International Parcel Air

[around_again_records]

Hi everyone: It's been awhile, but I have a question

When I try to calculate shipping at the Canada Post website for a parcel 35 x 35 x 10 cm weighing 3.5 kg. to ship to China,  I get prices for:

Priority

Xpress Post

International Parcel Surface

I'm wondering why International Parcel Air does not show up. Priority is out of the question. Xpress Post sounds good but still pretty expensive & I won't send halfway around the world by Surface.

When I look at International Parcel Air, it looks like it should be a choice. The dimensions are within spec as is the weight and I'm sure at some point in my research I saw China on the list.

I've come across this before when researching postal rates, but I didn't actually have a shipment so I didn't worry about it too much.

Does anyone know what the deal is with International Parcel Air and why it doesn't show up most of the time when.

I'm going to the Post Office later today or tomorrow to ask them, but you guys/girls are usually a lot quicker and more informed

Wendy

[mr.elmwood]

I "think" it is due to the international postal agreement that has a cut-off at 2k. Even though your dimensions are inside, your weight is outside.

[around_again_records]

I know that is the case for Tracked Packet and Small Packet, but International Parcel weights are up to 30 kg for Air and Surface to China.

The problem is Surface shows up in the results but Air does not, which seems kind of strange to me because I would think Air would be how most people want to ship.

[maggiebvintage2010]

According to CP's International Rate Chart, international air parcels to China have a rate code in the 100 series, and are only sent by Xpresspost International Service.  Only items with a rate code in the 200 series are shipped by International Parcel - Air Service.

You can find this information in Canada Post's "International Destination Listing" or International Shipping Chart".

[around_again_records]

Ahhh that explains it then. I saw that China was rate code 109 and the dimensions and weight were OK for International Parcel so I couldn't figure it out.

I'll do some more reading, it may come in handy for the future.

Thanks a lot

Wendy

[around_again_records]

Yup, found it after following about 20 links and going in a few circles. Very handy and helpful.

Thanks again - knew I could count on this forum

[cumos55]

It could also be a fact that Canada Post will only  provide shipping options where signature confirmation upon delivery is required

and might also be dependent on the size, weight and even value of the item being shipped 

[mr.elmwood]

Different countries get different delivery options.

[recped]

You get International Parcel OR Xpresspost but not both to all destinations except the USA which adds Expedited into the mix along with Xpresspost.

I'm quite sure Canada Post would like to do away with International Parcel if they could work out the Xpresspost arrangements everywhere.

[toff3]

Recped has put his finger on the problem: for International Parcels other than Surface, Canada Post restricts service to EITHER International Parcel Air OR Xpresspost. The latter, of course, is an enhanced service and is significantly more expensive than IP Air.

It's a classic example of the high-handed way CP treat their customers. (That's putting it politely. More to the point would be how CP shafts its customers).

For example, take Singapore, one of SE Asia's (indeed the world's) great transportation hubs. According to Wikipedia, its airport is served by 100 airlines operating 6400 flights a week to 250 cities in 60 countries. You would expect, wouldn't you, that CP would offer International Parcel Air (or indeed any other kind of air service) to Singapore? But no, sorry, only Xpresspost is available.

It is an utter disgrace.

Tom

[around_again_records]

Yeah, they really don't give you much choice. I just lost a sale for 22 records (which is a huge sale for me) because of the high shipping cost. That's why I was so anxious to find International Parcel Air.

Oh well, such is life. I guess CP would rather charge and arm and a leg and ship fewer parcels than fill the bloody plane up and charge a bit less.... Maybe the planes are full already, but considering the losses that CP keeps reporting something is wrong somewhere.

[tobyshitzu]

I have no doubt the planes are full and run in a highly efficient manner...

all CP US and international items are  flown  fedex

[marnotom!]

---

@toff3 wrote:

For example, take Singapore, one of SE Asia's (indeed the world's) great transportation hubs. According to Wikipedia, its airport is served by 100 airlines operating 6400 flights a week to 250 cities in 60 countries. You would expect, wouldn't you, that CP would offer International Parcel Air (or indeed any other kind of air service) to Singapore? But no, sorry, only Xpresspost is available.

It is an utter disgrace.

---

How much demand  do you suppose there is for international air parcel from Canada to Singapore?

Most businesses aren't going to want to use an unpredictable service like that.  They'd rather use something that they know will reach its destination extremely quickly and reliably, which means either Xpresspost, Priority or a commercial carrier.

The only time of year when there would probably be enough use of conventional air parcel to justify offering it for overseas shipments is right now.  The rest of the year, the volumes simply aren't there.

[toff3]

Marno is notorious as an apologist for Canada Post but his latest post takes the cake.

So now postal service is dependent on volume to the destination? I'm sure not many letters are mailed to Albania from Canada but does that mean Canada Post shouldn't accept mail for Albania?

No one is suggesting that CP not offer Xpresspost service to Singapore.  Absolutely it should be available for those Canadians who need an enhanced service and are prepared to pay for it.

But no way should it be mandatory for a Canadian who wants to send a parcel by air to Singapore to use Xpresspost when the only alternative is surface mail. 

And where does Marno get the idea that international air parcel service is "unpredictable"? Funny that the USPS sends all international mail by air.

The bottom line is that IMHO Canada Post, as a public service, has an obligation to Canadians to provide the best possible postal service for the least possible cost. Because CP doesn't live up to its obligation, the OP lost a sale.

Tom 

[pjcdn2005]

International parcel and Xpresspost are similar in price. For example, a 3 kg package to China would be $112.38 by Xpresspost and $116.47 to India via International Parcel Air.

[around_again_records]

That's not much a difference in price. I don't think my customer would have been thrilled and I would have lost the sale anyway.

I figured International Parcel would be a less expensive but perhaps slower service. Something between super duper business gotta be there yesterday no matter what it costs, and inexpensive slow boat to anywhere.

Wish they'd come up with something like that  

[marnotom!]

Tom, if you've been paying attention to other postal systems, you'll find that many have been trying to trim their international parcel offerings in an attempt to save costs.  In the case of USPS, surface mail was eliminated, probably because due to economies of scale air mail is still a reasonably priced offering.  Perhaps Canada Post would have done the same if they were able to offer air parcel at a comparable rate to USPS.  We have no way of knowing how much regular air parcel would now be compared to surface mail to major destinations, but I suspect that it wouldn't be much less expensive than Xpresspost.

As for your example to Albania, all members of the Universal Postal Union have to offer lettermail as a mailing method to other members.

However, with all the tweaking Canada Post wants to make with its services, maybe we will see the return of regular air parcel to foreign destinations, but I suspect it would be either a no-frills service without tracking or else something else would have to be eliminated.  In other words, careful what you wish for, you might just get it.

[toff3]

PJ and Around-again,

Exactly, there isn't much difference in price between the two services, yet Xpresspost is considerably enhanced over International Parcel Air. Xpresspost promises delivery in up to 4 days, on-time delivery guarantee, and delivery confirmation; IPA has none of these features.

Wonder why the price difference is so small? I'll tell you why. Because IPA is way overpriced, just like all the other Canada Post International rates for anything heavier than 500 g. A Small Packet Air weighing just over 500 g to the UK costs $35.69, to South Africa, $43.38. Insane! Even a letter to Germany now costs $1.85 (God knows what it'll cost next year). The Germans can send one to Canada for $1.14.

Around-again, you're right-on when you ask why Canada Post doesn't offer an adequate postal service internationally that's somewhere between a slow boat (which BTW is not inexpensive) and express with DC. Good question.

I'll tell you something else. We wouldn't be robbed blind at every turn if Canada's postal system wasn't a monopoly enterprise run by idiots who think the way to financial solvency is to cut service and charge more.

Tom  

[toff3]

maybe we will see the return of regular air parcel to foreign destinations, but I suspect it would be either a no-frills service without tracking or else something else would have to be eliminated

Marno,

A no-frills international air parcel service is exactly what we in Canada need. Any fancy, all-the-bells-and-whistles service should also be available to the paranoid mailers who can't stand the thought of mailing anything internationally without tracking and DC and don't mind wasting their money.

Tom

[reallynicestamps]

What happens when you put the 22 records in two or three parcels, each meeting the standards of service?