Canada Post's "Real-Time" Tracking

Last modified on November 29th, 2007

I currently have a package en-route to Toronto, and have been trying to locate where it is. I sent it priority courier with Canada Post, since that was the simplest option. Surprisingly, their “real-time” tracking number isn’t real-time at all, and basically has a 24 hour lag to it. So in the case of an over-night delivery (which I paid extra for), nobody will be able to locate the package until a day after it should have been delivered.

I just got off the phone from a lady at Canada Post, and her questions were the real-world equilalent of “is your computer on?” type tech questions. She asked if the recipient had a door that the package could be dropped off at, and if the buzzer worked there. I was like, “yeah I assume so, where’s the package?” Of course, they have no idea, and won’t know until tomorrow when some student punches the numbers into a computer or something — maybe it’s at a bar somewhere enjoying some local beer, who knows.

Is it just me, or does that seem broken somehow?

10 responses to “Canada Post's "Real-Time" Tracking”

  1. Kathy says:

    Very broken….I sent a parcel up to Dawson on Nov. 1 and the last ‘track’ was Richmond on Nov.2nd. They now have 5 days to find it or refund my shipping fee. Should have insured it. 🙁

  2. Amber says:

    Oh that’s lame.

  3. Gregg says:

    Exactly my experiences with Canada Post.

    Even better is our experiences at work with the US Postal Service. We were looking for a new way to get notebook computers from our repair centers to US servicemen who are out on deployment. Technically, when deployed, they have a US postal address, but only the postal service can deliver to them, not the couriers we usually use. It has made it tough, as our computers are sold in their local base PX and have US warranties as per an agreement with the PX.

    We experimented with sending 4 notebook computers to four different bases in different countries using US Post. All four disappeared en route. We had paid extra for their top service, with the difference from the other services being that you got a tracking number. We then took the tracking numbers to them to ask what went wrong. The couldn’t say, said it was not possible to trace the unit’s route and see during what portion it disappeared. We asked why not.

    The answer was “You can’t actually track a package using a tracking number.”

  4. Rebecca says:

    Like the time they lost all our important immigration documents – they fell off the face of their tracking radar. Two weeks later john’s immigration went through AND he got a check from Canada post for the cost of the shipping since they “lost” it… even though it got there somehow.

  5. Eva says:

    Tracking stuff with Canada Post has always been a bit weird, I find. What scares me most is when they left my D80 on top of the mail box in my building! Granted there are just 4 units, but still, the mailboxes are right by the front door! :p

  6. Mike says:

    I recently had a package sent as well and the computer updated right around the time I was opening it. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm!

  7. Joanne says:

    CANADA POST TRACKING IS TERRIBLE. I paid for Express Post INternational (3-5 business days). USPS passed on in 1 day, sat at customs for 1.5 days, now ‘in processing’ with canada post for 4! There have been no updates, etc. You would think if they are working with another carrier, and acting as their customer, that they would try to do a better job. I tried calling customer service, was on hold for about 45 mins, for the lady to pass the buck onto USPS. She didn’t and tried to avoid the fact that Canada Post tracking has not scanned since the 15th where it was, if in fact it had even left Vancouver, and today is the 19th. What a joke. Canada Post really needs to improve their service!

  8. Greg says:

    I have just had a heavy parcel posted from Quebec with $155 postage on it. 4 days after posting the tracking info is still showing “accepted at the PO”.
    I have had two other parcels “vanish” in the post from Canada.
    Pretty pathetic system for a major player country.
    My expectation is that this latest delivery will turn out to be problematic as soon as I saw CPC as the carrier.

  9. Karl Breymayer says:

    I really hope that only their tracking system is broken and not their actual postal services. I’m waiting a $140 CAD worth package, sent to Europe, on April 27, 2012. I got a 15-digit (numbers only) tracking number from the seller, but when I use it at Canada Post online tracking system, I come up with only the date and time the package was sent and nothing else! No more info. Now we have May 15th!!! For the last 10+ years I’m dealing with international online purchases, and I have to say that this must the worst tracking I’ve seen.

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