Australia Post

[mixedupstuffonline]

Has anybody else received an email from Australia Post regarding parcel size and weight?

This is a partial bit of the email received -

We are committed to providing an efficient and reliable service, which is why we're using new technology at our processing facilities to scan and sort your parcels. Our new technology also helps verify the weight and size of your items and spot any discrepancies with the information you provided.

When purchasing your MyPost Business postage online with your own packaging, you currently enter the weight and dimensions to calculate the postage price. Through this process we've noticed some discrepancies which indicate you may need help with correctly calculating the weight and dimensions of your items.

From 4 October 2021, while we will continue to deliver your item as addressed, we'll also let you know if any of your domestic parcels have been lodged with underpaid postage. You'll still be able to create and purchase your postage labels in your MyPost Business account, provided you pay for the underpaid postage within 14 days of the initial notification.

[padraicpaul91]

Australia Post attempted a similar thing about 8 or 9 years ago. When a young counter worker attempted to charge a light but bulky item by cubic weight I was stunned. It represented an additional $20. The more experienced workers told her to charge by weight only for an irregularly shaped item. 

[padraicpaul91]

From Australia Post:

Using your own packaging
When using your own packaging to send parcels
weighing 5kg or under within Australia, a national flat
rate postage is calculated based on the weight tier
of your parcel and delivery speed you choose. These
parcels are charged according to their physical weight
or cubic weight equivalent, whichever is greater†

Whilst I am quietly freaking out about this, I question whether AusPost will deliver on this threat. Generally, it is not new, except for the inclusion of items under 500 grams. The question is whether they actually have and implement technologies that will find these so called underpaid items from credit account and My Business Post  customers.

PO counter staff will hate this. 95% of my parcels will now need to be measured and priced according to volume. I hope that they will do as they have in the past, which was to object and ignore orders from above.

[everard6920]

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@digital*ghost wrote:

I received an updated version of this email today, it was identical to the other email but didn't have the paragraph saying they noticed discrepancies (though a reference to it was visible in the subject line preview 🤣 ).

Some people seem to have received both versions, my guess it was a poor attempt at a warning  crossed with a notification of the upcoming changes, and that a whole bunch of people were offended at both the condescending and accusatory nature of the original. (You know, the whole, "We've noticed some... discrepancies with your accounts, it looks like you need some help measuring your packages - have you heard of this thing called a ruler?" kind of approach. 😆 )

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I'm so glad you mentioned this because this is what I received, too - and I read the email about 5 times because I thought I must've missed reading the sentence in the subject line preview!

[davewil1964]

I got the email, but I don't normally do assessed postage, so I didn't get the discrepancy bit.

Nor do I care as I normally don't do assessed postage.

[*sons_and_daughters*]

The email I got, I got the impression that they thought I'd maybe listed an incorrect weight, and were giving me a warning. I went back through my sales history and it was a bit over a year since I'd posted something that was over 500g, so it shouldn't matter if I'd posted in a satchel, or own packaging. The cost would be the same regardless. 99 out of 100 parcels I send are under 500g. No, wait, probably 999 out of 1,000.

I ignored the email.

[ilce]

When using your own boxes all parcels under 1Kg are not cube calculated. They only use weight to calculate cost under 1Kg. Over 1kg is cube weight.