eBay

fergua3 · ‎03-16-2022

in all the years i've been selling on Ebay i've never needed to use a CP Flat Rate Box before. But i sold a small flat item to a remote location and the Box was cheaper .

Anyway, the tracking number i got was wierd, starting with GD and it doesn't show up when i check it on CP's site. Normally when i take packages to the Post Office the tracking shows up within minutes. Is there some sort of delay with the tracking of Flat Rate Boxes? The tracking number appeared below a big QR code.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎03-16-2022

@fergua3 wrote:
in all the years i've been selling on Ebay i've never needed to use a CP Flat Rate Box before. But i sold a small flat item to a remote location and the Box was cheaper .

Anyway, the tracking number i got was wierd, starting with GD and it doesn't show up when i check it on CP's site. Normally when i take packages to the Post Office the tracking shows up within minutes. Is there some sort of delay with the tracking of Flat Rate Boxes? The tracking number appeared below a big QR code.

I've used to the flat rate boxes from time to time. No major issues to date with the tracking. There may have been an issue when your clerk scanned your parcel at time of drop off with info being sent to CP. I've had parcels scan no problems when I've dropped off regular items and other times delays. If you check later this evening there should be a update. Double check you've entered the number in correctly. Typos can and do happen. (If you have one of those smart phone type gizmos you should be able to scan that QR code for any scanning updates or you can always sign up for any updates at CP.)

-Lotz

Just checked the last one I sent to Ontario. You better sit down for this. 🙂 Item shows delivered on CP website but still out for delivery as of Dec 31,2021 in eBay. Guessing eBay still doesn't have their ducks in a row for this ongoing issue.

fergua3 · ‎03-16-2022

thanks, Lotz.

i've tried a few random tracking numbers and none of them are working either. And customer service phone lines are swamped right now so maybe CP tracking just isn't working right now.

femmefan1946 · ‎03-16-2022

I guess I'm a little more laid back about shipping, but if your customer is not complaining, what is the problem?

You did put the tracking number, however weird, into the eBay My eBay-> Selling->Seller Hub->Manage All Orders-> Add Tracking Number?

fergua3 · ‎03-16-2022

yes i uploaded the tracking to ebay as usual. I use CP's site to check tracking and it still says there is no such tracking number. I'm only concerned because i've never used Flat Rate boxes before and the procedure is different than what i am used to. No clearly printed shipping label on the box, just a tiny hand written address, which is actually a faint copy of what i wrote because the top copy is the sender's copy.

I imagine it will be ok, but i like to be sure, especially when using something new and unfamilair.

dinomitesales · ‎03-16-2022

The tracking number pre-printed on the boxes isn't "activated" until the clerk originates the box. If you were given a receipt with the tracking number/QR code then this was done successfully. If it's not being recognized on the Canada Post website it's just a temporary glitch or a delay between transmitting the information from the outlet to CPC. Should update within 24 hrs or so.

fergua3 · ‎03-16-2022

thanks everyone. It is showing up on CP's website now. It seems there was an outage on CP's site of new tracking being uploaded, at least in my area. Just a coincidence with my using a Flat Rate Box for the first time.

It's interesting to note that the Flat Rate Box i used was over twice the size of the packaged item i originally took to the Post Office fo ship, yet shipping this smaller package in this larger box was a few dollars cheaper. Not sure why they can't just charge that lower shipping amount on the smaller item..they'd save themselves the cost of producing the box and it would be a smaller, lighter item for them to transport through the postal system.

dinomitesales · ‎03-17-2022

The flat rate boxes were always meant to be sort of a "convenience" product for Canada Post; i.e. people would just buy them because it's a box+shipping all in one and easier for the customer - they'd lose some money shipping to some remote/northenr destinations, but probably make money on the majority of destinations because the cost of the box is typically more expensive than the cost of shipping a pre-packaged product smaller than the box.

Unfortunately, with the fuel surcharge being what it currently is (22%!) it's actually making their flat rate products cheaper than their counter prices. I can't see this being sustainable, so if gas prices don't decrease in the near future I would definitely anticipate a price hike on the flat rate boxes.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎03-17-2022

My assumption would be that flat rate boxes aren't really aimed at people who want to sell smaller heavier items really far away. They are aimed at people who are casual senders and want packaging an item to be as easy and smooth as possible, even if the flat rate box is more expensive. The same type of person who pays Canada Post a few dollars for a bubble mailer out of convenience. That is why there is the occasional anomaly like the one you experienced.

If you have a small business account, flat rates with flat rate boxes are too expensive to make sense for 99+ percent of packages. Maybe I am spoiled because I live in Ontario and for someone who lives in Nova Scotia or the Territories, where outbound shipping is more expensive, flat rate boxes might make sense more often.