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)

[KnitsByNat]

It's a new partnership with Super C.

[cindylouwho2]

If a labour disruption does end up happening, I will start a separate thread that we can use to keep updated. Last time we posted the rotating strike locations each day & highlighted them so people could keep up easily.

This time around there seem to be more options for shipping with USPS in various cities, so we can post those as well. If we keep the highlighted posts organized we should be able to make it pretty useful

[cindylouwho2]

started a thread so we can collect all the alternatives together ahead of time:
https://www.etsy.com/teams/7654/etsy-international/discuss/17821085/

but I will start a separate thread if & when a labour disruption occurs.

[AkemiHandmade]

Does anyone has Canada Post solution for small business developer shipping program integrated with Etsy? How does it work and do you like it? Thanks for your response.

[TigersandDragons]

Akemi, the two programs are separate and cannot be integrated.

You can buy your labels through Etsy, at the rates they have negotiated with Canada Post:
https://www.etsy.com/help/article/4869
https://www.etsy.com/help/article/4631

Or you can buy through Canada Post's website:
Canada Post does offer discounts if you have signed up for the Small Business account, which has replaced Venture One. Read this page for more information on discount levels www.canadapost.ca/web/en/pages/smallbusiness/default.page , it depends on what you spend, and CP adjusts the discount quarterly.
Be sure to click on PARCEL SAVING SECTION (Shipping within Canada, Shipping within USA, Shipping Internationally) to see what the savings % are.

Since you sell Jewellery, I will point out.
- Neither Etsy nor Canada post will sell labels for Oversized Letter (shipping within Canada)
- For some unknown reason Canada Post does not sell labels online for Light Packet (shipping jewellery to other countries). You can purchase Light Packet service at any Post office.
- Etsy's rates for Light Packet are not discounted, pretty much the same you'd pay at the Post office.

[FlameOnGlass]

I just use stamps for my light packets & drop them in the box at the PO. Saves time standing in line every time I mail a package.

[AkemiHandmade]

Tigersanddragons, thank you so much for clarifying it. Very helpful.

[SaturdayMorningM]

I have a parcel going to Japan. Etsy won't let me print a label because of the Japanese characters. How do I go about fixing this?

Thank you for your help!

[TigersandDragons]

- Small Packet rates are the same at Etsy as the Post Office counter, so there's no price advantage in buying the label from Etsy.
Buy your postage at the post office. All they need is the word JAPAN in English, the rest can be in Japanese since the Japanese postal system will be doing the fine sorting and delivery.

- Or contact your customer and ask for an English translation of their address. DO NOT use google to translate on your own, as it will not be accurate.
Edit the address on Etsy, then print your shipping label. Then also print the Japanese language version and tape that on the parcel as well.

[AkemiHandmade]

Is the Canada Post strike a sure thing? How are you preparing for it?

[SaturdayMorningM]

Thank you Tigers! :)

[TigersandDragons]

Akemi, it's not for sure, there's no way to know what's going to happen.

Each seller will have to decide what is best for them and their business. For me personally, the amount of items I sell on Etsy this time of year is small, so a disruption in Canada Post is something I can handle (as I did back in 2011 when the last strike and lockout occurred)

If you have a large volume of business or sell time sensitive items, then you may want to spend some time researching and planning how you will get your items to your customers. I can make suggestions and provide some information, but I am not an expert on everything and it's up to business owners to do their own research since this affects their bottom line..what they are willing to pay, how far they are willing to drive....etc.

LOW VOLUME SELLERS (or those who ship light items)

My items are small, so there is no price comparable alternative to the light packet postal service. So I will be:
a)informing customers of a delay due to the strike, giving them the option of cancelling.
b) If the strike is long, at some point I will drive across the border and take both my orders and those from my mother's shop and mail these out from the USA There will be paperwork to fill out at the border, and a fee for this "exporting" of goods (more on this later).

c) Some Etsians may decide just to put their shops into Vacation mode,until postal service resumes.

Fedex Ground is an alternative for those who live in or near major cities for medium-heavy sized parcels, or for fast shipping. There are a very few depots that accept Ground parcels (so you can just walk in and fill out forms and pay there). Fedex Ground also does free pick up, if you have a Fedex account and have printed off and paid for all your labels from their website. For GROUND services, Fedex will pick up the day after you have scheduled a pick up, never the day of.

Other COURIER rates:
This company has been suggested for discounts on courier shipping, but I haven't used them myself: http://secureship.ca/

[TigersandDragons]

LARGE VOLUME SELLERS

As above, be in contact with your customers, ask if they can wait, or want to cancel their orders. Depending on the products you sell, you may want to consider deactivating those that are very time sensitive (weddings, birthdays), or only offer courier shipping for those listings.
Be prepared to spend more time talking to your customers. Prepare some "snippets" or standard replies that you will cut and paste and use again and again.

OPTIONS
a)A few Canadian cities (Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Pickering, Halifax, Richmond/Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer) have businesses that offer to take parcels across the border and ship by USPS postal.
This is the most affordable option for those that live in those areas, but these types of businesses aren't available all across Canada.
The businesses are Chit Chats Express and DYK Post

b) Check courier rates, use a courier for your shipments. Likely this is only affordable for US orders, International courier shipping tends to be very high compared to postal rates. You may need to choose to temporarily not ship outside Canada and the USA.
The big companies are Purolator, UPS, Fedex, and DHL, but there are other companies.

c)Be willing to drive to a US border town at least once a week to ship out your orders, both to USA and International. Rent a mail box (so that you have a US based address for returns). Buy postage at a US post office.

d) The same companies that hold US parcels for Canadian buyers in American border towns often offer services to send out your parcels to the USA, if you are willing to drive across the border and have them ship out for you. Usually they offer UPS and Fedex from their US address. Contact them to discuss rates.

[TigersandDragons]

DRIVING ACROSS THE BORDER and DEALING WITH CUSTOMS PAPERWORK
I have not personally done this, so am not an expert on what is involved, but here is some recent discussion threads on the topic that have information:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Any-Canadian-sellers-here-who-use-USPS-to-ship-their-ite...
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/crossing-boarder-usa-ebay-etsy-items-shipping-usps-1308256/
https://www.crossbordershopping.ca/border-crossing-guide/border-crossing-tips

What I've gleaned so far from these articles:
-Don't seal your parcels, as the US customs inspectors may want to look at your goods
-Bring copies of all your invoices for the transactions for the goods you will be bringing across the border.
- You need to use the COMMERCIAL lane, not regular when going through the US border, as you will be commercially exporting.
- There will be a fee, somewhere around $10-$15 per visit.
- www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CBP%20Form%207533_0.pdf
This Is the form you will be using

You may want to call a Customs Brokering business for advice before proceeding....and look through US government websites
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/215/kw/commercial%20shipping/related/1
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/535/kw/commercial%20shipping/related/1
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/436/kw/commercial%20shipping
Here's Find an answer: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/list/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDY2NTM3NjM1L3NpZC8tOVJGbkRUbQ%3D%3D/s...

[AkemiHandmade]

Thanks again TigersandDragons, your responses were very informative!

[Decadence2Jewelry]

For the Japanese label I usually print the label on etsy ignoring the spots where the characters just show up as ??? And print off the characters from a screenshot of the invoice and tape them over where they should go on the label. I don't understand why etsy accepts characters that their labels don't support....it's annoying.

[Decadence2Jewelry]

The last strike I took orders as usual, let the customer know about the strike, offer to cancel/refund and shipped out as soon as it was done, letting them know. I had no one cancel and it was a relative non-event.

[TigersandDragons]

Here's a new Etsy Team providing some info. about driving your packages across the border. https://www.etsy.com/teams/24757/canadians-shipping-from-the-us

[TigersandDragons]

Yahoo has a recent article, mentioning that Courier companies may raise their rates, and charge more for residential delivery.
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/blogs/insight/businesses-and-customers-prepare-for-possible-003646479.h...

[littleglamour]

was told today that Canpar is not accepting new customers at this time so if you don't already have a relationship with them...... :(

(luckily I do!)

[TinsAndThings]

CBC article about the impact of the Canada Post disruption on Canadian Etsy sellers:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/canada-post-strike-local-business-1.3657748

[TigersandDragons]

The news today is that the earliest possibility of a strike or lockout is Wednesday
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/canada-post-no-strike-before-wednesday-1.3662233

[cindylouwho2]

The union did not give notice again today, so we are now to Thursday:
http://www.cupw.ca/en/wages-and-working-conditions-be-maintained-until-72-hour-notice-served

[cindylouwho2]

ok, each side needs to give 72 hours notice, but there are exceptions - not sure how many other loopholes exist, BUT the law states you can call a strike or lockout without notice if the other party has already commenced an action:

"87.2 (1) Unless a lockout not prohibited by this Part has occurred, a trade union must give notice to the employer, at least seventy-two hours in advance, indicating the date on which a strike will occur, and must provide a copy of the notice to the Minister.

(2) Unless a strike not prohibited by this Part has occurred, an employer must give notice to the trade union, at least seventy-two hours in advance, indicating the date on which a lockout will occur, and must provide a copy of the notice to the Minister."

Canada Labour Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. L-2)

so that explains why there was so much conflicting info - it depends on the circumstances. But it does appear that we are good til Thursday unless there is some provision hiding somewhere that trumps this. And I am too tired to look for one right now :)

[terrabryn]

Thanks Cindy. While the continuing uncertainty makes it hard to plan, it also means there is still a possibility they will settle and we can avoid a prolonged disruption.