

When I raise this with my rep, he says, its out of my hands. So hands is it to be in? How do estimate what I should charge my customer who we must collect shipping charges from in advance.

If the differencew were small (say $1 or less) I could live with it but sometimes the difference in the way they elect to charge for an item can mean a $30 difference between what I billed the customer and what Canada Post bills me.

There is no question, from the attitude of the people there, that they are not interestsed in how business operates. They forget that all they are is a service to us, we are not a service to them.

Can you imagine if we treated our customers the same way they treat us.

Has anyone, as an example, ever tried to bill a customer for fuel surcharge?

I have honestly thought about a weekly 45 minute drive to the US border to mail my items from the US to the US and maybe even to Canada.

www-labels4less-com · ‎10-23-2003

"Over a 2 month period, I shipped out 28 violins, all the same size and same weight and was billed 21 different weights by Canada Post"

Incredible.

"When I raise this with my rep, he says, its out of my hands. "

THIS is the only consistancy I have found with Canada Post.

amberwoodottawa · ‎10-23-2003

I guess I should be appreciative for any consitency coming from Canada Post at all right?!

your-chic-shopper · ‎10-23-2003

amberwoodottawa

Your Rep is taking the easy way out . Tell your Rep if they do not do somthing about it . You will go above thier head too their boss and report him for not doing his job .

It's your business do not take it lightly . I got the head guys # for www-labels4less-com when his rep told him the same story . Your Rep is thier to help you , it's his dam Job

Tell your Rep to come and see the boxes , I once had a Rep tell me they were to busy too come to my office . My New Rep told me it's CP job too come too your office, too help you

If you get the run around ....click on my Ebay me page ...then click on my web site ...my 1 800 # is thier give me a call . I will find your Rep and give you the # of the person above him