MANDATORY PARCEL RATE FOR COINS

[cdcoinman]

I was surprised this morning when the postal worker told me that she could not accept my letter containing coins ( 85 gr.) in  total to be shipped to the USA as I had place stamps to pay for letter  to USA Under 100 gr. for $2.95

She said that the letter rates only cover paper content and that no other material is allowed in these envelopes. Anything else has to be mailed parcel with the proper description on the legal form for inspection by the Customs  Officer. The cost is $7.18 for such a parcel.

This shipping cost become prohibitive and selling cheap coins to USA is no longer viable.

She said that the letter will be returned  to the sender.Back home , I phoned the Canada Post toll free number to be told that this was exact. I have been sending coins to the USA for over 15 years using letter rates. I guess it ends today.

Any comments are welcome

[femmefan1946]

Were you giving them to a postal worker or dropping them in the post box?

Keep in mind that CUPW is on rotating strikes and also is 'working to rule'.

And that has been the rule for several years now.

Just because you successfully ran a red light doesn't mean that you won't get a ticket next time-- or cause an accident.

And as longtime Board Guru @pierrelebel would say "Some things are not meant for mail order."

You could continue in your naughty ways-- you wouldn't be alone-- but self-insure to cover the costs of the occasional return.

Or you could rethink your business plan and sell lots of low price material rather than single coins.

YMMV.

[cdcoinman]

I never knew about this until today. Rather funny that over that many years , not a single one letter was returned to me. I would have investigated  at that time.

Like you said. I will revise all my listings to cancel USA shipping destination excepted for coin lots for which I  already was using the correct rates.

Thanks

[pjcdn2005]

The rule has been in effect for international mail for quite a while but many of the coin people that I know do use lettermail to the US.  Rather than hand the envelope in at the counter, they just put it in a corner mailbox. I'm not saying that you should or should not do it that way.

[cdcoinman]

I use to do that but realise that I have absolutely no proof of mailing the item and vulnerable to full refund  at the buyer's discretion. With the receipt from the postal counter,I had  a proof to show EBay if needed..

We are not talking about lot of money but the positive feedback is important to me. Dropping the letter in the mail does not guarrantee it will make it to destination either.

Thanks for your input

[pjcdn2005]

If you using small packet, a receipt from the counter won't prevent you from having to pay an item not received claim as that only proves shipping, not delivery. But it could help on a unauthorized credit charge claim through Paypal.

[esclyons · Accepted solution]

i can't get them to do a label for anything letter mail, at the counter...

they put on stamps, and charge tax, on top...

I would never recommend  trying to beat the system, but try making your item appear to be letter mail,  tape or secure your coins between cardboard layers.. then use a bubble mailer.. then use your usual postage type, stamps, etc..

don't try to send coins in an envelope ever,  one catch in an auto sorter and your coins are all over the floor, and trust me they won't go looking for them, and put them back in your envelope and forward to the buyer.. your buyer will receive an empty envelope..

And as said above, buying a 1.80$ or 2.95$ ticket for letter mail at the counter even with the buyer postal code, will never give you any protection for an item not received case opened against you. 

[momcqueen]

Letterpost is for paper.

Small Packet is for merchandise including coins.

This is a Universal Postal Union thing as I understand it.

[cdcoinman]

Thanks a lot for your input

[cdcoinman]

Got it

[murphcrud]

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@cdcoinman wrote:

I use to do that but realise that I have absolutely no proof of mailing the item and vulnerable to full refund  at the buyer's discretion. With the receipt from the postal counter,I had  a proof to show EBay if needed..

We are not talking about lot of money but the positive feedback is important to me. Dropping the letter in the mail does not guarrantee it will make it to destination either.

Thanks for your input

How many mail shipments have you lost?  Guarantee?  In 18 years I have lost one.  Value of coin should dictate registered, tracked or regular mail.  I view all buyers feedback ratings before sending coins through the mail using regular stamp mailings.  I am sure that I have mailed over 2000 over the years

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[mrdutch1001]

ZOMBIE THREAD from 2018

[reallynicestamps]

@murphcrud 

Value of coin should dictate registered, tracked or regular mail.

Be careful.

Those of us who have been in the mail order collectibles business often think Registered will track a shipment anywhere in the world.

Not any more.

Once it hits the border, it is no longer tracked. Only domestically , and eBay is funny about that.

I use untracked Lettermail most of the time, and normally only track because the service for a larger (more than 500gm and/or 2cm thick) shipment automatically includes it.

But, check that the service you are choosing will in fact track to destination.

And on items over $650, add Signature Confirmation , the best buck fifty you can spend.

I view all buyers feedback ratings before sending coins through the mail using regular stamp mailings.

Only with Auctions can sellers usefully check the bidder's Feedback Left for Others. Not even then, because of  sniping.

On Fixed Price listings this is not possible until the buyer has bought.

If the seller decides to upgrade the shipping service, the seller cannot charge the buyer any more than he advertised for the more basic service.

And cancelling an order because the buyer looks sketchey bites the seller in the badonkadonk.

[kh-leslie]

Hello Everyone,

Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies.  Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thanks for understanding!