Canada Post Flat Rate Box: How Does It Help E-Commerce Businesses Save Money?
Learning the most affordable shipping options can help you save thousands of dollars annually!
Don’t know how?
The Post Office offers Canada Post flat rate boxes to individual and commercial shippers to let them send mail at the most affordable rates.
However, many don’t know what they mean or how to use them.
Many of our clients were also unaware of Canada Post’s mailing services, which could enable them to cut postage expenses.
Hence, we compiled this guide to update you on the benefits of using the Canada Post flat rate box for shipping customer orders and other items. We also discuss its features, delivery times, and where to get them!
Let us begin!
What is the Canada Post Flat Rate Box?
It refers to the fixed-rate packaging boxes Canada Post offers to shippers to allow them to ship items at lower rates than usual.
These boxes have standard postage rates based on their weight and size. You can use them to send your mailers anywhere in Canada.
Canada Post uses the slogan “If It Fits, It Ships” to spread awareness about these packaging boxes. The concept is that- you can buy them in bulk online or at the Post Office for one price and stuff them with as many items as you need for shipping.
You can stuff one or twenty mail items in the flat rate boxes Canada Post provided that you close and seal them without a tear.
They are most beneficial to eCommerce businesses that regularly ship customer orders. If someone orders more than one item, they can pack the other product in the same box and mail it for a standard charge.
What Does the Canada Post Flat Rate Box Include?
The Canada Post flat-rate shipping cost includes many things, like
- Postage: You don’t need to pay postage when shipping a flat-rate box. The Post Office already charges for it when you buy it online or at your local postal outlet. Hence, you need not purchase and affix stamps separately, saving your staff’s time and effort. Also, this concept allows you to prepay the postage, which means you already know the price for mailing something.
- High-quality shipping box: The price includes a secure packaging box you can use to ship your customers’ orders. They are pre-built to carry a specific weight, say 2 kg or 5 kg. You can send mail over long distances without worrying about tears or damage. But please ensure you don’t overstuff the Canada Post flat rate boxes with too many orders. The Post Office weighs the items before shipping anyway!
- Tracking: The best part about using Canada Post flat rate packaging is that it comes with free postal search.
You can use the receipt with the tracking number to check your mail’s progress throughout the postal network. Hence, you can stay informed and promptly follow up with your recipients.
- On-time delivery guarantee: The flat-rate boxes have a fixed arrival time, except for some situations and delivery locations. You may ask the Post Office for a refund if it delays your deliveries. Thus, using these boxes is the best way for your orders to reach their intended recipients on time.
- Up to $100 liability coverage: You get nearly a $100 cover for the damage or loss of your items during transit. But you cannot extend it further, so ensure you only send items worth up to $100 via the Canada Post flat rate pricing.
Please remember that you cannot avail yourself of the signature on delivery or other add-ons when using flat-rate boxes. They offer only the most necessary features to make this option available to shippers at affordable rates.
Also Read: Canada Postal Code LookupWhat Are the Canada Post Flat Rate Box Sizes and Rates?
The Canada Post flat-rate boxes come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. You may choose one based on your mail contents and their weights.
The small-sized box measures 35 cm (length) x 26 cm (width) x 5 cm (height) or 10 ⅜” x 14” x 2 ⅛”)
These small boxes can carry items weighing up to 5 kg. You can weigh your contents before stuffing them into the box to understand how many mailers they can fit.
Once you stuff and package your small-sized Canada Post flat-rate boxes, you may drop them off at any street letterbox or your nearest postal outlet.
It is a fast, easy, and efficient process! And your items will arrive at the recipients’ doorsteps without hassles.
The medium-sized boxes can also carry a weight of up to 5 kg. But they are broader, helping you fit large-shaped items into them.
Their dimensions are 39 cm x 26 cm x 12 cm or 15 ⅜” x 10 ¼” x 4 ¾”. You can use these flat rate boxes Canada Post to send products like books, magazines, frames, and more.
Measure your items using tape to ensure they fit into the boxes before ordering and paying for them.
A large-sized flat rate box Canada Post measures 40 cm x 30 cm x 19 cm or 15 ¾” x 11 13/16” x 7 ½”. You can use it if you cannot fit your items in small and medium-sized boxes. They are expensive but help you transport your broad-shaped mailers with better security.
You can only drop medium and large-sized flat-rate boxes at the Post Office because the street letterboxes aren’t big enough.
Here are the rates for your reference:
| Canada Post Flat Rate Box Sizes | Prices |
| Small | $19.99 |
| Medium | $24.99 |
| Large | $32.99 |
If you are looking for ways to manage shipping expenses on offline mailing, try PostGrid’s direct mail API. It allows you to send marketing, transactional, and compliance mail online.
For example, imagine you need to send promotional coupons to your existing customers who bought from you a few times but stopped later. You can use our direct mail solutions to set up an offline marketing campaign to re-engage them and increase sales.
Also, you may use our services to ship invoices, bills, notices, and other items to your targeted audience without doing anything in-house.
How Much Time Do the Canada Post Flat Rate Boxes Take to Arrive?
The flat rate boxes Canada Post offers an on-time delivery guarantee. Hence, many ask us about the time frame when they arrive at their destinations.
Canada Post has separate schedules to deliver your flat-rate boxes to different locations. Hence, enquire how many days these mailers take to arrive at your intended destinations at the local Post Office to ensure timely deliveries.
Below are the Post Office estimates about flat-rate box arrival times:
| Delivery Destinations | Delivery Time | |
| Urban Locations | Local | 1 business day |
| Regional | 1 to 3 business days | |
| National | 2 to 7 business days | |
| Non-Major Urban Locations | Local | 1 business day |
| Regional | up to 4 business days | |
| National | up to 11 business days | |
| Northern Regions and Remote Locations | Local | 6 business days |
| Regional | 6 to 13 business days | |
| National | 6 to 13 business days |
These delivery estimates can change because of natural calamities, road accidents, highway construction, and other factors. So please confirm the arrival times when you drop off your items at the Post Office to avoid surprises.
Luckily, PostGrid’s direct mail automation solutions vouch for speedy deliveries. Our 2-business day SLA lets you quickly prepare and print your offline mailers.
Also, we help you choose between your preferred Canada Post mailing services, including the Express option, to help you ship your items according to your time frames.
Advantages of Using Canada Post Flat Rate Boxes
E-commerce businesses can benefit from using Canada Post flat rate boxes in many ways, including
Simplified Mailing
You can purchase ready-to-use boxes from any Canada Post Office whenever needed. Then, use them to pack your items and send them without calculating postage to a specific location and affixing stamps.
The Canada Post flat-rate boxes have the same postage, irrespective of where you want to send your mailers. Hence, you pay once and ship your items anywhere you want domestically.
The only thing you must do is address your boxes well. Also, seal them securely so their flaps don’t open during transit, compromising their safety and confidentiality.
You can buy the boxes in packs of 12. Buying them in bulk helps you stay prepared to pack and send your items whenever customers place an order.
Zero Surprise Charges
Most eCommerce companies ship nationwide. And the last thing they want to do is calculate postage for every order based on the delivery locations.
Hence, Canada Post flat rate shipping is the best option for e-commerce companies because its prices include postage.
So if you pay $19.99 to buy a box, you don’t have to pay anything further!
Since all boxes carry a weight of up to 5 kg, the prices don’t depend on your contents’ weight.
However, please note that the Post Office may ask you to open the boxes and remove some items if you overstuff them, increasing the weight beyond 5 kg.
Though the flat rate box Canada Post has no hidden fees or surcharges, you must weigh your items before stuffing and shipping them.
If you don’t like surprise costs, PostGrid’s direct mail API can be an excellent tool for your business. You can prepare and distribute your printed marketing and other mailers to your prospects and customers at all-in-one rates. Thus, you can manage your budget better and cut unnecessary expenses.
Three Convenient Sizes
The Canada Post flat-rate boxes are available in three sizes to fit your mailing requirements. But you can only buy large-sized ones at some Post Offices. You can visit them and place a request or purchase them online.
The large-sized boxes are apt for sending broad-shaped items that don’t fit in packets or medium packaging materials. They are well-secured, allowing you to mail your items without damage during transit.
Small and medium-sized boxes are also popular because they help you send a few items to customers without paying much.
Become Eco-Friendly
The postal services work hard to produce eco-friendly packaging items. They manufacture the Canada Post Flat rate boxes with 25% post-consumer waste and nearly 60% recycled materials.
The boxes are 100% recyclable, leaving behind fewer carbon footprints. Also, the Post Office prints them using water-based inks to reduce the environmental impact they may have.
PostGrid’s direct mail API also helps you send sustainable mailers. We promote carbon neutrality, use FSA-certified paper, work with global climate partners, and do many other things that allow us to provide eco-friendly mailing solutions!
Contact us to learn more about it and get started with your first mail marketing campaign!
Increase Sales
How does using Canada Post flat rate boxes help eCommerce businesses improve sales?
To answer this question, imagine a customer ordering two items from your online store. You can show the delivery fee to them on the screen with a prompt that they can add another product to the box.
The benefit? You get an increased sale of one product. And your customer saves on shipping by ordering more items simultaneously. It is a win-win for both parties!
You may use this sales technique for all customers having space in their Canada Post flat rate boxes to improve your revenue.
Save Money
Using flat-rate boxes lets you even out your shipping expenses. You can mail more products and spend less than individually shipping every item.
Hence, you can reduce your mailing budget, shorten delivery times, and improve efficiency.
Buy your flat rate boxes from Canada Post from any postal location or via its website and save time and money.
Integrating PostGrid’s Direct Mail API Into Your Website or CRM
E-commerce companies can use PostGrid’s boutique direct mailing services to correspond with their audience offline and promote their brands.
We help them prepare, print, and ship mailers to 245+ countries, including Canada and the US.
Our international print and mail solutions allow them to expand their business beyond borders, get more sales, and work with reputed global vendors.
Once you send your Canada Post flat rate boxes, you can use PostGrid to ship your customer appreciation notes, thank-you letters, coupons, buyer rewards, loyalty program invitations, and more.
This step lets you establish better bonds with your audience since most customers only know your brand online.
It lets you break through the digital clutter and interact personally with your targeted buyers. Please remember that people buy from brands they trust and find authentic. Thus, building emotional connections can help you go a long way!
Competitive Pricing Plans
Like the affordable Canada Post flat-rate shipping, PostGrid offers competitive direct mailing rates.
You can start with our basic plan and upgrade to other packages based on your needs and budget. PostGrid does not compel you to make long-term commitments or pay hidden charges. Our transparent, pay-as-you-go option lets you become flexible and send your mailers whenever needed.
On-Demand and Bulk Mailing
Businesses can send as little as one item to their intended recipient with PostGrid. It could be to any local, national, or international location.
Similarly, PostGrid lets you send thousands of mailers under one campaign without technical issues or other problems.
Our scalable solutions help you print and ship any number of items based on your needs at the most affordable rates.
Real-Time Tracking and Reporting
Get detailed campaign reports and tracking statuses for your mailers via the PostGrid dashboard. You can log into your account whenever needed and access the records.
Sign up for more details on the Canada Post flat rate box and learn how to use PostGrid for quick and affordable shipping!
