+geoSquid Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 I was informed today, when I mailed some geoSquids, that effective 24 July, things that aren't essentially paper (i.e. that would require a CN22 customs form if mailed out of Canada) will have to go at a new "Light Package" rate, and have a new customs form. The light package rate is presently a bit less than the "small package" rate, won't have automatic insurance, and won't have trackability (unless you pay extra). What now goes to the US as lettermail for $1.78 will jump to $2.55 What goes for $2.99 to the US will jump to $4.55. What goes for $5.98 to the US will drop to $5.95. The price jump will be similar for inside-canada shipments, and for international shipments. Apparently that's an "introductory" rate intended to cushion the blow and we can expect further rate hikes in this area to bring the cost more in-line with the "small package" rate. Quote Link to comment
+WWC-World's Worst Cacher Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Wow! That is terrible and I thought the US postal service increases were terrible. Right now mailing to Canada from the US is only more expensive on the first coin and then is essentially the same. Those rates are close to what it costs to send a package from the US to Europe. Quote Link to comment
+bobuk Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 i have just done a trade to canada and was told by the trader to excpect my coin to take at least one month as the canadian postal service and i quote: ( is pretty slow here in Canada). you would think with those price increases it should be the best on the planet. bob Quote Link to comment
+Team JSAM Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Wow thats a big jump in price, has it been awile since the last increase? Quote Link to comment
+Lemon Fresh Dog Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 The new prices are mostly due to a classification change I think? Previously, you could send geocoins as a "letter" as long as they fit through a little letter measure tool (ie 1-5 coins) -- now they are a "package" and hence the higher rate and slower time (packages are a ground shipment, letters are all first class and air-shipped). In fact, I suspect that if you were sending just one or two coins, they would end-up getting thrown in with the letters anyways and go air. The time to arrive is hit and miss depending on volumes etc. Quote Link to comment
+junglehair Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Having just moved back to Canada from the US, it pains me to see how much they charge for postage, and then how slow the service is. I know that many things are still sorted manually here, which explains part of the slower service. You would think that would account for a couple extra days processing time, not a couple extra weeks! In the US, it was not uncommon for the package to arrive the next day, even if it was mailed from the other side of the country! I mailed some coins to the US when I first got here, and they are still waiting to receive them. I'm sure they start to wonder if you actually mailed them when it's been close to a month already, and still no coins. The fact that they are changing the classification of these envelopes from letter-post to packages can only mean that it's going to take even longer now. It's a disgrace if you ask me. I mailed two packages the other day. One with 5 coins, to GA and the other with 3 coins to the UK. The total cost of the postage for these two envelopes was over $13.00! And that's before their price increase! Quote Link to comment
+ozymandiasism Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 I hope I will get my coins from the mint soon and be able to ship them out before the price hike.... Quote Link to comment
+The Blind Acorn Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Wow that is unfortunate... I hope for the best for you guys, and I'll be sure to keep it in mind when you all create coins. Quote Link to comment
+bobuk Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 I mailed two packages the other day. One with 5 coins, to GA and the other with 3 coins to the UK. Wooo sounds like my three are on the way.. Must remember to check christmas mail... Cheers Sandra B. Quote Link to comment
+ozymandiasism Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 UOTrackers, make sure you send out your coins by 7/24! Quote Link to comment
+UOTrackers Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 UOTrackers, make sure you send out your coins by 7/24! If I read this post right this price change is for residents of canada shipping outside of Canada. I live in South Carolina so this shouldn't affect me shipping TO Canada....or did I read wrong, it is 3:40 AM (baby feeding) Quote Link to comment
+geoSquid Posted July 9, 2006 Author Share Posted July 9, 2006 UOTrackers, make sure you send out your coins by 7/24! If I read this post right this price change is for residents of canada shipping outside of Canada. I live in South Carolina so this shouldn't affect me shipping TO Canada....or did I read wrong, it is 3:40 AM (baby feeding) You are correct. Quote Link to comment
+ozymandiasism Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 UOTrackers, make sure you send out your coins by 7/24! If I read this post right this price change is for residents of canada shipping outside of Canada. I live in South Carolina so this shouldn't affect me shipping TO Canada....or did I read wrong, it is 3:40 AM (baby feeding) You are correct. Oh.... hehe... it's the thought that counts... LOL Quote Link to comment
+crake Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 US shipping TO canada won't change... until next year when all postage goes up. Again. Quote Link to comment
+Damenace Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 US shipping TO canada won't change... until next year when all postage goes up. Again. So do you have an insight into the next increase , or was that intended to be a sarcastic comment that you are predicting that may be true . Quote Link to comment
+geoSquid Posted July 11, 2006 Author Share Posted July 11, 2006 Some news on this rate increase. I was informed today that the initial literature put out to the postal outlets was incorrect. Here is the updated info: - The "introductory" rate quoted was incorrect. That number, according to the postal guy, is likely the full "final" rate. Initially, the price for a Light Package will be the same as lettermail (i.e. what you pay now). However, it will probably climb to the full rate (as noted above) in short order. - Light Packages, because they will fit through the mail slot template thingy (that won't mean much to US readers, but Canadians will almost certainly have seen it), they will actually go in the lettermail bag. That means it should be as fast as Lettermail. Read into that what you will. - Unlike "small packages" which carry an automagic $100 of insurance, Light Packages will not carry insurance by default, nor will they be trackable by default. They can be insured and made trackable at further expense. - As previously noted, the green CN22 sticker will disappear and a modified version of the white, small package CN22 sticker will replace it. The new sticker will remove the reminder about automatic insurance that is present on the small package CN22. Why they can't use the green one any more is left as an exercise for the cadet. Quote Link to comment
+Eric K Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 (edited) Some news on this rate increase. I was informed today that the initial literature put out to the postal outlets was incorrect. Here is the updated info: - The "introductory" rate quoted was incorrect. That number, according to the postal guy, is likely the full "final" rate. Initially, the price for a Light Package will be the same as lettermail (i.e. what you pay now). However, it will probably climb to the full rate (as noted above) in short order. - Light Packages, because they will fit through the mail slot template thingy (that won't mean much to US readers, but Canadians will almost certainly have seen it), they will actually go in the lettermail bag. That means it should be as fast as Lettermail. Read into that what you will. - Unlike "small packages" which carry an automagic $100 of insurance, Light Packages will not carry insurance by default, nor will they be trackable by default. They can be insured and made trackable at further expense. - As previously noted, the green CN22 sticker will disappear and a modified version of the white, small package CN22 sticker will replace it. The new sticker will remove the reminder about automatic insurance that is present on the small package CN22. Why they can't use the green one any more is left as an exercise for the cadet. Wow, and I thought only the US goverment could take something simple and make it overly complicated! Edited July 11, 2006 by Eric K Quote Link to comment
+Big JohnP Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 - Light Packages, because they will fit through the mail slot template thingy (that won't mean much to US readers, but Canadians will almost certainly have seen it), they will actually go in the lettermail bag. That means it should be as fast as Lettermail. Read into that what you will. - Unlike "small packages" which carry an automagic $100 of insurance, Light Packages will not carry insurance by default, nor will they be trackable by default. They can be insured and made trackable at further expense. - As previously noted, the green CN22 sticker will disappear and a modified version of the white, small package CN22 sticker will replace it. The new sticker will remove the reminder about automatic insurance that is present on the small package CN22. Why they can't use the green one any more is left as an exercise for the cadet. The mail slot template thingy is a plastic template with different size slots into which you slip your mailers. If it fits into the one for regular mail, which most of the regular size mailers do, then it is considered as lettermail and goes out at a cheaper rate than a package and also is "supposed" to get to destination faster than a package. And as for Erik's comments saying that he thought that only the US goverment could take something simple and make it overly complicated, we have our own specialists here that see to anything we may have been missed also. Quote Link to comment
+geoSquid Posted July 11, 2006 Author Share Posted July 11, 2006 (edited) I used to work in the same building as Canada Post HQ building. The building was shared by Canada Post and some private companies, most of which were high-tech. Canada Post complained to the companies that because Canada Post's dress code requires Canada Post employees to wear ties and "business casual" clothing, that the private companies should up their dress codes to ties and business casual due to Canada Post employees feeling envious and therefore having low morale. I would love to have heard all the different forms of "Bite me, Sunshine" they got as replies to that complaint. Because it makes more sense to have everyone else change rather than change their own rules. Edited July 11, 2006 by geoSquid Quote Link to comment
+slippery_1 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 As a NOrtherner, who lives so far north that even the polar bears wear fur coats I figure the rest of you Canuks should experience mail via dog sled as well. I wait as much as 12 weeks for express and other items coming from the US to me here, and we have trucks which deliver the mail up here. Kidding, The Canadian Postal System SUX's and I figure we should go back to the pony express...at least they got there in time or died trying. Quote Link to comment
+islander1988 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 (edited) I shipped a few coins this week and asked about the new rates. The person I talked to said that they got a notice to ignore the new rate information they orignally received. She said that while the new package type was still coming in with the new customs form for shipping, the rate for now would be the same as what the current letter rate is, and that the new rates wouldn't start till January. Has anyone else heard anything like this? Edited July 20, 2006 by islander1988 Quote Link to comment
+geoSquid Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 I shipped a few coins this week and asked about the new rates. The person I talked to said that they got a notice to ignore the new rate information they orignally received. She said that while the new package type was still coming in with the new customs form for shipping, the rate for now would be the same as what the current letter rate is, and that the new rates wouldn't start till January. Has anyone else heard anything like this? Yes, that's waht I was on about above. The original "new rate" information was wrong, and when they start with the new customs form next week, the cost will be the same as it is now, but will climb sometime in the near future. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.