Shipping by regular lettermail

[dipmicro]

I am researching shipping tiny products by lettermail.

What I am interested in is:

* how fast it is, is it faster than Light Packet ?
* how it's sorted and if machines can destroy non-paper content
* does international LM require CN22 if it contains (paper/non-paper) products ?

I intend to use it for super small values (< $5).

[craftycatsattic]

I send books (considered paper items) and ship mostly lettermail with cardboard backing to prevent bending. I get some flack from the main distribution center about the cardboard not going through the machine but I don't care. As long as it fits the weight and dimension criteria, I am entitled to pay the lettermail rate. I think they check for this sort of thing and sort differently. I've received lots of lettermail packages with non paper content and no damage but everything was sent in a bubble mailer. I would assume it depends on what you are sending.

The CN22's were replaced by light packet and you're not supposed to be able to use them anymore but I know of one outlet who is still using the old system.

As for mailing time, most of my international shipments arrive within just a few days. US mail can be as fast as 3 days or as long as 3 weeks with most items arriving within the 2nd week.

I hope this helps!

[imbuzzy]

Doing a quick view at the first 200 items in your listings revealed to me that you have many things that could easily be shipped via lettermail service.

I find it a very fast and efficient service. I have had feedback from UK customers stating that they were impressed that my items have arrived before their own country's sellers.

I often ship small items of little value via lettermail all around the world. Things like costume jewelery, collector spoons, lapel pins and antique keys. Creativity is the key (sorry for the pun). I find it best to embed the item in a piece or two of cardboard for protection from easy identification and also to stop it from being loose inside the envelope. I even once shipped a metal enamelware ashtray across the province via lettermail, but that was really pushing it though. It was the only way to facilitate a best offer and still keep my profit margins. Of course I also made sure that the customer was aware that there might be a delay if the item was refused and needed to be reshipped.

CP was going to implement a "stiffness" criteria to lettermail, but that was put on the back burner for awhile... as far as I know. I'm probably breaking and/or manipulating CP rules, but I have never had an item get lost nor arrive in a untimely manner.

[imbuzzy]

The CN22's were replaced by light packet and you're not supposed to be able to use them anymore but I know of one outlet who is still using the old system.

My Shoppers Drug Mart postal outlet still gives them out and I use them all the time on small packets which I don't use Paypal shipping for. I find my deeply discounted stamps are much cheaper than any promotion that I get from using online shipping labels. Filling out those CN22's take little time and effort at all.

Interesting though... I didn't know that they were not allowed anymore, or being phased out.

[dipmicro]

Thanks guys for the answers.

I am going to send myself several letters containing pieces of flat cereal in 2x3" baggie taped on several spots in the 6.5 x 4 letter mailed from USA to Canada and measure the average speed and how badly the cereals will be crushed on which spots. That will indicate better and worse spots to place products.

My friend told me lettermail is actually trackable via "confirm" barcode. I am not sure if he meant inside US or international as well.

Yes, many of my products are 2-3mm big. I have identified approx 500 that cost fractions of a cent and could be shipped worldwide in 5mm lettermail. That ought to bring some traffic.

[imbuzzy]

Cereal is a good way to test the system (and also your packaging capabilities)

Once being an electronics engineering technician, I am kind of surprised with myself for not thinking of mail ordering components.... I guess having an endless supply of components available along with a couple local retailers, I never bothered to think outside of the box. Don't worry about me being your competitor though - I'm up to my eyeballs in postcards and am loving it!

[dipmicro]

Cereal is a good way to test the system (and also your packaging capabilities)

Once being an electronics engineering technician, I am kind of surprised with myself for not thinking of mail ordering components.... I guess having an endless supply of components available along with a couple local retailers, I never bothered to think outside of the box. Don't worry about me being your competitor though - I'm up to my eyeballs in postcards and am loving it!

If you live close to university, stores pop up. I have been to TO many times to supply myself, drove 50km one way for that. Then I discovered mailorders and found out it's cheaper and many times very fast.

My interest in lettermail is for safety and speed. Letter is placed in mailbox, no pickup notice. Parcel or thick has more chance to get lost. Most of the time people need only few certain parts, but because of shipping cost they need to plan the shopping. I am going to make it easy not to think about that but need to do some research before that on how to do it effectively.

Most post offices worldwide have mastered letter deliveries, but some are not that great with parcels.

[godboma]

I am using a lot the lettermail / Light packet services. Delivery of both is very fast. According to Post Canada, Light Packet has the same time frame for delivery as lettermail. From my experience, it is true: most within 5 days in USA and never more than 10 days.

I know that envelope less than 5mm are high speed machine sorted. I am not sure for the thicker one (less than 20mm). It may go to a slower machine setup as the envelopes will be of different size and shapes.

One of my products go regular lettermail (in regular #10 envelope) with no CN22 forms. Another product ships with Light Packets (bubble envelope) and I do add CN22 Small packet form and a Air Mail sticker on it. Have been told to do that so there is no confusion with small packet ground.

Watch out for 5mm limits as they are sorted by machine and can be detected easily (from experience...)

[westernstargifts]

The CN22's were replaced by light packet and you're not supposed to be able to use them anymore but I know of one outlet who is still using the old system.

My Shoppers Drug Mart postal outlet still gives them out and I use them all the time on small packets which I don't use Paypal shipping for. I find my deeply discounted stamps are much cheaper than any promotion that I get from using online shipping labels. Filling out those CN22's take little time and effort at all.

Interesting though... I didn't know that they were not allowed anymore, or being phased out.

I use them all the time, except when printed lables for Expedited mail.

I get them from both the postal outlet and the Post Office itself. It does take some time to fill them out but DH has been doing that for me most of the time.

[pjcdn2005]

You are not supposed to use the CN22's on lettermail anymore but I don't think they are being phased out as they are used on light and small packet mail.


I even once shipped a metal enamelware ashtray across the province via lettermail, but that was really pushing it though.

If it was more than 2cm then you were pushing it but the way I understand it, when shipping within Canada you can use regular or oversize lettermail to ship whatever you want as long as you don't go over the weight and dimension standards.

When you're shipping out of the country you are supposed to use light packet for non documents because you have to declare anything else. Imbuzzy, it doesn't sound like your buyers have had a problem with customs because the widget wasn't declared..I wonder if that ever happens. I've often wondered about that because some of my items are fairly small too.

[westernstargifts]

You are not supposed to use the CN22's on lettermail anymore but I don't think they are being phased out as they are used on light and small packet mail.

Light Packet IS Lettermail. All of my packages are shipped Light or Small Packet or Expedited mail.

The Post Office doesn't give me any alternative other than the the CN 22 forms for Light & Small Packet so that is what I use.

[surplusdealdude]

* how it's sorted and if machines can destroy non-paper content

Machine. Yes.

* does international LM require CN22 if it contains (paper/non-paper) products ?

Yes.

[recped]

dip

If you are talking about "other lettermail" or mail between 5mm and 20mm thick.....

ignoring any rules or policies for a moment.

If you have a buyer who needs just a few small light components, a small bubble envelope and a piece of stiff but thin cardboard should be fine, keep it under 100 grams and don't bother with a customs form.

If you are trying to use regular lettermail <5mm it could be a bit risky in respect to damage.

[pjcdn2005]

Light Packet IS Lettermail

Well sort of.. It is the same size but there is a small difference in rates for lettermail (documents) and light packet. I'm sure we're just using different terms for the same thing.

[westernstargifts]

Light Packet is oversize lettermail.

[dipmicro]

If you are trying to use regular lettermail <5mm it could be a bit risky in respect to damage.

This is what I am trying to find out. Those parts can withstand something, they should definitely not break when someone throws a 4lb parcel on the letter.

I am still a bit conflicted though about going back to $1 items if I really want that target group. Most of my problems come from that group, buyers buy $2.50 of stuff and act as they saved your life and you owe them, asking, threatening ...

But I want their email addresses 🙂

[dipmicro]

Thanks all for responses. I decided not go back to "cheapo" international shipping. Our $3.99 S/H was among other things designed as a buyer filter. I could offer $1.99 shipping for 1oz First Class International in the bubble mailer and break even.

We have $1 items even now, but very few people buy them without combining as HK/China sellers cover this category well. I got sidetracked.

[craftycatsattic]

The way I understood it is that light packets is for non-paper items that fit within the lettermail dimensions and weight limits. Everything non-paper is supposed to ship light packets with a declared value (except of course within Canada where you can send anything lettermail as long as it fits the dimension/weight criteria).

[dipmicro]

The way I understood it is that light packets is for non-paper items that fit within the lettermail dimensions and weight limits. Everything non-paper is supposed to ship light packets with a declared value (except of course within Canada where you can send anything lettermail as long as it fits the dimension/weight criteria).

No so with USPS. They don't care what's inside as long as it's not against export regulations, import regulations of receiver's country and as long as it can go through their conveyor belts.

[dipmicro]

No so with USPS. They don't care what's inside as long as it's not against export regulations, import regulations of receiver's country and as long as it can go through their conveyor belts.

Plus they always remind you should not be sending liquids and perishables.