- Intro
- What are the Solutions for Small Business™ program
- Key benefits
- Shipping discounts
- Parcel Pickup service
- Simplify returns
- Setup guide
As an online business entrepreneur, you have been working hard to grow your business. Have you tried scheduling a parcel pickup from Canada Post to save time on your shipping? Do you know that you can compare rates and print labels without having to go to the post office? The Solutions for Small Business launched by Canada Post is helping small and medium-sized businesses like yours to grow faster.
In this post, we will examine the Solutions for Small Business™ program from Canada Post as well as provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up the account so that online business entrepreneurs can get access to a set of free tools and resources.
Key benefits
Small businesses and startups are important because they create jobs and generate revenues for our economy. But most of them are lacking sufficient funding and resources to grow their businesses. They need support from the government and society.
Canada Post provides one such solution to help SMBs save time and money. As introduced in our last post, Canada Post ships 2 of every 3 parcels and reaches every address in Canada. They have the largest network of post offices to serve domestic and international customers. The Solutions for Small Business in Canada Post provides tools, resources, insights and discounts on shipping and marketing to help members grow their businesses. More importantly, this membership is free with no hidden fees.
There are three main benefits:
- A tiered pricing structure that is better suited to your business
- Get access to pickup service
- Tools are provided to help merchants handle returns
Let’s dive into these features one by one with more insights.
Shipping discounts and solutions
One of the biggest advantages of having a business account is saving on parcels shipped within Canada and internationally. Canada Post business customers can enjoy savings of up to 34% on shipments within Canada and up to 47% internationally. Here is the price comparison between Canada Post and other major shipping companies.
By comparing Canada Post’s shipping costs at a minimum discount with UPS and FedEx’s costs at their maximum discount, we can clearly see the price advantages of Canada Post. Within Toronto (1 business day) Canada Post charges $8.97 compared to $12.86 (UPS) and $11.59 (FedEx). From Toronto to Vancouver (2 business days) Canada Post charges $15.81 vs. $20.05 (UPS) and $32.96 (FedEx). From Vancouver to Halifax (2 business days) Canada Post charges $15.93 vs. $29.65 (UPS) and $37.67 (FedEx).
Additionally, Canada Post created a tiered pricing structure for Small Business members. As we can see from the chart below, the more the merchant's shipments, the more they save on shipping rates. Merchants will be assigned a savings level from 1 to 4 and it will be adjusted every quarter based on how much they spent over the past 12 months.
After registering a business account, you will be able to enjoy another online shipping tool provided by Canada Post called Snap Ship, in which customers can benefit from preferred shipping rates and other perks of the program. You will be able to manage the address book of your customers, print multiple labels at once, and compare rates based on the shipping needs by speed, feature and price. After you place your order, the small business discount will be applied instantly.
Parcel pickup service
Do you have parcels ready to ship that you were too busy to drop off at the post office? The pickup service offered by Canada Post can solve your pain point and save time and effort for you. There are 2 types of parcel pickup services you can choose from. One is requested on-demand and the other is based on scheduled requests.
If the collection location qualifies, parcel pickup is possible for all shipping services, whether you're using Regular Parcel or Xpresspost. To find out if parcel pickup is available in your neighbourhood, you can enter your business’ postal code to check in the search box here. If the answer is yes, you can request this service online or by phone. It was a $3.50 flat rate per pickup with an unlimited number of parcels, which means having multiple shipments picked up at the same time at no extra charge. This is ideal for online business owners that need to ship a large number of items. Consider how much time and work you can save by using this service.
If your customers place recurrent orders and everything has become routine, recurring (scheduled) pickup is the best option for you. Every week, you choose the date and time for the poster man to pick up your packages. The amount you spend on package shipment each year determines your recurring (scheduled) pickup fees. When you spend $2,500–$14,999 on parcel delivery, the cost is $7.50 every week. However, if you spend $15,000 or more every year, it will be free.
There are several more services accessible as well. If you're in the dropshipping business, for example, Canada Post's third-party pickups can assist you to pick up packages at your supplier's location and sending them to you. The cost can be deducted directly from your account. You can also integrate the pickup service directly into your website with free APIs, plugins and technical documentation provided by Developer Program in Canada Post.
How to handle returns
Online shoppers in Canada are changing their expectations and behavior. According to a report, approximately 18% of shoppers abandon their shopping cart due to concerns about the returns policy. A simple return policy provides clients with peace of mind while also encouraging purchases. That’s why it’s important to have a simple return experience that’s clear, flexible and convenient for your customers.
Merchants can use Canada Post's tools to design their own return policies. Customize your online store so that customers can access information about returns directly from your website. By doing this, you give your customers convenient options. For example, you can include a return label in the box of the outgoing shipment or allow your customers to print their own return labels at home or by visiting a participating Canada Post location. This can considerably boost your company's after-sale service since customers will believe that you care about them. You may also obtain daily forecasts that tell you how many returns to expect over the following five working days. You can also track each return through email notifications.
Setup Guide
Now that we have covered the benefits of owning a Small Business account in Canada Post. If you haven’t registered a Solutions for Small Business account, here is a step-by-step guide of how to do it.
To begin with, you need to create your Canada Post business profile. Go to the Business page of Canada Post, click register, and fill in some personal and business information.
After succeeding, they will send you a confirmation email with the Canada Post customer number.
With this number, you will be able to continue creating your Canada Post business profile.
Access your account with the Customer Number. After login, you can see that you are now accessible to the Snap Ship program, where you can add recipients of your parcel and manage your shipments.
Now you can enjoy the convenience and discount offered by the Small Business account in Canada Post.
Conclusion
So far we have gone over the benefits of registering a Small Business account in Canada Post and how it helps online business entrepreneurs like you to save money and effort. We’d definitely recommend it to small business owners who are handling shipments by themselves since it’s so easy to set up and no membership fee at all.
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