tracked packet

[downsizing2018]

Just wondering if tracked packet is available to everyone now.  I have yet to see the option show on any item I have shipped.  I have not really wanted it until this latest parcel,  Can anyone say for sure if the dimensions requirments are the same as the small packet maximums?

[toff3]

I need tracking for the buyer in Germany so Tracked Packet was the cheapest method. 

Wow! I still can't get my head around this "necessity".

Well, I guess it's people prepared to lash out on postage to this extent that keeps Canada Post in business.

Tom

[ninth89]

I just noticed that printing the shipping label for Tracked Packet through paypal barely gives you a discount. 

I was calculating the cost to ship a 500gram parcel to the U.S

CanadaPost.ca 'find a rate' calculated the cost with fuel surcharge was 16.94

On paypal with the discount the cost to the same zip code was 16.78

A whooping 16cents saving, not even 1%.

😐

[pjcdn2005]

ninth, I think that you are comparing two different weight levels.

These are the results that I got for tracked packet to the U.S.

500 gr Canada Post calculator - $16.94

500 gr Paypal - $14.51

The price changes at 501 gr

501 gr Canada Post calculator - $19.64

501 gr Paypal - $16.78

[ninth89]

^ I wasn't comparing different weights I used .5 for both calculations.

Maybe you're fuel surchage is less than mine because of your location.

I just did another calculations a few mins ago, same thing, only about a 20cents savings.

Same dimensions, weight, postal code and zip code.

[pierrelebel]

OK - try using weight of 0.498 kg for one set of calculation

and 0.502 kg for another set, using the same measurements.

To have only $0.20 differnce does not make sense.

The fuel surcharge is a national standard.

[pjcdn2005]

ninth, you're right. There is a problem with the Paypal calculator. Good catch!

It has nothing to do with a fuel charge though.

They have it set up like expedited so that it is figuring out the price based on dimensional weight rather than on just weight....but it shouldn't be set up like that.

For example

100 gr 25x25x2 Paypal rate $13.93  (dimensional weight.21)

100 gr 25x25x4 Paypal rate $14.51 (dimensional weight .42)

The Canada Post rate for anything up to 250 gr including fuel surcharge is $16.26 regardless of the dimensions.

The correct 100 gr paypal rate with today's fuel charge is $13.93.

Also, the paypal calculator won't seem to allow me to print a label for tracked packet if the dimensional weight is more than 1 kg.

I'll send this and more info to one of Kalvin or Rodney and see if they can it looked at.

I won't do that right away though so if someone else thinks that my theory is wrong...please post so that I don't give them the wrong info.

[brandeentertainment]

I just did 3 tests and Paypal came out cheaper then Canada post everytime and of course I am talking without discount

[brandeentertainment]

Just a Thought ..

This could result in having a parcel returned due to lack of postage and then you would be paying return shipping and have to ship again ... That could be messy ..

[pjcdn2005]

I just did 3 tests and Paypal came out cheaper then Canada post everytime and of course I am talking without discount

So you're saying that the top number before discount was less than CP? Could you give an example please.

[brandeentertainment]

25cm 17cm 2cm .250 grams

Canada post $16.26

Paypal $15.39

To somewhere in the US can't remember what I chose but I used samed Zip and same sizes

[brandeentertainment]

FYI the difference was in the fuel charge ,... Canada post had one and paypal didn't

After paypal Discount it was $13 and change

[pierrelebel]

A quick reminder for readers who may have forgotten about it: 

Pitney Bowes is the technology provider behind Canadian postage available through eBay and paid through PayPal.  It as been since 2006.

Fore more information: http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/aboutus/news/pr/2006/2006_feb_news_ebay.jsf 

When a problem occurs, it may be appropriate to blame Pitney Bowes, the self-proclaimed provider of "the world's most comprehensive suite of mailstream software, hardware, services and solutions to help companies manage their flow of mail, documents and packages to improve communication"

[pjcdn2005]

FYI the difference was in the fuel charge ,... Canada post had one and paypal didn't

After paypal Discount it was $13 and change

Ok..I see what you meant. It's always been set up with the discount like that or similar to that on Paypal with expedited as well.  The CP price plus fuel surcharge minus 14% for TP or 18% for expedted works out approximately to the total that we pay on Paypal.

Another odd thing....I was able to check the TP price on paypal without a problem...I then checked the expedited for the same location...no problem. But now when I want to check the TP again, I keep getting this error message....The Shipment Option you have chosen is invalid. Please verify the amount you have entered.

[Anonymous]

What Canada Post is offering for the Tracked Packet is really  A JOKE!!   It is way much cheaper to use Expedited Mail to ship to USA than Tracket Packet.

I am unable to use Tracket Packet to ship any items to International as they don't ship them to the specific countries that I always ship to!!  Really a JOKE!!

I want air small packets with insurance for International back!!

Why can't anyone in Canada Post make any senses by offering us low postage rates to generate more business??!!  What they are doing, they are not going to make more businesses that way!!  Offer us low postage rates, I am sure we can ship much more than usual but anyone at Canada Post don't see as they have too much dollar signs in their eyes in the first place.

What a tragedy!!  Of course eBay loves that so they can get more $$$ in final value fees on the shipping costs!!  Come on, eBay, work with Canada Post to make it more attractive for eBay for us to sell more items with cheaper postages. 

It is not "unrealistic" with my comments, it is "unrealistic" that eBay and Canada Post think that we would get more business that way with those insane hefty postage rates.

[toff3]

Honeybed,

I'm not sure you're correct when you say that Expedited Parcel is "way much cheaper" than Tracked Packet to USA. I can't compare rates at this time because currently Tracked Packet USA is, unaccountably, not shown as a shipping option on Canada Post's Find-a-Rate calculator.

When I compared rates shortly after the Tracked Packet service was unveiled I found that it was only slightly cheaper than Expedited Parcel  However, I couldn't take into account PayPal discounts to eBay shippers because they hadn't yet been announced for TP. It still seems to me that TP USA is an entirely superfluous service.

I agree with you that Tracked Packet International is ludicrous, not only because of the outrageous rates but especially because of the restricted number of destinations. Malta? Croatia?? Give me a break!

It seems to me the only reason eBay shippers are using TP is their unnatural obsession with "tracking", actually delivery confirmation. If you participate in the mail order business, you have to be able to absorb the occasional loss. Only if these losses accumulate should you consider resorting to expensive shipping services that include DC.

You say you want Small Packets Air with insurance back. I think you have the wrong end of the stick. There's an old adage: smart sellers don't buy insurance. Insurance should be optional.   

What we really need is lower postage rates and a fair postal pricing system, where we're not charged different rates for identical mail pieces transmitted by identical means and forced to use expensive services such as Expedited Parcel and Small Packet Air to USA.

[stonehook_molds]

I just attempted to use Tracked Packet through PayPal for a parcel that I normally send by Small Packet Air Mail. The dimensions, in metric, are 26 x 26 x 20 and the weight .450 kg. It wouldn't let me purchase postage, telling me that the dimensions were incorrect.

I checked on Canada Post and they gave me both Small Packet Air and Tracked Packet as  shipping options, for this parcel.  It appears that there are still some kinks that need to be worked out. 

[pierrelebel]

" currently Tracked Packet USA is, unaccountably, not shown as a shipping option on Canada Post's Find-a-Rate calculator."

I went to the Canada Post website and checked rates for a small parcel from ON to California 

15cm x 10cm x 5cm  weight 245 grams (0.245kg)

Canada Post website offers:

Priority $72.09 (including fuel surcharge)

XpressPost $33.10 (including fuel surcharge)

Expedited Parcels $20.03 (including fuel surcharge)

Tracked Packet $16.25 (including fuel surcharge)

Small Packet (Air) $7.80 (no fuel surcharge)

[pocomocomputing]

I just attempted to use Tracked Packet through PayPal for a parcel that I normally send by Small Packet Air Mail. The dimensions, in metric, are 26 x 26 x 20 and the weight .450 kg. It wouldn't let me purchase postage, telling me that the dimensions were incorrect.

I checked on Canada Post and they gave me both Small Packet Air and Tracked Packet as  shipping options, for this parcel.  It appears that there are still some kinks that need to be worked out. 

Tracked Packet on PayPal shipping is not programmed correctly. It is charging for dimensional weight and it has limits on dimensions. It should allow for the same dimensions as Small Packet.

I tested Tracked Packet using PayPal Shipnow and came to the same conclusion as PJ did in post 25 that dimensional weight is being charged.

I would guess that the PayPal programmers based their coding on Expedited Parcel code and not Small Packet code. Most likely because Expedited Parcel code has fuel surcharge code that they need and Small Packet does not.

I tested with 30 x 20 x 5 cm and 0.5 kg with DW of 0.5 kg and got the correct PayPal rate for TP. I tested with 30 x 30 x 6 cm and 0.5 kg with DW of 0.6 kg and got the incorrect rate for 1 kg so it seems that DW is being used.

It should also take 30 x 30 x 30 cm and does not saying that dimensions are not valid.  Other high combinations of dimension that still add up under 90 cm limit total do not work.

I sent an email to Kalvin at eBay.com this morning detailing issues with PayPal tracked packet implementation. Hopefully, Kalvin will reply with what is going to be done about this.

The eBay shipping calculator in listings seems to be working correctly with Tracked Packet when giving Tracked Packet pricing. It is PayPal shipping labels that seems to be incorrectly programmed when creating the label from the info supplied from eBay.

[stonehook_molds]

Thanks Pocomo, for following up with eBay.  It is very much appreciated.

Lisa

[toff3]

Pierre,

I now see what I did wrong. I assumed the weight limit for Tracked Packets to USA was the same as TP International and entered 1.5 kg as a test weight.

Trust Canada Post to complicate matters, God love 'em. Anyway, as I don't intend ever to use TP, I'll leave others to worry about its complexities.

Have a nice day.

Tom