How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???

How do so many Australian sellers ship for so cheap? They sell items that will not fit in a letter (thicker than 20mm) for way cheaper than the cheapest Australia post contract parcel rates.

For example, search ebay for "USB car charger", select "Australia Only" in location, and there are heaps of people selling chargers (including shipping) between $2.50 and $4.00. HOW DO THEY DO IT?? Do they just sent it in a letter, and hope no one checks it is thicker than 20mm? All those items are way thicker than 20mm
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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???

Maybe because the buyer received the item at the quoted cost.

 

It' is nobody's business but the seller's how they achieved or balanced the postage against the total cost.

 

And no seller who can post cheaper (maybe a mega volume account?) is going to explain their charges.

 

Nor should they. Nor should you expect them to.

 

And knowing postage costs relating to what stock a seller should hold is, at best, drawing a very long bow.

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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???


@davewil1964 wrote:

Maybe because the buyer received the item at the quoted cost.

 

It' is nobody's business but the seller's how they achieved or balanced the postage against the total cost.

 

And no seller who can post cheaper (maybe a mega volume account?) is going to explain their charges.

 

Nor should they. Nor should you expect them to.

 

And knowing postage costs relating to what stock a seller should hold is, at best, drawing a very long bow.


I do not think I have read anything less true in my life. As a seller/buyer and Australian I have every right to question some of the methods Ebay seller use most of these are not using volume accounts they are sending parcels as large letters. The way eBay is structured there is a large amount of items that can only be sold by people who will break rules legit seller are unable to compete. You may see this as good business but I see it as dishonest and wrong and would never go down that track.

 

 

So please do not even think I have no right to question dishonest sellers because I have every right no matter what you think. You may think it is alright for people to be underhanded but a lot of us do not. Do not try to judge everyone by your standards

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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???

Sending parcels as letters?   That's nothing to do with ebay as a company

 

Don't you think the PO spits them back and fines people?

 

And how a seller sends things cheaply is not your business.

As long as the buyer gets their item

 

Lyndal already mentioned a 'loss leader'.

 

Plenty of them on ebay

 

 

 

 

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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???


@247newdeals wrote:

I do not think I have read anything less true in my life. As a seller/buyer and Australian I have every right to question some of the methods Ebay seller use most of these are not using volume accounts they are sending parcels as large letters. 

 

 

 


That is a completely unrelated issue.

 

The point under discussion was asking a seller how much they paid to post something, which would only be necessary if the postage cost was not evident on the package.

 

If the postage cost is not evident on the package, the recipient has no idea whether the seller paid letter or parcel rates.

 

Are you suggesting that every time you receive a package with something like a "Postage Paid" stamp on it, someone should send a message to the seller and ask what service was used as well as cost to seller? Aside from the fact I believe it's very difficult for a seller to sneak a parcel through as a letter when they have an account, because everything is checked by AP against the lodgement forms etc, if a seller is dodgy enough to do something like that, they're unlikely to confirm to a buyer that they're circumventing the system. 

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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???


@imastawka wrote:

Sending parcels as letters?   That's nothing to do with ebay as a company

 

Don't you think the PO spits them back and fines people?

 

And how a seller sends things cheaply is not your business.

As long as the buyer gets their item

 

Lyndal already mentioned a 'loss leader'.

 

Plenty of them on ebay

 

 

 

 


Over the last few months I have purchased well over 100 different items that fall into this category and 99% was sent as a large letter except a few which where won in auction every buy it now was sent as a letter, they are NOT being done by mass selling they are not loss. It has absolutely nothing to do with loss leader it is about items being sent UNDERHANDEDLY and breaking the rules to cut out competition personally I think these sellers should be removed so legit sellers have a chance. Of course EBay make a lot of profit off these underhanded tactic so they will not do anything.

My only question is why some sellers seems to back this practice is it because you know it will stop legit sellers competing?


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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???

You've lost me.

 

Ebay makes more fvf on parcels than on letters, so can't see

they'd be complicit in that.

 

PO spits parcels out that are underpaid postage/oversize letters -

sellers get fined.

 

And if you're talking postage paid stickers, then read digi's post

 

 

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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???


@digital*ghost wrote:

@247newdeals wrote:

I do not think I have read anything less true in my life. As a seller/buyer and Australian I have every right to question some of the methods Ebay seller use most of these are not using volume accounts they are sending parcels as large letters. 

 

 

 


That is a completely unrelated issue.

 

The point under discussion was asking a seller how much they paid to post something, which would only be necessary if the postage cost was not evident on the package.

 

If the postage cost is not evident on the package, the recipient has no idea whether the seller paid letter or parcel rates.

 

Are you suggesting that every time you receive a package with something like a "Postage Paid" stamp on it, someone should send a message to the seller and ask what service was used as well as cost to seller? Aside from the fact I believe it's very difficult for a seller to sneak a parcel through as a letter when they have an account, because everything is checked by AP against the lodgement forms etc, if a seller is dodgy enough to do something like that, they're unlikely to confirm to a buyer that they're circumventing the system. 


How is this unrelated the OP was asking how an item that should be posted as a parcel is being sold for as little as $2,50 and in some cases it is less than that. You can blow as much smoke as you want most of these sellers do not have business credit account the fact is most have stamps on them and you can see what was paid. The only thing shocking me right now is the people who seem to want to justify this practice because I am 100% sure you know what is happening.

 

 

It is not, sadly, difficult for these sellers to sneak them through parcel through as a letter and it is common practice on EBay. The largest item I got sent as a letter, with stamps on it, was a selfie stick in it's packaging the height wss 36mm yes the box received some damage but as the total cost was $6.50 how many people do you think mind about the box? How as a legit seller am I meant to compete against that? The only people who could compete are those who are willing to be underhanded.

 

I am sure AusPost pull up some but after ordering over 100 none have not got to me yet.

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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???


@imastawka wrote:

You've lost me.

 

Ebay makes more fvf on parcels than on letters, so can't see

they'd be complicit in that.

 

PO spits parcels out that are underpaid postage/oversize letters -

sellers get fined.

 

And if you're talking postage paid stickers, then read digi's post

 

 


There is an easy way to find out if you are correct just spend $2.50 on one of the USB chargers. Auspost is not as efficient as we may hope they was. As far as EBay making more from a parcel than a letter check how many these sellers are selling even at $0.15 to $0.40 plus the $0.30+ made from Paypal( yes I know they are not related LOL) they will be making a tidy amount from these sales.

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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???

How about - if they are Chinese sellers, they don't pay for postage

 

And if they say they are located in Australia - they are drop-shipping

from China

 

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How do sellers ship for so cheap in Australia ???

The items I bought where sent from Australia. Droppings from China is of course a way to keep postage prices down but of course you have to deal with high postage times. There is a large group of sellers sending items as an Aus letter when they should be sent as a parcel. Sadly I doubt it will stop and legit sellers will be cut out of this rather large section of the EBay market. The only possible way to compete is offering pick up only and then of course you only appeal to local buyers.

 

The other thing I have noticed with dropshippers/Chinese sellers is not often but enough for it to be a little annoying when you search for items in Australia only you sometimes get items that once you check the listing it is being sent from china. Not sure if this is something the seller is doing or a glitch in the system but I am sure a lot of people buy these items thinking they are getting a Aus bargain and then have to wait 2-4 weeks for it to arrive

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