Canadian shippers beware of Canada Post!

[frankiefives]

So, a month ago I sent a package using CP's Small Packet International Air product. While it does not come with tracking, I still figured it's a cheaper alternative for International buyers to use for shipping of mid-priced cards ($75-85 range). My buyer in Germany tells me he has not received his package. I proceed to call CP customer service and the guy on the phone says "There is no guaranteed delivery with that type of product". Wait a second, you're meaning to tell me that I paid you to deliver something for me and you are now saying that you don't HAVE to deliver it? WTF did I pay for then????? Needless to say I am furious and the dude on the phone got more than an earful. This is the most absurd thing I've ever heard of. Basically, I handed my package and my money to some girl at a counter and she can turn around, throw that package in the trash and I'm SOL???

 

[dahabsfan]

What he means by no guaranteed delivery is there is no set time frame for that service and no refund available for not meeting the guaranteed service timelines(like expresspost/priority) for example. It can take a couple weeks up to several months depending on location. I still prefer registered mail for anything mid-high end overseas.

Darren

 

[frankiefives]

What he means by no guaranteed delivery is there is no set time frame for that service and no refund available for not meeting the guaranteed service timelines(like expresspost/priority) for example. It can take a couple weeks up to several months depending on location. I still prefer registered mail for anything mid-high end overseas.

Darren

Nope. He said there is absolutely NO guarantee that the item will be delivered at all. In order to have that, you must get one of the Express/Priority options which cost an arm and a leg. I even said to him "So you're saying that I can drop my package off, someone can throw it away and there's nothing you'll do about it?" and he said "Yes. That is the information I have"

 

[cg5]

Canada Post is a joke and their customer service,well they have none! They wonder why they are loosing so much business to other carriers like Fedex!

 

[frankiefives]

Well, they're about to lose thousands of dollars a year from me, that's for sure. I'll go to e-shipper from now on for all my parcels

 

[Boom Boom]

Thats insane Frank..........

 

[Burner]

As much as Canada Post sucks, shipping to Germany is a hassle. If you don't include the right forms and invoices and if the buyer doesn't have the same invoice in his possession then they will not release the package. They also have absurd duties/customs/taxes on all international shipments.

 

[dahabsfan]

What you are dealing with is someone who is talking in generalization based on what he is reading out of a book.

If you want to stretch it....there is no "guarantee" that any item will be delivered by any mail carrier anywhere....

That is why some services offer insurance, which coincidentally only covers LOSS OF ITEM and not damage to the item.

Shipping (especially internationally) anything always has some degree of risk regardless of carrier and in our market there just isn't anything realistically priced that will offer any different results. Ask our customers how 57 foot intermodal containers can be "lost" and never found...which do include Canadapost mail.


Not defending canadapost as they are clowns but for me the service is no worse than anybody else. Ship something to western/southern US and watch the tracking once USPS takes over. I had a package make 18 stops en route including 3 visits to the destination before being rerouted elsewhere only to come back to the delivery location and finally be delivered.

It's a dying industry trying to hang on for dear life and cost vs. service is going to suffer from all bulk mail carriers.


Darren

 

[frankiefives]

What you are dealing with is someone who is talking in generalization based on what he is reading out of a book.

If you want to stretch it....there is no "guarantee" that any item will be delivered by any mail carrier anywhere....

That is why some services offer insurance, which coincidentally only covers LOSS OF ITEM and not damage to the item.

Shipping (especially internationally) anything always has some degree of risk regardless of carrier and in our market there just isn't anything realistically priced that will offer any different results. Ask our customers how 57 foot intermodal containers can be "lost" and never found...which do include Canadapost mail.


Not defending canadapost as they are clowns but for me the service is no worse than anybody else. Ship something to western/southern US and watch the tracking once USPS takes over. I had a package make 18 stops en route including 3 visits to the destination before being rerouted elsewhere only to come back to the delivery location and finally be delivered.

It's a dying industry trying to hang on for dear life and cost vs. service is going to suffer from all bulk mail carriers.


Darren

My issue is more with the customer service. The way this guy handled the call was atrocious at best. He cared very little about my problem and without saying it basically told me to go f*** myself. You can't make me pay for a service and then not give me that service, it just isn't good business. At least TRY and help a loyal client out! I asked to speak to someone else and the guy refused. What kind of CS is that?

 

[winniescards]

We all complain about the service of Canada Post by times. But how will our hobby suffer if we all start shipping by Fed x or Puralator, or UPS or what ever carrier you decide upon if you take Canada Post out of the picture.I can still send one card in a bubble mailer anywhere in Canada for about $2.05.What will that cost me and the buyer if I decide to go with a courier service.The last time I did so was when Canada Post was having rotating strikes back a few years.I priced shipping the padded envelope by Canada Post and with tracking and 4 days service to a town in Saskatchewan was around $18.00.But because of the threat of a possible strike the buyer wanted it sent by courier.For the exact same service the bill was just under $60.00.Now I know there are those of you that have business account and get a great deal on shipping with courier companies.Or you work for a company that allows you to use the company account to ship.Thus you get a great deal.But for me,a person that sends a few packages a year that require tracking and insurance than I get no deal.How long or how many times would a buyer pay that to send one card.

And for Frank's situation.I simply believe the Canada Post employee could have choose his/her words a bit better. But as dahabsfan said.There is no guarantee with any mail service.If you want that then you need to pay for it.If your not willing to or if your buyer is not willing to pay.Than it is out there and they will do everything within their power to make sure it does get delivered.But as we all know that in any business things happen.When you look at how much mail gets delivered by Canada Post,USPS. or any mail service in any country.The amount that does not get delivered is very minimal.It sure sucks when it happens to one of us and it is a card that someone is waiting on.But like I said,things do happen.

Just take a look at how many people on this board hate that so many sellers in the US have gone the way of the Global Mailing System. Is it really because of who is making the money from it or is it because of the cost.I am thinking that most hate it because of the added cost to that $3.00 card.The seller has that guarantee of deliver and they do not have to worry about the customer receiving their item.

And if for one minute anyone thinks that they can start sending $2.00 cards in a bubble mailer by courier cheaper than Canada Post.Than would you PLMK what courier service you are using so I can go see them on Monday.I have a couple packages that need to go out on Monday.I am no different than anyone else.The more money that stays in my pocket the better I feel.And so does the customer.

I believe this,yes Canada Post has flaws.But for the best bang for the buck they are the best deal in town for our hobby. Just my opinion,and I will continue to support them with what little bit of services I require that involve me getting a package from point A to point B.,Winston.

 

[frankiefives]

We all complain about the service of Canada Post by times. But how will our hobby suffer if we all start shipping by Fed x or Puralator, or UPS or what ever carrier you decide upon if you take Canada Post out of the picture.I can still send one card in a bubble mailer anywhere in Canada for about $2.05.What will that cost me and the buyer if I decide to go with a courier service.The last time I did so was when Canada Post was having rotating strikes back a few years.I priced shipping the padded envelope by Canada Post and with tracking and 4 days service to a town in Saskatchewan was around $18.00.But because of the threat of a possible strike the buyer wanted it sent by courier.For the exact same service the bill was just under $60.00.Now I know there are those of you that have business account and get a great deal on shipping with courier companies.Or you work for a company that allows you to use the company account to ship.Thus you get a great deal.But for me,a person that sends a few packages a year that require tracking and insurance than I get no deal.How long or how many times would a buyer pay that to send one card.

And for Frank's situation.I simply believe the Canada Post employee could have choose his/her words a bit better. But as dahabsfan said.There is no guarantee with any mail service.If you want that then you need to pay for it.If your not willing to or if your buyer is not willing to pay.Than it is out there and they will do everything within their power to make sure it does get delivered.But as we all know that in any business things happen.When you look at how much mail gets delivered by Canada Post,USPS. or any mail service in any country.The amount that does not get delivered is very minimal.It sure sucks when it happens to one of us and it is a card that someone is waiting on.But like I said,things do happen.

Just take a look at how many people on this board hate that so many sellers in the US have gone the way of the Global Mailing System. Is it really because of who is making the money from it or is it because of the cost.I am thinking that most hate it because of the added cost to that $3.00 card.The seller has that guarantee of deliver and they do not have to worry about the customer receiving their item.

And if for one minute anyone thinks that they can start sending $2.00 cards in a bubble mailer by courier cheaper than Canada Post.Than would you PLMK what courier service you are using so I can go see them on Monday.I have a couple packages that need to go out on Monday.I am no different than anyone else.The more money that stays in my pocket the better I feel.And so does the customer.

I believe this,yes Canada Post has flaws.But for the best bang for the buck they are the best deal in town for our hobby. Just my opinion,and I will continue to support them with what little bit of services I require that involve me getting a package from point A to point B.,Winston.

Winston, the problem is this wasn't a card in a bubble mailer with a $1.80 stamp on it, this was a parcel I brought to an outlet, they gave me the options I had and I paid. If that person can then turn around and throw my package in a dumpster and I have no recourse, why would I continue to deal with this company? Because it's "good for the hobby"? It's not. How many cases of mail theft have we heard of over the years? Many! Why? Because of crap like this. No one takes any responsibility at CP or USPS. I'll continue to send my regular mailers through CP but not my parcels

 

[winniescards]

Winston, the problem is this wasn't a card in a bubble mailer with a $1.80 stamp on it, this was a parcel I brought to an outlet, they gave me the options I had and I paid. If that person can then turn around and throw my package in a dumpster and I have no recourse, why would I continue to deal with this company? Because it's "good for the hobby"? It's not. How many cases of mail theft have we heard of over the years? Many! Why? Because of crap like this. No one takes any responsibility at CP or USPS. I'll continue to send my regular mailers through CP but not my parcels

That is why I said the employee had a poor choice of words.I do not believe for one minute that anything gets tossed in the dumpster.Or that he/she meant that.They could have said that without buying insurance and tracking we can not be responsible if the package does not get delivered.After all once it leaves Canada than Canada Post is not even handling the item.So how could they be responsible.

 

[SimonJa]

Sorry to hear about your situation Frank. The only thing that scares me about making deals is shipping. Unless its a super high end deal and its worth it to ship Fed-Ex....they calm my nerves a little. Hope the package shows up buddy!!!

 

[Triple B]

They told me the same thing applies with tracked package to the US. They'll gladly take $15 from me to ship a card but there's no guarantee it will make it there.

Canada Post is run by MORONS.

 

[JR]

I don't offer shipping to Europe in my eBay store, (too risky in some parts) but if they ask if I will sell/ship to them I tell them to get a COMC mailbox and everyone wins.
Hope your parcel shows up eventually.

 

[Justcards]

Not to start anything but your saying you went the cheaper route in not having to pay for the item to be covered and upset cause they will not bow down to you and cover the insurance of the item which you didn't get in the first place?
CP is CP and has been and will be for a long time to come. Spend the money for the right package/parcel/envelope and be covered.
It's not like it's the first time you haven't had a package not get to it's location

 

[frankiefives]

Not to start anything but your saying you went the cheaper route in not having to pay for the item to be covered and upset cause they will not bow down to you and cover the insurance of the item which you didn't get in the first place?
CP is CP and has been and will be for a long time to come. Spend the money for the right package/parcel/envelope and be covered.
It's not like it's the first time you haven't had a package not get to it's location

So let me get this straight, you're saying that when I ask what options I have to have a parcel delivered, I should HAVE to take the most expensive to make sure it gets done properly? Sorry but whatever the price I paid is the price I was given. I offer each option to my clients and they choose whatever they want. I never said I was asking for any type of insurance. I'm simply asking for my parcel to be delivered which is EXACTLY what I paid for. If you don't perform the service a client pays for then that client should at least get his/her money back, no?

I can't even believe I had to explain this to you.

 

[Triple B]

Not to start anything but your saying you went the cheaper route in not having to pay for the item to be covered and upset cause they will not bow down to you and cover the insurance of the item which you didn't get in the first place?
CP is CP and has been and will be for a long time to come. Spend the money for the right package/parcel/envelope and be covered.
It's not like it's the first time you haven't had a package not get to it's location

That's a silly statement. Why have the service available if it doesn't work? The price difference, in reality, reflects the amount of time it will take to get to its destination. Turns out that the price difference is actually a roll of the dice.

 

[guy_hobby]

Nope. He said there is absolutely NO guarantee that the item will be delivered at all. In order to have that, you must get one of the Express/Priority options which cost an arm and a leg. I even said to him "So you're saying that I can drop my package off, someone can throw it away and there's nothing you'll do about it?" and he said "Yes. That is the information I have"

Whoever you were talking to likely should be fired. That was incredibly stupid of him to say that to you. Of course CP will do their best to deliver your package, but the other posters are right, throw the timelines out the window. Tell your guy to sit tight, it will get there.

 

[NNeves]

When you send via general services it's a "you get what you get" sort of service. I don't think it's different today than it was 20 years ago. Yes the CS person did not do a great job of explaining it to you.

What I think is criminal is, with today's technology, they get away with charging an arm and a leg for adding a bar code to a package. Tracking should be a standard service. Extra charges should be offered for quicker service only (and size/dimensions, of course).