January 2019 Canada Post price increases

[ypdc_dennis]

The page with links:

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=service_and_price_ch

Big change will be increasing the weight limit from 1kg to 2kg for USA Small Packet and Tracked Packet. This will bring them in line with the International weight limits.

2019 stamps rates for lettermail/letterpost:

Canada stamp rates (metered is cheaper)

[cumos55]

It was not that long ago that Canada Post changed the way fuel surcharges were calculated   and the percentage  went from about 2 to 3 %,  and up to about 10 % and more. 

This appeared to have a significant effect on the increase in postage for parcels each year.  The increase has been quite low for  2018 relative to 2017.

This may change with each successive year....

[ricarmic]

The fuel surcharge is directly related to the average price of gasoline across the country.

Here at least it has been cheaper this last while, theoretically that should mean the fuel surcharge for January will be lower than it was this month.....

[kawartha-ephemera]

Quote;

Big change will be increasing the weight limit from 1kg to 2kg for USA Small Packet and Tracked Packet. This will bring them in line with the International weight limits.

This is very welcome news. Hopefully the rates for these new weight brackets will not be out of line, if markedly below the 2018 Expedited USA rates I will be very pleased.

[ypdc_dennis]

Fuel surcharges are adjusted every month based on the average price of diesel fuel. The exception is Worldwide Priority that uses average price of jet fuel (same index as FedEx).

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=fuel_surcharges_on_m

[ricarmic]

THX Dennis for correcting my mistake, too late for me to edit it out.....

[what-sales-direct]

Does anyone know the exact date this will take effect? is it Jan 1st?

[what-sales-direct]

Ok I see starts Jan 14th.

[cumos55]

Fuel Surcharge --- An interesting read ...

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=fuel_surcharges_on_m

[ypdc_dennis]

Any label bought before Monday, January 14 will be at the old rate (even if mailed later).

...

Stamped lettermail/letterpost usually get a few extra days grace as they get cleared through the system.

...

Stamp speculators...

"P" stamps will increase 5 cents in value on the 14th. So if you have stamps on hand, using fixed value stamps between now and January instead of "P" stamps will leave more money in your pocket.  Or you can stock up on "P" stamps in December at the old price and save.

[femmefan1946]

I printed a domestic label today- unusual for me- and noticed that the Regular Parcel rate was lower than the Expedited Rate.

I was using SnapShip and it did show my business name, which will probably confuse DD when she gets her Christmas present.

Did this happen a while ago?

[ypdc_dennis]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

I printed a domestic label today- unusual for me- and noticed that the Regular Parcel rate was lower than the Expedited Rate.

Did this happen a while ago?

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Back in January 2018 Canada Post changed the volumetric divisor for Expedited.

Regular parcel is still: length x width x height (in cm) / 6000 = volumetric weight in kg

Expedited became: length x width x height (in cm) / 5000 = volumetric weight in kg

For a large sized parcel that change could push Expedited into a higher weight zone and reduce the Solutions for Small Business discount benefit.  This means Regular parcel now sometimes wins the price war. Before 2018 the best Regular could do was a price tie with Expedited.

-..-

[ypdc_dennis]

extract from Overview of Changes PDF

[ypdc_dennis]

Extracted from the PDF data...

Canada lettermail starting January 14, 2019

[momcqueen]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

I printed a domestic label today- unusual for me- and noticed that the Regular Parcel rate was lower than the Expedited Rate.....

....Did this happen a while ago?

---

Yes, this is frequently the case now. I bellyached about it when the volumetric calculation for Expedited Parcel changed earlier this year. It means virtually all of my stuff could be sent for $1 to $2 less using Regular Parcel now if I didn't care about delivery times and insurance. 

[momcqueen]

(And none of what I'm talking about is large. We're talking 325 g in a box 22 x 17 x 12 on the hefty size of median.) 

[ypdc_dennis]

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@momcqueen wrote:

(And none of what I'm talking about is large. We're talking 325 g in a box 22 x 17 x 12 on the hefty size of median.) 

---

Most obvious at the low end since the first price jump is at 750g.

22 x 17 x 12 / 6000 = 0.748 kg volumetric (regular)

versus

22 x 17 x 12 / 5000 = 0.898 kg volumetric  (expedited)

-..-

[ypdc_dennis]

2019 base rates for Small Packet USA and Tracked Packet USA (starting January 14).

Solutions for Small Business members and those with Canada Post Commercial contracts get discounts from these rates.

New in 2019 are weights categories over 1kg. This brings the USA in line with the rest of the world.

Packet does not use dimensional weight, so you don't need to worry about package size.

Tracked Packet USA does have a fuel surcharge.

Also worth noting is that over 500g the price spread between Small Packet and Tracked Packet becomes rather low, making Tracked Packet an easier choice to use, since the cost difference covers $100 insurance and tracking.

[ypdc_dennis]

2019 base rates for Small Packet International Air and Tracked Packet International  (starting January 14).

I am ignoring Small Packet Int'l Surface (even though less expensive) since it is not a good fit for ebay delivery times.

Solutions for Small Business members and those with Canada Post Commercial contracts get discounts from these rates.

Packet does not use dimensional weight, so you don't need to worry about package size. Just as long as you do not exceed the maximums of: no dimension is bigger than 60cm, and length + width + height can not exceed 90cm.

Canada  Post divides the world into 10 zones for packet international services. These are roughly split as:

Zone 1 - Caribbean and Central America

Zone 2 - UK and western Europe (cheapest zone)

Zone 3 - eastern Europe (including Russia)

Zone 4 - Pacific Asia (Japan, S.Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore)

Zone 5 - Australia/New Zealand

Zone 6 - south Asia (including India)

Zone 7 - South America

Zone 8 - Middle East

Zone 9 - China

Zone 10 - much of Africa and some isolated countries (most expensive)

See Canada Post for a list of individual countries and their zones.

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/prices/RCRZ-e-ISC.psomdf

Tracked Packet is only available for 31 international countries, while Small Packet is available for almost all countries.

Note: PayPal does not have a complete selection when buying tracked packet labels, Shippo and SnapShip do.

It is not easy to compare Small Packet and Tracked Packet using the base rates because Tracked Packet gets a much higher discount than Small Packet when you buy the label online.

That said, Small Packet has significant price advantage under 500g.

-..-

[cumos55]

Regular Parcel and Expedited parcel differ on the basis of the insurance included in the price.

For Regular parcel,  insurance  from $0 to $100 costs extra.... The extra is $2.25 for that first $100 of insurance 

For Expedited Parcel insurance for the range $0 to $100 is included in the price...