Canada Post Letter mail is hit or miss

[mephistopheles93]

It's been baptism by fire trying to figure out what works and what doesn't when it comes to lettermail. I have had zero problems shipping items letter mail within Canada, but it's like playing Russian roulette to US and international. 90% of the time it gets through without issue, but every now and then you get an employee at the sorting facility that's having a bad day and returns to sender. Initially I thought as long as the enveloppe was less than 0.8 inch think and under the weight limit it could go letter mail. Apparently I was wrong as this exchange with Canada Post demonstrates.

"Hi there I recently received a letter returned to sender insufficient postage. With Petit Paquet written in pen. As far as I can tell the postage was sufficient 2 US stamps. It was for non std envelope that contained a 3/4 inch thick jewelry box that weighed no more than 10-20 grams. Any idea what the problem could have been?"

Reply from Canada Post

Hello, your package content isn't paper but goods. Lettermail that contains goods of any kind do not meet Lettermail delivery standards, so cannot be sent as Lettermail. Lettermail is to send letters and documents only. If you need to send goods outside of Canada and do not require tracking, we suggest using the Small Packet service which includes providing a Customs Declaration. Note: Letters that contain goods and do not have a Customs Declaration are also likely to be refused entry by the destination Customs Agency.

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

As the letter said, we are not supposed to send goods with letter post / lettermail outside of  Canada.  The rule has been in affect for years but they have only been enforcing it in the last couple of years.    For small items such as your pins they may not notice it but a jewelry box is more obvious.  

btw Even if that package had contained documents it is oversize letter post as it was thicker than 5mm.  The cost to the US would be $3.19 up to 100 gr and cannot be more than 2cm thick.  Anything thicker is a package. 

[mephistopheles93]

"btw Even if that package had contained documents it is oversize letter post as it was thicker than 5mm.  The cost to the US would be $3.19 up to 100 gr and cannot be more than 2cm thick.  Anything thicker is a package."

I usually just stick 2 US stamps on and it goes through fine. Maybe I need to use 3? I mostly just use the 3/4 inch boxes to protect pewter miniatures as they bend easy.  I might have less scrutiny if I wrap them paper instead.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@mephistopheles93 wrote:

"btw Even if that package had contained documents it is oversize letter post as it was thicker than 5mm.  The cost to the US would be $3.19 up to 100 gr and cannot be more than 2cm thick.  Anything thicker is a package."

I usually just stick 2 US stamps on and it goes through fine. Maybe I need to use 3? I mostly just use the 3/4 inch boxes to protect pewter miniatures as they bend easy.  I might have less scrutiny if I wrap them paper instead.

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@mephistopheles93 

Problem being a pewter miniature is still not considered paper. Therefore it has to be sent with parcel service when going internationally. Postal rules.

-Lotz

[mephistopheles93]

Yeah I realize it's "technically" not allowed, but who's gonna know? Shipping parcel is too expensive. It's worth rolling the dice.

[mephistopheles93]

I noticed Canada post sells 22 cent stamps, can you use 3 permanant and 2 x .22 (should equal 3.20) to mail oversized US? I didn't realize the 2 US stamps were insufficient.

[flipistics]

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@mephistopheles93 wrote:

Yeah I realize it's "technically" not allowed, but who's gonna know? Shipping parcel is too expensive. It's worth rolling the dice.

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It really isn't worth it imo. INRs can really hurt your account, and as a few people here have found out the hard way, the postal system is really cracking down on it internationally. You can only send them as oversized lettermail within Canada.  In fact, legally you can't even send things like paper, photographs, or stamps that you've sold as a commercial transaction via lettermail internationally. It has to be sent as a package with customs information.

It looks like you're charging $5 shipping anyway. Just charge US buyers the extra $2 or so and send it as tracked packet through eBay labels.

[mephistopheles93]

Airmail costs 9$ and tracked is currently discounted to 9.16$ but normally 15-20$. I am trying to keep my price point reasonable for my pewter minis. 15$+5$ shipping. $20 is a comfortable number. It just feels wrong to pay a premium to ship a tiny item that weighs only a few grams.

[mrdutch1001]

 "It's worth rolling the dice.".....Is it really?

Best to use the "correct and designated" Canada Post shipping method for such goods/merchandise. Canada Post, etc are "doing their job" by returning such non-paper lettermail. Your postage was not correct and neither was sending such goods/merchandise via lettermail to destinations outside of Canada. If sellers choose to list/sell these types of goods/merchandise, they must be prepared to ship those goods according to ALL postal carrier rules & policies.

[flipistics]

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@mephistopheles93 wrote:

Airmail costs 9$ and tracked is currently discounted to 9.16$ but normally 15-20$. I am trying to keep my price point reasonable for my pewter minis. 15$+5$ shipping. $20 is a comfortable number. It just feels wrong to pay a premium to ship a tiny item that weighs only a few grams.

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Tracked Packet through eBay labels should be $7.19 right now for under 100g or $8.02 for 101-250g.

[femmefan1946]

There are no "US " stamps.

Canada Post does make stamps that currently pay the US rate* and  the Dominion of Canada has never demonetized any stamps.

Actually we can also use stamps issued by the Colony of Newfoundland.

The rate of up to 30gr to the US is $1.30

For up to 50gr is $1.94

For up to 100gr is $3.19.

Two $1.30 stamps would overpay the 50gr rate and underpay the 100 gr rate.

Two P stamps, current value 92c, would underpay the 50gr rate.

You should run out to Canadian Tire and buy a kitchen scale.

I bought my Starfrit there for less than $20.  They may have cloth tape measures too.

And use METRIC. Canada Post went metric in 1974 and anything else is guesswork.

Right now, with the eBay/Canada Post promotion, you can send a parcel to the US that weighs under 200gr for $6.35 with tracking compared to $$5.57 for untracked LetterMail.

Even though I sell discount postage under another ID, I have been using the Promotional Tracked Packet USA labels because the slight extra cost**  is offset by the efficiency.

But again.

We are not supposed to ship internationally things we have sold.

* Most of these are Christmas stamps and are not often available.

** A $10 stamp costs me much much less than $10.

[mephistopheles93]

"The rate of up to 30gr to the US is $1.30

For up to 50gr is $1.94

For up to 100gr is $3.19.

Two $1.30 stamps would overpay the 50gr rate and underpay the 100 gr rate.

Two P stamps, current value 92c, would underpay the 50gr rate."

These rates are for Standard size envelopes and standard thicknesses.

"You should run out to Canadian Tire and buy a kitchen scale."

I actually ordered one from Amazon on Monday. I don't know why I put it off for so long.

"Right now, with the eBay/Canada Post promotion, you can send a parcel to the US that weighs under 200gr for $6.35 with tracking compared to $$5.57 for untracked LetterMail."

I think the rate depends on where you live. I am on the east coast and it comes in a little higher. It's kind of madening that even without the promotion it is cheaper to ship to the US from Canada than within Canada. Plus they have the untracked small packet option to the US and no untracked service domestically.

"Even though I sell discount postage under another ID, I have been using the Promotional Tracked Packet USA labels because the slight extra cost**  is offset by the efficiency." 

How does discount postage work?

[mephistopheles93]

From Canada Post website.  It doesn't explicitly state that these items can't be mailed internationally. No wonder people get confused.

Non-standard Lettermail

You can't mail the following items as Standard Lettermail™. You can only mail these items as Other (Non-standard and Oversize) Lettermail (and the applicable price will be charged):

• Bottle caps
• Loose coins 
• Foodstuffs
• Glass
• Jewellery
• Keys
• Liquids
• Pencils
• Pens
• Powders
• Seeds
• Anything fragile or perishable
• Anything that may soil or damage other mail or postal equipment
• Anything that can cause injuries to people handling it

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@mephistopheles93 wrote:

"The rate of up to 30gr to the US is $1.30

For up to 50gr is $1.94

For up to 100gr is $3.19.

Two $1.30 stamps would overpay the 50gr rate and underpay the 100 gr rate.

Two P stamps, current value 92c, would underpay the 50gr rate."

These rates are for Standard size envelopes and standard thicknesses.

"You should run out to Canadian Tire and buy a kitchen scale."

I actually ordered one from Amazon on Monday. I don't know why I put it off for so long.

"Right now, with the eBay/Canada Post promotion, you can send a parcel to the US that weighs under 200gr for $6.35 with tracking compared to $$5.57 for untracked LetterMail."

I think the rate depends on where you live. I am on the east coast and it comes in a little higher. It's kind of madening that even without the promotion it is cheaper to ship to the US from Canada than within Canada. Plus they have the untracked small packet option to the US and no untracked service domestically.

"Even though I sell discount postage under another ID, I have been using the Promotional Tracked Packet USA labels because the slight extra cost**  is offset by the efficiency." 

How does discount postage work?

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@mephistopheles93 

If you need smaller denomination stamps you have several options. "Some" postal depots carry them. You can also ask at the depot(if they don't have) to print for you any difference. With a solution for small business account with CP you can order supplies and stamps including the smalled denominations. If you do choose to do anything with your smaller packages the agent WILL confirm if it qualifies for letter rates. If you have to put a few cents extra on an envelop just call it out of the goodness of your heart or in other words a write off. Hey, better safe than sorry.

-Lotz

PS. To order stamps and paid supplies from CP there is a minimum order for free shipping. 

[marnotom!]

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@mephistopheles93 wrote:|

From Canada Post website.  It doesn't explicitly state that these items can't be mailed internationally. No wonder people get confused.

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Also from the Canada Post website:

Lettermail™ is a convenient and cost-effective way to send items in Canada. . .

(from https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/lettermail/overview.page)

The international service is actually letter-post and the restrictions list is here:

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/letter-post/unacceptable-items.page

Yes, it's confusing.  I have @pjcdn2005 to thank for pointing out the distinction a year or so ago.