From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ontario, Canada.

The cost of sending standard bubble packs by letter mail is generally $1.00 or less in much of North America. European bubbles cost nearly 3 to 4 times as much when sent across from the US or Canada. Today I sent a bulk shipment of 100+ seeds to a club for distribution internally in Canada which cost $1.70can. Canada's rates are set to rise by 2% in mid January. I also sent seeds in a small bubble package to Europe this morning at a cost of $3.40

Is two dollars to send bubble packages inside of the US & Canada still adequate?

Is five dollars to send a bubble outside of the US & Canada considered adequate?

What is the norm you pay?

Are you using customs declaration stickers on the outside of the package for international bubbles?

12/5/2005 2:24:41 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I sent a few to Ontario this year and just to be safe, I had them weighed at the post office.

The outer envelope + the bubblie together cost $0.87 to send to Ontario from just North of Washington, DC.

12/5/2005 3:02:18 PM

Netherlands

I received two packages of the same size from the US, one for 80c and one for 92c. A package from Canada cost $3.40 as mentioned above.

12/5/2005 3:15:04 PM

Sweden

I have received e few package from US and they are between 80 c up to 1,70. Sending from sweden to us is about 4 dollar. There is no justice in this world...

12/5/2005 3:43:20 PM

Itzetown City

Same here, receiving bubbles from the US are stamped tween 80 and 1,70. But I have to paid 1,60 Euro at home and 3,20 Euro min. for oversea. German Postmen are robber barons. God bless the USPS.

12/5/2005 4:06:34 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Hey, something's gotta pay for your government sponsored health care! ;-)

12/5/2005 4:36:53 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Cradle to grave baby....$.50 here for the average bubble.

12/5/2005 5:12:26 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

About the equivalent of $1 to Canada from here.
From Canada to here was $1.40 last year.
$3.40 sounds expensive.

12/5/2005 5:30:39 PM

Ontario, Canada.

A nice Canada Post, union employee took $3.40 from me today. It may have been too wide for the slot they fit through to determine if it qualifies as a letter or parcel.

12/5/2005 5:37:15 PM

Follansbee, Wv

I have sent several bubble packs to various places in Europe. They all cost about .80 cents to send.

12/5/2005 7:57:09 PM

Sancoins / Cher / FRANCE

For the USA or Canada in departure of France, 2.40 € for letter in 60 grams, 2.80 € for letter in 80 grams.

12/6/2005 1:30:14 AM

Netherlands

Holland to Holland: 0.39 for 0-20 grams, 0.78 for 20-50 grams.
Holland to Europe: 0.65 for 0-20 grams, 1.30 for 20-50 grams.
Holland to rest of world: 0.81 for 0-20 grams, 1.62 for 20-50 grams.
All prices in euros.

12/6/2005 2:39:00 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I sent out over 25 bubble packs to the US last week & it cost me over $100. Canada Post is ripping us off, charging $3.40. Last year it was a $1.80. They did tell me I could try sending a bubble pack (with only 2 or 3 seeds) without the Small Packet Label (cost would be under $2), but they couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't be returned. This is a deliberate attempt to ripoff the Canadian public.

Phil

12/6/2005 6:40:16 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Yikes!!!

12/6/2005 7:27:32 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Phil, Did they fit through the plastic slot measuring device they use. That may be why they all cost $3.40. Thinner is better to qualify as a letter for only a buck.

12/6/2005 9:31:35 AM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Quit growing those seeds so big!!!

;-)

12/6/2005 10:30:21 AM

Netherlands

I sometimes pack my seeds in cardboard and put them into a regular envelope. No cost for the bubble, no damage to the seeds and it gets sent as a regular letter or card (thick card).
Cut out holes in the cardboard to fit the seeds in, leaving just the outer paper intact.
I do that to send (valuable) coins around the world as well and it has always worked.

12/6/2005 12:52:22 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

A Canadain grower sent me seeds in a thin envelope last year. 30% of the seeds were crushed by the sorting equipment. Considering one of those seeds grew a 1200+ pounder this year & would now sell at auction for $40-$50, I'd say paying the extra postage for a good bubble might be money well spent.

12/6/2005 2:04:49 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Russ

They were thin enough to go though the slot. The reason for the high rate was the "Small Packet Label" that tells customs whats in the envelope. I will try sending them the old way and see if they go through. Seeds from the GVGO raffle, going to the US will be mailed on the US side of the border. This will help make sure the grower receive their seeds without being held-up at the border.

Phil

12/6/2005 7:42:12 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Small packet label? I'm not sure what that could be. Is that the green customs sticker CN 22. I place them on every trans border bubble.

12/6/2005 9:24:07 PM

Taber, Alberta

I was told to use the Small Packet label by the post office for bubbles to the US and internationally. It is a white sticker with the number CN22 as well. It's about twice the size as the old green sticker, with room for the address and adressee. They don't give out the green ones here anymore. I don't like using these because anything with a small packet sticker, gets the small packet rate, which is $3.95, instead of 1.70 without.
Phil, I agree, it's a total ripoff. Hmmm, there's an election coming up. Canada Post is a crown corporation. Maybe we should raise a fuss as pumpkin growers LOL? Maybe it'll get Harper elected?

12/6/2005 11:45:15 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Yes, that's what I'm talking about. Thanks Alan. They only charged $1.80 last year to send the same thing, but for some reason they are charging $3.95 for it now. What a rip-off. Are your bubblers getting through without it Alan? Let me know.

Phil

12/7/2005 6:23:45 AM

Ontario

Use Fed-Ex or UPS if your feeling "ripped off". Then you'll find the real cost to deliver a package. It will only cost 3-10 times as much but you'll be saving the tax payer money by not using the heavily subsidized post office. Sometimes I think that if Canadians didn't constantly whine about the government then we'd all freeze to death. ;0)

12/7/2005 10:12:33 AM

Taber, Alberta

I think it also depends on the staff at the local post office. The post office here is very strict, but if I take it to the outlet at the drug store, I never have any problems. No problems yet with bubbles not going through yet.

Alan

12/7/2005 3:52:29 PM