Beware of Canada Post Clones
In Nova Scotia we mail our parcels at Canad post-authorized substations in various grocery stores and other outlets sporting the Canada Post logo. The stamps cost the same as the buyer would find at the main postal station and one would assume that everything else, such as packaging and mailing packages, would also cost the same.
One Nova Scotian sent this letter that would cause people to beware when sending out packages because it would seem that all postal outlets are not equal in price. In other words someone in the sub-station has his or her finger on the scale.
“I learned something over Christmas that I feel compelled to share with you. This won’t change your life dramatically or help you survive the apocalypse but it will save you some $$$.
I recently mailed two identical packages via Canada Post one week apart.One would think that the postage should be exactly the same….well, let me tell you…
Pkg # 1 was mailed from an actual Canada Post Office. Postage came to $11.74. Since I knew a second identical package would be mailed in about a week’s time, I bought sufficient postage for the second pkg while I was there.
When it came time to mail Pkg #2, I went to the post office in
Shopper’s Drug Mart. I handed the pkg to the clerk to be put in the outbound mail bag, I was informed that I did not have sufficient postage attached. The clerk proceeded to inform me that I needed to purchase and additional $6 worth of stamps. After explaining how I knew exactly what the postage should be, the clerk offered some lame excuse that Canada Post is unionized and they can say and do anything with impunity and if I wished to mail that pkg from Shopper’s then I needed to purchase more stamps.I told the clerk to stuff it and took back my package and headed to the “real” Canada Post Office, where I would raise hell…
Much to my surprise, the Canadian Postal Clerk took my package, weighed it and tossed it in the mail bag, and it was it’s way….When I asked if the amount of postage I had put on the parcel was right she shook her head and said “Yup, no problem”….
The Truth comes out:
Canada Post Offices charge postage for packages at the published Canada Post rates.Franchise locations such as Shoppers Drug Mart can charge whatever they like.
So remember if you regularly mail packages at franchise locations (ie Shoppers Drug Mart,) you are probably paying too much. Franchise locations are found in shopping malls, drug stores and private businesses everywhere. From now on, all of my mailing will be done from a real Canada Post location.
Still perplexed by what I was told by the girl in Shoppers, I fired
off an email to Canada Post for clarification. This is the reply I got from them:“Thank you for your message to Canada Post. A postal outlet is not a federal government agency and is not owned or
managed by Canada Post. For example if the postal outlet is within grocery store or pharmacy it would follow the stores working hours, therefore if the store must be closed, so will the postal outlet inside.“Only Canada Post Depots and Corporate Post Offices are obligated to follow the price of stamps and postal products that are legislated by Canada Post. Any commercial and private establishment may charge extra fees as a convenience to their customers. It is at their discretion to apply additional service fees to products that they sell. We suggest visiting a Corporate Post Office in order to avoid paying additional service charges that corner stores or other establishment may implement on their products.
Regards,
V***** S******
Customer Service”
So, Nova Scotia does not advocate exorbitant postal rates, but when you travel here please look for a Canada Post building with a Canadian flag to mail your packages. And just to be sure, ask if the place is a government-run post office.
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