About Shipping Tracked Packages via Red Letter Box

[sylviebee]

In the past I've had problems with scans when I dropped  packages in the Red Box and I'm wondering if others have had problems as well.   It's neither here nor there because once it's picked up the PO has no way of knowing where packages were mailed from, but when I called in the past I was told that scannable items wouldn't be insured when dropped in the Red Box.

I'd like to start dropping Tracked and Expedited mail in the Red Box and some are higher valued items so I'm wondering about the experiences of others.

Are your scannable items getting scanned when dropped in the Red Box?

[widgetc]

Most of the time they are scanned here (Val Caron Ontario)  ...once in a while they are missed and scanned elsewhere (often Mississauga)...none have ever gone missing.

[sylviebee]

Thank you.  That's all I needed.  I'll drop it into the Red Letter box.

[momcqueen]

---

@sylviebee wrote:

In the past I've had problems with scans when I dropped  packages in the Red Box and I'm wondering if others have had problems as well.   It's neither here nor there because once it's picked up the PO has no way of knowing where packages were mailed from, but when I called in the past I was told that scannable items wouldn't be insured when dropped in the Red Box.

I'd like to start dropping Tracked and Expedited mail in the Red Box and some are higher valued items so I'm wondering about the experiences of others.

Are your scannable items getting scanned when dropped in the Red Box?

---

The other half of the label printed when postage is bought says you should drop it in a red box if you don't feel like taking it to post office so if it's uninsurable if you do that, this is a major misdirection on the part of Canada Post Corporation. I don't think that could be the case. I'll ask the next time I call in. Later this week, I need to report some mail fraud of which I have become aware so I'll ask about that detail too.

On the other hand, I don't leave anything in a box, I take it all inside the drug store to the authorized postal agent counter. My lost package rate is one item in four years since that became my Best Practise, and that one lost item was due to a major error on the worker's part for which Canada Post reimbursed me after it went missing. That's a whole other story, though. 

[femmefan1946]

What is it insured against?

Loss in transit?  You have your scan -from some terminal or another.

Damage in transit? Either it was badlypackaged by you and Canada Post won't pay out OR they accidentally ran a truck over it, in which case it will arrive in  plastic bag with a notice of how to make a claim.

And will Canada Post pay out more than the postage cost?

Tracking may be useful, especially for high value items you feel nervous about sending, but I'm less convinced that insurance is worth paying for.

Personally I prefer Cookie Jar Insurance (self-insurance) but may sellers swear by shipinsurance as a third party insurer.

Most parcel rates include both tracking and insurance, but it is worthwhile noting which don't.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s1

[sylviebee]

I was told that items dropped in a Red Box wouldn't be guaranteed to be delivered during the time frame promised, so I was concerned about actual delivery scans than damage.

The last time I shipped a trackable item by using the Red Box it was lost but did eventually turn up. I'm pretty sure that's a rare occurrence and widgec's  post pretty much confirmed that.

[mrdutch1001]

I never drop any package beyond the occasional oversize letter mail, in a red box. I Always take to the local postal outlet counter no matter what the value...I simply don't trust placing in a red box.

[tobyshitzu]

It's been awhile but I have definitely got the late guarantee paid on red box dropped items.  Never lost one.  If I can manage to push it into the box that's where everything goes.  Sometimes they don't get the first expected scan.  I have never got a late ding for anything sent any way within Canada so don't care at all