eBay

cumos55 · ‎04-05-2017

Today it is Business Solutions……. Years ago this was Ventureone.

Canada Post’s website is used ... by me....to calculate postage rates…. Specifically for Expedite Canada.

This calculation is my source for the amount I will charge for postage….. my base cost for postage to ship all purchases.

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An example …. Canadian destinations…

One destination

Postal codes are….. R2M 5M3 in Winnipeg… and ship to Victoria BC, V8W 2Y2

Parcel weighs 0.9 kg… with measurements…. 30 cm x 22 cm x 3 cm

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Online the regular price for this parcel is $14.69, with a discounted price of $13.44 for Expedited Parcel… and this is a 8.5 % discount.

This worked well until about March 1. The Final number … cost for postage …..online ....was equal to the price charged at a postal outlet.

Then came the day when the cost for Expedited Parcel at a postal outlet was higher than that determined online.

Online the discount has continued at 8.5 %... while at the postal outlet the discount was 5 %

The correct discount for minimum online savings should be 5 % …. As presented by Business Solutions

All calculations online are in error with an 8.5 % discount….. This should be 5 % ….

The higher cost at a postal outlet is correct…. A lower discount online …. at 5 %.... would result in a higher cost for minimum saving online … The end result would be an online calculation equal to the cost determined at a postal outlet

Canada Post was contacted…. talked with a technical person..... It was very difficult to explain what the problem is online. The conversation was recorded.

Canada Post should make an adjustment on their website….. we shall see….. day-by-day

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The correct minimal discount is 5 %..... minimum online savings…..and then the new fuel surcharge is 7.5 %..... for Expedited Canada.

The new fuel surcharge is currently correct online at 7.5 %

This is for all of the sellers that work with the minimum online savings/discount for Business solutions.

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This error is found only for shipping using Expedite parcels to Canadian destinations. Other options were not investigated

Does the same occur for shipping to the US?….. Continues as an ongoing investigation

cumos55 · ‎04-05-2017

In February the cost of postage started at $14.69.

The business discount of 8.5 % was subtracted, and then the fuel surcharge of 5 % was added.

The end result was $14.11.

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Today... the business discount ... at a postal outlet.... is 5 %, and the fuel surcharge is 7.5 %.

We also start with $14.69... subtract the business discount at 5 %, and then add in the fuel surcharge of 7.5 %.

The end result today is $15.00.

This applies to this one parcel... an increase of 89 cents.... before GST is added to the cost of postage......

ypdc_dennis · ‎04-05-2017

Solutions for Small Business is the replacement name for Venture One.

My guess from your post is that your complaint is the minimum online savings shown in the online calculator no longer matches what you pay over-the-counter for expedited?

From a language view I will point out that online savings is not over-the-counter savings.

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

-..-

cumos55 · ‎04-05-2017

Up until about the beginning of March this year..... the online cost for shipping a parcel was the same the the cost at the postal outlet.

Then things changed

The cost for postage determined online should be the same as that determined at a postal outlet....

The minimum for Business solutions is 5 % ...... and now the 5 % is used at a postal outlet.... but not online.

The wording on the website is minimum online savings..... This is what people get at a postal outlet... when the Business Solutions ID is used.

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-06-2017

The wording on the website is minimum online savings..... This is what people get at a postal outlet... when the Business Solutions ID is use

It doesn't say that is the rate at the postal outlet. It is the rate when a label is printed online. The CP site terms of use does mention that prices may vary online versus a postal outlet.

"The pricing for the products may be different depending on whether you purchase them online or at a Retail Outlet"

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=legal_terms_of_use&cattype=kb&cat=generalin...

cumos55 · ‎04-06-2017

What I do know....

Back in February my discount for Expedite Canada was 8.5 % at a postal outlet

Today it is 5 % .

The question then becomes.

Should the calculation of rates on Canada Post's website show a 5 % discount..... the discount obtained at a postal outlet.... or should that discount remain at 8.5 %

Online,..... Canada Post calls heir discount program... Business Solutions

ypdc_dennis · ‎04-06-2017

@cumos55 wrote:

Online,..... Canada Post calls heir discount program... Business Solutions

Solutions for Small Business is ONE of the choices in the Business Solutions section. It's the bottom end program for shippers.

ypdc_dennis · ‎04-06-2017

Solutions for Small Business has the following discount levels:

Level 1 Post Office (over the counter)

Level 1 Online (up to $2,499 in yearly spending)

Level 2 Online ($2500 to $4,999 in yearly spending)

Level 3 Online ($5000 to $7,499 in yearly spending)

Level 4 Online ($7,500+ in yearly spending)

Canada Post has been making changes this year to make the online SfSB purchases more attractive. International had some discount changes near the end of January with the over-the-counter tracked packet discount rate getting smaller and the minimum online discount getting bigger.

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gwrocen · ‎04-06-2017

@cumos55 wrote:
In February the cost of postage started at $14.69.

The business discount of 8.5 % was subtracted, and then the fuel surcharge of 5 % was added.

The end result was $14.11.
--------------------------------------

Today... the business discount ... at a postal outlet.... is 5 %, and the fuel surcharge is 7.5 %.

We also start with $14.69... subtract the business discount at 5 %, and then add in the fuel surcharge of 7.5 %.

The end result today is $15.00.

This applies to this one parcel... an increase of 89 cents.... before GST is added to the cost of postage......

SO.................from your calculations above,

this amounts to about another 6 .5% increase in the shipping cost,

and this is in addition to the rate increases put into effect on January 16.

We noticed this discrepancy when the rate changes came into effect on Jan. 16.

We were mailing a parcel internationally and were being charge a couple of dollars more

at the Post Office than what we had calculated on the website.

We mentioned this at the Post Office, but of course, the clerks there didn't know anything about this.

When we phoned Customer Service at Canada Post we were told that the calculations on the site

were "estimates" only.

Here is what is stated in small print with every calculation.

{"Please note:
These prices are estimates and subject to adjustment by Canada Post."}

That is a ridiculous stand by Canada Post especially for all of us who require ACCURATE, CORRECT calculations.

Prior to Jan. 16, calculations were always the same as what we were charged at the Post Office.

cumos55 · ‎04-06-2017

I am working on the basis than the calculation online gives one a cost for postage....

First the cost for everything... the non-business group.

Second a number for the business group..... with a discount

Up until the beginning of March... the number on the website was the same as that determined at a postal outlet.

That is not so today.

Canada Post is making adjustments.... and for those that use the basic discount of 5 % as it is today..... there has to be a measure of confusion.

One determines the cost of postage... for a business parcel... on Canada Post's website... and then one goes to the postal outlet and is told the online number is low...

I understand the numbers.... a person new to the system will be confused.... wondering what happened...

There should be no potential for confusion

The website discount is 8.5 %... the discount at the postal outlet is 5 %.

Both the website discount and the discount at the postal outlet should be the same... at 5 %.

The most interesting part of this is that the discount was 8 5 % .... where it should have been 5 %....

The 8.5 % number is perhaps from years ago.... Ventureone period perhaps... and was not changed until now....

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-06-2017

@cumos55 wrote:
What I do know....

Back in February my discount for Expedite Canada was 8.5 % at a postal outlet

Today it is 5 % .

The question then becomes.

Should the calculation of rates on Canada Post's website show a 5 % discount..... the discount obtained at a postal outlet.... or should that discount remain at 8.5 %

Online,..... Canada Post calls heir discount program... Business Solutions

I've never purchased expedited at an outlet because the PayPal discount was better so can't comment on what you were paying but the way I understand it ....

If you use their online calculator the price shown is the counter price for anyone who occasionally buys postage directly at the Post office or outlet

If you click on the minimum savings link the price shown is the maximum you would pay if you were part of that discount program AND bought your Postage online. (If you are in a higher level of the program the postage may be even less). I don't see anything that suggests you will pay that same amount at an outlet. Perhaps they were charging the same at one time but that seems to have changed.

Question- why buy your expedited, tracked packet and xpresspost labels at an outlet when it is less expensive through PayPal or CP online? In some cases it may be even less than PP if you print your label online through CP.

pjcdn2005 · ‎04-06-2017

"There should be no potential for confusion"

A person new to the system will see that the discount is for online purchases as that it is what it specifies. They are unlikely to be comparing it to the way it used to be so there shouldn't be confusion.