Nonstandard & Oversize Lettermail

[sylviebee]

I don't ship much within Canada and consequently I don't really understand nonstandard and oversize letterman.

I have a buyer form way the heck up North BC and shipping is expensive.

The package would weigh under 100 grams and a very generous 2mm thick .............. a used ladies compact.  I would need a lot of padding.

Would this qualify as nonstandard letterman?  

The CPO quote for regular mail is around $17 and Oversize is under $3.  If it's former I can't accept the offer but if it's the latter I can.

[toff3]

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@ypdc_dennis wrote:

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@toff3 wrote:

... These regulations lead to the absurdity of the Light Packet, used for shipment of non-paper-based products outside Canada. A Light Packet is physically identical (same weight and dimension limits) to a Non-standard or Oversize Letter and is transmitted by the same means (air) but postage rates for the two differ wildly. CP treats Light and Small Packets as Parcels ...

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For mail outside Canada/USA once you get over 100g, lettermail is no longer the cheap option.

Canada Post 2016 International rates:

Arranged in order of cheapest choice.

000-030g ..  2.50 .. lettermail (stamps)
031-050g ..  3.60 .. lettermail (stamps)
051-100g ..  5.90 .. lettermail (stamps)
101-200g ..  8.78 .. Light Packet
201-250g ..  9.78+ . Small packet (air)
251-300g .. 13.46 .. Light Packet
301-500g .. 19.55+ . Small packet (air)

500g-1kg .. 38.34+ . Small packet (air)

1.0-1.5kg .. 47.98+ . Small packet (air)

1.5-2.0kg .. 57.62+ . Small packet (air)

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Dennis,

Your table doesn't take into account the restrictions to Canada Post's lettermail category (Lettermail (domsetic) and Letter-post (international). It also gives no indication of the bizarre rate differences between mail pieces of identical dimensions and weight.

To compare an apple with an apple, let's look at a letterpost (in the UPU sense) mail piece 2 cm thick sent from Germany to Canada by air by Deutsche Post:

Weight 1 - 500 g:  3.70 euro (EUR) or Canadian $ (CAD) 5.35 (at current exchange rate). CP rate Canada-Germany by air up to $20.60 for a Non-standard O/S Letter, up to $24.57 for a Light Packet, and up to $19.55 for a Small Packet.

Weight 501 - 1000 g: EUR7.00 or $10.12. CP Small Packet $38.34.

Weight 1001 - 2000 g: EUR17.00 or $24.57. CP Small Packet up to $57.62.

Note the simple rate structure of Deutsche Post: three weight ranges, three rates.

And, of course, compare the German rates with the Canadian ones... and weep.

Have a good weekend.

Tom

[cumos55]

All lettermail must fit through the slot....  a plate with an opening 20 mm wide...

Also when .lettermail is sent internationally it must show the content... using a small packet form.

and if it contains something other than paper... It goes Light Packet... 

[sylviebee]

The average Canadian isn't aware of these little variations for what qualifies as letterman.  I ship every single day and I wasn't aware of everything.

Under these conditions enforcing these rules would be difficult at best, and also unfair.   No one would own one of these little store purchased "slots" unless shipping is their business.

The slots in the red boxes vary enough in size to matter, and a lot of packages have enough "give" to make these rules confusing for anyone.

[triber]

Many years ago my husband took a piece of thick card to the post office and traced around the slot opening onto it, and came home and cut it out for me, I am still using it, and have NEVER had a package returned for insufficient postage.