The REAL DEAL with this Canada Post Discount story

[aabros]

First, if you have any questions regarding this post, please post below or email directly.

Starting... if you DON'T have an account with Canada Post, simply apply for one. 🙂

If you DO have an account with them, this is how it works. You call them up, give them your account # and eBay user ID. Then, tell them you want to be upgraded to Level One - for eBay Powersellers. After that, you download the pre-approved credit card form, fill it out, and fax it back to CP. Then, they'll give you a call back, they will change your CONTRACT # (to a kind of powerseller contract #) and clear (remove) your previous contract number (which was probably for Small Business Rates)

Please note that ALL YOUR SHIPPING CHARGES will be billed directly to your credit card (for written manifest or VCD manifests). If you use the ONLINE (WEBSITE) Business Center, you need a Login # and password, then you will have to enter your credit card information for each and every shipment (unless you store it on the CP website).

You will also receive a free headache because what your Canada Post rep will tell you will probably hard-to-follow... Anyway, good luck everyone and hope to see your posts below. 😉 -Anthony

[aabros]

probably be hard to follow... forgot the BE!

Your-chic-shopper: I finally posted this thread 😉 Thanks for all your help!

[muminlaw]

So .... most of my sales are small collectible items which go out by letter mail. Is there ANY advantage to me to sign up for this?

Glenda

[www-labels4less-com]

Contract# is called an agreement #. Not to be confused with customer acct#.


"all your shipping charges will be billed directly to your credit card (for written manifest or VCD manifests)."


Actually this is not the case. The VCD Software (desktop) allows you to choose (by drop down menu) if you want to be billed, use a visa card, or metered.

[www-labels4less-com]

woops, I should have said visa OR mastercard OR american express.

[beakerme]

Hi there! I am already a small business/VCD Canada Post Customer...I assumed the Powerseller Discount would be no better than the rates I'm already getting. Is this not the case?

Is it worth making the change (and getting the headache) for me too??

Thanks,
Jenn

[aabros]

muminlaw: Correct. No discounts for letter mail.

www-labels4less-com: Thanks for the update I only use the Online Business Center so I wasn't aware of that issue with the VCD.

beakerme: It will be worth making the change if you use expedited parcel to the USA and within Canada. If you are not using these 2 options, forget about it. Good luck.

[your-chic-shopper]

quote"expedited parcel to the USA"


Please rember thier is no discount with expedited USA with the powesellers Discount

[decadesofdesign]

I am VERY confused...

I ship 20-30 packages a week, collectibles that value between $100-$1000. I use USA expedited (85%), ExpressPost to Canada (10%) and International Air (5%). Is this PowerSeller package any good for me? Better than my V1 discount?

From what I can make out, for the 'privilege' of billing (and frankly, when you're paid for postage up front, who wants to bill these charges?) CP makes you:

1. Buy a scale
2. Weigh and measure
3. Manually fill out a manifest

Why would I do this when I can have the Post Office do it?

It just seems like a whole lot of work for little or no benefit.

Has anyone made any sense of it?

[www-labels4less-com]

I just want to make a point for anyone who is still going to the counter. The reason for all the threads and different information has little to do with the knowledge of the poster and everything to do with the poor information network and management at Canada Post. I regularly talk to your-chic-shopper on the phone and the information provided by each of our reps is more often than not contradictory.
From talking to my rep it sounds like they are flooded with emails and literature on new programs. It seems that there is little training or accountability when it comes to using this information to the benifit of Canada Post Customers.

[aabros]

labels: You are right on that one.

[brownboxit]

I'm horribly confused about this,
I use expedited parcel with labels at the counter with a V1.

If I use the CP software (desktop) can I manually do the manifests & then drop off the parcel (ie would I be billed without the brokerage fee?)

I don't even know which stickers to order because the CP website is a marvelous joke of disinformation, i looked at the online version of the software and my head was hurting.

[www-labels4less-com]

The VCD software is to be used INSTEAD of the manual manifest. Your-chic-shopper has investigated and stated that even with a discount, if you use expedited with the VCD software, you will be paying about the same as the counter rate (or less) as the brokerage fee is built into the software even for orders less than $200.00.
regardless of what has been stated I would think that you should still be able to use your written manifest to take advantage of the PS discount. The best advice is to call Canada Post and find out (also about the stickers).

[your-chic-shopper]

brownboxit

If you write the manifest out to ship to America you will need the following

The Green Customs Sticker . You get this for free from Canada Post . These sticker are used for items 1kg and under

For items over 1kg you will then the White Customs sticker . It has an expanded detail area to write info in

No their is one exception to using the white customs sticker . Items over 1kg with tracking , come with the tracking and it own Customs expanded area to write your info . You will not need to add the white customs sticker because it already included in the tracking sticker

Next is learning your codes to place on items on manifests to USA

Contact your Rep they will fax you the info .

When you ship and write a manifest out it seems hard but is really easy

The first column you place the Canada post code ...1124 is small packet to America ground
The next is the address ..All the is needed is the name no zip is needed
The next column is state
The next column is how many parcels
The next is weight

That;s it your done

[brownboxit]

I appreciate the replies, I guess i will try out a few packages to see what's up or down. I haven't picked up a scale yet as well.

I do have a question though for chic shopper, from what i understood in your post, when you use the software from CP & write a manifest, all your customs declaration info is put on the single manifest - as opposed to individually on the packages like when you use the CP expedited labels for the counter?

[your-chic-shopper]

your close...I will try to scan a manifest in with a sample for you...I will ttry too do it over the weekend ..lots of packing too do before the weekend .

[your-chic-shopper]

write a manifest, all your customs declaration info is put on the single manifest - as opposed to individually on the packages

Actually I must have typed some info worng to make you think that sorry

The Canada Post Manifest to America needs the following info only

1.Canada Post shipping code
2.First and last name of Buyer ..no zip or full address needed
3.The buyers state
4.The buyers package weight
5.The amount of packages being sent to buyer

The Green American Customs Sticker for under 1kg needs the weight. The price of the item

The white American Customs Sticker for over 1kg needs the wreight . The price of the item or items

hope that helps . The above info only applies to writing a manual manifest and not the VCD program