Canadians: Ask me about Canada Post and shipping - I work there!

[#1]

On top of my "real" job and my etsy shops, I also work part-time at a Canada Post outlet, for 4 years now. I'm very knowledgeable about all things related to shipping. I can be your resident expert! Ask away and I will do my best to answer clearly.

jackie ♥

Here's the original post from a forum thread I started before etsy did the shut-down to teams :( It describes CP's rate increases for 2011, which took effect on January 17th.

Like clockwork, Canada Post is raising their rates as of January 17th. I work at the post office part-time so I thought I would give my fellow Canadians a head's up. Here's a link to the complete list of new rates including all the price tables you could ever want (a very helpful sleep aid for insomniacs!).

http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/prices/ (click on the red "new prices" button)

I'm not sure how bad the increase is for domestic and US Expedited parcel rates, but here are the new Lettermail, Oversize Lettermail, Light Packet, and Small Packet rates.

Lettermail (max 24.5 X 15.6 X .5cm):
Canada >>
0.59 (0-30g)
1.03 (31-50g)
USA >>
1.03 (0-30g)
1.25 (31-50g)
International >>
1.75 (0-30g)
2.50 (31-50g)

Oversize Lettermail (max 38 X 27 X 2cm):
Canada >>
1.25 (0-100g)
2.06 (101-200g)
2.85 (201-300g)
3.25 (301-400g)
3.50 (401-500g)
USA >> (printed matter only)
2.06 (0-100g)
3.60 (101-200g)
7.20 (201-500g)
International >> (printed matter only)
4.10 (0-100g)
7.20 (101-200g)
14.40 (201-500g)

Light Packet (max 38 X 27 X 2cm):
USA >> 4% increase over 2010
2.36 (0-100g)
4.92 (101-250g)
7.91 (251-500g)
International >> 3.5% increase over 2010!
4.60 (0-100g)
9.25 (101-250g)
15.80 (251-500g)

Small Packet (max L + W + H = 90cm)
USA >> 7.5% increase over 2010!
Surface 5.85 (0-250g)
Airmail 7.46
Surface 8.35 (251-500g)
Airmail 9.90
Surface 12.41 (501g-1kg)
Airmail 15.36
International >> (rates vary according to the country.. please see zone and rate tables through the link above. Amounts below are for shipments to the United Kingdom, zone 02 - surface rates are 10% higher than 2010, airmail rates are 8% higher, except in the 1-2kg category)
Surface 6.54 (0-250g)
Airmail 8.53
Surface 8.95 (251-500g)
Airmail 17.06
Surface 15.02 (501g-1kg)
Airmail 33.45
Surface 21.07 (1-2kg)
Airmail 50.26

I don't know about you, but I am really bummed about this. Increases of 7 and 10% are really going to hurt!

Convo me if you have any questions.
(Posted at 2:55 am, January 3, 2011 EST)

[PrairieCrocusStudio]

Yes, I wish we could close this thread and start a new one. No need to see answers from 2011!  

[ClosetGothic]

That can easily be done, PrairieCrocus. CindyLou, being a Canadian Seller, would have good insight as to whether this is a good idea or not.

I am reluctant to 'unpin' the thread in case it is still in use by new Canadian sellers.

[ValleyVariety]

It may still be in use, but the info is mostly outdated. 

IMO, new questions that come up, or even repeated questions by newbies, would be better served if they could actually FIND the answer.

Every year, the rates change and sometimes the services change.  If newbies are looking at info on Light Packet, for instance, they are just getting useless info.

Also, when you come back to look at the thread, you have piles of pages to wade through, trying to figure out where you read to previously.

[ClosetGothic]

Hello All

The Etsy International Team will be closing at end of day on April 5, 2019; please see the pinned thread above.

During that time, someone from this Canada Post thread might like to copy any material that is still relevant and maybe open a new team specifically for your needs!

It's pretty obvious from the posts above that the new forum format has made it difficult  to find relevant and current info so I think this would be a good option for you all.

Best of luck

Janne

[LemonPennyLane]

Do you know how to print a label for oversized lettermail? The option available is parcel - in order to become a star seller I need to use shipping labels and I'm so confused 

[ValleyVariety]

You can't print labels for o/s letter.

Using Etsy labels isn't a requirement for star seller.  You just have to add tracking.

Of course, using lettermail doesn't provide tracking.  I usually just enter something in the tracking field, such as 'lettermail-no tracking', but I don't know if that has changed since I last did it.

[TigersandDragons]

@LemonPennyLane The only way to purchase Lettermail postage is to either use stamps, or go to a post office and have them print a label for you. Neither Etsy nor Canada Post's own website offer shipping labels for Letter and Oversized Letter.

Forget Star Seller, it's a very flawed system, that's heavily stacked against International sellers.  Look in the forums, there's a ton of threads complaining about the different aspects of it.  

For Shipments within Canada, you would have to buy Expedited Packet labels from Etsy, for the shipment to qualify under the star seller program.  That doesn't fit the price or size of the items you sell (inexpensive coins). 

[LemonPennyLane]

Thank you for the info and for taking the time to share! I appreciate it