Postage options ? trying to work out the best & cheapest way to do things

[lady_and_the_tramp]

I am only relativly new to this Ebay selling and trying to establsih the best and fairest way to post things.  In my shop, most items can be small, so I try and keep the costs down and send in an envelope using the "large letter rate" if the item fits all their critereia with weight, size etc......my question is, is the only way to post these is with actual stamps, that are purchased from the Post Office or can I purchase the Postage say through the CLICK & SEND facility if I was to register or is that only for 500g upwards type of parcels?

Thanks in advance

[bluebudgies]

Yes, you can buy them over the counter for that price. I'm not even sure you can buy the pre-paid reg'd envelopes online.

These are terrific value and I'll be using a lot more of them once my prepaid stickers run out!

[curraone]

Having said that, there have been some posts about buyers being upset that their item is sent by registered mail when they didn't know it was going to be .... there was mention of the inconvenience for buyers of having to attend at a Post Office to get their item, which could have been just posted as a letter

So if I was going to use the registered letter option as a seller, I would be very careful to declare that in my postage and in my description.

Basically you have to choose between a rock and a hard place, say if the item is relatively inexpensive it is worth the trouble to register it?

[joethenuts]

to curraone an excelent post ,why would I buy a cheap lets  say $5to $10 item pay for reg and then ,as in my case go to a shoping centre find a park and wait in line for 20 odd minutes.  just send it as a letter ..... but then you run the risk of the letter not getting there ,you then have no tracking or signature,, i sopose it comes to the value of the article , if you can afford to loose a couple a year ,then thats the way to go , otherwise use the more expensive option.  but your right between a rock and a hard place.

have a nice day

[chezzy]

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@curraone wrote:

Having said that, there have been some posts about buyers being upset that their item is sent by registered mail when they didn't know it was going to be .... there was mention of the inconvenience for buyers of having to attend at a Post Office to get their item, which could have been just posted as a letter

So if I was going to use the registered letter option as a seller, I would be very careful to declare that in my postage and in my description.

Basically you have to choose between a rock and a hard place, say if the item is relatively inexpensive it is worth the trouble to register it?

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I am a casual seller and I am also looking for the best ways to streamline postage/documentation - prepaid Registered Post envelopes sounds like the ideal product for flat content worth (in my case) $20 to $100. It has to be worth my while to even contemplate selling on ebay. Bulkier items I would be using ebay labels, adding extra cover where necessary. With cheaper items that are easily replaceable I could obviously 'risk it' (self insure) and use the cheapest letter method. Providing people bother to read the description they will be aware what type of postage method will be used. If they are not happy with that they can decline to bid/buy or contact me about personal pick up if I am willing to do that.

[chezzy]

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@bluebudgies wrote:
Yes, you can buy them over the counter for that price. I'm not even sure you can buy the pre-paid reg'd envelopes online.

These are terrific value and I'll be using a lot more of them once my prepaid stickers run out!

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The link includes 'add to cart' and covers delivery (free) so certainly looks like it, here is the link again:

http://shop.auspost.com.au/product/registered-post-b4-prepaid-envelope-pack-of-10-0590192

[englishrosegardens]

chezzy, you'll be pleased to know that there's a bit more room for your address labels on the pre-paid lodgement receipts.  The forms are essentially the same as the other ones except it says registered post across the top so they don't need the three boxes just above the address for reg'd, express platinum and signature item prepaid through c&s.  The space is about 3x13cm.

[saarzi]

Excluding the envelopes that auspost gives you for free when you buy them as prepaid (never seen that myself but some else said this I think)....

ALL envelopes, tough bags and satchels are cheaper to buy online (not from Auspost).

I buy large letter size and small letter size tough bags in lots of 100 or 200.... and they work out around 10 cents EACH cheaper than the Aus post bulk buy discounts, and they are exactly the same material / quality.

10-15 cents might not sound like much but it adds up quickly.

[harley_babes_hoard]

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@chezzy wrote:

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@curraone wrote:

from the Aust Post site the cheapest discount is if you buy 100 at a time - a big investment!!   which works out at $6.84 each

but that's $684.00 of envelopes.... eek.

You might be thinking of the box of registered labels 50 for $155.   = $3.10 each, but if you add postage at $3.50 it is $6.60

of course for the smaller 250g postage it would be $2.10 plus $3.10 = $5.20.

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I managed to get back to the site this morning, this is what I was thinking of:

Registered Post B4 prepaid envelopes (pack of 10)  $58.90

http://shop.auspost.com.au/product/registered-post-b4-prepaid-envelope-pack-of-10-0590192

Would that be an 'online only' price or would they be that price through a Post Office also?

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you might want to check the use for those envelopes. I'm pretty sure they are only for paper items. I remember sending one some time ago and they were very strict about those and express post envelopes being only for letters.

[chezzy]

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@harley_babes_hoard wrote:

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@chezzy wrote:

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@curraone wrote:

from the Aust Post site the cheapest discount is if you buy 100 at a time - a big investment!!   which works out at $6.84 each

but that's $684.00 of envelopes.... eek.

You might be thinking of the box of registered labels 50 for $155.   = $3.10 each, but if you add postage at $3.50 it is $6.60

of course for the smaller 250g postage it would be $2.10 plus $3.10 = $5.20.

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I managed to get back to the site this morning, this is what I was thinking of:

Registered Post B4 prepaid envelopes (pack of 10)  $58.90

http://shop.auspost.com.au/product/registered-post-b4-prepaid-envelope-pack-of-10-0590192

Would that be an 'online only' price or would they be that price through a Post Office also?

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you might want to check the use for those envelopes. I'm pretty sure they are only for paper items. I remember sending one some time ago and they were very strict about those and express post envelopes being only for letters.

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I will certainly be checking the 'fine print' on these envelopes but if you read the Key features of the product I linked to it says:

"For use when sending important documents or valuable items weighing less than 500g within Australia".  In any case I am wanting to post mostly 'paper items'. Having a look at a Registered Post envelope I have here (it is a few years old) it says nothing about contents having to be letters/documents/paper.

[saarzi]

Its the EXPRESS envelope that is for paper only.

You can read all basic postage rules in their letters product and services guide PDF (easier to google it directly than try to find on their website).