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Author Topic: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues  (Read 4087 times)

Offline Cubs

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There's a mysterious problem that's been affecting myself and Westfalia Miniatures over the last few months. Kawe at Westfalia has been trying to send me parcels of miniatures for painting, but every single one of them has failed to arrive. It's got to be 4 or 5 packages now have just disappeared.

He's based in Canada now and is adamant he has filled in my address and the sender address properly (with big stickers no less) and the customs declaration … but they are just not getting to me. He doesn't send the parcels with tracking because of the expense, so there's no way to track it that way.

Has anyone else had problems getting parcels from Canada Post to the UK's Royal Mail and if so, do you have any insights as to what might be happening and how to find the missing boxes?
'Sir John ejaculated explosively, sitting up in his chair.' ... 'The Black Gang'.

Paul Cubbin Miniature Painter

Offline bong-67

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2018, 04:02:40 PM »
Hi,
Canada Post is undergoing a series of postal strikes which is causing a lot of disruption and it's been happening for a while.  It could be that your parcels are caught up in the backlog/disruption.
All the best,
George.

Offline tin shed gamer

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2018, 04:12:33 PM »
I sent something to Fram. Last month and was advised at my post office (uk)to wait a week as Airmail was " propper screwed and backed up" At the Canadian end.The following Monday they'd promised in bound Airmail would be back on track.
Fram got his stuff on time so it seemed to work from this direction . Other than that I'd recommend chasing it from the Canadian side.

Mark.

Offline Andrew Rae

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2018, 04:22:57 PM »
***Edit: This is a separate issue that has been ongoing for at least a year. Two threads regarding Canadian postal issues were merged.***

I spent a long time emailing back and forth with Royal Mail asking them to put some information on their website about the Canada Post delays. It looks like they've finally done it (though they don't mention that Canada Post don't track 'Tracked and Signed' within Canada):

Quote from: Royal Mail
What's the issue?
As previously advised, Canada Post have notified us that they are experiencing delays to delivery services due to high volumes of incoming mail. Delivery aims for Royal Mail services for Canada are normally 5-7 working day, however, International Standard and International Tracked & Signed are severely delayed, taking 3-4 weeks to be delivered.

What alternative is there?
If you have been posting using our Royal Mail 'Tracked and Signed service', we highly recommend you use our 'Tracked service' option which is providing much speedier processing and delivery times. Simply select the correct service and label. If you are not set up on our Tracked service, please talk to your usual Royal Mail contact who will help you with the next steps. Finally for our Customers using the Post Office to send your items, simply ask for a "Tracked service" at the counter.

A note about Customs in Canada
Whilst Customs clearing processing times are totally outside our control, it is worth remembering that Canada is one the countries with the lowest de-minimis of 20 Canadian Dollars (circa £11). This means that any goods equal or above that value will systematically go through a clearance process thus creating additional delays. Most of what our customers send is under DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) meaning that the recipient is responsible to pay any duty or taxes. Read more on our country guide page royalmail.com/canada, thank you.

https://business.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5317/~/international-incidents-update

'International Tracked' to Canada is a great service, really quick, but it's the only way I'd post something to Canada right now.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2018, 03:48:05 PM by Andrew Rae »

Offline Cubs

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2018, 05:10:15 PM »
Thanks guys, I guess the strike is the prime suspect here then, I didn't know it was going on.

Offline Wyrmalla

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2018, 06:30:20 PM »
Anyone who has purchased from DieWaffenkammer has experienced the horrors of the Canadian postal service.

My first order had to be resent, and took half a year to arrive. My second order has been resent three times, and that was a year ago that I placed that. Which reminds me to chase that package. Again.

I remember reading a complaint about the service which went -"I sent a package within the same state. The tracking showed it in Africa a month later".

Offline Cubs

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2018, 07:07:55 PM »
I remember reading a complaint about the service which went -"I sent a package within the same state. The tracking showed it in Africa a month later".

Must've taken a lot to drag it away from them … not something that a hundred men or more could ever do.

Offline FramFramson

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2018, 08:05:04 PM »
Must've taken a lot to drag it away from them … not something that a hundred men or more could ever do.
Oh you.  lol


I joined my gun with pirate swords, and sailed the seas of cyberspace.

Offline FramFramson

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2018, 08:06:57 PM »
Also, there's a partial strike on at the moment (various regions are on strike on various days), so just FYI.

Offline Andrew Rae

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2018, 08:13:40 PM »
Yup, that's listed in the International Incidents page too.

The main issue is one that's been a problem for much longer, around a year and a half now I think. It's just good to see RM provide a bit more information (which they've always had, just not communicated to customers), though 3-4 weeks delay is... optimistic for those packages that are delayed.

Offline Westfalia Chris

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2018, 05:50:18 AM »
Since there isn't much need for two concurrent topics on the issue of Canada going postal on hobbyists' shipping attempts, I've merged the two threads into this one.

It is of considerable relevance, though, so by all means please keep posting updates.

Do try to keep it civil, though. I'd hate to see Canada Post sending hit moose after us in retaliation.

Offline Duncan McDane

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2018, 01:57:29 PM »
So, it's "Canada... on strike" right now?  lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBMoM4ijiSU
Leadhead

Offline FramFramson

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2018, 08:02:01 PM »
Since there isn't much need for two concurrent topics on the issue of Canada going postal on hobbyists' shipping attempts, I've merged the two threads into this one.

It is of considerable relevance, though, so by all means please keep posting updates.

Do try to keep it civil, though. I'd hate to see Canada Post sending hit moose after us in retaliation.
A Møøse once bit my sister...

Online jeffreythancock

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2018, 08:42:25 PM »
A Møøse once bit my sister...
Did the poor Moose survive?  :D

Offline grant

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Re: Mailing mysteries of the Great White North - Canadian postal issues
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2018, 09:41:44 PM »
Canada Post’s rotating strikes have been mostly ineffective.

They’re causing delays of a day or two.

The customs issue is the real culprit. For whatever reason CBSA is slowing everything down, even though there are NO customs or duty on hobby models, and negligible sales tax to be collected on the vast majority of orders.

Stuff coming from the UK used to be 2 weeks or less, now it’s 5-6 weeks.
Stuff from the US is the usual 3-4 weeks.

I used to choose UK because of speed, but that coupled with increased Royal Mail costs has now equalized the two options.

No, really, a moose did bite my sister! She was carving her initials ...
It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words - Orwell, 1984