In their ongoing effort to automate and streamline our postal delivery services in Canada, Canada Post has once again changed some rules regarding the use of postage meters as a payment method for parcel shipments and anything over 500 grams or 1.1 lbs. In October, Canada Post notified customers of the pending changes which come into effect on March 31, 2017. As of that date, customers with postage meters or mailing machines will no longer be able to use their postage meters to pay for parcel shipments. Avoid having your parcels returned. If you continue to apply meter impressions on your parcels after March 31, 2017, your parcels may not be accepted or may be returned to you (charges may apply).

What's more concerning for meter customers is Canada Post's annual postage rate changes which just occurred on January 16, 2017. For Neopost Canada customers, these rate changes happen automatically for customers with Mailcare programs which include the cost of updating postage meter rates. However, with the new postage rate changes, your Neopost postage meter will be updated to reflect only the new Lettermail rates. Subsequently, effective January 16, 2017 you will no longer be able to use your Neopost postage meter to pay for parcels. 

To accomodate for these changes, last January Canada Post introduced a new method of payment for postage meter users called Supplier Account. With this new way to pay for your parcels using an electronic shipping tool and barcoded labels, you will be able to access all the benefits listed below. Neopost has worked diligently to develop our Supplier Account solution that will limit the disruption to our customers and enable them to continue using their Digital Postage On Call (DPOC) account as a single, consolidated account for all outgoing communications.  In December, Neopost announced the launch of NeoShip, an online way to access Canada Post parcel rates and pay through your Neopost DPOC account.  Through NeoShip, you can access your existing commercial rates, plus, you’ll also get access to enhanced reporting capabilities not available through other shipping tools. Depending on the age of your Neopost mailing machine, you may or may not have to update your machine to take advantage of the new Neoship application. Contact us at JBM if you have any questions on how to make the changes.

Make the switch now and realize the following benefits:

•   Access to your commercial prices
• No need to print and apply meter impressions on parcels
• Track and reconcile your shipping activity from one account with the meter supplier
• Continue to leverage your meter supplier relationship, support and benefits

For those customers using a Pitney Bowes or Francotyp-Postalia mail machine, remember you always have the option to make the change to using JBM and Neopost for your mailing requirements.