topic Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace? in Selling

Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

cathyjoyjoy — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 22:36:15 GMT

Is anyone aware if there is a "period of grace" after 4 January, where the old letter rates will be accepted without the recipient being charged for underpaid postage? In the past there has been an "unwritten period of grace", sometimes two weeks or a month.

This is the case where you drop a pre-stamped letter into a red post box. Of course once you approached the post office counter, the latest postage would be charged.

Happy New Year and thank you for all the very helpful "inside advice".

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

clarry100 — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 22:40:29 GMT

We intend to use up all our stocks of the 60-cents stamps before we go up the $1 ones.

That will possibly take a week or so.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

4myson2003 — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 22:50:54 GMT

Happy new year from au post. 70c to $1.00 is your present for today onwards. Stay tuned for more presents.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

cathyjoyjoy — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 22:56:12 GMT

Australia Post states that the price rise is from 4 January. So I'm assuming any standard letter dropped in a red post box with a 70c stamp, up to and including 3 January, would not be classed as underpaid. I'm trying to find out if there is a period of grace from 4 January onwards.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

dotm2004 — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 23:01:09 GMT

I seem to remember there was a 'period of grace' a few years ago when there was an increase? I can't remember for how long though - others may be more helpful 🙂

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

davewil1964 — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 23:04:03 GMT

At least you should get away with 4 Jan as they wouldn't know that you didn't drop it in the box after Sunday night clearance.

I wouldn't bet on it, though. They did give warning. If you are one of the 0.0001% who can navigate their site.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

cathyjoyjoy — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 23:08:00 GMT

Lol .... Good pick up ..... so from 5 January then?

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

4myson2003 — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 23:22:36 GMT

my local post office worker told me a few days ago the rise was officially as of 1st jan 2016 but since there are public holidays/ weekends in between its from tuesday 5th jan in reality if thats any help..

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

*tippy*toes* — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:22:41 GMT

@4myson2003 wrote:
my local post office worker told me a few days ago the rise was officially as of 1st jan 2016 but since there are public holidays/ weekends in between its from tuesday 5th jan in reality if thats any help..

My local PO has a sign up saying it's from the 4th. It's been up for over a month, so I have no excuse!

I think there would be some kind of grace period as they have to allow for letters already in the system. As a lot of the stamps on letters posted in the red box don't get cancelled when they go that way, there is no saying when they are posted. I used to just drop them all in the red box, but the last few months, if I'm posting parcels at the same time I hand them over the counter and they cancel them while I'm there. At least if the buyer can see the date stamp they know when it was posted. None of my Christmas cards I received this year had the stamps cancelled, so it's anyone's guess when they were posted.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

lyndal1838 — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 02:17:57 GMT

They usually allow a week to 10 days grace to allow for mail already in the system to be delivered.

Anything posted from the 4th onwards should have the correct postage on it.

A lot can depend on your local post office/sorting centre....in the past I have had mail delivered with an Underpaid notice but the postie did not bother to collect the money from me....nearly 2 weeks after the official price rise.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

dylan11235813 — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 02:51:08 GMT

who wants to place a bet that they don't update the postage calculator. They have not even updated the post about the price change which was released before it was even approved. Bonuses all round.....

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

misterforgetfulsbooks — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 03:25:03 GMT

We bought a few hundred pre-paid envelopes as they will be able top be used after Jan. 4

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

heihachi_73 — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 19:18:10 GMT

Wonder if they will issue a bunch of 30c stamps so we can make use of the remaining 70c ones.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

daydreams_12 — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 19:47:20 GMT

yes, just hope we dont have to use a million 10c stamps to make it up.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

casbit33 — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 23:53:55 GMT

I don't think there will be much period of grace. In the past the price rise was only 5 or 10c so they could easily wave a week or so.

Now to get the same postal time we pay $1.50, thats a massive jump of 80c or 30c if we don't mind our items taking up to 2 days longer to arrive. I don't think they will let many cheap ones through now.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

*tippy*toes* — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 01:57:17 GMT

Dagnabit. I meant to ask them when I was at the PO this morning. Teach me to have a million things on my mind. They weren't busy either, so would have had plenty of time to discuss it without holding up other customers.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

theforcemedia — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 09:44:44 GMT

I just went in to buy 30c stamps because I still have a bunch of 70c stamps. They told me that I can post my letters in the Street Box with 70c for the next 2 weeks. Don't know if that's the same for all Post Offices, but I would assume it is.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

harley_babes_hoard — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 11:29:03 GMT

I was told that anything posted from today on would be the new price,(i had to buy a heap of 30cent stamps) they were only going to let through letters posted in the red box before today. So don't be surprised if they are not delivered or you get hit up for extra postage.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

mitbri — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 12:00:10 GMT

Yes, same for me.

I went to the post office and asked the manager. He confirmed that the new price of $1 is from today the 4.1.16.

So I had to buy a whole bunch of 30 cent stamps to put with my 70cent stamps.

Re: Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

lyndal1838 — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 12:35:32 GMT

@theforcemedia wrote:
I just went in to buy 30c stamps because I still have a bunch of 70c stamps. They told me that I can post my letters in the Street Box with 70c for the next 2 weeks. Don't know if that's the same for all Post Offices, but I would assume it is.

I very much doubt that information.

In the past there has only been a period of a week to 10 days grace to allow for mail posted before the increase to be delivered.