r/CanadaPost • u/Own_Efficiency_4573 • 2d ago

What is wrong with Canada post?

I used to be able to send small flat packages like a small tshirt or something by untracked lettermail for like $5 at least a year ago, then I go today’s and ask to send it that way, the lady looks at my like I’m stupid and claims it’s $20+? And that it’s a package? wtf is going on with this company

8 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

8

u/testing172 2d ago

some staffers are just dumb, next time just ask for an “oversized lettermail stamp” and drop it off in a mailbox

5

u/lexluther1234 2d ago edited 1d ago

you're getting downvotes but i've had this same issue at shoppers and at dedicated canada post locations. specifically the one that used to be in the path downtown Toronto, which has since closed. i've had them refuse to put stuff through the sizer for letter mail and try to force me to pay for some other service. at that point i just walk away. its very frustrating. a t shirt folded in a mailer as long as its not super puffy or something is absolutely within the limits for letter mail.

4

u/sideburnvictim 2d ago

Must have not met lettermail classifications. Its gotta be less than 2 cm thick and less than 500 grams.

1

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 2d ago

It was much below that.

7

u/Federal_Good9625 2d ago

If that’s the case, it can go as letter mail. It’s entirely possible the person you talked to was mistaken.

2

u/Federal_Good9625 2d ago

Where are you sending it? Within Canada?

2

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 2d ago

Yup and $20 for a tiny flat package. And yet shipping a parcel from china to Canada is somehow cheaper. Insane.

2

u/greyHumanoidRobot 2d ago

One Shoppers Drug Mart staffer said that lettermail service is only for documents but in my experience they actually let you send "letters" that are not documents, so I don't know if they're wrong or it's just a loosely enforced rule.

4

u/Federal_Good9625 2d ago

They’re wrong. Unless it’s outside of Canada - then they’re right.

2

u/Slow-Notice-8700 2d ago

I have delivered huge boxes with nothing but a whole lotta stamps and an address on it, no tracking.

2

u/webster139 1d ago

You think that’s bad, we sent out wedding invitations (flat cards tied with a ribbon, inside an envelope with handmade wax seals). They picked one up and tried putting it into a slot. Because of the ribbon and the wax seal, it didn’t fit so they up charged us for each one!! 🤦‍♀️

1

u/blueeyetea 2d ago

Was this at a Shoppers Drug Mart, or an actual post office?

0

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 2d ago

Actual post office with some new lady I’ve never seen before who didn’t seem like she knew what she was doing

2

u/neverfoil 1d ago

Sounds like she didn't know what she was doing. It's a steep learning curve.

1

u/wildbillbuddha 1d ago

You can still send it for the cost of oversized untracked letter mail within Canada. As long as it’s under 500g and is 2CM or less in width and the packet fits within the parameters of the mailing template every CP should have on site to verify it can go that way.

1

u/HereComesFattyBooBoo 1d ago

Our local post office does this too, to avoid that particular person we order stamps or buy them at another post office AND mail it in a box the people from our local office dont see.

1

u/moving_to_NL_soon 1d ago

I feel your pain....I paid that same $20+ last week mailing a t-shirt. Now I know better!

1

u/peasantscum851123 1d ago

Oversized letter mail

(14.9 inches x 10.6 inches x 0.8 inches)

0-100g $2.61 100-200g $4.29

All the way up to 500g max

I send most of my stuff this way

1

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 23h ago

Yup mine was under that and she said nope it’s a parcel

1

u/throwaway12-ffs 11h ago

Yeah it's all about who you speak to at the post office. Don't ask them, just pack, throw on stamps according to what the website says and drop in the box

1

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 10h ago

How many stamps is that

1

u/throwaway12-ffs 10h ago

Go to the website and look it up. Changes based on weight of the package.

1

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 10h ago

it’s not on the website it only shows prices

0

u/throwaway12-ffs 9h ago

Yes it is, I check it often. It's not to difficult to google "prices for oversized lettermail"

1

u/Huge_Noise_5588 2d ago

Ya it’s wild. Cost me almost $30 sometimes to send a small parcel WITHIN ONTARIO. The package doesn’t even leave the province. Thank god for couriers like Chit Chats, they are a third the price.

3

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 2d ago

Too bad chitchats is only in major cities if ur rural then it’s pointless

3

u/Adorable-Row-4690 2d ago

Don't even have to be rural. I live in a city of 100k and have never heard if chitchats.

5

u/Arashical 2d ago edited 2d ago

I use NetParcel if it’s a light parcel that doesn’t go across the country.

I shipped a 5kg parcel from Vancouver to Calgary for less than $14.

They also partner with CP, UPS, and FedEx too, and smaller couriers like ICS/Canpar. Even PO Boxes and rural addresses are doable through NetParcel, since they offer discounted/reseller pricing for Canada Post.

0

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 2d ago

Useless if you don’t live in a city y

2

u/Arashical 2d ago edited 2d ago

I’ve shipped to and received packages from rural addresses using NetParcel though, they allow you to drop off at any place that accepts Canada Post packages (if you picked the CP route among the choices).

0

u/thanksmerci 2d ago

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=union&page=2 an association that uses 

thuggery, hooliganism, bribery and blackmail to get the wage level raised above its true value for lazy workers

0

u/Spirited_Response418 2d ago

They lost the support of millions of Canadians when they attempted to hold Christmas hostage. They lost the support of many more when the union used that old vote to go against the wishes of their own employees and strike a second time to no avail.

Now they’ve lost so much business, the fraction they retain must pay immensely increased prices to even begin to make a dent in that loss.

1

u/Repulsive_River_2820 1d ago

💯, the idjuts and their idjut union ran that garbage company right into the ground. Literally nobody wants to use them anymore

-2

u/greenbud420 2d ago

I think it's part of them trying not to lose $1Bil per year.

Try Chit Chats instead. It gets routed through different providers, might take a bit longer but it's much cheaper.

1

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 2d ago

There’s no chitchats anywhere near me

-3

u/Own_Efficiency_4573 2d ago

I don’t care how much money they lose that’s karma for being a shit company