Prepaid Xpresspost Envelopes are your Friend!

[teenytrinkets]

I sell quite a small few items (that can't go lettermail) to buyers in Canada where the shipping is $20+. Since I'm in BC, that could mean pretty much any buyer not in BC that's outside the city centres.

In those cases, I've typically used the small prepaid flat rate boxes (that used to be $17.99) for $18.49 plus GST - and no small biz discount. So they're now $19.41.

As an alternative I've often just used the small prepaid Xpresspost envelopes for my regional buyers, since it's cheaper (and you get a small biz discount!), but now I've noticed even the large regional Xpresspost envelopes are the same price as the small flat rate boxes! And... I just discovered you can buy 4-packs of the small and medium at 10% off!

I have questions though...

Anyone know if you can get the extra 5% small biz discount on the 4-packs?

Anyone ever had counter personnel reject an Xpresspost drop-off because it was too thick or too heavy? My counter person just date stamps and scans them as long as whatever is in there fits... and I've used both the regular and cushion envelopes.

Also, anyone ever had to file a claim on a lost Xpresspost envelope? I'm wondering if they'd reject some claims due to contents...?

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@teenytrinkets wrote:
I sell quite a small few items (that can't go lettermail) to buyers in Canada where the shipping is $20+. Since I'm in BC, that could mean pretty much any buyer not in BC that's outside the city centres.

In those cases, I've typically used the small prepaid flat rate boxes (that used to be $17.99) for $18.49 plus GST - and no small biz discount. So they're now $19.41.

As an alternative I've often just used the small prepaid Xpresspost envelopes for my regional buyers, since it's cheaper (and you get a small biz discount!), but now I've noticed even the large regional Xpresspost envelopes are the same price as the small flat rate boxes! And... I just discovered you can buy 4-packs of the small and medium at 10% off!

I have questions though...

Anyone know if you can get the extra 5% small biz discount on the 4-packs?

Anyone ever had counter personnel reject an Xpresspost drop-off because it was too thick or too heavy? My counter person just date stamps and scans them as long as whatever is in there fits... and I've used both the regular and cushion envelopes.

Also, anyone ever had to file a claim on a lost Xpresspost envelope? I'm wondering if they'd reject some claims due to contents...?

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I haven't tested on tried in awhile but they "can" reject if they are being moody. It's supposed to be documents/printed matter only. We used to use for small samples. Kinda hit or miss. Kinda if it doesn't feel like a duck it must not be a duct. Link attached for counter rates. Different options when you sign into your account and purchase online.

https://www.canadapost.ca/shop/mail-pack-ship/personal/xpresspost-sup-tm-sup-br-prepaid-strong-regio...

-Lotz

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

or duck*. Full list attached.

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/search.page?query=prepaid+envelops&segment=Shop&segmentid=4&rankboo...

-Lotz

[kawartha-ephemera]

I'm curious. What led you to believe CP is offering a 10% discount on the XP 4 packs? Have they sent out a promo code or special offer of some kind?

Just now I priced the XP Regional flat rate envelopes. Once I signed in to my Solutions for SB account there was only the usual small discount applied to the retail pricing, I even added a 4 pack to my cart and checked ... there was no mention of any further discount.

To be frank, I've always felt those pre paid envelopes to be a poor buy, just now the 4 pack Medium Regional worked out to 13.81 each plus tax which doesn't seem like much if any of a reduced rate. Sure there's an envelope supplied but those are not worth a whole lot. The worst thing about them is the max thickness limit is only 1.5 cm, oversize lettermail is 2 cm, just as reliable, reasonably fast and much less expensive.

[teenytrinkets]

No special discount - the 4-pack just works out to be 10% less than buying 4 envelopes separately at full price. I found the 4 pack price on the CP website. I just wondered if you could get an extra 5% small biz discount on that price.

They are a great value if you're shipping small items regionally to rural areas. For example, it's usually $20-$22 for me to send a package to a repeat customer of mine on a reserve in MB (I'm in BC), so I typically ship in a small flat rate box ($19-ish) or small cushioned Xpresspost prepaid envelope ($14-ish). I don't think thickness or weight is enforced on any prepaid Xpresspost envelope (at least, it's not at any of my local postal outlets - I've stuffed both the regular and cushioned envelopes so full they could barely close). That's why I asked if anyone had one rejected/returned or had difficulty making a claim for loss on an Xpresspost envelope.

I ship lettermail all the time, but typically like to keep the value under $30 because they're untracked, and uninsured.

[recped]

If for reasons of size you cannot ship via Lettermail you certainly can't ship them using Xpresspost PP Envelopes which have an even smaller maximum thickness (15mm) than Other Lettermail (20mm).

Xpresspost envelops are NOT like USPS Priority Flat-Rate envelopes which have a max weight but no thickness maximum as long as the envelope will close in a normal fashion without any modification.

[mrdutch1001]

"Prepaid Xpresspost Envelopes are your Friend!" ....

ONLY if you have need /use for them in quantity...I believe I use 1 per year & that is at Christmas time when sending gift cards to family member...I NEVER have had use for them otherwise as they are not of a size that would meet my needs for online sales for anything of value that would warrant using Xpresspost in the first place....

[pjcdn2005]

I've only used the xpresspost prepaid envelopes a couple of times and although I didn't realize that there was a depth restriction, the items I sent were fairly flat anyway. The odd time that I have priced them out since then,  they would have cost more than using my own supplies.

Just as a fyi for anyone who doesn't know the restrictions...prepaid small and medium xpresspost envelopes have a 1.5 cm depth max and the large envelopes are 3 cm.   They advertise them as good way to send documents although I don't know if they insist that is the only thing they can be used for.  

[recped]

I've tried to check every possible place in the Canada Post guide and I found no restrictions on contents other than weight/dimensions.

I remember using them once to send a high value item which was cheaper and faster than an Expedited Parcel. The item, a vinyl 7" single is flat and light but valuable ($500+), definitely wanted tracking/DC and fast delivery for that one.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@recped wrote:

I've tried to check every possible place in the Canada Post guide and I found no restrictions on contents other than weight/dimensions.

I remember using them once to send a high value item which was cheaper and faster than an Expedited Parcel. The item, a vinyl 7" single is flat and light but valuable ($500+), definitely wanted tracking/DC and fast delivery for that one.

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On all the specific details for the prepaid on envelops it has the following disclaimers:

Buy now, ship any time! Get 2 day shipping1 for time-sensitive documents! Flat-rated, postage-included, prepaid XpresspostTM envelopes are a convenient way to ship documents and manage your costs. To be used if the destination city/town is not in the same zone* as the originating city/town.

The on-time delivery guarantee may be modified during peak period (see canadapost.ca/notice) or suspended due to causes beyond Canada Post’s reasonable control, including, but not limited to, acts of God, epidemics, labour disruptions, equipment failures or unanticipated surges in volume. Find the delivery standard from your postal code to a Canadian destination

How rigidly enforced the policy is, no idea.

-Lotz

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

 There was this update notice from last year for Xpresspost USA and Xpresspost  Intl Prepaid envelops were  being discontinued effective July 12, 2020. Reasons behind change included.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/doc/en/business/2020_xp_USA_xp_intl_pp_env_discontinuation_my_ra_ooc_e...

-Lotz

[ypdc_dennis]

Prepaid product sizing:

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGpscanada-e.asp  (Section 3.1)

The prepaid Xpresspost bubble envelopes have no thickness limit.

The prepaid cardboard envelopes have thickness restrictions of 1.5 and 3.0cm depending on size.

Xpresspost is not restricted to documents.

-..-

[pjcdn2005]

Interesting....that contradicts the information given on the page where you purchase the bubble envelopes.

Size Maximum weight Maximum thickness 24.7 cm x 19 cm
9.4 inches x 7.5 inches 500 g
(1.1 lbs.) 1.5 cm

https://www.canadapost.ca/shop/mail-pack-ship/small-business/p-142208.jsf?execution=e1s1

[teenytrinkets]

The definitive proof is the shipping calculator on the CP website.

Thickness is not a restriction because prepaid Xpresspost padded envelopes appear as an option when greater than 1.5 cm thickness is entered. Try it!

I'm curious why they haven't restricted any of my (fat) regular Xpresspost envelope shipments in the past.

Anyway, hope it saves some of you $ on shipping costs. 🙂