Post Office Discrepancies on Letter Post?

[gilliankehler]

I occasionally sell small, thin items that can fit in a standard letter envelope (ie - earrings). Depending on which post office I go to and which postie is working, they will either let me ship it as letter mail, or they will make me ship it as small/light packet (can't remember which one they said it was). This makes the shipping cost jump by a few bucks, and when all I'm making is a few bucks profit, it really makes a difference. Occasionally I'll get asked if the contents are paper, not sure why that matters because from my perspective, if it fits through their little 2cm slot thingie, it should go letter mail, no?

Recently the guy tried charging me for small/light packet so I told him I would take it to a different post office where I know the lady, and she always ships it letter mail. She's been doing it for me for years; it's not a deal we have worked out or anything, it's just how she does it. He shrugged and gave me back the envelope. I took it to her and she frowned at it for a while, turned it over and poked at it a bit, said she would ship it as letter mail but then charged me for small/light packet without explaining. I didn't bother questioning her, just paid up, left, and considered her a lost asset. Lol.

Anyone else have experience dealing with this?

[pierrelebel · Accepted solution]

" from my perspective, if it fits through their little 2cm slot thingie, it should go letter mail, no?"

Yes and no

If mailed within Canada yes - and it fits within the 20mm slot, it can go lettermail, regardless of content.

If mailed to the USA or overseas no - the envelope should go as "light packet" if it contains merchandise.  "Documents" (presumably "paper") can go as letterpost.

Those are the regulations. It does not matter if I agree with them or not. Many sellers have been known to mail "merchandise" as letterpost to the USA and overseas by simply affixing the correct postage for letterpost on the envelope (if no more than 20mm thick) and dropping it in the mailbox.

[avenueshopswapsell]

Seems weird...I thought that if it fit and was under a certain weight that it can be shipped lettermail....

I had a postie at a different office than my regular office tell me that I would not get a receipt if the item was being shipped within Canada, I knew it was wrong, but I was in a hurry so I said whatever.  Turns out she didn't scan it at all, so no originating scan 😞  Thankfully it did show up scanned at the next destination.

I don't know how well trained these folks are in the satellite offices, they do different stuff at every SDM.

[pierrelebel]

"if it fit and was under a certain weight that it can be shipped lettermail...."

If mailed within Canada, yes.

"... tell me that I would not get a receipt if the item was being shipped within Canada,"

The postal clerk was correct if mailed "lettermail".  You can only get a receipt for the purchase of the stamp(s) but there is no proof that you mail an envelope to anyone, unless you pay for registration (very expensive and not worth it).

"...she didn't scan it at all... it did show up scanned at the next destination."

???? How could you possibly know it was scanned if you had no receipt, therefore no tracking number?

[avenueshopswapsell]

It was a parcel, not lettermail, and I have the tracking number from Paypal where I printed the label.

[fornax1049]

The rules are clear...exactly as Pierre stated. That being said they are not always properly enforced. Someone I buy ink cartridges from mails them letter post always even tough they are at least 3 cm thick. His feedback is in the many thousands and he only sells ink cartridges and I have made about 8 purchases from him all sent letter mail. . At my small post office they are very strict and I have had a letter come back for being a half gram overweight.

[007steveb16]

As Pierre said, "Lettermail" is within Canada only. "Letterpost" is the US equivalent but you're only "supposed" to use it for paper items.

"Light Packet/Small Packet" is a US & International service only.

I think you're getting a few things mixed up and misunderstood.

[gilliankehler]

That clears it right up! Thank you!

[westernstargifts]

I have been shipping from the same postal outlet for 9 years and my smaller items were always shipped Light Packet to U.S. and international.  Recently DH mailed some packages for me and the clerk, not one of our usual ones, asked why we were shipping them to the U.S. for $5 when we could be shipping them as oversize lettermail.  He put them through as lettermail for the lower rate.

I had always been of the understanding that if the package contained goods it could not be shipped as lettermail outside of Canada. (as you stated Pierre)  I haven't received any back so far so I am assuming they went through but I could get nicked for shipping costs because the buyers were charged the higher rate.  The clerk had apparently worked in the store for a long time and presumably knew what he was talking about but obviously he doesn't know as much as he thought he did.

Another clerk sold DH some stamps which were supposed to be the $1.80 ones used for Lettermail in Canada.  After sending out a few packages using these stamps I happened to notice that he had mistakenly sold him the $1.20 ones intended for regular U.S. mail.  They haven't been returned to me either and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they aren't.

[pjcdn2005]

I had always been of the understanding that if the package contained goods it could not be shipped as lettermail outside of Canada. (as you stated Pierre)  I haven't received any back so far so I am assuming they went through but I could get nicked for shipping costs because the buyers were charged the higher rate. 

If you haven't gotten them back then they should be fine. I don't think that USPS or another international post office is going to collect money for postage that is owed to Canada Post.   

[maximus7001]

We ship most things by lettermail to everywhere if it fits through the 2cm slot. Never had an item come back.

It is the light packets that come back to my mailbox a week later because we forgot to thae a big red marker and write "to" and 'from" in big letters with big red arrows pointing to the address it is going to and the return address.

We find that 25% come straight back to out mailbox if we forget the red marker.

[canadian.tree]

Next time it happens speak up , most people here know the shipping rules better than un-regular Canada post employee . ( You should also go to the same Canada post if you can get to know the people it helps and makes it easier to communicate with them as acquaintances rather than just another customer! ) From my experience there is one lady who I see 80% of the time knows exactly what I want to do and it is a habit when I walk in. but sometimes she is away ( lunch break , day off ) . The other people who work the 20% of the time are shoppers employees who aren't sure what there doing (assuming you are shipping from a shoppers outlet ) . Can't blame them they are not even taught what to do one guy told me and he does it 2 times a week for 2 hours .. 

When I first started shipping I wasn't sure the prices and shipped 10 things as parcel before realizing I can get a better rate. But I never asked . If you don't tell them how you want it shipped they will assume to do parcel if it is not a thin piece of paper envelope !

[pjcdn2005]

I rarely/never buy postage in the outlet. I either use labels that I've printed online or stamps for lettermail that I've purchased previously. I