Shipping on Books

[bussogirl2007]

Hi everyone!

I started selling on ebay in Feb as a way to save for a holiday. I mainly sell books, magazines and clothing. I have a question re posting books. I generally do free postage and build it into the cost of the book. Yesterday I sold a Thermomix cookbook. It wouldn't fit in the small satchel so I bubble wrapped it and packaged it in a plain wrapping and took it to the post office. I was charged for a medium satchel rate. I thought that I might be able to get away with the 9.95 small postage rate. Is it because of the shape of the book? Does anyone have any tips on posting books? I love selling cookbooks but man....the postage! 

[padi*0409]

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@bussogirl2007 wrote:

I thought that I might be able to get away with the 9.95 small postage rate. Is it because of the shape of the book?

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If it won't fit in a small satchel, logic says you need a larger satchel........

[jellybirddesigns]

I use plain white satchels which you can get in different sizes. 

At the counter it goes purely by weight, not the size of the satchel. I often send items in the largest size for the same $9.70 postage rate.

Having said that, it is always better to figure out what is needed for different sized item before you list. I've sold books in the past and whilst some of them LOOK as though they will fit in a small satchel, they are sometimes just a centimetre too wide to do so. 

For the magazines, you could look at B4 sized envelopes (I get mine from Officeworks) as they are a larger size than A4 and work well for those items. Take a magazine  to a store and see if will fit - those you can usually post for $2-3, depending on weight.

[eol-products]

Aust Post satchels have 4 sizes but all are up to 5kg max weight. If you use your own packing it goes by weight for 500gram and 1kg. After that it is which ever is greater weight or size.

[grevilleas4me]

Magazines are deceiving because they are sometimes a lot heavier than they look.

However, as stated above - you can usually send them in large A4 envelopes and pay letter rates.   An example would be your Vanity Fair magazines which you  have a postage of $9.90 - I should think that you could get the better letter rate.

SMALL DL letter up to 250g       $1.10

Large up to 125g                       $2.20

Large up to 250g                       $3.30

Large up to 500g                       $5.50

[bussogirl2007]

Hi there

Thanks for your help. The reason I do those at 9

95 is for the tracking but I suppose untracked would be fine for those really.

[eol-products]

For letters over 250gram you are better to use a tracked letter at $6.15 or $60 for 10 as it covers you for delivery issues and comes with a free envelope which can cost 50cents if you go for untracked.

[hensnightfun]

If the book/item is under 500g it can go as a parcel in your own packaging. I sell items that dont fit is small satchel but go as parcel as under 500g  Unless the are big boxes There is a limit in size but with what you seem to sell parcel 500g  and there is parcel 1kg