Small Packet Contract rates?

[javax.swing]

According to http://www.canadapost.ca/business/rates/2005/shipping_delivery-e.asp :

USA/International Small Packets
"Five commercial pricing levels were introduced"

Anyone with details?

[sunward-hobbies]

i am still trying to get a simple list of all the rates.

Canada post has only provided a summary of domestic rates. You have to search for everything else.

Angelo

[shoplineca]

Angelo
You cant get the discounted rates for several reasons. One reason is they vary according to your "shipped from" postal code.

Standard rates are published. Just call CP's 1-888 number and ask them to send you their pricing card. It is a large colourful card printed on both sides, setting out the standard domestic, US and International rates for shipping items small packet, ground, airmail etc.

For those of us who have CP contracts and special volume CP rates, we are given a Commercial Price booklet that we use in conjunction with our specially prepared Postal code sheet which is specific to our location and discount.

Malcolm

[sunward-hobbies]

I use a lot of first class mail. Tried to get the rates on the site, but the old rates were still there this morning.

Called CP and the clerk insisted the new rates were on the web site. Said no. She walked me through the site. New rates were only for standard envelopes. Then to other main sites. Still not updated. Supposed to. They got a memo and all.

Had the rates faxed to me this morning.

Angelo

[javax.swing]

As of this morning after all my updates to Desktop EST, my parcel rates have gone up like they were supposed to, but my Small Packet rates have not.

It does say:

As part of our annual price adjustment for all Canada Post services on January 17, 2005, there will be price and service changes to the following domestic and international Shipping and Delivery Services:

# USA and International Small Packets (counter prices)
# International Air and Surface Parcels (counter prices)

COUNTER PRICES.

I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that my small packet rate doesn't go up.

[recped]

I think you may be on the right track (no increase for small packets if you are already on contract rate for other services).

I just called Canada Post, they told me I would need to be shipping 50,000 small packets annually to qualify for the discount. Perhaps it's because I don't have any (practically) XP or EP to combine with small packets.

Would be interested in knowing either of the following....

- If you sign up for the power seller discount would that be enough to get the old small packet rates?

- Any other way to get the old small packet rates or new discounted rates without the massive volume?

From the postings here it seems that the stories vary from CP rep to CP rep, I don't think a comclusive answer can be had from a single phone call to CP customer service so if anyone has had success please post the details.

Ben

[shoplineca]

Ben
There is total confusion all over CP, not just with the reps and c/s people.

I had a 1/2 hour conversation with their accounting dept today (looks like they are going to give me a credit of almost $2,700 to clear $2,700 of deductions I have made over the last 2-years).

They said that I shouldnt deduct any longer and I said that I will never pay an account billed incorrectly.

When submitting a claim for loss or damage, often the claims person will close the account after authorizing payment or credit for the value of the goods but forget to reimburse shipping. They cannot re-open a closed file.

That, I explained, is not my problem and something that CP has to resolve internally. I will continue to deduct the cost of shipping in these instances. No arguments from him, just silent acceptance of a problem.

He told me that when a parcel is cubed at the wrong weight, I should call back to the location I shipped it from, until I reminded him that cubing is done at their central sorting stations if being billed as I am.
And once again, silent acknowledgement of another CP problem.

He told me that I should be using the electronic shipping tools until I said that all my items valued over $200 USD going into the US would mean that I get hit with taxes and/or duty. This time he suggested that I only use the online tools for my Canadian shipments then.

I said, why not have CP clean up all their problems instead of having the customers have to do all the exceptions because your organization doesn't have or practise standards and efficiencies across the country?

I asked why are there so many conflicting rules depending on who you talk to at CP?

I asked why does one person at CP handle things one way and another person handle things a different way?

Once again, silent acknolwedgement.

Malcolm

[javax.swing]

What on earth is "all my items valued over $200 USD going into the US would mean that I get hit with taxes and/or duty." all about? I thought that was for Commercial Expedited USA, not regular Expedited USA.

[shoplineca]

Commercial Expedited US using the online tools results in the duty being charged to the Shipper and not on the customer.

Commercial Expedited is the same service as Expedited except CP calls them Commerical Expedited you ship Expedited using the online shipping tools which the CP Accounting rep was telling me to do.

He also didnt have an answer for me when I said that I would not have an audit document to prove shipping to the US should there be a GST audit is I used the online shipping tools.

That is why he recommended using the online tools for Cdn shipments and the hard copy manifest for US shipments and I suggested tat CP get its act together instead.

Malcolm

[javax.swing]

"Commercial Expedited US using the online tools results in the duty being charged to the Shipper and not on the customer."

Right. But it gives me the option of sending non-Commercial Expedited USA...can I use that and avoid paying all these fees for my buyers?

[shoplineca]

Yes. The same servcie just prepare your manifest manually and not with the online shipping tools.

Several Cdn Power Sellers got hit big time last year with duties using the online shipping tools.

The other way around this is to calculate the duties and charge your customer however should you use the non-Commercial Expedited service, 99% of the goods shipped valued at over $200 USD (but under $1,000 USD) get in without incurring any extra tax or duties.

Malcolm

[javax.swing]

I'm still sort of confused. What you're telling me is that it doesn't matter if I use Commercial/Not Expedited USA...the only way around paying duty for Customers is to charge them for it up front or to prepare a manifest manually?

I've been using the non-Commercial Expedited, but there's very few items that I sell in the $200USD-$1000CAD (max insurance for EP-USA) bracket.

While we're on this digression, how about import fees for FedEx/UPS Ground? Is there any way to protect myself against deadbeat buyers who won't pay the charges resulting in the charges defaulting back to me?

[shoplineca]

Here it is in a nutshell:

The only difference between US Commercial Expedited and US Expedited is whether you fill out a manual manifest or fill out your shipping documents online using CP electronic shipping tools.

If you prepare a manual manifest then the item is considered as having been shipped via US Expedited and you will NOT incur and duty or tax on the item.

If you use CP's electronic shipping tools to prepare your documents, the item will be considered as having been shipped via US Commercial Expedited Service and there is a high probability that you will be charged duty or taxes on the value of the goods, exceeding $200 USD entering the US.

On the bright side, CP will give you 2% discount for using their shipping tools on the groos amount of the shipping charge (not the duty).

With respect to FedEx and UPS and back charging of unpaid duties, I would cross out that section of my shipping document that would try to hold me liable for any charges incurred and see if i could still ship, keepig a copy of that form for future fight with the carrier as proof you did not acknolwedge those terms and they accepted the shipment regardless.

If you have a contract with Fedex or USP, you should negotiate this away at the very beginning.

Here is what happens in Canada. If UPS doesnt coolect the taxes and brokerage charges due, they return the item to the shipper.

So they should be doing the same thing in the US. As far as I am concerned, they have no right to leave a package if there are charges due.

Malcolm