I recently lost the small plastic cap that covers the extension system terminal socket on the side of my 1D3. I ordered a new cap plus an extra one for a spare from Canon Canada. They indicated that the shipping would be $20.00. I thought that $20 was a bit much for something so small but I dismissed it as being some sort of minimum charge. When the box arrived, I could see why the shipping was so expensive. The photo below shows the box that the 2 caps were shipped in as well as the caps themselves. The caps are the two black circles in front of the box. Why would Canon use such a large box when the caps would have fit just fine in an ordinary size padded envelope? If nothing else, smaller packaging material would have saved part of a tree. I get really puzzled by such lack of common sense. Very odd.
Are you sure that Canon did not misunderstood your request? they probably thought you were asking for a box, and accidentally drop two caps in the box...
Mardon Erbland wrote:
I recently lost the small plastic cap that covers the extension system terminal socket on the side of my 1D3. I ordered a new cap plus an extra one for a spare from Canon Canada. They indicated that the shipping would be $20.00. I thought that $20 was a bit much for something so small but I dismissed it as being some sort of minimum charge. When the box arrived, I could see why the shipping was so expensive. The photo below shows the box that the 2 caps were shipped in as well as the caps themselves. The caps are the two black circles in front of the box. Why would Canon use such a large box when the caps would have fit just fine in an ordinary size padded envelope? If nothing else, smaller packaging material would have saved part of a tree. I get really puzzled by such lack of common sense. Very odd.
So it is not just Canon that over packs but it just seems odd that shipping depts. would not have smaller boxes or padded envelopes for this stuff. At least I was not charged $20 for it.
Yes, but it's a 1D series Canon box, don't you see. You pay extra for 1-Series Canon boxes. If you wanted the XXD series box, that would have only been $12.95 ;-)
I ordered a replacement foot for my original 580EX after I was run over on the sideline of a HS football game. It came in the same size box. Maybe they only have one size box? Seems silly to me.
It's probably something to do with Canada Post regulations regarding their shipping contract with Canon. I bet you anything Canon has a special insurance rider with Canada Post for damaged merchandise, and as a result they have to follow some Canon Post regulations about minimum packaging & protection - for everything Canon ships.
I recently mailed in a inoperative XT body, to Canon service, New Jersey. The repair amount, i declined-their return mailing was over twice, what i had paid to send it to them. Lord knows, what size box, that would have been?
It's NOT just Canon (and Amazon)...I work in purchasing, and it is not uncommon for me to receive (for example) a 25lb motor in a single-layer card-board box wrapped in newspaper nor is it uncommom for me to recieve a (paper) catalog packaged in styrofoam peanuts. I once recieved a 12' length of FLEXIBLE rubber bumper in a 12' wooden crate...this bumper could have been ROLLED into a bundle! I think the shipping department in most companies might be the MOST Entry-Level of positions and common sense is not a job pre-requisite.
Crazy, in the US, for the same part (I bought 3) they charged $5 shipping and sent it in a bubble envelope....
My guess is it's like the LCD screens on the 40D, 1Dmk3 and 1Dsmk3, they ordered so many that they just have keep using them til they run out.
They probably just have a minimum shipping rate and box size, which is close to the average of everything they ship. To cut down on unnecessary amounts of boxes and supplies. Plus their contract, as someone else mentioned.
It keeps things simple. What you ordered was an outlier in terms of what they typically ship.
Weird you lost yours too. I've had quite a few 1D bodies now and never lost of these caps but did almost instantly with the Mk3, albeit the s model. I paid $8 too and it came in a box similar to yours...I think they are just using whatever empty box is around, maybe the total cost is less paying a little more for shipping and re-using a box than new packaging and little less for shipping...maybe. And it could be that the cost of shipping a box is less with whatever deal they have from UPS...again, maybe.
that is funny, such a big box for those 2 small caps! At least they arrived in one piece! 
