On the topic of shipping ... news from Canada Post

[FirstGreenIsGold]

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/abo...ction_plan.jsf

It seems that there are lots of changes coming up for Canada Post again.

[tkauctionworldwide]

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/abo...ction_plan.jsf

It seems that there are lots of changes coming up for Canada Post again.

Less employees. God help the International post.

I was sent an unexpected parcel from friends in Canada.
After a month with no acknowlegement or thanks from us, they finally asked if we had recieved the parcel.
Not recieved, but it did finally turn up a week later via Canadian snail mail.

[FirstGreenIsGold]

Mail between Canada and UK generally goes quite quickly. If I buy or sell from / to UK, the items most often show up within a week or ten days. That's the same amount of time as across Canada.

Right now it's the back and forth to the US that takes a lot longer. I've ordered things from the US that have taken 3 weeks or more, even though the seller is quick to ship.

The cost of lettermail is supposed to go up substantially. Don't know about letterpost / light packets.

[FirstGreenIsGold]

Any Canadians around here today?

Bumping ... in case you haven't heard.

[FirstGreenIsGold]

Bump.

Any other Canadians around?

[Juliebabe25]

Here in NZ, our Post Office is going to cut back to 3 days a week mail delivery, but still 6 days in rural areas.

I think that is OK, its only one extra day to wait. But i do feel sorry for the posties that will lose their jobs.

But who posts letters these days ?

[meebo1]

I do. There are still people who don't have internet / email address (like my mother)

[tony41]

I do. There are still people who don't have internet / email address (like my mother)

Me too, for this reason and others.

[FirstGreenIsGold]

But who posts letters these days ?

Julie, I like to send snail mail cards and letters to people, Me, I like to get something in the mail other than junk mail and bills. Most of our bills come to us electronically, but there are still some that come to us in paper based form.

The cost of Canadian postage for lettermail is supposed to go up a lot. I mean drastically.

That fact affects on-line selling for those who hope to send letters filled with even paper items like postcards or stamps.

If a seller is selling something that is not paper, even if it is small and light, like a spoon, a coin, a piece of jewellery .... then even now we have to send it packet instead of lettermail / letter-post. No word yet on how much the costs for those items will be raised. Packages are another story.

Many areas don't have house delivery already. We don't. For our home delivery, mail is delivered by contractors that Canada Post hires. There is a group mail box down the street aways. The post offices are across town. One main post office and one at a grocery store. We are both able to drive and walk, so at this stage we can manage to get around to mail things and pick up things.

So Canada Post announced these significant changes and then launched a television advertisement campaign, telling Canadians how wonderful it is. Money spent on advertising when its competition is limited in this country. It's not like Canadians don't know about Canada Post.

Don't get me wrong. My father worked for Canada Post for 37 years. He retired in the 1970s. Those were the days before the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Letter Carriers Union were what they are today. Wages were low. So wages from Canada Post fed me when I was growing up, even if we lived hand to mouth. So I'm not bashing Canada Post here.

But these changes stand to affect small on-line sellers in a big way.

I had hoped to send lots of letters via lettermail and letter-post.

[cajo712]

Hi Marie
The cost of small lettermail is going up the most. From 63 cents to $1. on March 31.

The last link shows the new Jan. prices. - lots of scrolling involved.

These links may have the information you are looking for:

Jan 13, 2014 rates for Small Packet USA Air is 8.03 250 g, 10.66 500 g, 16.03 1 kg

Current Small Packet USA Air is 7.80 250 g, 10.35 500 g, 15.56 1 kg.
So increase of $0.23 250 g, $0.31 500 g, $0.47 1 kg.

Lettermail increase March 31, 2014
http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/su...ch312014-e.pdf

USA & International Letterpost increase March 31, 2014 http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/su...ch312014-e.pdf

http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/prices/sbprices2014-e.pdf

Hope this helps.
Joan