Why have Parcel Post Tracking Labels gone up so much, are there any options?

[waynomelb]

se Parcel Post Tracking Labels, they have doubled in price in 5 weeks, why have they gone up so much? Is it becasue they are busy? Are there any other options for tracked postage?

[davewil1964]

What tracking labels?

AP parcels are tracked by default. And the last price increase was in October last year.

Which means...

[digital*ghost]

If you're not talking about the labels pictured, then disregard the following post

Interesting.... The boxes of tracking labels that Australia Post gave out for free have indeed dramatically increased in price (well, the price always was dramatic to me, I wouldn't pay anything for a label AP gave away for free, lol).

Looking at the sold history, I can see older listings like 400 for less than $70, 1000 for $220 - one of the current listings is 400 for $205.

These labels are basically obsolete, though, because they are now pretty much unnecessary and were primarily being used either incorrectly or fraudulently. Perhaps that's why the price is more grossly inflated than ever - i.e. now they are "rare". 

[waynomelb]

Yes I am talking about them.

I only post Large Letters that cost me $2.20 to post. I then use one of those tracking labels so i know its tracked as i cannot get to post office due to work.

Do i have any other options?

[wide-world-of-stamps]

We generally post our items as untracked letters.

As far as we know, those labels aren't valid for letters, only parcels.

[digital*ghost]

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@waynomelb wrote:

Yes I am talking about them.

I only post Large Letters that cost me $2.20 to post. I then use one of those tracking labels so i know its tracked as i cannot get to post office due to work.

Do i have any other options?

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They were only ever meant to be put on qualifying parcels - sorry to say but people putting them on non-qualifying packages like letters is one of the reasons AP discontinued production, and a lot of posties would actually void them so they didn't work if they spotted them on a letter.

The best option for a tracked letter (IMO) is the pre-paid ones - A5 size is $4.46 per envelope and the A4 size is $5.36 if bought in packs of 50+ ($4.95 and $5.95 respectively if purchased as a single). They can be up to 2cm thick, weigh up to 500g, and include up to $100 compensation (with some exceptions), so are pretty good value all things considered, especially as they can be cheaper than a non-tracked 250g+ letter. 

The Aus Post shop has them on eBay, so if you ever get a good discount code and they qualify, it's a good option to purchase those. 

[waynomelb]

Well I send my goods in a padded bag and because they are very thin I get away with postage as a large letter. That’s what I meant to say.
I’m not willing to pay that much for postage as I would have to put prices up which would affect business.

[digital*ghost]

The vast majority of my packages go as large letters as well, so I understand the conflict between wanting tracking and wanting cheap postage options. The tracking labels were free because tracking is now included on parcels at no extra cost (it used to be a paid extra), but free (or included) tracking has never been an option for letters, it was only ever registered post, and now the tracked letters (which, unlike reg. post, don't require signature on delivery).

My pricing is set up so that I can upgrade orders to tracked myself if the value is high enough, which I've found to be a decent compromise between providing cheap postage and having that assurance. 

It's something to think about, especially as ebay is providing seller protection for INRs on tracked packages from October 1 until at least January, but will automatically refund buyers after 3 days if untracked.

https://sellercentre.ebay.com.au/SU20-2/Importance-of-Tracking

[waynomelb]

I want all my post to be tracked as I was getting too many complaints about not receiving items that it was costing me too much money.
There has to be another option that I could consider.
So will these tracking labels eventually run out? So I assume they are not making them any more?

[digital*ghost]

AP stopped making them a while ago. 

This is the choice every seller whose items can go as letters needs to make - cheap, untracked postage + (probably) higher sales but (potentially) more complaints and refunds; or more expensive postage with tracking + (potentially) fewer sales and (hopefully) fewer complaints and refunds.

Risk vs reward, which option will provide the most benefit overall.