Canada Post increases postal tates by up to 60% in 2014

[katou17]

Canada post jumping postal tates 60% March 31st - Sellers like me will be greatly impacted!!

[jameswillett1970]

Was just watching the story on the evening news. They are raising letter service rates by 60% and eliminating door to door letter delivery so that they can focus on being competitive in parcel delivery..... hopefully, it may not be as bad as you think.

[ypdc_dennis]

Cost of using stamps will rise around 35% for most weight classes.

Letters are to get a stamp rate and a metered rate.

There will be no rate change in January as originally planned.
Instead the new lettermail rates start March 31, 2014

First rate shown is if you use stamps, second rate shown is for metered mail, last is the
2013 cost with percentage increase if using stamps.

Canada
30g  - 0.85  / 0.75 from 0.63  (up 35%)
50g  - 1.20  / 1.15 from 1.10  (up  9%)
100g - 1.80 / 1.60 from 1.34  (up 34%)
200g - 2.95 / 2.60 from 2.20  (up 34%)
300g - 4.10 / 3.65 from 3.05  (up 35%)
400g - 4.70 / 4.15 from 3.50  (up 34%)
500g - 5.05 / 4.45 from 3.75  (up 35%)

USA
30g  - 1.20  / 1.15 from 1.10  (up  9%)
50g  - 1.80  / 1.60 from 1.34  (up 34%)
100g - 2.95 / 2.50 from 2.20  (up 34%)
200g - 5.15 / 4.52 from 4.36  (up 18%)
500g - 10.30 / 9.05 from 7.60  (up 35%)

International
30g  - 2.50 / 2.20 from 1.85   (up 35%)
50g  - 3.60 / 3.19 from 2.68   (up 35%)
100g - 5.90 / 5.19 from 4.36  (up 35%)
200g - 10.30 / 9.05 from 7.60  (up 35%)
500g - 20.60 / 18.10 from 15.20  (up 35%)


Makes stamps less attractive to use.

[reallynicestamps]

Unless you know somewhere to buy mint stamps at a discount.

[katou17]

To have a meter you need volume because you have to buy a meter or rent one, metered mail is for companies/businesses, if you sell like me 20 items a week and mostly to stamp collectors, you need to use stamps...

[katou17]

yes but if you use anything else then the "P" stamp it is $1 minimum to Canada...

[reallynicestamps]

RE: meters

I believe the 73 cent rate also refers to buying a metered label at the PO. So get used to an intimate relationship with your PO clerks.

P stamps have been pulled from Post Offices, already, but you may find some still available at Postal Outlets.

[reallynicestamps]

Ugh -- 75 cent rate.

Booklets of stamps (or sheets) will be charged at the 85 cent rate. plus GST of course.  So there is a break for small businesses and charities who use stamps for mailings.

[katou17]

Thanks for the hint about "P" stamps, was thinking of stocking up on those, like buy a thousand at the current rate, will shop around the outlets in my area right now...

[Anonymous]

It seems that the sellers who prefer to use stamps not using PayPal Shipping, may now have to use PayPal Shipping as the rates are much cheaper than with stamps or metered (meaning we have to go to post office for that), not ideal for mobility limited persons like myself.  I rely 100% on PayPal Shipping to purchase shipping labels 24/7.

[pierrelebel]

"may now have to use PayPal Shipping as the rates are much cheaper than with stamps"

Could you please explain that in details.

If a parcel costs $12.00 postage to mail from A to B, why would PayPal be cheaper with the new changes announced by Canada Post?

Lettermail and letterpost - where rates are going up 30%+ - are not available through PayPal.

[femmefan1946]

There are discounts for using Paypal shipping labels in some categories. The discounts vary from 5% to 18%.

No word on whether these will continue, rise or fall yet.

Since Canada Post has, for nearly a year, been saying that their future is in parcel delivery, keeping those discounts for online shipping labels, whether PP or canadapost.ca, would seem sensible. As would installing more parcel- friendly red corner boxes in appropriate areas.

[Anonymous]

From my experience with PayPal Shipping since 2007, the postage rates via PayPal Shipping are always cheaper then in person at Canada Post locations, even with increases every year.   I am sure with the new increases, with PayPal Shipping it will be still cheaper. 

In fact it is MUCH cheaper to use PayPal Shipping to ship Expedited Parcel than Regular/Post Parcel in person!!  Believe me, I knew as I shipped a lot of parcels every week via PayPal Shipping.

Suggest you try and check out PayPal Shipping and compare the prices, time for you to do that so you can understand.  Okay?  

[pierrelebel]

"PayPal Shipping it will be still cheaper.  "

It is cheaper than paying full rate at the CP counter for some services. PayPal does not provide postage for lettermail/letterpost.

However, eBay sellers can purchase postage stamps at a discount much better than provided by eBay/PayPal.  Typically 20% to 50% below face value.  Yes, it is a bit of work but if saving on postage is important to you, why not?

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Canada-/3478/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=canada+face

and elsewhere from stamp dealers and auctioneers.

[vintagenorth]

Pierre, please explain, what does "not hinged" mean?

Thank you!

[pierrelebel]

In the old days stamp collectors would use a small piece of adhesive paper, folded, half licked and affixed on the back of the stamp the other half licked and affixed in the stamp album.  These folded pieces of adhesive paper were called "hinges".

Mint stamps (not used in the mail) with original gum will show signs that the hinges have been removed.  Those stamps will be considered "mint, hinged'.  If the mint stamps were never hinged, they generally command a premium, more so for very old stamps (19th century, early 20th century).  Stamps issued since Queen Elizabeth took the throne sixty years ago are expected to be "never hinged".

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamp_hinge

As far as using mint stamps in the mail, it does not matter if the stamps are mint hinged or mint never hinged, as long as they have their original gum.

Sellers wanted to purchase stamps for postage should avoid using unused or uncancelled stamps (deep discounts).  Those are stamps which have been used in the mail but somehow avoided being cancelled by post office workers and soaked off the envelopes.  It is illegal in Canada to re-use these stamps in the mail.  And yes, some folks did end up in jail for handling large quantities of such stamps.  It is not illegal to buy or sell them.  The problem is when someone re-uses them.

[femmefan1946]

The problem with 'hinged" stamps is basically aesthetic.

If you use them you are licking a stamp that someone else briefly touched with his tongue fifty years ago.

[Anonymous]

How do anyone knew they are "re-used" if they have no cancellation stamps on them?  Not making senses.  Is it illegal to "re-use" them if I haven't mail them and removed them to use them on other envelope with different names/addresses? 

Secondly I think it is absurd that anyone who are "reusing" would be caught and put injail as they are not "used" with cancellation stamps.  So tough luck if the post office didn't stamp them and miss them and we can "reuse" them, now can we??  Thanks.

[pierrelebel]

"Secondly I think it is absurd"

Very true.  So many rules and regulations do not make much sense at first sight.

The way the government (in Canada and many other countries) sees it : purchasing a stamp allows the franking of a letter.  Once the service has been provided (stamp cancelled or not) it is theft to reuse the same stamp to get a second service for the same original price paid.

[Anonymous]

I mean HOW will anyone at Canada Post "knew" if we are "reuse" them??  Please do tell us!  Thanks.  I still think it is absurd. 

I am sure we can "re-use" them if there are no cancellation stamp stamped on them.  So tough luck to Canada Post if they went through unstamped and we can re-use them.