If you’re a retailer and have been shipping or consider shipping through Canada Post, this article is for you.
Sellers might feel attracted to Canada Post, as they are Canada’s no. 1 parcel delivery company, with competitive prices and reliable service. Yet, despite the company having over 6,000 post offices in the country, late shipping is not uncommon.
If timely delivery is important to retailers, they should be careful when choosing which delivery service to hire, as Canada Post does not offer compensation or refunds for delays in delivery for standard shipping services, as delivery times may vary depending on the origin and destination of the mail or parcel, as well as other factors such as weather and customs clearance.
However, Canada Post offers guaranteed delivery services for specific shipments, such as Expedited, Priority, or Xpresspost. These services come with a money-back guarantee for the shipping costs if the item is not delivered on time. If guaranteed delivery is not met, customers can file a claim or hire a professional like RefundPros to claim for them and get a refund on the shipping cost. Unfortunately, some claims might not be eligible for a refund.
One of the main reasons for this is shipping waivers in their contracts. These waivers are becoming more common within contract renewals, and Canada Post customers are coming across them without notice, preventing them from claiming for delays. So far, Canada Post hasn’t required customers to sign a waiver of liability for late shipping, so the fact that these waivers are popping up in the renewed contracts of long-time customers without asking is something customers must be aware of.
The reason why Canada Post is doing this is unknown. It might be related to the standoff between carriers, waiting to see who will reinstate money-back guarantees first. Perhaps Canada Post is trying to avoid shrinkage, as delivery companies in the post-pandemic world struggle to fulfill on-time delivery guarantees due to employee shortages, which means late deliveries will become more common.
Whatever reason they might have, there is no doubt that Canada Post should be clear and honest about these waivers and approach their customers with an explanation and potential compensation. It’s been known that the carrier is offering customers a discount in exchange for these waivers, but this should be a decision made by the customers, not for them.
It’s always a good idea to carefully read and understand any terms and conditions before signing a waiver or agreeing to any contract.
We encourage Canada Post users to look at the Claims clauses. If you identify the following statement, it means that your account now has a waiver.
7.1 No Claims for Delay. Notwithstanding anything in the Guide to the contrary, Canada Post will have no liability for delayed delivery of Items deposited under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, Customer is not entitled to submit, and Canada Post will not reimburse Customer for, On-Time Delivery Guarantee claims for Items deposited under this Agreement.
Canada Post is Canada’s no. 1 delivery company, but that shouldn’t mean their communication with their customers shouldn’t be transparent. Good customer service and updating their users about policy changes will enhance best practices and strengthen the relationship between all parties involved.
