Canada Post swamped by Internet shoppers

[urban1]

Ive noticed packages are taking longer and longer.

This is going to be an ugly holiday season for Canadian retailers.

Canadian Press
October 30, 2007 at 5:17 PM EDT

EDMONTON — A surge in Internet cross-border shopping by Canadians trying to cash in on the soaring loonie is creating headaches for consumers, border agents and Canada Post.
There are already complaints of delivery delays as mail sorting centres try to dig out from heaps of Canadian Internet orders from the U.S. — and the holiday shopping season is barely under way.
Officials say the volume of parcels has choked three main international mail-sorting centres operated by Canada Post and the Canada Border Service agency in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
There are reports of parcels from the United States languishing for days and even weeks at the centres before being released for delivery.
Bruce Cran of the Consumers' Association of Canada says he is getting plenty of complaints and is warning that the backlog is going to get worse.
Canada Post and the border service agency say they are working to speed up service and are urging consumers who plan to cross-border shop for the holidays via the Internet to place orders as early as possible.

[Temporary_User]

Good, I guess even though all of our money is being given to the U.S. to help out their economy, we are still creating jobs openings up here.
Hasn't Canada Post been complaining about lack of work/potential bankruptcy ever since email became popular?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Haven't noticed. I have had eBay and Apple Computer shipments delivered right on time.

[Hack&Lube]

The postal system was designed before the internet, they really need to rethink the whole thing!!!

[burn_baby_burn]

I hope it opens the eyes of retailers north of the border. Personally, I can't buy anything up here when I know how much it is in US. Unless it is something I really need, I'll just wait till the next time I'm in Montana or get it online. Its the principal of the thing that offends me. Other the Flames Fanattic, which gives me a 25% discount, I havn't bought anything in Canada since spring.

[foofighter15]

can you get a link to that please? It affects where I work.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by fotze

Anyone know if you can bring a TV as carry on with you on the airplane? Going to the US tomorrow and I want to stock up.

Judging by the people around me the last time I flew- I would say the answer is yes. The amount of crap people carry on to avoid having to put their baggage into checked luggage is mind boggling.

[burnin_vernon]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

Good, I guess even though all of our money is being given to the U.S. to help out their economy, we are still creating jobs openings up here.
Hasn't Canada Post been complaining about lack of work/potential bankruptcy ever since email became popular?

I can't forsee any problems when there is more and more third class mail from businesses all the time. Sometimes the letters that go out are 50% third class.

[Incinerator]

Ordered something on eBay on Oct 15, got it on Oct 29, came from California via USPS