Current Canada Letter Rates

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Anyone else in agreement that the recent rate adjustment for Canadian letter mail, regular and oversized was a bit excessive? Used to be stick a 2.09/3.43 and good to go for anything slightly oversized. Now it's become a challenge mixing and matching up stamps to get to the right number. I was optimistically hoping 100 discounted stamps would last awhile. It's not looking promising!!!

[marnotom!]

In 1981, the cost of a first-class stamp went up 70 percent.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

---

@marnotom! wrote:

In 1981, the cost of a first-class stamp went up 70 percent.

---

In the 1980ies you could send a 500 gram package ANYWHERE within a province for under 2.50 and no GST. Business rate. One province over a few cents more. 

[brettjet38]

In the Victorian Age you could send a Letter, Card, or Postcard for 1 penny/cent, things change...

They also used Horses, Wagons, and Bicycles to get it delivered to your mailbox, if you had one.

Yes, they are pushing the "Stamp" price up towards the Expedited Lite Prices, for the simple reason that they want all "merch/goods" tracked using the parcel system, not the letter mail stream.

It's all on the UPU site, to be in place within a couple of years.

It's all subtly being implemented, in this case, by increasing stamp rates, Canada Post is being transformed, split, divided...

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

If you are a Costco member, check your local Costco. Last month, they still had rolls of 100 stamps left at the previous price (including 5 percent off). They apparently were going to keep that price until their stock they purchased at the old price ran out.

The glass half-full way to look at the increase over the last year (both increases) would be that they did not increase the stamp price for years. I think part of what made the increase seem excessive was having it over such a short period of time.

I do think that lettermail is getting to a point that a lot of "lettermail sellers" are going to reconsider their business model. The cost of everything required to deliver a sale has gone up, not just lettermail. 25 cents here, 50 cents there, a dollar there, etc. It isn't guaranteed that each seller is in a position to charge a higher price, so the margins quickly erode on a $10-$20 item. 

I think that eBay should recognize the need for some sort of discounted postage to fit the ultra low cost tier. The Canadian market is unique in that we don't have any cheap shipping options for a bubble mailer other than lettermail which previously was under $2 for a 100g package and around $3 for a 200g package. Expedited Lite is a fantastic option because it means you can send something tracked for $8 or so to most places, but it's too expensive to replace lettermail when two P-stamps even at full price are $2.48. 

[femmefan1946]

Even with an endless supply of postage stamps, I find the eBay Tracked USA label well worth my while with a start price of $7.14 or so.  I save money on labour and can drop the packages into the mailbox down the block, instead of going to the PO and confusing the clerks.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Tracked Packet USA is great at eBay rates. I changed from Chit Chats because of the convenience.

I don't think Expedited Lite is worth it in most cases. I'll usually use it for something around $50, but even then I'm sure it's not the rational thing to do when you consider the low odds of an INR in my category, and the difference between discount stamps and Expedited Lite being around $5.

[snoopwiz]

Not sure if it is common knowledge but for an oversized. under 100 gram letter, you can use, and they will accept, 2 "P" stanps. I think (but will circle back if wrong) that you can use 4 "P" stamps when the weight is 100 grams - 200 grams.  If you hoarded "P" stamps from the previous years,  even better.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

You're correct about the 2 P stamps thing. With the only note being, some Canada Post locations may refuse to accept it because the rule doesn't seem to be universally known. In that case, I would just let it be and either pay the 11 cents or whatever it is now, or drop it in a box. 

P-stamps are worth 1.24. 100-200 costs $4.29. While you can use 4, you would be overpaying by 67 cents, which can add up over time. 

My advice for high volume lettermail sellers would be to use 2 P-stamps for 100g, and then find a bulk stamp seller who will sell you pre-sorted bulk unused postage in mid-range denominations. Pre-sorted is important, because your time is valuable. Meaning, an envelope with 100 43 cent stamps instead of an envelope with $43 of postage of various denominations. Depending on your volume, you may be able to get 20-30 percent off. If you figure out combos that work and everything is pre-sorted, it is still time consuming, but you can do a months worth of mailers at the same time while watching TV. If it's unsorted, it will take forever. 

If you don't want to look for stamp dealers, you can probably figure out what combos of P-stamps and USA or international stamps work to get up to each price level. https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/lettermail/pricing.page

It's not always possible to get something like 4.29 on the dot. I wouldn't freak out about overpaying by a cent, but 67 cents is a lot unless it's a one time thing and you're overpaying for the convenience of getting out it out in a mailbox. 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

---

@ilikehockeyjerseys wrote:

You're correct about the 2 P stamps thing. With the only note being, some Canada Post locations may refuse to accept it because the rule doesn't seem to be universally known. In that case, I would just let it be and either pay the 11 cents or whatever it is now, or drop it in a box. 

P-stamps are worth 1.24. 100-200 costs $4.29. While you can use 4, you would be overpaying by 67 cents, which can add up over time. 

My advice for high volume lettermail sellers would be to use 2 P-stamps for 100g, and then find a bulk stamp seller who will sell you pre-sorted bulk unused postage in mid-range denominations. Pre-sorted is important, because your time is valuable. Meaning, an envelope with 100 43 cent stamps instead of an envelope with $43 of postage of various denominations. Depending on your volume, you may be able to get 20-30 percent off. If you figure out combos that work and everything is pre-sorted, it is still time consuming, but you can do a months worth of mailers at the same time while watching TV. If it's unsorted, it will take forever. 

If you don't want to look for stamp dealers, you can probably figure out what combos of P-stamps and USA or international stamps work to get up to each price level. https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/lettermail/pricing.page

It's not always possible to get something like 4.29 on the dot. I wouldn't freak out about overpaying by a cent, but 67 cents is a lot unless it's a one time thing and you're overpaying for the convenience of getting out it out in a mailbox. 

---

You can also get a combination of smaller denom stamps from some but not all postal outlets or get direct from CP to make up the difference. Minimum order required for free shipping. My only observation it just takes more stamps now than it used to make up that diffence. Especially if you shipping items 200 to 500 grams by letter mail. 

@femmefan1946 As a side question if you are paying using stamps for a tracked service how are you getting a tracking number without dealing with a postal agent?

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

I think that they are saying even know they can use discount postage to get a better rate in person for Tracked Packet - they opt to print an eBay label because it is more convenient to drop it in a box.

On a side note, there is a way to get tracking with discount stamps on lettermail sized items without going to the post office. You can get a free stack of registered mail slips that have a tracking number. If you put the appropriate postage, it will activate when it is first scanned at the sorting centre. I find that I almost never use them now with Expedited Lite and extra-small Flat Rate boxes, but it is a good tool to have.

[femmefan1946]

I go to the PO counter and ask for one. It is slow and I have to remind every clerk that the parcel is prepaid with stamps, because most of the labels they make up that way, which is many in our highly residential neighbourhood , are usually paid in cash.

I make up for it by knowing the slower times for them and by offering my SfSB card number to people shocked by the cost of sending a parcel.  The clerks think I am a nice person for doing that.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

---

@femmefan1946 wrote:

I go to the PO counter and ask for one. It is slow and I have to remind every clerk that the parcel is prepaid with stamps, because most of the labels they make up that way, which is many in our highly residential neighbourhood , are usually paid in cash.

I make up for it by knowing the slower times for them and by offering my SfSB card number to people shocked by the cost of sending a parcel.  The clerks think I am a nice person for doing that.

---

I print all my labels from home. Have stamps already on package when I arrive. If i go first thing in the morning I am usually in and out very quick

Regarding the letting someone use your card, there are "certain" clerks that have been told that was not permitted. Unsure if that is an actual policy or bad training. @dinomitesales I have done in the past, when it wasn't an issue and majority of customers are very appreciative. Especially expedited vs regular when they would like something there fast but don't want to pay an arm and a leg.

[sin-n-dex]

---

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

---

@femmefan1946 wrote:

I go to the PO counter and ask for one. It is slow and I have to remind every clerk that the parcel is prepaid with stamps, because most of the labels they make up that way, which is many in our highly residential neighbourhood , are usually paid in cash.

I make up for it by knowing the slower times for them and by offering my SfSB card number to people shocked by the cost of sending a parcel.  The clerks think I am a nice person for doing that.

---

I print all my labels from home. Have stamps already on package when I arrive. If i go first thing in the morning I am usually in and out very quick

Regarding the letting someone use your card, there are "certain" clerks that have been told that was not permitted. Unsure if that is an actual policy or bad training. @dinomitesales I have done in the past, when it wasn't an issue and majority of customers are very appreciative. Especially expedited vs regular when they would like something there fast but don't want to pay an arm and a leg.

---

I haven't worked in a Canada Post Outlet since 2007, but when I worked there I wouldn't have objected to a customer sharing their card with another customer who didn't have one. I got paid an hourly wage, if sharing the card made a customer want to come back to our outlet and it helped increase our revenue, i was all for that.

C.

[snoopwiz]

This is me circling back...I was wrong on the 100-200g large envelope...... using 4 x P's would be overpaying. Thanks ILHJ .  

[dinomitesales]

---

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:Regarding the letting someone use your card, there are "certain" clerks that have been told that was not permitted. Unsure if that is an actual policy or bad training. @dinomitesales I have done in the past, when it wasn't an issue and majority of customers are very appreciative. Especially expedited vs regular when they would like something there fast but don't want to pay an arm and a leg.

---

There is no official statement on the matter. But Canada Post doesn't really want you doing this. If you're doing it for a known friend or family member then that's fine; but doing it for a random person at the post office could lead to issues down the road if a claim needed to be made on the parcel, as it will be under your account.