Question
Is anyone else steamed at Canada Post over the increase in fuel surcharge from 2.5% to 5%? As if postage costs weren't high enough!
There seems to be little justification for doubling the surcharge, sure gas prices went up about 10 cents/litre for a couple of weeks, but that was just a blip, they're back down again now. Also, I usually just stumble across the info, there never seems to be any announcements about increases like this. (Even my post office didn't know till I told them)
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Welcome Otto to here.
Canada Post bases its fuel surcharge on the cost of fuel at the beginning of the month I believe.
When I was in the post office the other day, I was told by the woman there that at the last postmasters meeting they were considering dimensional weight charges on small packets.
Canada Post has already lost all my business on mail over 1 kg to Canpar and Fedex. If they start measuring the small packets, I can see the 500-1kg. parcels also going via Canpar and Fedex.
It makes no sense that I can send my packages cheaper via a profit making courier than a supposed not for profit outfit like Canada Post.
They are slowly pricing themselves out of the parcel shipping business.
Jill
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Canada Post lost my business to FedEx a long time ago. The only time I use them is when my buyer prefers it. And it costs me money everytime.
I suppose the determining factor would be the product one sells.
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Thanks Jill and inmain for suggesting Canpar and Fedex. Maybe I'm missing something, but a quick check (4kg pkg to CA) both were more$ than CanPost.
(Not factoring in discounts of course, but even if 10%, difference seems minimal) Am I missing something? No Fedex dropoff near me, so that's not an option in any case.
One thing I have been considering (since I live near the US border) is driving across once a week to mail from the US. ( Inconvenient for me, with border line-ups, but it may come to that). Not sure how much of a hassle it would be to set this up with US Customs. If there's anyone who does this, sure would appreciate some advice or info.
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Welcome too here, Otto
I believe KArenS was soing this out of Niagara Falls when she was going down she would take a bunch over the border and she said there was just one form to fill in and drop off at the office on your way through.
OTTO is just toot inside out......<stolen joke...sorry>
Jill, more info on this Fedex account please, how much of a discouint do they give and what is the minimum # of parcels shipping.
Geez, the fuel charge went up when gas topped 85 cents a litre, never did come down when the price came down.
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Originally Posted by gabs-a-lot
Welcome too here, Otto
Jill, more info on this Fedex account please, how much of a discouint do they give and what is the minimum # of parcels shipping.
Geez, the fuel charge went up when gas topped 85 cents a litre, never did come down when the price came down.
Actually Gabs, Canpar uses fedex for US shipping, so you get a better deal if you use Canpar for your US shipments than if you have your own fedex account. So Canpar does all my shipping to the US and a lot of my Ontario and Quebec stuff.
Otto: When I did a comparison check between Canpar and Canada Post to California, CP was $18.81 and Canpar $18.01. Now, Canpar will charge a residence delivery fee of $1.75 so it does raise it a bit. (unless it goes to a business address, and then no extra $1.75).
Anything to the east coast or mid west and Canada Post can't beat Canpar, so unless everything is going to the west coast, it averages out.
What I find the main difference is the evil dimensional weight. You may have a package that weights 4 kg., but when you give it to Canada Post, it weighs in at 5 or 6 based on dimensions. That evil dimensional weight always gets you, unless you sell small heavy packages.
Canpar is the same up to 80 inches in total dimensions. And they drive up your driveway and pick up the packages.
When you look at the small packets in the 500- 1 kg range, right now the surface price is $8.50 and has no insurance and takes 2 weeks.
On east coast shipments via Canpar/Fedex, I can send that to Maryland for $9.64, it will get there in a week and come with tracking and insurance included. That is faster and cheaper than the air mail cost of $11.40. Let Canada Post start doing dimensional weight on small packets and it will go up even more.
And don't get me started on that horrible electronic manifest.
Jill
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I suppose the determining factor would be the product one sells.
Yep, it does. Canada Post is the only shipping company that I know of that will insure antiques & collectibles. UPS won't, FedEx won't, and I don't believe Canpar will either.
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In my case, I sell books, heavy packages, but small, so dimensional weight isn't a factor.
To complicate it, I live in a small town with a fantastic post office 2 minutes away - they all know me and are fantastic to deal with, so the whole mailing process for me is painless (except for the $$$$)
I also don't really see significant enough savings with Canpar, so I guess driving to Michigan may be my answer.
WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE hearing from anyone who goes to the US to mail...
Thanks (and thanks for the nice welcomes...I've been a longtime lurker, and have learned SO much here...IMO one of the best ebay forums I've seen)
otto
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driving to Michigan
what some people won't do for a day off
if your time isn't valuable then this is THE solution
but personally, I would use that time to list more stuff.
Jill....Canpar, is that over the counter(or telephone) pricing or having an account pricing.
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actually driving the products over the border may actually eliminate customs charges depending on how you did things
which may make you a more attractive seller then you may have been otherwise