Rotten Canada Post Software

[ospreylinks]

I received a note from Canada Post before Christmas that my agreement was being reviewed and I would no longer be able to use manual manifests after Jan. 19th.. (you all know, the $5.00 charge for manual manifests.... ).

In any event, I decided to try out the CP on-line service... it is cumbersome and slow and a real pain in the a$$. Not to mention, that it doesn't allow me to charge shipping to my CP account, but only to a credit card.

So I call CP techincal support to see what can be done, and the very helpful (and I mean that truthfully) lady on the other end indicates that I should download and install the CP desktop shipping software.

So I go ahead and download and install it....go to do two shipping orders tonight and I struggled through 45 minutes of hell (when manually I would have had them both done in 5 minutes with time for a washroom break).

So who here is using this crappy software.... when I click on it to load, it takes 3-5 minutes just to load, then when you mouse-over the menu options the fonts are distorted and you can't read them.....

Anyways, call going out to CP in the AM and they can take this crappy software and shove it....

From here on I'm taking all my parcels with addresses on them, dropping them at my Canada Posts counter with my V1 card and get my discount that way and they can do the paperwork.... If they want me to do the keypunching for them, they better give me better and faster tools.

Jeff

[your-chic-shopper]

you all know, the $5.00 charge for manual manifests.... ).

`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

The only charge for 5.00 is for bulk letter mail . There have been no reports in thte form of a letter to any customers reguarding tghis charge

There are a few customers who use the program on the powerseller board ..I for one hate the program ..but there are others whom love it

Why not call Canada post and tell them you do notyt have access to the internet ..Then they have to let you do the manifest manuually

[ospreylinks]

Actually, it was my Post-Master at my post office who told me that they were to start collecting a $5.00 fee on manual manifests.... not applying to bulk letter mail, but any manual manifest will be charged 5 bucks!

Jeff

And the software is still crappy!!!!! crappy crappy crappy!!!!

[rd1000]

I tried the on-line software once. After 30 minutes of frustration, I took my parcels to the post office and never looked back.

[ospreylinks]

Actually the on-line isn't too bad, a little slower and more cumbersome than doing manual manifests, the main beef I have with it is that it will not allow me to charge to my account (only a credit card) and it processes a charge for every single item (instead of batching and putting through one charge for multiple items).

But the desk-top software is brutal......

Back in 1995, UPS introduced their first desk-top shipping tools. I remember it was so cumbersome, it would take me about 45 minutes to do one parcel (PC's weren't quite as powerful back then, and if you were not running state of the art equipment, it bogged). I contacted UPS and asked what kind of discount we were getting for doing their keypunching for them, and they said no discount at all.... immediately threw out the software and let my UPS route driver do all the paperwork from there on in....

With the CP desktop crap, I feel as though I am in a time warp, back to 1995 and my old 386 machine trying to do this electronic shipping.....

Jeff

[amberwoodottawa]

As posted before I am unable to use the desktop software for my musical instruments however if the comics take off I will give it a try.

I just received a huge role of generic blank labels from CP and I have a couple of special label printers made specifically for these types of labels.

I told my CP rep, after he again insisted that I use the desktop manifest system, that I would meet him half-way but would never be able to use it for my instrument business.

Well lokking at how well my comics are selling, its going to be a long while before i get to try out those labels and CP's desk top software but I'll be sure to let everyone know my opinion (like I ever hold that back on these threads).

Malcolm

[itrecovery]

1. When using on-line shipping toll, a charge can go to your account if you want. You'll get weekly statements and can send CP cheques.

2. To use on-line shipping tool fast. Open web browser with toll on one half of the screen, and your e-mail program on other half. Just drug and drop address from one window to other using mouse. It will take you less then 1 minute to make shipment.

P.S. And yes, CP sucks,... but cheap.

Anatoly

[muminlaw]

Malcolm, I know nothing about comics (except, maybe, the ones I collect from the '40s) but I think you'll find with collectibles, the bids will be almost non-existant until the last minutes. You'll begin a love/hate relationship with sniping!!

Glenda

[your-chic-shopper]

my Post-Master at my post office who told me that they were to start collecting a $5.00 fee on manual manifest

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes this is what uninformed staff are telling people . However there is no charge at this time and my rep has told me there is not going too be one . However in Sept 2002 CP started charging 5.00 for manifest of bulk letter mail . The letter (memo) was very hard to understand and confused a lot of CP staff . Because CP had thought about charging $5.00 for manifests for parcels , many staff assumed this in house memo reguarding the 5.00 charge was reguarding parcel manifests.

It's not , ask your CP worked to pull the info reguarding the 5.00 charge . In a nice way tell him to review it and he will see it's reguarding bulk mail letter manifest being charged 5.00 each manifest not bulk parcel being charged 5.00 a manifest

[your-chic-shopper]

This program helped me with the Canada Post Desk top program

http://www.urbanhouseimports.com/clipmate6207_est.exe

It allows you to copy a whole address and past it into each Canada Post fields in one step

No more typing the adress or copy paste, copy paste

IT will save you lots of time

Just copy thr address once and paste into each field

Tell me your thoughts about the program , it saved me so much time
Todd

[mirakbiz_inc]

The desktop version is not bad (for me), the problem is the setup Once you have it done properly it works great and it's a lot faster than the web version. I love the rate shopper feature since it gives you the cost for each option and includes transit time. Many times I downgrade to expedited because it has the same standard as xprespost (and cheaper)

[mirakbiz_inc]

Hello your-chic-shopper

Do you need to configure the addresses on a particular way before you copy them or can you just grab them from an email like paypals notification?

[your-chic-shopper]

just copy the address from email paypal

Go over to the CP desk top program in the shipping ara


Hit Ctrl V for each open CP Shipping field . The program will paste each portion of the address into each CP field each time you hit Ctrl V

[ospreylinks]

Well, I am still having problems with the desktop verison even after talking with Canada Post today.

My main concern now is the time it takes to load (I am running Windows 98 SE - I know this is a bit dated, but I am also a big proponent of trailing edge technology).

Once I click on the CP Desktop icon, I go take a shower, make coffee, read the paper because it takes about 5 minutes to load (and the tech I talked to today said he has heard from people who have complained it has taken up to 15 minutes to load).....

I also discussed with him the fact that the on-line shipping does not produce a manifest of any kind. So in the event of being audited from Rev Can or PST, I no longer have the benefit of a Canada Post manifest showing that goods have been shipped out of province or out of country, so how do I prove that sales taxes are not due. He said that they had received this same complaint a while ago from other CP clients and were looking into it.

Duh!!!!!!!

Jeff

[www-labels4less-com]

I have used the desktop (VCD) software for my manifests for over a year. I can enter and process each order in about 1.5 minutes. This is because I have set the drop down menu's to plug in the correct info/weights for the different items I sell. I also have it all programmed in my Customs section so this is a quick process as well.

I have only the following complaints.

Its a HUGE ram hog. I agree that it takes forever to load. (often it locks up when loading and I have to CTRL+ALT+DELETE to close it and try again.)

Design wise, looks like it was one of the first generation of Windows software programs.
Only being able to use a credit card really sucks.

[acurael]

Todd,

I tried that program and can't seem to get it to paste the next line - it continually dumps the person's name into the next field - I can't seem to figure out how to make it move down.

I've copied the whole address and it shows up in the window - what do I have to do to make it paste one line at a time?

[your-chic-shopper]

Did you download it from the site above ..if so there sample . before you copy the addresss . Open the CP program . pasting the sample address into the first field and the next then the next.

[your-chic-shopper]

I will be on MSN messager tonight around 6.00 I can walk you through the program if you need me too on MSN messager my email is e2webay2hottmail.com . Give me a shout through messager if you still have problems

or email me at info at urbanhouseimports.com

[your-chic-shopper]

msn message email sorry e2webay@hottmail.com

[acurael]

Ah, I think I got it - spent some time with the tutorial.

From what I see, it looks like you select the name then ctrl-c, address, ctrl-c, city, ctrl-c, etc

then the powerpaste thing lets you do ctrl-v in rapid succession.

When I first tried, I was highlighting the entire address and hoping it would be able to break it apart into the different elements (name, address, city, etc.)