UK booksellers and Australia Post

[australianoldbooks]

I had a look at a book I was about to list called "Literary Houses"  by Rosalind Ashe ,  its a heavy book over 500gms , a UK bookseller can list this book for under $8 and postage to Australia is $2.99???  Is the bookseller making a loss or has A/Post gone mad!         It would cost me over $11.00 to post next door!  What is going on , does any one have any answers?   

[twyngwyn]

Have alook at this thread

http://community.ebay.com.au/topic/Sports-Books-Movies/Kill-Au-Used/600152205

[australianoldbooks]

Thanks - its very hard to believe.  Why would A/P do that?

[twyngwyn]

http://auspost.com.au/about-us/australia-post-increases-profit.html

[straybooksoz]

AP don't really get a choice. What they are paid for delivering parcels once they hit our shores is determined by the UPU. I believe it's 60c. Given they pay contractors $1 (I think) per delivery, they are already behind the 8 ball.

My understanding is that WoBA amortise their postage. They overcharge for light books and undercharge for heavy ones. I can beat them on thin books and still make some money.

Their prices are  also significantly more than their parent for the same (presumably) book, so have a bit of fat built in.

[dazzledayz]

The way UK Royal mail works is to apply an average weight to bulk shipments. I got a hold of their calculator which is downloadable from their website (very helpful actually unlike our Aus Post rubbish site). WoB would be paying about 1 pound per book and the weight of each bulk consignment is averaged so if they mix lots of lightweights in with a few heavies they get a great deal.

I also had a look at the UK Mail annual report for 2012 and they made an overall profit margin of 0.7% and this includes an annual govt subsidy of over Au $300 million!

They actually run at a loss with govt support.

This is why we get hammered by the UK sellers! Their govt subsidises a cheap postal rate and they take full advantage.

Add to that the fact that eBay allow them to register as Australian sellers via a local office so they can appear in the Australian local listings and the result is not too flash for the locals.

What to do though?