Australia post change to international letters

[eclectic-oz]

Hi All

I do not post here much, but this has got me absolutely fired up.

Australia Post had advised our local Post Office Agency that there were new forms for International Parcels to be used from today, Monday 18th April. There was a new brochure for pricing of international parcels, but nothing about changes to International Letters.

So at the counter this morning, the PO manager grabs me as I enter with my 50 odd parcels and packages. 30 of those were to be letter post to the USA.

The manager advised that the postal system had changed and that merchandise is no longer permitted within International Letter post. He was trying to work out how to help as he was expecting me and he was on the phone to the area manager.

The process and system has changed. It is our the understanding that all merchandise, no matter how small, must ship as a parcel for a minimum of AU$15 to the USA where it was a minimum of AU$3 previously. This is a 400% increase ! We sent items that weigh 10grams. The size 0 padded bag we send them in weighs as much as the item for a total of maybe 20grams. Why do we need to send these as a parcel in amongst the 2 Kilogram and larger parcels? It is crazy.

But if we set aside the price increase for the moment and look at what it means for processing.

The new labels are bigger than the old forms and do not have a number on them. The tracking / parcel number is only provided after the item is lodged.

The new forms are in triplicate, with carbonless type paper and require that we fill them out in black pen, then the post office staff will enter the details into the computer, then the computer will print 5 small labels which they then place on the parcel.

1 label says Airmail (Duh!) and another a bar code. Both of these need to be peeled and placed on the parcel docket above the address area.

Another label with the postage cost and the barcode is placed on the front of the parcel.

The other two bar codes are stuck to the duplicate yellow and triplicate green copies of the parcel form. The yellow form stays at the post office and the green form gets put back inside the slip case that it came from....  (yep, rip it out, stick a label on it, and put it back!) so it can go to the customs department.

As the sender, we do not get a copy of that form. So we get no record of where or what we sent. We get the tracking number on our receipt but no other information.

Overall the form filling process takes around 5 minutes for me at home and 5 minutes for each parcel at the post office while the staff.

So if I send 1 parcel a week it is not really an issue, but I am preparing 50 or more parcels a week and what used to take a minute per parcel is now a lot longer process.

But that is all irrelevant as it assumes that I can get customers to accept the costs of $15 or $25 to post a $4 item.

It is an impossible situation. The cost will reduce our sales, the time consumed makes it a waste of time doing the prep work, and all up we have to re-think why we would bother trying to trade with this un-viable impost.

[jillywinkle]

This link leads me to believe differently about sending CD's and other flat merchandise at large letter rate...very confused...jilly

http://auspost.com.au/media/documents/Schedule-31-0416.pdf

[chezzy]

---

@jfmgray wrote:

I would go to a different Post Office if this was an option for you.  My Post Office advises that nothing has changed re international letters and I am still allowed to send small items at letter rate.  There is even a pre-paid international letter which has printed information that states:

• When used for letters, documents and printed matter no customs form is required.
• Envelopes that contain goods of any kind, including computer disks, will not be carried by Australia Post unless the appropriate customs form CN22 or C231, available at post offices, is completed, signed and affixed to the front of the envelopes

Their own envellope states that you can send goods with the appropriate CN form.

---

I have 'old stock' prepaid international envelopes that say much the same thing on the back. Mine however also says: "The carriage of this envelope is subject to the Australia Post Terms and Conditions". I think it is a real worry that Post Offices have different 'rules', with some applying the current (new) rules and others flying under the radar so to speak......I wonder if a memo has gone out to each and every Post Office and LPO in Australia.

[recovertoy_usa]

Hi All

As of 30 minutes ago, Australia Post have advised, via the area manager for me here in Victoria, and my local agency PO manager, that they have reversed the decision !!

We can continue to lodge small packet merchandise items as International Letter Post.

The CN22 small green customs form will still be required, along with the Airmail sticker.

The flouro orange ID Recorded stickers and the ID check will not be required (although that is possibly because we already have our ID recorded, so your mileage may vary)

In response to some of the other queries, my post on Monday morning was accepted, $176.00 postage cost for our small items, and I am sure the agency was not wanting to see that value of turnover disappear.

Apparently part of the issue is the International Post agreement between the countries. This agreement apparently dates back many decades (centuries) and when boiled down, it says that the sending country gets the post $'s while the receiving country is obliged to deliver the letter. There is no $'s for the delivery country. Given that Australia imports so much stuff and Australia Post does not get funding for the deliveries, that is a key reason they are hurting. That is an unconfirmed story I got today.

Jillywinkle: AP account holders apparently will get a copy. Non-account holders do not. (Why?  Beats me)

jfmgray:  I think they are the old envelopes and that was previously the case. Given the turn-around it seems that it will be again. I am sure it was not an issue specific to my local post office as the Facebook Australia Post page was lit up last night with similar complaints from all around Australia.

chezzy: According to the Australia Post lady that I spoke to on Monday morning, and from my own experience, there were advices provided to all agencies, that there were changes to the 'parcel' forms, rates, and rules. What it did not do was clarify that this was to include a change to the International Letter post to elevate them from letters to parcels.  The change at the PO counter was in the computer system that no longer presented the option to scan a CN22 customs form with Letter rate mail. That had been removed. This only applied from 0900 yesterday morning when the new forms became a requirement. 

However, it has highlighted the risk to a small hobby business using Australia Post as its only carrier. Watch out !   It may change again. In the meantime, it is back to packing little packets weighing less than 50grams and sending them as letters. 

cheers

Tony

[davidc4430]

i wonder what they will anounce tomorrow. seems like they are making up rules and charges over night then implememting them in the morning. discovering there are problems so next morning reversing the rules and charges.

i fully expect some new new rules and chages on thursday morning.

[jillywinkle]

Thank you very much for that information. I am still reeling from it all. My daughter thinks I am being a bit crazy, but it's been on my mind all day, the ramifications of it all for me and a helluva lot of other people in Australia. Thank goodness..! I find it hard to believe they backed down on it...the complaints must have been unprecedented.....fabulous....!!! 🙂

[curraone]

there is definitely a post from Australia Post on their facebook page

Australia Post Hi Starry

Thank for your comments, this has helped us to understand just how significant the impact of a change in our letter definition for International has been to some small businesses. Based on your feedback we have made the decision that in line with our domestic letters policy if your article weighs less than 500g, is no more than 260mm x 360mm and is less than 20mm thick then it can be sent as an International letter.

We want to provide the means to support and encourage all Australian companies – including our small business customers – to grow their businesses overseas, and will do this by keeping our pricing as competitive as possible, while ensuring our customers have access to products and services that offer value for money.

We will be communicating with our Post Offices today to confirm the guidelines for International letters as above.

Kind Regards

- Seiji

[chezzy]

---

@curraone wrote:

there is definitely a post from Australia Post on their facebook page

Australia Post Hi Starry

Thank for your comments, this has helped us to understand just how significant the impact of a change in our letter definition for International has been to some small businesses. Based on your feedback we have made the decision that in line with our domestic letters policy if your article weighs less than 500g, is no more than 260mm x 360mm and is less than 20mm thick then it can be sent as an International letter.

We want to provide the means to support and encourage all Australian companies – including our small business customers – to grow their businesses overseas, and will do this by keeping our pricing as competitive as possible, while ensuring our customers have access to products and services that offer value for money.

We will be communicating with our Post Offices today to confirm the guidelines for International letters as above.

Kind Regards

- Seiji

---

For those who want to check out the post and other dialogue themselves go to the Australia Post page on facebook and look for a post called "Need help choosing your international parcel options?"...and look for the responses by Austalia Post

[recovertoy_usa]

Hi David

I think that is the biggest concern. Policy making on-the-run is useless. 

The Facebook post highlights that they did not do any research or consultation prior to making the change on Monday even though it was in their plans for months. 

In any case, it appears we can get back to doing our little to offset the imports !

cheers

Tony

[budsandroses]

Funny thing happened to me today when I used to only Pay $3.00 for Letter international letters cost me 39.00 I am disgusted Iwas told the weight was 60 grms which it had always been 50 grams nothing had chnanged .What the bloody hell is going on with Australia Post My customers will not be buying from any more due to the cost of mail and I have to up my prices to cope with the ridiculous rip off . I will do my best to rip Aussie post off as much as I can now 

[digital*ghost]

A 60g letter will cost $7.50 max, $39 sounds like tracked parcel pricing.