Shame shame shame Australia Post!!

[extremeshoppingonline]

Hi everyone

Not sure if you are aware or not, but Australia Post has just increased their postage charges by 30% and this will flow on to buyers & sellers alike. Whether you buy with ‘free postage’ or buy with postage as an additional expense, we can all expect to pay more.

What has really got up my nose is how Aust Post can justify the previous charge of $1 for ‘signature on delivery’ with an increase today of $2.95 for the same service! This charge is now being applied to the ClickandSend ebay/austpost satchels that many ebay sellers in Australia use.

We are already fighting a losing battle to remain competitive in the global market because of our extortionate postage costs within Australia and to post internationally.

Sadly to say, I feel we are going to see ‘free postage’ go by the wayside now. Because 90% of buyers are using Paypal, sellers need to show ‘proof of delivery’ in the event of a buyer opening a dispute in Paypal, claiming an item has not been received. So many parcels go missing, whether through theft, damage, fraud or abandonment and if the extra $2.95 for a signature on delivery is not taken up, then the seller will automatically have the case closed in the buyer’s favour. It is that simple. Registered Post is no longer. If you want Registered Post, it will cost $2.95 for the signature on Delivery plus $1.50 to cover than article up to the value of $100!

Anyway, if you want to read more, here are a couple of links. There is an online petition which has over 1000 signatures that you may like to add your name to. This petition now has media interest with a phone interview from Karen with ABC Radio the Sydney Morning Herald’s article and callers ringing into 2GB Radio in Sydney.

In closing, if I can say one thing… there is nothing that riles an aussie more than seeing fellow aussies kicked when they are already down 😞

Cheers

Evil Elle aka Ellen

https://www.change.org/petitions/australia-post-reconsider-the-parcel-price-increases

http://www.smh.com.au/business/postage-costs-soar-by-30-as-online-retail-booms-20130407-2hewv.html

[donnashuggy]

There isn't much you can't buy online these days.

This site is a great initiative and offering free postage atm

http://www.farmhousedirect.com.au/

[freakiness]

Your button seller is not keeping pace with the times, people would much prefer to search for items online than waste time and money going from store to store only to never find that perfect item, they can do this during the evening instead of wasting valuable day time hours.

Any business that doesn't have a online exposure will end up disappearing and if they dont make the effort to sell online are missing out on a huge market, even small business can improve sales online at very little cost, I don't understand why they wouldn't besides being ignorant of customer buying trends.

How do you argue with "I've been selling buttons for 40 years and I know they are tactile and will not sell online"

I try but unfortunately they just end up offended   :^O:^O

I had a steady stream of out dated sales people calling in. I try but when they insist on minimum postage costs upwards of $20 and minimum quantities of things I'll never need again..... One of them was flustered because I (my business) did not fit into one of his 2 categories.  I told him this was a new business model and he left shaking his head still trying to fit me into A or B.

Some people are their own worst enemies in business.

[donnashuggy]

Some people are their own worst enemies in business.

Absolutely agree with this, some distributors and wholesalers just can't seem to make up their mind about supplying online sellers yet most of the big names are online already.

[shalimarsway]

I don't mind paying a bit extra to support Aussie businesses, be that farmers or whatever, however, I'd just like to receive what I pay for in 3 days, the way Aussie mail used to be received from state to state, instead of  waiting 2 weeks - yes, you read it right - 2 weeks or longer - for delivery.

At the prices we're all currently charged, you'd expect next day delivery on a gold platter with a smile!

When it comes to Australia Post, I'd like to see irrefutable proof/evidence/justification for their charges. Until then, they're indefensibly dishonest, profiteering, overpriced, slack, slow, and lazy.