Postal charges....
Oct 5th 2012, 2:11 pm
#1
Cheesy Grin :-)
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 646
Postal charges....
Well I got a shock today! Bought my sister (who lives in Italy) a birthday pressie....one of those tin stars that people hang on their houses (she likes things like that). They're really light (made from aluminium) so I thought that'd be a good thing to send....postage will be nice and cheap. Since her birthday is in a couple of weeks, I asked the lady if it could go express post or similar. No kidding....I promise I'm not telling fibs...the charge was $120. 
i nearly choked on my tongue when I gasped! I told her the gift (which I'd wrapped in bubble stuff and put in a padded jiffy bag) was only $10 to start with. i must say she was really helpful in trying to get the price down for me. To send it air mail the charge went down to $90.....I opted for snail mail, goodness knows when she'll get it but she would kill me for spending on postage like that. I knew others on here had warned of high postage costs but by the 'eck, I didn't expect to come out in hives just sending a small gift. I think I'll have to review the gifts I buy and be ever so organised so I can send them months in advance.
I'm still in shock and keep wondering if she could possibly have punched in the wrong info.
i nearly choked on my tongue when I gasped! I told her the gift (which I'd wrapped in bubble stuff and put in a padded jiffy bag) was only $10 to start with. i must say she was really helpful in trying to get the price down for me. To send it air mail the charge went down to $90.....I opted for snail mail, goodness knows when she'll get it but she would kill me for spending on postage like that. I knew others on here had warned of high postage costs but by the 'eck, I didn't expect to come out in hives just sending a small gift. I think I'll have to review the gifts I buy and be ever so organised so I can send them months in advance. I'm still in shock and keep wondering if she could possibly have punched in the wrong info.
Last edited by Dotty P; Oct 5th 2012 at 2:20 pm.
Oct 5th 2012, 2:20 pm
#2
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: Postal charges....
Light, bulky things will always cost a dispropotionately more to ship. Think shipping a ton of feathers vs a ton of lead & the space that it will take up in an aircraft/truck. The same would be true of using a courier such as FEDEX as Canada Post. That being said, I find Canada Post charges excessive generally. Internet shopping (in the country of destination) is the way to go!
Oct 5th 2012, 2:24 pm
#3
ModerĪ±tor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Postal charges....
Well I got a shock today! Bought my sister (who lives in Italy) a birthday pressie....one of those tin stars that people hang on their houses (she likes things like that). They're really light (made from aluminium) so I thought that'd be a good thing to send....postage will be nice and cheap. Since her birthday is in a couple of weeks, I asked the lady if it could go express post or similar. No kidding....I promise I'm not telling fibs...the charge was $120. i nearly choked on my tongue when I gasped! I told her the gift (which I'd wrapped in bubble stuff and put in a padded jiffy bag) was only $10 to start with. i must say she was really helpful in trying to get the price down for me. To send it air mail the charge went down to $90.....I opted for snail mail, goodness knows when she'll get it but she would kill me for spending on postage like that. I knew others on here had warned of high postage costs but by the 'eck, I didn't expect to come out in hives just sending a small gift. I think I'll have to review the gifts I buy and be ever so organised so I can send them months in advance.
I'm still in shock and keep wondering if she could possibly have punched in the wrong info.
i nearly choked on my tongue when I gasped! I told her the gift (which I'd wrapped in bubble stuff and put in a padded jiffy bag) was only $10 to start with. i must say she was really helpful in trying to get the price down for me. To send it air mail the charge went down to $90.....I opted for snail mail, goodness knows when she'll get it but she would kill me for spending on postage like that. I knew others on here had warned of high postage costs but by the 'eck, I didn't expect to come out in hives just sending a small gift. I think I'll have to review the gifts I buy and be ever so organised so I can send them months in advance. I'm still in shock and keep wondering if she could possibly have punched in the wrong info.
Oct 5th 2012, 2:27 pm
#4
Cheesy Grin :-)
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 646
Re: Postal charges....
Light, bulky things will always cost a dispropotionately more to ship. Think shipping a ton of feathers vs a ton of lead & the space that it will take up in an aircraft/truck. The same would be true of using a courier such as FEDEX as Canada Post. That being said, I find Canada Post charges excessive generally. Internet shopping (in the country of destination) is the way to go!
I'm still a newbie here and finding my way around the systems. I am finding things quite expensive though. My son thought he was getting a cold sore so in the UK I would have bought Zovirax over the counter at a cost of Ā£8.99. You can only get Zovirax here with a prescription (according to the pharmacist) so he gave me the OTC equivalent, which cost (with tax) $25. Cripes.
Oct 5th 2012, 2:28 pm
#5
Cheesy Grin :-)
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 646
Oct 5th 2012, 2:29 pm
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: A Proud Height, Northumberland UK
Posts: 1,163
Re: Postal charges....
Well I got a shock today! Bought my sister (who lives in Italy) a birthday pressie....one of those tin stars that people hang on their houses (she likes things like that). They're really light (made from aluminium) so I thought that'd be a good thing to send....postage will be nice and cheap. Since her birthday is in a couple of weeks, I asked the lady if it could go express post or similar. No kidding....I promise I'm not telling fibs...the charge was $120. i nearly choked on my tongue when I gasped! I told her the gift (which I'd wrapped in bubble stuff and put in a padded jiffy bag) was only $10 to start with. i must say she was really helpful in trying to get the price down for me. To send it air mail the charge went down to $90.....I opted for snail mail, goodness knows when she'll get it but she would kill me for spending on postage like that. I knew others on here had warned of high postage costs but by the 'eck, I didn't expect to come out in hives just sending a small gift. I think I'll have to review the gifts I buy and be ever so organised so I can send them months in advance.
I'm still in shock and keep wondering if she could possibly have punched in the wrong info.
i nearly choked on my tongue when I gasped! I told her the gift (which I'd wrapped in bubble stuff and put in a padded jiffy bag) was only $10 to start with. i must say she was really helpful in trying to get the price down for me. To send it air mail the charge went down to $90.....I opted for snail mail, goodness knows when she'll get it but she would kill me for spending on postage like that. I knew others on here had warned of high postage costs but by the 'eck, I didn't expect to come out in hives just sending a small gift. I think I'll have to review the gifts I buy and be ever so organised so I can send them months in advance. I'm still in shock and keep wondering if she could possibly have punched in the wrong info.
Oct 5th 2012, 2:34 pm
#7
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: Postal charges....
Well I got a shock today! Bought my sister (who lives in Italy) a birthday pressie....one of those tin stars that people hang on their houses (she likes things like that). They're really light (made from aluminium) so I thought that'd be a good thing to send....postage will be nice and cheap. Since her birthday is in a couple of weeks, I asked the lady if it could go express post or similar. No kidding....I promise I'm not telling fibs...the charge was $120. i nearly choked on my tongue when I gasped! I told her the gift (which I'd wrapped in bubble stuff and put in a padded jiffy bag) was only $10 to start with. i must say she was really helpful in trying to get the price down for me. To send it air mail the charge went down to $90.....I opted for snail mail, goodness knows when she'll get it but she would kill me for spending on postage like that. I knew others on here had warned of high postage costs but by the 'eck, I didn't expect to come out in hives just sending a small gift. I think I'll have to review the gifts I buy and be ever so organised so I can send them months in advance.
I'm still in shock and keep wondering if she could possibly have punched in the wrong info.
i nearly choked on my tongue when I gasped! I told her the gift (which I'd wrapped in bubble stuff and put in a padded jiffy bag) was only $10 to start with. i must say she was really helpful in trying to get the price down for me. To send it air mail the charge went down to $90.....I opted for snail mail, goodness knows when she'll get it but she would kill me for spending on postage like that. I knew others on here had warned of high postage costs but by the 'eck, I didn't expect to come out in hives just sending a small gift. I think I'll have to review the gifts I buy and be ever so organised so I can send them months in advance. I'm still in shock and keep wondering if she could possibly have punched in the wrong info.
We use John Lewis or Marks for gifts in the UK when we have to.
Oct 5th 2012, 2:34 pm
#8
Cheesy Grin :-)
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 646
Re: Postal charges....
No, sadly it's true, Canada Post rates are downright obscene. I ended up shopping on Amazon uk for uk gifts before I came back over. Earlier this year, my sister sent me some Cheetos as a joke along with our birthday cards. I think snail mail cost her something like 15 bucks and it took 2 months to get here.
Oct 5th 2012, 2:36 pm
#9
Cheesy Grin :-)
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 646
Re: Postal charges....
Have you not witnessed the Canada Post parcel ritual? Measuring the dimension of the parcel using a tape measure multiplying them by your shoe size and adding in the weight of the parcel itself?? They charge more if the parcel is a cylindar too.
We use John Lewis or Marks for gifts in the UK when we have to.
We use John Lewis or Marks for gifts in the UK when we have to.
Glad I posted on here now, at least I know how to send gifts next time!
Oct 5th 2012, 2:38 pm
#10
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: Postal charges....
I stopped sending xmas cards 8 years ago. No one was offended. We don't get many but that's good as they only serve to clutter the place up. Like I need more clutter.
Oct 5th 2012, 2:41 pm
#11
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: Postal charges....
Moonpig.com and M&S cards are the way to go. Customise a card online, it gets printed and mailed from the UK. Although, we've pretty much done with sending cards these days.
Last edited by Atlantic Xpat; Oct 5th 2012 at 2:43 pm.
Oct 5th 2012, 2:41 pm
#12
Cheesy Grin :-)
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 646
Re: Postal charges....
I agree, although I will still send 'special peops' a card....my Dad doesn't know how to turn on a computer, let alone open an ecard!
Oct 5th 2012, 2:42 pm
#13
Collector of Junk!
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Kindersley Saskatchewan
Posts: 300
Oct 5th 2012, 2:44 pm
#14
Cheesy Grin :-)
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 646
Re: Postal charges....
My sis in Italy uses Moonpig and raves about it. In my naivety I thought 'ah, my sis will love that star and it's nice and light to send'. Pffft.....
Oct 5th 2012, 2:46 pm
#15
Collector of Junk!
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Kindersley Saskatchewan
Posts: 300