USPS to Canada prices?

[clonzfan]

I normally go to a Contract Post Office in a hardware store near my home, but since I was out running around this afternoon I stopped by a USPS branch office. Shipping to Canada, they charged me $8.80 for a 7.4 oz. envelope, $6.55 for a 1.1 oz. envelope, and $7.65 for a 2.3 oz. envelope. All were #000 size bubble envelopes except for the 7.4 oz. one that was larger. I told them that was a lot more than I pay at the Contract PO, when I got home and looked a few receipts I have been charged $2.29 for a 1.0 oz. and $2.71 for a 3.0 oz. envelope. They told me if it doesn't bend, it is considered a package.

Have I been getting a deal at the Contract PO or did I get screwed today? What is the real rule?

 

[TanguayFan]

The higher prices are what I've been paying for shipping from the US for the last several months....on average about $8.00, although it has always come with tracking right to my door.

 

[Burner]

packages up to 2oz to Canada (and the entire world) costs $6.55 at the PO

 

[timber09]

Changes went into effect February 2013 (IIRC) - what you paid at the Post Office is the accurate new rates, at the hardware store they are likely plugging them in as flats. I would think that they would be corrected at some point - truly I am shocked that they are still sending stuff out in the old fashion, maybe you are the only person that sends out international mail from that outlet or something.

Around here, the USPS has taken away (this happened long ago) the retail branch ability to send international mail - there is a pharmacy down the hill from my house for example, I can go there for supplies, domestic shipments or a PO box but I can send nothing to Canada from that location.

 

[dismonkey1]

I normally go to a Contract Post Office in a hardware store near my home, but since I was out running around this afternoon I stopped by a USPS branch office. Shipping to Canada, they charged me $8.80 for a 7.4 oz. envelope, $6.55 for a 1.1 oz. envelope, and $7.65 for a 2.3 oz. envelope. All were #000 size bubble envelopes except for the 7.4 oz. one that was larger. I told them that was a lot more than I pay at the Contract PO, when I got home and looked a few receipts I have been charged $2.29 for a 1.0 oz. and $2.71 for a 3.0 oz. envelope. They told me if it doesn't bend, it is considered a package.

Have I been getting a deal at the Contract PO or did I get screwed today? What is the real rule?

Yes, you have been getting a deal. They have been charging you the flat envelope rate, not the package rate. In order to qualify for the envelope rate it has to have a uniform thickness (up to a certain amount, can't remember off the top of my head). Bubble mailers (and envelopes stuffed with cards) are not universally thick and so then are considered "packages". Contractors aren't USPS employees and therefore are most likely not as informed as to the rules or they just don't care. You can get a small postage discount if you are selling through ebay and print off their shipping labels.

 

[gallinator]

Here's the deal: The Post Office clerks see a bubble envelope and automatically classify it as a "package" and charge you the "package" rate ($6.55 and up). It's NOT because it doesn't bend (rigid) - that simply means it is "non-machinable" and subject to a 21-cent surcharge.

If you look at the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), you will see that there is a discrepancy between classifications of "letter", "large envelope" and "package" (I think those are the terms) and what happens when those items are between the magic thickness dimensions of .25" to .75". If you look in one place, it seems to say anything above .25" thick is a package, regardless of the other dimensions (length and width). Elsewhere in the DMM, if a "large envelope" - which is an envelope with L and/or W between certain ranges - is between .25" and .75" thick, then it has it's own rate (slightly higher than letter but far below package). Back when the postage increases were first implemented in Feb, 2013, I was successful at sending my #000 mailers at the large envelope rate by using the Automated Postal Machine kiosk thingy and avoiding the clerks entirely. Others have also tried this and some have failed.

Even better, though, is what I have been doing for the last 18 months or so: I ditched the bubble mailers in favor of cardboard DVD mailers ($5 for 25 at Wal-Mart). Cards get the standard sleeve/top loader/team bag plus a decoy on both sides and I seal all sides of the mailer with packaging tape after writing "Do Not Machine" on both sides. I put a Global Forever stamp on it (currently $1.15 IIRC) and a 21-cent stamp on it and drop it in the mailbox. Well over 100 of these have been sent out now to several different countries (closer to 200) and I have had no returns, no postage due (and no Customs forms to fill out). For larger lots or slabbed cards, I mate two of the mailers together and send it out for the "large envelope" rate plus a 21-cent stamp. This helps me keep shipping fees down for my foreign friends and customers (I charge a flat $2 on eBay auctions).

This may not work for everybody, but it certainly has been working for me, so hopefully this helps you at least a little.

 

[Burner]

Here's the deal: The Post Office clerks see a bubble envelope and automatically classify it as a "package" and charge you the "package" rate ($6.55 and up). It's NOT because it doesn't bend (rigid) - that simply means it is "non-machinable" and subject to a 21-cent surcharge.

If you look at the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), you will see that there is a discrepancy between classifications of "letter", "large envelope" and "package" (I think those are the terms) and what happens when those items are between the magic thickness dimensions of .25" to .75". If you look in one place, it seems to say anything above .25" thick is a package, regardless of the other dimensions (length and width). Elsewhere in the DMM, if a "large envelope" - which is an envelope with L and/or W between certain ranges - is between .25" and .75" thick, then it has it's own rate (slightly higher than letter but far below package). Back when the postage increases were first implemented in Feb, 2013, I was successful at sending my #000 mailers at the large envelope rate by using the Automated Postal Machine kiosk thingy and avoiding the clerks entirely. Others have also tried this and some have failed.

Even better, though, is what I have been doing for the last 18 months or so: I ditched the bubble mailers in favor of cardboard DVD mailers ($5 for 25 at Wal-Mart). Cards get the standard sleeve/top loader/team bag plus a decoy on both sides and I seal all sides of the mailer with packaging tape after writing "Do Not Machine" on both sides. I put a Global Forever stamp on it (currently $1.15 IIRC) and a 21-cent stamp on it and drop it in the mailbox. Well over 100 of these have been sent out now to several different countries (closer to 200) and I have had no returns, no postage due (and no Customs forms to fill out). For larger lots or slabbed cards, I mate two of the mailers together and send it out for the "large envelope" rate plus a 21-cent stamp. This helps me keep shipping fees down for my foreign friends and customers (I charge a flat $2 on eBay auctions).

This may not work for everybody, but it certainly has been working for me, so hopefully this helps you at least a little.

I've tried this off and on for the better part of the year. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Just last week I had 3 of them returned to me with a red stamp that said something like 'this service is meant for letters' and then they taped on a green customs form on each package and redelivered it back to me.

 

[djsports]

For lack of a better term, it basically comes down to if you get the "cool" person at the counter. Some clerks will let you send bubble mailers as flats and charge you the flat rate, others will not. It is like anything in customer service, you just have to catch them on the good day and you will be golden.

gallinator is right about the cardboard mailer. I have been doing this successfully since the postage rate in crease of January 2013. The great thing about this is that they are machinable and the card doesn't get destroyed. (Yes I am knocking on wood right now).

I have had a few come back to me, without any sort of red sticker on them, so I just turn around and drop them off in the mail again. The record for the same returned item is 5 but I have one right here that is on 3.

The key arguing point is the uniform thickness. Since the cardboard mailer is so rigid they don't detect the toploader in there. I also use double sided stick tape (3 rolls for $1.00 at the dollar store) and tape the card in the middle of the envelope so in the off chance it is machined, the card won't go through the roller.