Will Canada Post Affect Your Black Friday?

[theweave]

With the ongoing Canada Post strike I have had to reconsider what I do for Black Friday. I want to buy a printer from Walmart but don't want it sitting on a truck. I have to take the bus everywhere and transfer to another bus, so carrying a printer is not high on my list. Right now mail delivery is hit and miss in Hamilton. I seriously have to debate how I acquire a printer this Friday.

So I thought it would be good to post here and ask if anyone is having second thoughts of buying online, not just on Black Friday I guess but in general. I can say that I ordered once from Ontario Cannibis Store and it arrived in only 3 days, but also see the pictures of trucks sitting in Toronto. What to do, what to do!

[Midnightly]

canada post has already effected my christmas.. currently items ordered are sitting in china not even being shipped due to the backlog, items currently in canada are sitting in huge containers not getting sorted.. these were items we ordered a month ago, to allow extra time for shipping and we're still getting screwed... i tried to buy something locally but the stores were sold out of it (and not getting it back in) so i had to order online.... it has a month to get here,and is being shipped from within canada, lets hope it does since it is santa's christmas gift.. so yes.. canada post is effecting my christmas

[SassyAshley]

Normally I would be doing some online shopping but since I do not want to risk it I will be trying to shop for gifts.

I am going to be honest I am considering just getting giftcards for most people as a lot is going on and getting out to the stores is becoming a bit of a challenge. I am hoping to find a day I can just spend shopping but looking at my schedule not sure I can swing this right now so yes this is a pain as normally I would just order online and everything would be taken care of.

[Frugalbigmama]

I had already did lots of online shopping for clothing for my boys for Christmas before the strike so at least I have that stuff already. Will not buy anything online now until Canada Post is back on the job.

[Giseledta]

i contacted chapters, as i was going to do a black fridays shop. and go through airmiles to get a spot for shop the block . they said best choice is to have it shipped to the store. i am still up in the air on if i am going to do that...

[theweave]

Sounds like before the end of the week the Liberals are prepared to legislate so a resolution may be in sight!

[Natalka]

Even if they do order them back to work, there is such a huge backlog so it could be quite some before packages/mail get through - on the news, they were speculating January.

For now, the government has just given notice, they may not use it. There is still hope mediation will come through.

[walkonby]

Even if they do order them back to work, there is such a huge backlog so it could be quite some before packages/mail get through - on the news, they were speculating January.
For now, the government has just given notice, they may not use it. There is still hope mediation will come through.

Just got an alert from the Union and as usual CP LIED, inflating the number of trailers that they say are sitting ( backlogged ) the gov't believed these numbers, probably why they are threatening back to work legislation.
Lets hope this 2nd mediator that was assigned can help the 2 sides negotiate in good faith.

[theweave]

I had to google shop the block. That is more shopping (3) than I will do for the entire Christmas season!

[bhlombardy]

IN response to the original question by the OP, i have a few thoughts... (mini rants?)

To preface, I normally do most of my (frivolous) spending online... Amazon, Best Buy, etc. I only venture into the shopping areas if I need something ASAP or if I happen to be passing by. For items that require touching and looking first (for quality, etc) -- I'm also guilty of researching in-store, and then ordering online if the price is considerably better. (and yea, I'm shameless about it, sue me...) Regardless, I'm an avid online purchaser, and rely on the deliveries.


Now... I've had a few things ordered from Best Buy and Amazon recently, all of which were delayed but not horribly enough to be (too) vocal about it. With this exception: I'm a Prime Member, and Amazon "guaranteed" a delivery by last Thursday at the time I ordered the items. The items arrived late. When I contacted Amazon about it, they told me (as if I wasnt already aware) that there have been rotating work stopages with Canada Post, resulting in transition and delivery disruptions. To which I replied "OK, then you shouldn't have a.) guranteed a delivery date, and then b.) also choose to use CP as your courier... You have shipped items via Purolator, UPS, and FedEx in the past. If you're going to guarantee delivery times, dont choose the one you know is currently experiencing delays." --- so I got a credit from Amazon to my account for spelling out that logic.

At this point, with the increasing backlog of shipments, I only expect the delays to become worse. The potential risks of delays with only a few weeks left until Christmas have left me skeptical about ordering online when I know that CP is the primary carrier for that retailer (which includes Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart among others). In these cases I've been exercising price-matching where I can. In-store, Walmart and Best Buy (might) price match Amazon and other online retailers and when they do, I'm golden. If the item isnt available in-store, or they dont (womt) price match, then I have to seriously consider ordering online or not.

As it happens, I live close enough to the US border and am registered with a parcel depot just on the other side the border. To avoid Canada Post, I have already placed several orders and had them shipped there (where it made financial sense, of course). The deliveries arrive within 2 or 3 days at most, and I can quickly scoot down and pick up most of my orders all at once. -- a good arrangement, if you can swing it.

NOW -- This is my FIRST year venturing into the US for Black Friday. I'm currently writing this post from the comfort of a hotel room waiting for stores to open in a few short hours. And since the items I am shopping for ARE on really good deals, they are also relatively mild low-radar items, so I dont expect to have to fight over them. --- I came here simply because I knew that I would (*should) be able to (nearly) complete my shopping and be home without worries of dealing with Canada Post's delivery delays.

All that said, while I support the CUPW and hope they get what they need from the negotiations, their timing (which might also have been strategic) is certainly influencing my purchasing. I'm actually spending my money south of the border, to the tune that about half to two-thirds of my purchasing is going to come out of the US this year. And it's mostly as a result of the uncertainty of our own institution's ability to (literally) deliver.

There's no doubt that Canda Post's holding out on the workers is having an effect on how I've been spending my money... and I know I'm not alone.

[theweave]

Liberals are tabling legislation to force Canada Post back to work! So I think we can all order for Black Friday!

Note: My dad is buying me my printer for Christmas so I now don't have to order but this is still good news!

[theweave]

Be sure to post about your BF adventures! It's not the same anymore down there since they open so early now. When I went a few years back, I was lined up at Target at 2 am! Now that was fun! If you create a new post (which you should), post the link here!

IN response to the original question by the OP, i have a few thoughts... (mini rants?)

To preface, I normally do most of my (frivolous) spending online... Amazon, Best Buy, etc. I only venture into the shopping areas if I need something ASAP or if I happen to be passing by. For items that require touching and looking first (for quality, etc) -- I'm also guilty of researching in-store, and then ordering online if the price is considerably better. (and yea, I'm shameless about it, sue me...) Regardless, I'm an avid online purchaser, and rely on the deliveries.


Now... I've had a few things ordered from Best Buy and Amazon recently, all of which were delayed but not horribly enough to be (too) vocal about it. With this exception: I'm a Prime Member, and Amazon "guaranteed" a delivery by last Thursday at the time I ordered the items. The items arrived late. When I contacted Amazon about it, they told me (as if I wasnt already aware) that there have been rotating work stopages with Canada Post, resulting in transition and delivery disruptions. To which I replied "OK, then you shouldn't have a.) guranteed a delivery date, and then b.) also choose to use CP as your courier... You have shipped items via Purolator, UPS, and FedEx in the past. If you're going to guarantee delivery times, dont choose the one you know is currently experiencing delays." --- so I got a credit from Amazon to my account for spelling out that logic.

At this point, with the increasing backlog of shipments, I only expect the delays to become worse. The potential risks of delays with only a few weeks left until Christmas have left me skeptical about ordering online when I know that CP is the primary carrier for that retailer (which includes Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart among others). In these cases I've been exercising price-matching where I can. In-store, Walmart and Best Buy (might) price match Amazon and other online retailers and when they do, I'm golden. If the item isnt available in-store, or they dont (womt) price match, then I have to seriously consider ordering online or not.

As it happens, I live close enough to the US border and am registered with a parcel depot just on the other side the border. To avoid Canada Post, I have already placed several orders and had them shipped there (where it made financial sense, of course). The deliveries arrive within 2 or 3 days at most, and I can quickly scoot down and pick up most of my orders all at once. -- a good arrangement, if you can swing it.

NOW -- This is my FIRST year venturing into the US for Black Friday. I'm currently writing this post from the comfort of a hotel room waiting for stores to open in a few short hours. And since the items I am shopping for ARE on really good deals, they are also relatively mild low-radar items, so I dont expect to have to fight over them. --- I came here simply because I knew that I would (*should) be able to (nearly) complete my shopping and be home without worries of dealing with Canada Post's delivery delays.

All that said, while I support the CUPW and hope they get what they need from the negotiations, their timing (which might also have been strategic) is certainly influencing my purchasing. I'm actually spending my money south of the border, to the tune that about half to two-thirds of my purchasing is going to come out of the US this year. And it's mostly as a result of the uncertainty of our own institution's ability to (literally) deliver.

There's no doubt that Canda Post's holding out on the workers is having an effect on how I've been spending my money... and I know I'm not alone.

[maggiespice]

I made an order yesterday with well.ca and they had a statement saying that they will use Purolator or UPS during the time of the strike.

It is a good thing to, as I ordered some baking items (things I can't get at a normal grocery store) and I certainly don't want to wait until January to get them!

[luckbealady]

I haven't had any issues with getting my parcels since the rotating strikes have started. Amazon.ca, Reitmans, Shoppers - all actually arrived faster than usual. I have heard the backlog is more with international parcels.

That being said - I know the parcel load will increase greatly. What I ordered today isn't high priority - I'm hoping one parcel arrives before Christmas, but if not I still have a backup gift for my brother.

[walkonby]