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Canada Post is hurting economy
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by travel_photography | February 25, 2009 at 10:22 am
784 views | 42 Recommendations | 19 comments
A bold statement I made in the headline - but unfortunately it is true - Canada Post is hurting our economy quite bad.
Here is why, including a example.
Photos
We are having a small business, shipping fine art prints, canvas gallery wraps, mouse pad with pictures etc. worldwide. We already stop shipping overseas as shipping costs are twice as expensive as the products. We still trying hard to ship at least to the US - but we even have to stop this now. Unfortunately we now have to outsource our printing to the US simply because they ship (even back to Canada) up to 70% cheaper then we can with Canada Post.
Why? Well, obviously Canada Post has not seen the problems of the crisis we are in and also obviously missed to see what happened to the oil price - IT DROPPED to about 40$ BUT Canada Post is still charging "Fuel Surcharges" and pretty extreme high ones too.
Feb 2 till March 1st 2009 they charge an extra charge for Express of !!! 8.25% !!! yes you read right 8.25%. BUT it gets better from here starting from March 2 till April 5th (I have those numbers from their website as of today Feb 25) to !!!9.25 !!!
How can Canada Post explain this? Not at all!
We are only a very small business and we live a little remote (which does not matters to the surcharges) so we don't have the options to go with another courier, but I know about other businesses which are forced to do the same - outsourcing to the US.
I hate to have Government involved in economy BUT something has to be done, otherwise we all wake up here in Canada and wonder why the resession is dragging us further down. I wonder if they are next for a bail out? Sure would make sense, nothing different from the big car companies
- companies don't deliver acceptable service
- they squeeze the last penny out of the consumers by price hikes (instead of smart management)
- they stop with customer service (not that it really existed before)
- go for our tax money via a bail out
The sad part is that at the end they get a bail out loan for EXTRAME BAD MANAGEMENT decisions.
Yes, we are frustrated because we have to go to another country to keep our business alive. Where is the government? Why they don't see those problems? This is simple economy 101, and the big consumer boycott with the gas prices last year has shown what happens if prices getting too high compared to other countries.
Government - PLEASE jump on the train and make CHANGES which are good for people NOT for individual managers!
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (19)
at 10:33 on February 25th, 2009
I wonder how the Canadian postal system compares to other countries? Are we more expensive than most?
at 10:40 on February 25th, 2009
Privatization is what is hurting all public sectors and subsequently the Private sector as well as the individual. Public mismanagement by the elected officials. Grand time to make some serious reforms not any more bail out though since that wont change any thing.
at 10:44 on February 25th, 2009
As much as I can tell - ABSOLUTELY.
We do product one by one - with local, but we can't anymore because people now pay 39.90 for mousepad were WE make 2$ on it. That can't be right that all our possible profit is going to Canada Post.
Thanks for marking the story as recommended - I hope many follow.
WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE!
But we obviously HAVE TO force the Government to make decisions.
at 10:49 on February 25th, 2009
At last the truth is out!! Bravo!!
Canada Post doesn't compare to other postal services in other countries because most of the others are 15 years ahead - that applies to many things in Canada.
It's the same as the car companies - who have their hands out for bail outs but nobody is talking about how much their customer service lacks customer service and how poorly the companies have been managed (same as Telus - who still has a monopoly where we live). All these organizations have to wake up but it's the public who have to pound on their doors, as we do constantly.
at 15:24 on February 25th, 2009
haven't you heard? - Canada is 5yrs behind most other western countries.
at 10:55 on February 25th, 2009
Get government out of the courier business and allow free competition.
at 11:45 on February 25th, 2009
It is so expensive to send anything - you are so right.
at 15:01 on February 25th, 2009
What disturbs me about Canada is this: the country over the past 15 years has become more parochial and more inward-looking and timid. While Canadians clutch copies of No Logo telling them logos are a bad thing, Canadian businesses get worse and worse. It is as if Canadians can't offer a better alternative and so instead just slump into lethargy, waste and corruption. Look at the listeria crisis, or economic dead zones like eastern Canada and Ottawa. The armies of homeless on the streets and all the people dependent on food banks. It is time Canada showed the world what it really has to offer that is better than the American Business Model.
at 18:58 on February 25th, 2009
Wauhhh, very interesting comments. Thanks for all of them. Hope we still get some more.
at 19:10 on February 25th, 2009
True! The price of mailing large envelopes/small parcels is insane.
As an eBayer, I usually buy from outside Canada, as the same item winds up costing less, even considering a shipper's handling fee.
at 02:38 on February 26th, 2009
I was in the Post Office on Tuesday. To mail a large greeting card to Alberta cost 1.30 or 2 day express post was $8+.
The problems with Canada Post are many. The fact that there is no guarantee on when a letter will arrive with the regular post is a problem. The fact that new housing developments (at least in Ontario) get a common mailbox station for their neighbourhood rather than a postman/woman to come to their door is a problem.
Also, in some countries (e.g. Germany) you know if the mail has been picked up at a postal box because the postal person changes the time the next delivery will occur. Also in some European cities if you mail a letter by midnight at the main Postal Office it will be delivered within that same city next day guaranteed.
at 06:43 on February 26th, 2009
I love this site! great site and great webmaster. Thank you bye.
I am from Djibouti and learning to speak English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "There are a lot of diet pills that make false claims about boosting your metabolism."
Waiting for a reply :(, Tamera.
at 15:49 on February 26th, 2009
There is also no guarantee of delivery time when you post a parcel. In fact when you send something with a tracking number with Canada Post all they do is scan it when you send it then they scan it again when it has arrived at its destination. There really is no tracking with their tracking service even if a parcel changes hands several times.
They need some stiff competition!
at 19:27 on February 26th, 2009
Right on! Any other experiences or comments?
at 14:17 on March 17th, 2009
To say that the canadian postal system is overpriced is obsurd. Please compare the prices of other nations postal service before claiming canada's system is "overpriced" - The publicly supported postal system in canada is cheaper than almost any other system in the world, and it still manages to pay dividends and taxes to the canadian govt annually. Deregulation or privatization of this system (which has been implemented in many countries) leads to increased postal rates and a decrease in quality service. To say that "
at 14:19 on March 17th, 2009
Can you provide examples of countries that opened their postal systems to competition that resulted in higher prices for first class mail?
at 05:01 on June 15th, 2009
You guys need some stiff competition! your service level very is low and your prices is way to high... you should do the opposite. shame on you.
at 19:22 on March 17th, 2009
simply compare prices in the US - why can they be soooo much cheaper??? It is cheaper for me today to have a print shipped from the US back to Canada, then sending it one Province over.
at 04:55 on June 15th, 2009
On top of their expensive rates and beside all of that, everyone should know that Canada Post customer service is simply SUCKS!!
If they make a mistake for(i.e.) and charge you an extra money then say good buy to your money and don't expect that you are getting them back.
I have had requested refunding my money since 2 months and nothing have been received yet.
Even their customer service department is SUCKS!! Too ....simply they will do nothing other than keeping you on hold for not less than 15 min to 1/2 hr.
I will be using other currier services from today onwards unless is they take out their Dumb and OLD minded Staff who they think that we are in 1900's still.