Are we spoiled?

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I don't know of any method of shipment for low value numismatic items of that is as practical and inexpensive as Canada Post.  I've never received coins or paper money from other people who sent them by private courier.  If there is an alternative, I don't know about it.  But that begs the following question... Are we as consumers of numismatic items spoiled by having a cheap and practical shipping method like the mail?  Compare our expectations of shipping costs to those of people who collect bulkier collectibles like old toys.  Basically, CP does not ship anything more than 2.5 cm thick for under $7 in Canada because anything thicker than a letter is a parcel.

If CP disappeared forever, what would happen to the market for low-cost notes?

If CP disappeared forever, what would happen to the market for low-cost notes?

Never really thought about it until you brought it up.
I would say 95% of what I sell goes through Canada Post, 80% via Xpresspost and 15% via regular mail.
The other 5% Purolater or UPS and the only reason being is that the Buyers specifically asked for this and paid for this service.
My preference if the customer is paying is definitely Purolator and UPS simply because of where I live. They supply the packing material and come right to my door to pickup instead of having to go into town to the Post Office and I don't even have to be home to get a pick up or ship out a delivery
Also in my case, there has been numerous times when the PO doesn't have enough or any Xpresspost envelopes in the correct size where you are stuck upgrading or have to wait a few days till their inventory is replemished.  Anyways, an interesting thought....maybe go back to the pony Express...we have a lot of Mennonites up here looking for work

FRIEDSQUID

Cheap? 

I wish we paid what people pay in China to ship. 

A registered letter from China costs them under $2 to ship to Canada.

How much does Canada Post charge to ship a Registered Letter overseas?  A heck of a lot more.. and all that is involved is for Canada Post to hand it off on a plane once it leaves Canada.   

Our Standard Letter prices in Canada are extremely fair.  But anything outside of that is stupidly overpriced.

I can't count the number of times I have sent something via Registered Letter or Expresspost only to have the tracking being completely Useless.

This is the only reason to use these services from Canada post and there tracking system is absolutely garbage.

Every time I send something via Registered Mail/Expresspost I hover and verfy that the person scans it in.   Otherwise the stupid system they use makes the tracking impossible.

Letter prices are fair.  Extra Services like Expresspost and Registered Letters are grossly overpriced IMO.

Well that's my 2cent rant.

If CP disappeared forever, what would happen to the market for low-cost notes?

Absolutely nothing!

There will be other cheap, perhaps less unionized, players to fill the void.  No worries.

I wish we paid what people pay in China to ship.  `

I will agree with this 100%...I have had so many low price items come in from China where postage is ridiculously low and many shippers offer Free shipping because the amount is so small.
The other comment made about not to worry is probably true ....when one player disappears another is eager to take their place...

Anything mailed in Canada to Canadian residents that doesn't fit through the maximum standard thickness slot on the Canada Post mailing template is up to 5 times the cost to mail the same item to the USA from Canada. For example I mailed an 8 track tape within Canada ,which weighs less than .100kg but is just thicker than the maximum letter  template slot and it cost $ 11.95 . The same tape to USA from Canada is only  $2.95. It is a disgrace that such discrepancies exist in the CP which I feel is the result of years of mismanagement and incredible pension payouts.

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Every time I send something via Registered Mail/Expresspost I hover and verfy that the person scans it in.   Otherwise the stupid system they use makes the tracking impossible.

Even then, the tracking system can be worthless.  I sent a registered letter to Mexico last year (cost over $15), and watched the postal employee scan it in.  I kept checking online to see its status, and it kept saying something like "item not found; it may not have been entered into the system yet."  That's what it kept saying for five days, even after the recipient e-mailed me to say that he received it.   

In my case, I feel that as long as some of Canada Posts' employees are to stupid to do their jobs properly, I benefit in the long run.
Out of the last 10 Xpresspost envelopes I mailed out, 4 took longer than the 2 business day guarantee to reach their intended destinations..A 3 minute phone call to the 800 number they provide you with gets you full reinbursement (a money order) within 10 days.....

please, no union bashing or political comments here...

please, no union bashing or political comments here...

I will echo this sentiment provided someone actually posts derogatory comments regarding unions or politics.

see moneycow comment above

I'm truly astounded by some of the replies so far, i.e.,

Cheap? 

I wish we paid what people pay in China to ship. 

Umm, yeah, and what does a postal employee in China earn for a day's work?  $5?  $2?  It's no wonder our economy is going down the crapper.  And no, I don't blame people in Canada for wanting to earn a liveable income.

How much does Canada Post charge to ship a Registered Letter overseas?  A heck of a lot more.. and all that is involved is for Canada Post to hand it off on a plane once it leaves Canada.

The cost is offset by registered packages coming into Canada, something for which CP receives NO payment but is expected to continue tracking for the country of origin's post office.

Every time I send something via Registered Mail/Expresspost I hover and verfy that the person scans it in.   Otherwise the stupid system they use makes the tracking impossible.

It is true, you should never drop a package needing tracking into the mailbox.  Maybe with technological improvements in the future, CP will do a better job catching all items with tracking information so that none slip through.  Wouldn't hold my breath, though.

Letter prices are fair.  Extra Services like Expresspost and Registered Letters are grossly overpriced IMO.

Find a cheaper and/or comparable service within Canada.  I don't want to fly to Beijing to post a letter TY.

Anything mailed in Canada to Canadian residents that doesn't fit through the maximum standard thickness slot on the Canada Post mailing template is up to 5 times the cost to mail the same item to the USA from Canada. For example I mailed an 8 track tape within Canada ,which weighs less than .100kg but is just thicker than the maximum letter  template slot and it cost $ 11.95 . The same tape to USA from Canada is only  $2.95. It is a disgrace that such discrepancies exist in the CP which I feel is the result of years of mismanagement and incredible pension payouts.

This is true, and I think most people realize this obvious problem.  However, >95% of shipments of numismatic items (not including suppies) does not require being sent as a parcel.

I recently mailed one of the smallest bubblewrap envelopes (8" wide x 4" high) I could find thinking that perhaps it might only cost slightly more than the overseas rate.  Boy was I surprised to pay over $5 just because it wouldn't fit through the teeny weeny thin slot. 

I can tell you there were 5 round wood tokens in it that weighed very little but probably puffed up the package slightly, so I wasn't about to argue and suggest that they force it through and snap them in half.

Anyways the cost was not the issue as it went to a young collector who is thrilled to have received it.