My Post Office is closing – advice please

[siddieswans]

I realise I have been spoiled during my 20 years on eBay. A Post Office in walking distance (I am older and no longer  drive); but with a parking lot for when my husband needed to drive me (wet weather, large parcels); very helpful and friendly staff.

But now we have been advised of permanent closure on 31st May. I need to change my ways. There are no other POs in walking distance and of those within reasonable driving distance, only one has reliable nearby parking in a shopping centre. The logical thing to do seems to be to cut my posting down to once a week (I have 15 day handling but have always posted twice a week); prepare parcels at home with AP labels, and take them to the PO to be scanned onto my My Post card along my pre-paid satchels and tracked letters.

The EASIEST thing to do would be to empty them every day into the red Post box conveniently located about 100 metres away. But I am concerned that without an initial scan, they may never have another one,  and that I may be liable in an INR dispute. Are these fears justified? Also my manually copying those ridiculously long tracking numbers from AP tracked letters into eBay tracking without making a mistake seems doubtful to say the least.

Also when you print out an AP domestic postage label, do you include all / some the fields marked “optional” like email address, phone number, description, and that eBay “identifier” which seems to me to complicate the address.

I am an old dog who will have to learn new tricks.

PS Don’t mention having to get a new Post Office Box address. 500 previous customers scrambling to replace them locally.

[sugar249]

My advice do not just dump them in the local red box,  as you have suggested,  there may be zero tracking for its full journey,  and you definitely want that initial I have given it to Australia Post scan.

I notice on your listings you say you are in Sydney,  in which case it may be possible that Australia Post have a pickup service.

PS.  Hopefully your xmas break is over

[twyngwyn]

Oh no! I use the red boxes, no problem....if it's a large box, I worry about the 'drop'....so post heaviest first. The thing I most worry about is vandalism....but it's never happened

[gutterpunkz05]

The ebay identifier does not complicate the address and ebay advise not to remove it.

Using my post business, with ebay integrated, the details are prefilled and only a couple of boxes that must be filled.   When the label is generated tracking is auto uploaded to ebay.  You can also elect to have your items picked up for an additional fee.

While the red letter box might be OK for the occasional item, don't make it your go to option, as missed scans will rapidly effect your sales metrics and possibly incurr ebay penalties and increased fees.

[curraone]

I am in the same position - it is too difficult to get to the Post Office.     For years now I have just dropped my parcels in the nearest red box.   I have an Australia Post account to do the labels, and I buy most of my Aust Post satchels and stamps etc online from Aust Post through an Aust Post account and they deliver them to my home.    I find doing the labels on line with Aust Post very easy.    And you don't have to put the tracking into ebay, the Aust Post program does it for you.

Having an Aust Post account qualifies you for Band 1, 2 or more savings, depending on how many labels you do a month.

I know it is not for everyone but it works for me.   I hope I don't jinx myself but so far I have not had an item not received claim.

[davewil1964]

Also when you print out an AP domestic postage label, do you include all / some the fields marked “optional” like email address, phone number, description, and that eBay “identifier” which seems to me to complicate the address.

I c&p the address from the eBay notification email, without the eBay 'identifier' which does, contrary to other advice, sometimes corrupt the address. As I am purchasing my postage directly from AP, eBay has nothing to do with that part of the transaction. I never (except parcel collect/lockers) include any of the other 3.

As far as tracking numbers go, they are displayed in my MyPost Business hub and are once again c&p'd into the sale.

No possibility of error.

I would never post in a red box, though.

If you do go with AP MyPost Business, be aware that you will need (if you use them) to purchase prepaid satchels over the counter or they will not count towards your spend for discounts.

[sugar249]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

I c&p the address from the eBay notification email, without the eBay 'identifier' which does, contrary to other advice, sometimes corrupt the address. As I am purchasing my postage directly from AP, eBay has nothing to do with that part of the transaction.

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I do an import into MyPost straight from Ebay,  so all the details are included, including that silly identifier,   which I manually delete from MyPost.

Like you say it clutters up the address, and AP don't do anything with it, and the parcel person hates them as it does make it confusing at times, depending how they land on line 1.

[gutterpunkz05]

From memory, isn't that ebay identifier, supposed to supply additional tracking info to ebay,  Just my recollection as to why it was brought in.

As far as the red post boxes go, I rarely use them and  have had items not show any tracking until delivered.

[siddieswans]

Thank you all so much for replying so quickly and helpfully. I'll digest and return.

[davewil1964]

Why would anybody give eBay additional tracking information if the postage is not going through eBay?

If I was mug enough to use eBay labels, which I haven't since they stopped passing on their AP discounts, it might be relevant. But when I'm dealing directly with AP eBay identifiers are irrelevant and annoying.