Tag Archives: Canada Post

Betting $2.62 to Try to Save $14.48 Or How I Like to Gamble By Using Xpresspost for Parcels

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Recently, I had to mail back my radon gas detection kit to the lab to have the results analyzed. It was annoying to have to pay the postage to send the collection unit back but I understand that it wasn’t easy for the company to send it out prepaid: the test has to run for a year and postage rates can increase, and the postage rate will vary from different parts of Canada if the package is sent by Xpresspost and possibly by regular mail due to “fuel surcharges” and other peculiarities of the postal system. Anyway, when I went to the post office to mail it back the clerk offered me two choices: regular parcel post at $14.48 or Xpresspost at $17.10; I decided to gamble and use Xpresspost and here’s why.

Why is the Canada Post Fuel Surcharge Different for Regular Post VS Xpresspost Parcels?

One thing I noticed when I priced my options is that the fuel surcharge for regular delivery from Ontario to BC is $0.47 and for Xpresspost is $1.28. Given the distance is the same, that was a bit puzzling. I decided that maybe, and only maybe, the Xpresspost option puts the package on a plane and the regular post option puts the parcel on a train and that changes the amount they want to zing me with for “fuel.”

I was curious, though, so I checked sending the same package within my same city.
Ack! The fuel surcharge within the same city is also different! It’s $0.29 for regular parcel and $0.77 for Xpresspost. Do they use jet fuel to run the van with Xpresspost and diesel or gasoline in the one that the regular parcels are delivered by?

I checked the Canada Post website. It clearly explains that a different rate is charged for the Express Services than for the Non-Express Services. It explains what percentage is used for the fuel surcharge depending on the price of diesel fuel. But it does NOT explain why the percentage is different for Express vs Non-Express!

Do Canada Post Fuel Surcharges Ever Change and Decrease?

Well, according to their website, yes they do. (I was surprised too.)

It was a good thing I waited till February 1 to mail my parcel, because the fuel surcharge rate dropped from 9.25% to 8.5% on February 1 from January 31 for Express Services.

Who knew a day when the price of stamps did not change, could make such a difference to the “postage” to mail a parcel?

What Do I Mean When I Say I Gambled By Using Canada Post Xpresspost to Deliver My Parcel?

I discovered this quirk in the past. Canada Post Xpresspost parcels usually have an On-Time Delivery Guarantee. (You should check when buying this service for any exceptions in your case.)  If the parcel does not arrive on time, you should get “replacement service or credit equivalent to the shipping charges.”

I’m paying slightly more for Xpresspost than for Regular Post. $2.62 more to be exact. For that extra money, I can track my parcel to make sure it eventually gets there. That alone is worth something to me. But more importantly, I can have fun gambling.

If the parcel is delivered on time, I’m out the $2.62. But if they are late, I will get all of my cost refunded, if not in cash, then at least in stamps or a credit note to pay for my next parcel.

Sure, it’s not like winning LOTTO MAX. I won’t be able to retire on $14.48. But it’s not a $5 bet either and the odds of Canada Post delivering my parcel late are much, much better than of me picking a hugely winning ticket.

Did I Win My Canada Post Xpresspost Lottery?

Well, it’s getting really suspenseful. According to the Canada Post tracking website, my parcel was in Vancouver on the day it should be delivered but so far it doesn’t say if it made it to the destination or not. Until the date of delivery gets posted, I won’t know. I’ll update this article when I find out.

I have won this lottery in the past so I’m hoping to do so again!

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Do you ever play the Xpresspost or Priority Mail odds? Have you won any free deliveries? Please share your experience with a comment.

How Does Walmart Online Shopping and FlexDelivery with Free Pickup at Canada Post Work? A Review

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A recent present I wanted to buy was an iPod case in a specific colour and pattern that was ideal for the person who wanted it. That specific Exian case was on the Staples, Walmart and Amazon websites but was not available for in store purchase at any of them. The only one offering free shipping for the item, at the time I made my purchase, was Walmart.ca. It offered free shipping to any nearby Canada Post location where I would have to go to pick it up, or free delivery to my home by Canada Post. It was more convenient, and sneaky, for me to pick the item up at a Canada Post location inside my nearby Shoppers Drug Mart. So I signed in to Great Canadian Rebates, clicked through to Walmart.ca, and ordered the iPod 5 case for free Flex Delivery to the Canada Post location for pickup: here’s how it went.

Remember You Can Get a Buck or Two Back On Many Purchases Via Great Canadian Rebates

As I’ve written before, if you are buying something online anyway, if you start your shopping expedition by signing into your account at GreatCanadian Rebates.ca and then clicking through to your store of choice, you can often get 0.5-4% of your purchase price back in amazon.ca gift certificates.

So  I started my shopping at greatcanadianrebates.ca. I signed in using my email address and password, then I selected Walmart.ca from the QuickLinks drop-down list.

That took my to the Walmart.ca website.

How Easy Is It to Online Shop at Walmart.ca?

I used Walmart’s search box to find the iPod cover easily. In the text box labelled “What product are you looking for?” I typed iPod 5 and clicked on the magnifying glass icon.

The case I was looking for came up on the first search page. I clicked on it, then clicked on the Add to Cart button.

The sales process was quite straight forward.

I typed in my email address and clicked the Next button.

I clicked to select Pick up at Walmart Grab& Go or Canada Post Office.

I typed in my First and Last Name and the postal code to find a pickup location nearby.

I clicked to select the nearest Shoppers Drug Mart which has a Post Office inside.

I clicked the Next button.

After reviewing the order and the cost, which included no cost shipping, I selected my credit card type, and entered my credit card data.

I typed in my billing name, address and phone number.

Then I clicked on the Place Order button.

They emailed my receipt with a confirmation number immediately.

How Did the Canada Post FlexDelivery Free Parcel Pickup Service Work? A Review

The next day, I received a Canada Post email advising me that my order had been received for shipping and providing me with a tracking number.

Although the item was sent by “expedited” mail, I notice that it was received into a Canada Post facility on a Friday afternoon and did not move again till Monday morning.

Two days before the “expected delivery date” I was advised by email that my item was ready for pickup at my nearby Shoppers Drug Mart.

As advised, I took a piece of government issued photo I.D. with me and walked over to the Post Office. (The email delivery notification did provide me with a letter I could use to authorize someone else to pickup the item if I wished.)

Somewhat to my surprise, given the large number of parcels they were managing that week, my Canada Post outlet had no trouble finding the package. I did have to show my id, not just the notification letter, but after that the envelope was in my hand and I was wandering through the aisles trying to remember if we needed any toothpaste or President’s Choice items.

Overall, I’d rank the FlexDelivery service as excellent. One delivery isn’t really a big test but it was a small package during a very busy time of year and it arrived early and undamaged.

I’d try it again.

UPDATE: In July 2016 Walmart is no longer listed as a store from which I can buy stuff through Great Canadian Rebates. I hope they will be available again in the future!

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Have you tried this “almost home delivery” service to your nearest Canada Post outlet? Did it work out ok or did you resolve to never try it again? Please share your experience with a comment.