Want to get rid of Australia Post, but any alternative carrier?

[love_station_au]

I have been with Australia Post since I frist sale on ebay. But the postage fees are increasing very 6 months. I am tried of this fee increasing and want to get rid of Australia Post. If any once know a alternative carrier please help!

[lozyginns]

I agree Australia Post prices are getting crazy. I usually check a couple of freight companies before I send the parcel to find the cheapest price. I use E-go & Smartsend and regularly find them cheaper than Australia Post. It's a freight booking company so they book it on your behalf with courier companies like Couriers Please etc. I have never had a problem with them.

[lyndal1838]

Temando is also a courier broker who will give you a choice of services to use.  You can get on line quotes from them.

[putney32]

just be aware that you cant send Courier to a PO Box address, and if your buyer is not home when the parcel is delivered, most courier companies will not try to redeliver, and the buyer may have to travel a LONG way to the Couriers depot (especially country buyers), during business hours just to collect their parcel from YOU.

which may, in some cases annoy them enough to leave you a neg. !!!

just saying~!

[lynnie3024]

I would not buy from a seller who uses a courier service....for the reasons putney32 has stated.

I do not drive and the nearest major courier depot is over 45klms from my home.

If I was not home and the parcel was taken to the depot I would have no way to collect it, if they did not try to redeliver,  as the depot is not on any public transport route and my daughter works so would not be able to pick it up during business hours.

Australia Post may be more expensive but my local Post Office is within walking distance so is not a hassle if I am not home and the delivery person leaves a card.

[***super_nova***]

I also avoid anything that would be sent with courier - for the above reasons.

[2106greencat]

If sellers do the research they will find couriers who will redeliver.

95% of my stuff is sent via courier, they leave a card with a phone number for the buyer to call and organise another delivery time. They will safe drop also if the buyer gives them permission to do so.

[lyndal1838]

I have just been caught for the 3rd time in a week by sellers who have listed with Regular Post but used a courier.

I have arranged one redelivery (and given the company an Authority to Leave) and I have 2 more cards to attend to now.  When the redelivery was done the driver did not even leave the parcel in the weatherproof container as arranged...it was a metre away on the ground and at the mercy of the weather.

But the thing that makes me really mad is that I have not been out of the house at all this week.

It is all very well for sellers to want to use cheaper services, but if the buyers do not want those services, maybe you should listen to your buyers.

But the most important thing is to make very sure that the buyer knows that you are using a courier....I for one will not buy from you.

[2106greencat]

I can understand those sentiments Lyndal, however some sellers have little option but using couriers.

Some of my items are too large for AP but the one's that are not (that will not fit in satchels etc and have to be cubed) are way too price restrictive.

One example - one of my items gives me a profit of $27.85 before sending anywhere.

AP - to post within my state $13.85 - $19.75 (after post, fee's, chgs etc - a sum total profit of between $9.85 and $3.25 -if I was lucky.

As for interstate I would be making between $6.85 and breaking even.

TAS< WA< NT - I lose money.

Simple math, and if I build it into the cost I can't compete with other sellers.

While it is far from all doom and gloom, I do okay, but buyers do not and never will realise just how post/freight costs hurt.

[lyndal1838]

If I was buying something that was too large for Australia Post I would be very happy to have the item delivered by a courier.  I am expecting something in the next few days that fits into that category.  The difference is...it is my choice to buy from a seller who makes it very clear that this is the way I will receive my items.

The parcel I have just received (after a phone call and an authority to leave being put in place) was 4 microfibre teatowels....hardly outside the scope of Australia Post.