Silk Road forums
Discussion => Shipping => Topic started by: antigrid on October 17, 2012, 09:36 pm
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I am starting to get worried here, I placed a $1k order last week for #4 H and was given tracking number the day it was dropped. It should have been here today but did not show up. What worries me is that the tracking number does not exist in either the Canada Xpresspost website or USPS.com. This is a well known , reputable vendor and I had placed a smaller order the week before that I received. Even with the holiday the weekend before the 1gram that I bought arrived the third business day. Tracking existed on both websites the day before it arrived on the first package (maybe before) so I would think if the package existed it would have been showing by now.
Has anyone ever had this issue where Canadian xpresspost "does not properly scan" a package and the tracking doesn't show up on either website for awhile? Vendor said this has happened befopre and that I will probably get today or at least tracking should show up today, and niether has happened. I am really worried and not sure what to think here. I wanted to verify if anyone else has had a similar situation with orders from Canada. The vendor said another person is having the exact same issue.
I don't want to mention the vendors name because it hasn't been long enough, but he is a well known #4 H vendor. I am not sure what to think. I am worried it's not on it's way and I will not only be facing extreme pain but also withdrawals.
Any feedback on tracking issues with Xpresspost to US would be helpful. Thanks.
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Ask the vendor if he dropped it at a post office or put a prepaid envelope in a mailbox.
If its the latter, tracking is sketchy at best. Doesnt get scanned at the mailbox, often doesnt get scanned at the local postal facility if its an envelope since they dont scan each piece of document mail individually ... so it may be a while.
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Ask the vendor if he dropped it at a post office or put a prepaid envelope in a mailbox.
If its the latter, tracking is sketchy at best. Doesn't get scanned at the mailbox, often doesnt get scanned at the local postal facility if its an envelope since they dont scan each piece of document mail individually ... so it may be a while.
Nope not a small envelope, don't even need to ask. Apparently the same thing has happened with 5 different orders that went out that day, none have received and none of the tracking numbers are working. I am not sure what to think. That many packages just don't disappear.
He said he's never lost a package to the US, so just my luck. I have been waiting for weeks to get this order, waited an extra week until he restocked with stronger #4 then had to wait until it was sent out and picked up by post.
This is my second time using him, but I just can't imagine him starting to scam all of the sudden. I have never had anything like this happen before so I don't want to jump to any conclusions. Right now, more than anything, I just need something for my pain and to prevent withdrawals.
I have spent so much money on other stuff to hold me over until I received this order, which is a 2 week supply, so this is a major blow to me right now.
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If it isnt an envelope, that means he had to take it into a post office. Which mean he isnt being honest.
The only other way you can do it is with Ship in a Click, but those generate "Electronic Shipping info received" scans immediately upon their creation, so again that cant be it.
How many days ago does he say he dropped them ? Is the order in Escrow ?
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Hey you need to go to this website www.canadapost.ca on the front page you will see a green box says Tracking use Cap Lock and enter the Tracking # hit enter OK I am a Canadian Vendor & Use Expresspost everyday so it can be tracked but your vendor was an idiot and for got to give you the website
Hope this helps
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Hey you need to go to this website www.canadapost.ca on the front page you will see a green box says Tracking use Cap Lock and enter the Tracking # hit enter OK I am a Canadian Vendor & Use Expresspost everyday so it can be tracked but your vendor was an idiot and for got to give you the website
Hope this helps
Bill is right!
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I think he states he tried it on the CanadaPost site as well.
Xpresspost/Expedited show up on USPS.com
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I'm having this same issue this week. I already PM'd Antigrid (thanks!) and he assured me it did finally arrive, but I dunno what the fuck gives with canada post the last cpl weeks. I know our vendor is pissed about it , too, as he's waiting several days for his money on xpress orders. If anybody else is having this issue this week, please let me know. This shit is just retarded!
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welcome to the club they lost a $400 expresspost regional ( which is overnight then 4 days for another overnight ) they are getting lazy
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Had an employee walk away with a $11K package to me last winter.
Cocksuckers even had the gall to reseal it and continue on delivery lol.
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I've received packages from Canada Post to the US a few times.
the only time tracking didn't show some status after 24 hours was when the shipper sent me the wrong tracking #. I got in touch with that Vendor and he got me the right tracking # ASAP.
If I were you, I'd confirm the tracking # was correct.
Also, the only time I heard of a CAD shipper with a bunch of packages that didn't get to the US, was when that shipper was busted. Also, the tracking #'s did show up, but they didn't get past "received at local office" or something like that. So the tracking #s still worked, the order was simply confiscated. And finally, I never heard anything bad happening to those whose packages were confiscated in Canada.
Honestly, if he can't get you the right tracking #, this sounds a bit fishy.
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Like BigBill, I use Canada Post XpressPost quite regularly, I go with the prepaid XpressPost envelopes. They're great, they have the tracking numbers right on them. Simply pack the order, grab the tracking number, drop it in the mailbox and send the tracking info to the buyer. That said, and I have noted several things shipping with them.
First off, I'm not a fan of going into the post office and dropping off express shipments, too much going on. That's the beauty of the Canada Post Red Box. However, I'm starting to think that the pickup time on the boxes is a suggestion or an ideal pickup time, not the actual pickup time. Sometimes I wonder if they even get picked up every day. When the box get's collected by the poste, the tracking info isn't registered. It doesn't register in the tracking system until it's scanned at a sorting center. I typically notice a 48-72 hour delay between the time I drop the package in the box and when it get's registered in their delivery system. In some cases, I've seen it take up to 5 days.
This typically happens when buyer orders on a Thursday or Friday. The order is packed and sent either next day or same day if it's before our cutoff. So the package is dropped in the mail on Friday, before the advertised pickup time, but it doesn't show up in the tracking system until Tuesday. What I think is happening is that the advertised mailbox pickup times are not accurate. Each mailman has a route they follow for pickup/delivery. If they're running early on their daily route, the mail get's picked up earlier. If they're running late, it doesn't get picked up at all. These guys work by the clock. If they're shift is 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, they punch in at 9 and out at 6, not a moment sooner or less. Canada Post is a union, and like most unions, the employees are well covered. They are not working the private sector salary job where if your job isn't done at the end of the day, you stay and get it done. Instead, they work their shift, and at the end, if the jobs not done, it can wait until tomorrow. Overtime was a luxury that many employees enjoyed in the past. Now, overtime is frowned upon, and often times not paid out at all. Instead, they're given time-in-leu or additional holiday time. Like other government run postal systems, they are having major budget shortfalls. So much so, that they have restructured internally and changed (downgraded) their employee benefits packages. This resulted in many of their senior most employees taking a recent buyout for retirement because the old benefits package provided a better pension plan and health benefits. The old plan covered them completely AND the pension they receive could cover the rest/majority of their expenses. The new plan requires them to pay from their pension to top up their health plan and ensure that they are properly covered, a significant expense for retirees to have to cover. The end result, I suspect, is that if they still have boxes to collect from and they're shift is almost over, those boxes wait until the next business day.
This information is based on casual conversations that I have had with Canada Post employees that I know, some new to their jobs, others who have put in 25+ years and just took early retirement. I've also kept an eye on mailboxes in my local area (Note, I DO NOT use mailboxes close to where I live, kinda like how you don't crap where you eat), and I have seen 5:00 PM boxes picked up as early as 1:00 in the afternoon and mailboxes that don't get collected at all. Perhaps after working the same route for a while, postal workers have an good idea which boxes are high volume and which ones are not. Given time constraints on any given day, they may opt to pickup the high volume boxes and leave the low volume until they're next pickup run.
If the delivery is picked up and makes it to the sorting center, it still may not show up immediately. If the flight that the package is supposed to be sent on has already left for the day, I suspect that it just sits in the center, unregistered, until the next flight is ready to depart.
This assumption is based on what I know about pickup/tracking registration times, knowledge of time zones within Canada/US and abroad, travel times to arrive at major destination centers and my experience shipping with Canada Post and following up on tracked packages
I've also noticed that shipping within Canada or to the US, you're usually OK to put a printed shipping label on the express envelope, address format are pretty much the same. However, international orders cannot be sent with a printed label. You must fill it in by hand and it must follow their format ( Name - Line 1, Address - Line 2, City/Province - Line 3, Postal/Zip Code & Country - Line 4). I've had many international buyers send in an address that's more than 4 lines, contacted them about a 4 line address and been assured that they have no problems receiving mail at the address they have provided in the format given. I've shipped the order off to them, using the 4 line + address they provided, only to have the package redirected to the shipper (and been blamed for the problem as well, despite contacting the buyer, and their assurances that there would be no problem).
These observations are based upon my experience using the Canada Post system and the packages successfully delivered vs the refunds given for express order non-deliveries.
There have been occasional lengthy delays between the time an order arrives at the destination country and when it clears customs, sometimes taking up to 7 days to clear customs. If it hasn't cleared by then, it's usually been intercepted. The odd one still makes it through, maybe it fell between the cracks or got misplaced somewhere along the way, but most of the time if it hasn't cleared by then, it's not going to arrive.
There's also been a few very odd cases where the package never registered at all in the local sorting center, didn't show up in the tracking system for some time (up to 7 days in some cases), and then suddenly show up in the buyers local sorting center, registered in the tracking system with no record what so ever of how it got there. It's just suddenly in YourDeliveryCity.
I have no explanation for this at all, really weird behavior. Maybe it's a mis-scan into the tracking system, but still makes it onto the shipping flight or whatever the delivery method used is. This has happened to me for domestic, US & international orders.
When a package is handed off to a foreign countries mail system, it may no longer update in the Canada Post tracking system. Instead you have to use to foreign postal bodies tracking system for tracking. I have had issues in the past tracking from Canada (Canada Post) to the US (USPS) and other countries. I have had some success tracking the package using www.packagemapping.com and selecting the auto-detect option from the courier drop down menu.
Canada Post is an overpriced, bloated government funded corporation with a very well organized union. They are nowhere near as competitive as USPS in terms of pricing or automation and have limited delivery options for smaller items that are too big for standard post. They only offer tracking for express envelopes and parcels; DCN information is only available for standard parcels sent to the US and no DCN information is available for standard international parcels. Their delivery times for both standard and express deliveries are estimates only and often delayed. Shipments sent abroad are received by the buyers local government delivery system, which can add to further delays due to the foreign postal system's own inefficiencies.
On the plus side, they are often not subject to random inspections or opened, as is the case using private couriers. If a package is intercepted, approval must be received before opening any packages and the receiver is typically notified ahead of time. Because they are not as fast as the private couriers and run by government bureaucracy, I suspect that they are not scrutinized as heavily, possibly trusting that the senders local postal system has ensured the package contents are safe and secure.
I've gone as far as removing shipping times from my vendor listings as they are too unreliable and buyers expect that they will receive their order in the stated time, despite stating several times in multiple locations that shipping times are estimates only. Far too many expect to receive their order in the stated time frame and hold vendors responsible for delivery delays by way of negative feedback for factors that are out of our control.
My recommendations for buyers is to have the first few items shipped standard post to get a feel for the delivery times from different vendors in different locations. Delivery times can be pretty regular, though delays do occur, typically for orders placed on Thursday or Friday. Once you have received a few orders you should have a good idea what the shipping time is from vendors you regularly order through. If you're in a real rush, place an express order (though the signature requirement for US & International may be a detractor to some buyers), just don't hold the vendor responsible for delivery delays.
The information provided above is based on my experience using the Canada Post delivery system, researching their operations, procedures & shipping methods, and conversations I've had, either at the post office or with employees of Canada Post, young & old. I've done my best to present the deficiencies and delays I've discovered & experienced, and how I have come to my current conclusions.
MJMuse
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MMJ .. can you elaborate a little more on your answers ? lol.
Everything he said is bang on, especially the stuff about dropping stuff in boxes not always being picked up. A big city, not every box gets
picked up everyday, I KNOW this.
Also, I see alot of people commenting on the "time in customs" thing .. and alot of that isnt as bad as it seems. When the item scans at ISC, that means its in ISC's possession .. but it isnt like its being looked at right away, nor does it scan to the next spot as soon as its done being looked at.
I am more and more routinely seeing packs take longer in SF customs mainly because they closed 2 plants where items were being spit out so its all going to 94188 and they dont scan it til they are gonna move it.
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MMJ .. can you elaborate a little more on your answers ? lol.
Lol @ Fred. I may not post often, but when I do at least I'm descriptive. The Canada Post Express option is something we've been having issues with the few months, and I've noticed it more and more as the number of daily express orders increase. I've hd several complaints and negative feedback from buyers holding me responsible for delivery delays and I've had to explain how Canada Post operates, what I know is happening internally and what I suspect is happening to delayed shipments. I saw this post and thought it a good opportunity to describe my extensive experiences shipping with them and to share with the SR community a little about how they work.
Though I suspect many of my buyers won't see this and will continue to complain, it may help some of the other Canadian vendors avoid the negative impact to their reputation. A little information can go a long way by helping other vendors know what they might run into and let them implement their own policies and vendor postings to inform buyers of potential issues before they start complaining. Assuming they read it in the first place.
It's much better to know what your in for, plan for contingencies and do your best to manage buyer expectations than to post information stated by Canada Post and have your buyers seriously disappointed.
MJMuse
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So true. EVERYONE asks me about delivery times, and I tell them what CP ( erroneously ) states ... 2-4 days Xpresspost lol. NEVER.
I have stopped giving people any answers and just give them the CP link and my guarantee that IN TRANSIT means IN TRANSIT and its out of my control after that.
Everything gets there, its not a Supertrips situation yet .. but I keep telling people it's only get worse as those 248 processing centers close.The SF 94188 situation is just the tip.
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Hey Muse few questions
1. For express post you said it is safe to print the labels in the same format they appear on the express post USA envelope and they will ship fine, just wanted to verify that with you.
2. Also I read there is a signature requirement for ANY Expresspost USA and Expresspost international shipments, so ANY USA/Internation shipments I send will require a signature? Even if I didn't request it at the post office it is mandatory?
3. It is perfectly ok to fill out the express post, drop it in the mailbox and tracking will still be updated when the package is received correct? I was unsure if tracking was updated if it isn't dropped off manually as I've had several issues with no tracking updating but parcels being delivered fine.
Thanks a million for your input
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Yes, Yes, Yes.
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Hey Muse few questions
1. For express post you said it is safe to print the labels in the same format they appear on the express post USA envelope and they will ship fine, just wanted to verify that with you.
2. Also I read there is a signature requirement for ANY Expresspost USA and Expresspost international shipments, so ANY USA/Internation shipments I send will require a signature? Even if I didn't request it at the post office it is mandatory?
3. It is perfectly ok to fill out the express post, drop it in the mailbox and tracking will still be updated when the package is received correct? I was unsure if tracking was updated if it isn't dropped off manually as I've had several issues with no tracking updating but parcels being delivered fine.
Thanks a million for your input
As fredflintsone said, yes, yes & yes, though I am going to add a bit more info.
1. Within Canada & the US, printing mailing labels and affixing them to the prepaid envelope is acceptable. Address formats are pretty much the same in both places. Just be sure to pull of the topmost label off the back of the envelope before you put the mailing label on. The tracking information # is on this label. If you forget to take the topmost label off and drop the package for delivery, you will not have a tracking number to confirm delivery or pass on to your buyers. I know, I've done it. Usually this isn't a problem, the packages are successfully delivered, though I have had some buyers in the past who have claimed they never received their order. I suspect that the packages were actually delivered and the buyers were taking advantage of the situation, claiming it was never sent in the first place, but I can't prove it, there's no tracking info to back me up. So I've had to eat a few losses for that. I found the best way to not forget is to pull the top label off right away and stick it in the envelope. Then, when you're packing and you go to drop the shipment in the envelope, there's the label. Pull it out, write the transaction number on it, match it up with the buyer in your orders list, send them the tracking and SHRED IT. Use one of the cross shredders, it will make mincemeat out of it.
2. Regarding the signature requirement, according to Canada Post, the signature option is included "free of charge with prepaid express envelopes." In my experience, based on feedback from buyers, it is up to the receivers local postal company whether or not a signature is collected, and in some cases at the discretion of the postal delivery worker. I've had some people say they have not had to sign for their package, other's who have not had to sign, and in some cases with repeat buyers, sometimes they have had to sign and other times they haven't. It seems pretty consistent that deliveries to the US DO need to be signed for, but it's quite variable when you go international. Given the uncertainty of the signing requirement, it's better to state that a signature will be required so that the buyers is aware that they will have to sign for it, and with a little luck, pleasantly surprised if they don't have to.
3. As I mentioned in my earlier post, and as you have experienced yourself, Canada Post seems to have issues with tracking updates. According to them, tracking is updated:
When a shipping order is created electronically when using a Canada Post or third-party shipping system.
When the item is first accepted by Canada Post via an automated post office or a postal facility.
When the item prepared is sorted and prepared for dispatch to the foreign postal administration.
When the item reaches the international destination.
When the delivery was attempted or the item has been successfully delivered.
When using prepaid envelopes dropped in a street mailbox, this means that it will not show up in the tracking system until it's sorted at your local postal facility. And as you have experienced, it may not show up then either. Usually it will show up somewhere along the delivery route in the tracking system, occasionally it just get's delivered and then shows up on tracking, as a delivered item.
It may not be the best postal service in the world, but it's the only one we have. The biggest challenge as a vendor is managing buyer expectations. Don't quote Canada Post's delivery times, buyers will take it as fact and hold you accountable if it doesn't arrive in that time frame. Don't give them the best case scenario or even the most likely case. Give them the worst case and let them be surprised when it shows up sooner.
MJMuse
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What company do you use for the express delivery inside Canada?
Sorry for the delayed response, I somehow lost track of this thread and haven't been checking recently
We use Canada Post exclusively for all standard post, Canada Express, US Express, International Express and parcel deliveries anywhere Canada Post ships to. It's the most economical pricing available, compared to private couriers, they can't just open your mail without a warrant like private couriers and we can turn around processed express orders faster than ever before. Additionally, Canada Post deliveries seem to be given far less scrutiny than overnight package deliveries.
MJMuse
Wow MJ you are a world of information regarding the Postal System its a privilege to get your insight on these issues and I greatly appreciate your input.
One question regarding the above post and them not being able to open Express Packages without a warrant, do you have any information such as links or details on this. I was completely un-aware of this.
Again thanks a million for your input
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SammyAce
Run some searches on the forums, particularly the Security & Shipping sections, using the terms RCMP, CBSA & CSIS. You should finds some posts from other Canadian buyers who have had packages intercepted and had to deal with the different government agencies.
MJMuse
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2. Regarding the signature requirement, according to Canada Post, the signature option is included "free of charge with prepaid express envelopes." In my experience, based on feedback from buyers, it is up to the receivers local postal company whether or not a signature is collected, and in some cases at the discretion of the postal delivery worker. I've had some people say they have not had to sign for their package, other's who have not had to sign, and in some cases with repeat buyers, sometimes they have had to sign and other times they haven't. It seems pretty consistent that deliveries to the US DO need to be signed for, but it's quite variable when you go international. Given the uncertainty of the signing requirement, it's better to state that a signature will be required so that the buyers is aware that they will have to sign for it, and with a little luck, pleasantly surprised if they don't have to.
MJMuse
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I've had to sign for a Muse delivery... I could have opened the door in a clown suit and signed 'Bozo'... it was simply for the driver to have someone acknowledge delivery at the specified address, recipient's name did not have to be 'Bozo' and no ID was requested. The babysitter/cleaner/mother-in-law can sign for a package without any knowledge of or responsibility for its contents.