Seller charged 75% more for postage than what it cost to send

[wizz_2026]

Hi, I recently purchased an item and paid $8:25 postage.  When I received it, the postmark sticker said it cost the seller $2:10 to post.  The item was in a recycled plastic bag which was put in an A4 envelope, so packaging costs were minimal.  When I queried the postage discrepancy, the seller said it was because their Post Office was a 20 km round trip.  They said the postage and travel actually cost them more than $8:25, suggesting that they had somehow done me a favour in only charging me that amount.

Does anyone think this is unreasonable?  My one bugbear about postage is when seller's appear to be creaming profit from it.

[kopenhagen5]

MB, posted as LL at $2.10, I dare say not registered. That's extra, around $3.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

the OP has not got a lot of history posting on the boards.  They probably posted what they thought was sufficient information.

[foxette-in-sox]

Did it ever occur to you crow, that OP didn't intentionally deceive or do you simply think the worst of everyone ? 🙂

[elusiveeditions]

Crow333, it's not a matter of the OP telling the truth or not.

Some of the early posters simply didn't realise this bit of data was pertinent until the thread evolved. I can well understand why the OP would find this thread interesting. Knowing is growing, as they say 😉

[mbselections00]

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@kopenhagen5 wrote:

MB, posted as LL at $2.10, I dare say not registered. That's extra, around $3.

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Yes, it's actually an extra $3.70 kopes, so a total cost of $5.80 that's why I wondered - I figured IF it was sent Registered, it's still a different matter than if it was simply $2.10 - (given that we now know it 'should' have been sent in an $8.25 Satchel). 

$6+  difference is not acceptable (in my book) but $2+ isn't so bad by the time you take out FVFees etc, that's all I was trying to ascertain

[elusiveeditions]

Yes, adding registered blows out the figures on small cheap items, even with combined post sometimes.

Mbs, I meant to say earlier that I've agreed with pretty much everything you've said on this thread! It was just the issue of sneaky advertsing (satchel v. LL) that got me going 🙂

[mbselections00]

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@elusiveeditions wrote:

Yes, adding registered blows out the figures on small cheap items, even with combined post sometimes.

Mbs, I meant to say earlier that I've agreed with pretty much everything you've said on this thread! It was just the issue of sneaky advertsing (satchel v. LL) that got me going 🙂

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Aaaw, thank you, it has been an interesting one hasn't it.  Yes, once stawks posted the info about the satchel, I did feel a bit out of line with some of my previous comments.  Lol, sometimes it pays to zip it until you have all the relevant information & you'd think I'd know that by now 

Yes Registered post does blow the price of low value items way out of proportion, so as most of my items are low value, I try only to use Registered once the value goes over around $15 and thankfully I find 99% of buyers are honest

[kopenhagen5]

Sure, but I think the postal sticker will show 5.80 rather than 2.10.

And I also agree with the false advertising component Stawks pointed out.

[wizz_2026]

Hi, no it was not sent registered, just "large letter" in an A4 envelope 😞 

[mbselections00]

I could be wrong, but I'm reasonably (99%) sure the sticker shows only the amount of the actual postage - all other charges for additional services appear on the receipt.  I do buy my Registered labels in bulk, so therefore they're already attached when I lodge and I only pay for the actual postage, depending on the weight.  But I know for other services, (eg. SOD and Insurance) they are not included in the amount on the sticker as they not considered part of the actual cost to post.

I have often commented to the PO staff that I would prefer the label showed the full price - to avoid buyers thinking it cost less to post than it actually did   Where I have paid extra for services such as SOD with Express or Insurance I send a copy of the receipt to the buyer (for my own peace of mind)