Package Sent to USA by Lettermail by Mistake! What do I tell my buyer?

[teenytrinkets]

I typically ship out all of my ebay sales at our local post office, but sometimes I have my husband to do it for me. if I don't have time.  This time, I had him ship two small packages to the US.

When he handed me the receipt, I noticed both packages were supposed to go out small packet to the US, but one of them (that was in a thin, padded envelope) was shipped lettermail!  Yes, a postal clerk did this!  The item inside is not even close to resembling a paper item (it's a small eyeshadow stick).  The new rules regarding US lettermail have been in affect for a while, so this is pretty surprising!

It's too late to do anything about it now, as the mail has already been collected.  Anyone know if CP will return this to me, or will it have to wait for a while for it to be rejected by Customs?  Or - is there an off-chance it will go through?

If there's 100% no chance it will go through Customs, I'm thinking it's probably best to cancel the transaction altogether and refund my buyer now?  

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Due to the volume of items the post office handles there is a very good chance (not 100 % mind you) that it will go through pretty much undetected. If it were to get an inspection, would really depend on the value or if you included an packing slip with value in your package. In the meantime just explain what happened to your customer and that it was an accident and for them to expect maybe a small delay in delivery. You may have to refund a small amount of postage due to the decreased fee and delivery delay. Your alternative plan for future packages is to use either Shippo/Paypal or the CPC website for creating your package postage labels. With Shippo or CPC you can qualify for a discount for postage. Really not sure how Paypal is working now as I no longer use. Creating your postage with those methods is mostly a painless procedure. Shippo/Paypal funds come out of your paypal account. CPC payment is with a credit card. Hope that's a bit of info to get you started?

-CM

PS. If your package did get rejected then you would be returned to you and you could start your process over again with the service they paid for and blame it on the oops bandit.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

If your package is way over the suggested 2 cm's in thickness, there would be good chance that it could get returned. If it did get returned you could always take it back to original post office and explain what had originally transpired and they may forgive the original error and just charge the difference.

-CM

[teenytrinkets]

I am more concerned Customs will reject it - and it will take forever.  And then my buyer will neg me because she's having to wait for eons for her package.  Being honest is always best, but buyers from the US really have no idea about customs, and I fear I may come off sounding flaky if I try to explain this one.

There was no declaration on the package at all, as it's sent letter mail to the US (which is implying it's paper).  I am thinking Customs would have an easy time determining it's undeclared "goods", since it's lumpy (and paper isn't usually lumpy).

I agree I have to get more streamlined with my shipping, and I am certainly not delegating the shipping to anyone anymore! 😞

[ypdc_dennis]

---

@teenytrinkets wrote:

I am more concerned Customs will reject it ...

Unlikely. Only if the letter fails the sniff test and the X-ray test.

USA customs free limit is $800 for personal purchases by a US buyer.

...

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

If the package has been picked up today, there is a chance it may not be noticed until it arrives in Richmond BC. If it hasn't left Port Moody you may be able to put a stop to it to fix the problem. As for notifying the customer its a judgment call. I try to believe that customers will understand if you are honest and up front and don't appear to be trying to sneak one by them. Should have been up to the postal clerk to realize it required a declaration from the get go but they may have just been in a hurry and it "snuck" by them.

-CM

PS. If it still is in town you could call post office and ask them if they would nice and hold so you can correct.

[teenytrinkets]

The package will almost certainly fail the xray test at Customs if its sent through with a batch that is only supposed to be paper.

At the very least, I would suspect it would be returned even before that, considering it contains goods inside that are undeclared...?

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Worst case scenario, advise your "assistant" that this error will be coming off their next paycheque and no future raises until they get their act together. Sometimes you just need to be tough with employees!!

-CM 

[teenytrinkets]

Hahaha, my assistant has already been fired, and I think he's happy to now be unemployed! 😉

[femmefan1946]

I'm thinking it's probably best to cancel the transaction altogether and refund my buyer now?

Naah.

It will probably arrive just fine.

Don't say anything to your buyer, that's just putting temptation in her way.

Almost everything I sell goes LetterMail and untracked. The last query I had about delivery  ended when the (slightly late) package was delivered (value $12.99 shipping $5.99).

I am more concerned Customs will reject it

Americans have a duty free allowance of $800 USD. Don't worry about customs if it sold for less.

Tracking is useful in case you get a lot of Not Received claims, otherwise using Cooki e Jar Insurance will cover any problems.

[teenytrinkets]

Wow - I am surprised that there's still lettermail with goods arriving in the US just fine.

Should be interesting to see if mine makes it through.

Thanks for the response!

[paulgg132]

I think you're over reacting. If you had prepared them for Small Packet, I'd hope you had done the CN22 already before sending hubby. Regardless of the postage rate applied to the package, it will most likely be "sorted" into the Parcel stream in Canada, thereby ensuring it goes thru Customs Inspection when it reaches the US. The postage error would most likely be treated as CP internal error and the package will move freely.

There is NO Customs Inspection of Lettermail into Canada or into the USA. Personal Privacy of Mail is Constitutionally protected. As we have always heard "tampering with the Mail is a Federal crime...."

Parcels are inspected because they are NOT Lettermail. Elimination of the "Lite Packet" class was done so those small packages would indeed get inspected in Customs instead of escaping in the Letter sort. 

I wouldn't say anything to your customer yet either.

[mcrlmn]

I'd wait it out.

I've mailed hundreds of letters with standard or oversize postage to the U.S with multiple ( 2-12) coins enclosed.

All should've been mailed small packet or whatever it's called these days.

Only once has a letter been returned requiring the additional postage.

I followed the Canada Post instruction sticker, and re-mailed the letter.

[a52split]

---

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

 If it hasn't left Port Moody you may be able to put a stop to it to fix the problem. 

PS. If it still is in town you could call post office and ask them if they would nice and hold so you can correct.

---

This is dreaming.  And a complete waste of time.  Once it's thrown in the big bin, it's lost in the stream until it comes out the other end.

I agree with the others, it will most likely arrive unscathed by US Customs.

[momcqueen]

I’m with the others who say to wait until you hear of a problem from the buyer. Your package is likely to arrive fine. To try to circumvent trouble down the road by reaching out to warn the buyer of a potential problem, you’re likely to cause that buyer unnecessary worry. Remember: the road to heck is paved with good intentions. Let sleeping dogs lie. (And other applicable cliches.)

[widgetc]

"The package will almost certainly fail the xray test at Customs if its sent through with a batch that is only supposed to be paper."

I have mailed hundreds non-paper items to the U.S. in letter mail on another account.  I have never had one returned. Items included coins, cds, dvds in cases under 2 cm thic, computer memory etc.

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

I also would not message the buyer and just wait it out. No news is good news.

I mail a lot of comic books I sell via letter-post and they all get sent just fine. I used to sell buttons (those metal ones that you clip to clothing / bags) and small accessories, and as long as I put stamps on the envelope and under 2cm, they were fine in letter-post too.