topic Re: High postage costs from America? in Buying

High postage costs from America?

samscollectables2002 — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:31:12 GMT

Can anybody tell me why postage is double what its used to be to purchase its from America???

Re: High postage costs from America?

foxette-in-sox — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:39:49 GMT

Their postage went up at the end of January or early February.

Re: High postage costs from America?

bookmanx500 — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 00:17:48 GMT

USPS lost 15.9 Billion $ last year, and is currently losing 25 MILLION 4 a day.

So they are reducing servuces and increasing prices.

Barrie

Re: High postage costs from America?

sprinklespowerpuff — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 01:54:42 GMT

Yes, as the Fox stated, USA postage went up just recently and quite a significant rise. I was buying just small collectables/ornaments but have had to curtail my buying since the rise as the cost now just for 1st class international is prohibitive for me. The items I usually buy are not worth the shipping cost. If you have friends in the States who can ship it to you after you've purchased and had the item sent to them to send on to you I believe it is a lot cheaper.

Re: High postage costs from America?

lyndal1838 — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 04:07:43 GMT

Not only have postage costs gone up but many sellers will only post using premium services such as Priority or Express International as they provide tracking/insurance that is acceptable to paypal in the event of a dispute. These services are at least double the cost of First Class postage.

I recently had the mind boggling experience of finding a sticker in the USA for $2.99. It would have gone in an ordinary envelope for maybe $1 postage but the seller wanted $64.00 for postage...and they did not give combined postage discounts.

Re: High postage costs from America?

sprinklespowerpuff — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 04:25:54 GMT

Yes, too right unfortunately, Lyndal. There are a lot more US sellers who will only post with Priority or Express now as you said. If the item is something I really like I will ask the seller if he/she would post 1st class international but even then sometimes the difference between the 2 shipping rates is negligible as was the case when I enquired about a tablecloth of all things. The difference between 1st class and Priority was something like 40 cents. Postage was going to be a minimum of about $36.00.

Re: High postage costs from America?

zanadoo_56 — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 07:57:57 GMT

I've seen several US items that in the past I would have bid on...but with some sellers only offering postage at $49....ouch! I'd have to be the only bidder (and with a low starting amount at that) to make it cost effective.

Re: High postage costs from America?

annies_fancy_dress — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 22:35:49 GMT

I guess that means Aussie sellers will now have a chance.

O/S buyers are often incredulous at how high Australian postage is.

It's hard to compete.

The U.S. seems to have caught up.

We can now wait for the U.K. to follow suit.

Re: High postage costs from America?

sprinklespowerpuff — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:29:58 GMT

From what I hear, Annie. The UK is upping their postage shortly too. If more Aussie sellers had the sort of things I like I would certainly buy in my own country in preference to OS but have found on many occasions the US in particular has more variety. Ebay used to be a great place with heaps of Aussie sellers who had quirky, unusual collectables - all sorts of eclectic thingies but that has changed markedly over the years. I'm sure others who have seen the changes over the last few years will know what I mean. Probably has something to do with Ebay's price rises etc. and all the items from China.

Re: High postage costs from America?

zanadoo_56 — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 07:22:53 GMT

I have thte same issues with availability. If I could find everything in Oz...great. Unfortunately the best place to find collectables from my childhood is the UK, and for my other main interest it's the US. Sometimes I'm lucky to get an item from an Oz seller but really, the range of items simply isn't here.

Re: High postage costs from America?

neetzy78 — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 12:35:51 GMT

I understand that postal services will keep upping their costs which sellers need to keep up with but hundreds of dollars for postage? I just went to buy an item that was under $100AU, and only 66.lb and 14.2 in H x 3.9 in L x 16.5 in W by their description yet the postage was $290 AU (from USA to Australia). Is that even possible?!

Re: High postage costs from America?

leader-of-the-band — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 12:46:12 GMT

. . . . and only 66.lb

30kg . . . . how was it to be sent? Priority, air, ship, express? 30kg is the same as a small child. Imagine the airfare for a small child? LOL

Re: High postage costs from America?

leader-of-the-band — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 12:51:28 GMT

before my button pushing stalker hits the 'report' button for my last post . . . . I AM NOT advocating that anyone buy a small child from the USA . . . . or any other country!

Re: High postage costs from America?

lyndal1838 — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:47:57 GMT

I understand that postal services will keep upping their costs which sellers need to keep up with but hundreds of dollars for postage? I just went to buy an item that was under $100AU, and only 66.lb and 14.2 in H x 3.9 in L x 16.5 in W by their description yet the postage was $290 AU (from USA to Australia). Is that even possible?!

Do you underststand the measurements and weight you have given. Australia Post would not even carry that parcel, so why are you surprised that it will cost a lot to send it through the USPS? A parcel weighing nearly 30kg is seriously heavy.

If you check on the USPS website you will see that it has to come with one of the priority services...they have a weight limit of 70lbs

Priority Mail International will charge US$327.00 if it is lodged at the PO ...a bit less if the seller uses on line posting.

To send a parcel of only 20kg FROM Australia would cost $417.55 by Express Courier and $350 by Express post.

Re: High postage costs from America?

***super_nova*** — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 21:12:15 GMT

Do you underststand the measurements and weight you have given. Australia Post would not even carry that parcel, so why are you surprised that it will cost a lot to send it through the USPS? A parcel weighing nearly 30kg is seriously heavy.

Somehow, I do not think this poster meant 66lb; maybe 6.6 or 0.66? There would not be many items 66lb to fit in that size box 🙂

Re: High postage costs from America?

neetzy78 — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:25:16 GMT

Really doesn't get my point across if I put the decimal point in the wrong place ?:|

I meant 6.6lb

Re: High postage costs from America?

tall_bearded — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:39:26 GMT

This is really a case of be careful for what you ask for because you may get it and not want it.

The difference between selling on the US and AU sites is, to protect yourself against items not received claims in the US a seller has to prove receipt, whereas here in Australia, all the seller has to prove is they sent it to the city or suburb in which the buyer resides.

The point, you can, as they did in the US create the situation where the goods are at the seller’s risk until such time as they are received, but if you do, you have no cause for complaint if seller’s protect themselves by insisting that delivery is vide a secure service which provided for proof of delivery, a service which is going to cost a lot more, an additional cost which the seller is going to passed on to the customer, because noting is free. Or, in the alternative you can take advantage of the lower cost associated with non receipted delivery, and where the seller is protected just as long as they can prove they sent it.

But what you can’t do is have the best bits of both. That is you can’t on the one hand expect for it to sent by the cheapest means, and then, when goes wrong, expect the seller to take responsibility for the adverse consequences of the decision you made.

Re: High postage costs from America?

leader-of-the-band — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:49:54 GMT

Really doesn't get my point across if I put the decimal point in the wrong place ?:|

I meant 6.6lb

ahhhh . . . . now it makes sense. Readers can now ignore my post #11.

And in reply to your post #10 . . . . . the seller must be quoting the postal option that gives him/her the maximum seller protection if they are saying it will cost $290 to post that item to here i.e. express, with signature, delivery confirmation card returned to them.

Re: High postage costs from America?

etower999 — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 07:25:13 GMT

Ha, you think the U.S has high postage...I'm looking at a helmet video camera for starting bid of $49....but the big kicker is the postage is $50 and it an Aussie seller..

Re: High postage costs from America?

lyndal1838 — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 11:26:45 GMT

Ha, you think the U.S has high postage...I'm looking at a helmet video camera for starting bid of $49....but the big kicker is the postage is $50 and it an Aussie seller..

Item cost and postage cost are not related in any way. Postage is based on the size and weight of the item, not the price of the item. In theory you could win something at 99cents and it would cost in excess of $6.00 to post it.