For CD's the postal rates are going up Jan 13 2025

[musicyouneed]

Providing Canada post is back to work by then.  I just checked and the rate is going up from $3.19 to $4.29 for 100 to 200 grams and from $4.44 to $5.98 for 200 to 300 grams on Jan 13, 2025.  That is a 35% increase.  So make sure you adjust your business policies, that is a big jump, plus you will be paying more in tax too. 

[reallynicestamps]

@regs43 

If you are in Ottawa you might check out Sparks auctions, who regularly sell large lots of postage at discount rates.

https://sparks-auctions.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sparks50Complete.pdf

That's from the Summer 2024 sale.

Smaller lots are regularly available here on eBay *cough*.

[reallynicestamps]

I'm just worried about eBay's discounted labels.

Even a stamp seller like me uses the Small Package Tracked USA labels, since they are as cheap as my piles of discount postage, and less labour.

OTOH, my discount postage business may revive if we lose that eBay discount.

[visual-sound]

I'll just have to increase my prices then which will lead to less sales. It's already hard to compete and make any money selling on EBay. Most of my cd's are $10.00 with free shipping. My days of selling on here look to be limited.

[darak10]

the way they've been treating their employees this last month, do you think they would treat us any different? lol

[darak10]

with the anticipated Trump tariffs expected to blitz most of our American customers, no doubt there are many on here who are thinking the same way. 

[sin-n-dex]

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@ilikehockeyjerseys wrote:

If you have a predictable volume, it might be a good idea to buy a substantial amount of P stamps before the price increase. If you do not want to use a discount postage reseller, you could always buy in bulk at Costco. They sell P stamps for 5 percent off. That would be $94 dollars per $100 instead of $137. That is a significant difference. For high volume lettermail sellers who use a few thousand stamps a year, stocking up early could save you thousands. 

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Some stamp dealers sell packs of postage at 75% FV which is how I previously paid for my non-tracked Canada Post shipments. It's one reason some of my items have lower shipping (since charging actual shipping might deter buyers from purchasing, but being able to lower the shipping and use stamps is a big advantage). Without Canada Post I have an album with $700 in postage I can't use right now.

C.

[reallynicestamps]

anticipated Trump tariffs

I'm more sanguine.

US residents have  duty-free allowance of $800 USD per shipment.

The tariffs may hurt wholesale importers, but will miss the B2C sellers like eBay members.

Note: I have all my toes crossed for this. Crossing fingers makes typing difficult.

[john_koenig99]

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@darak10 wrote:

the way they've been treating their employees this last month, do you think they would treat us any different? lol

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So how should they have been treated? Give them every single unreasonable concession, while bleeding more millions, in the process? 

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Yes, there are a few postage dealers online (some on this forum) who sell for below face value, including P-stamps.

You will certainly get the best deal going through a dealer, but some people may prefer to go with a known retailer. In that case, both Costco and Rexall (at least in Ontario) offer stamps at a discount. 

[fh991586]

Unless you're a part of the negotiation team, you can't tell how unreasonable are the concessions [details are not public knowledge]. And if you were part, you are not authorised to discuss them in public. You are playing the CP game here if you only consider their public statements, blaming the other part without knowledge of the numerous issues at hand (which are not only salaries, btw).

[reallynicestamps]

The big one appears to be treatment of part-time and rural workers (and the rural workers are mostly women) who are not getting the same sort of benefits as the urban and full time workers.

This was also a sticking point during the last labour dispute, the one where management went on strike and locked out the workers.

[byto253]

The play it well part will be interesting.  In Ottawa Chitchats has have made it more inconvenient to drop off items.  They are down to 1 main branch and moved the 1 drop off spot from an Intelcom facility in town to one that is out of town and south east of the main city.   If there was something closer I would use them more but it makes no sense to go for 1 to 3 parcels.   

I like the Maritimes where they have partnered with Maritime Bus and have 29 drop off spots throughout the Atlantic provinces.  They could do better in other locations.  

[byto253]

The move of the drop off spot from Walkely Road to Vars was not exactly customer friendly.  Courier companies have drop off spots with dry cleaners and other small businesses.  Whoever is responsible for the Ottawa area needs to get a bit more creative.  I think it is managed by Chitchats Montreal and that is where the focus is with Ottawa an after-thought.   

[flipistics]

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@byto253 wrote:

The move of the drop off spot from Walkely Road to Vars was not exactly customer friendly.  Courier companies have drop off spots with dry cleaners and other small businesses.  Whoever is responsible for the Ottawa area needs to get a bit more creative.  I think it is managed by Chitchats Montreal and that is where the focus is with Ottawa an after-thought.   

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I think a great drop off location in smaller areas would be public libraries. They could probably use the extra revenue and they usually have good parking and staff that isn't overworked.

[reallynicestamps]

and staff that isn't overworked.

Not at my public library. I was waiting for my taxi at the local branch and there was at least one person coming or going to the library every 30 seconds or so for the 15 minutes I waited. (I started counting once I got bored.)

Intelcom is a gig company. Not only do they use gig workers for delivery, they also use gig workers as managers, according to the Globe and Mail.

Explains a lot about eIS complaints since eIS seems to use them a lot.