topic Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas in Selling

Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:23:27 GMT

Hi. Previously we listed an item for Pick up only. Despite making it clear in the description it

was for Pick up only we still got numerous enquiries for posting interstate including some

far distant remote areas. In the end it just got too much and we cancelled the listing.

Am thinking about relisting item and will allow people to enquire about postage. I would

like people to seek a quote from me before bidding BUT I would also like to include

the parcel weight/dimensions in the description so people can make their own

enquiries if they want to. And I would give a range of sample prices for certain destinations

'as a guide'. Am not familiar with calculated postage in the listings and would prefer to

just do it myself.

The box weighs around 2.2kg and measures 39 x 18 x 24cm. Doing a test with the Australia Post

calculator I am getting prices around $22 for Brisbane, $30 for Perth and $42 for Broome. Could

there be any places within Aust that go higher than that (posting from Melb suburbs)? This is

for regular parcel post with signature on delivery.

Can anybody give me some tips on reducing costs so I can make the item more appealing.?

I would be reusing some packaging and not adding a handling fee.

If I posted the item in a large tough bag would it still be cubed?

I am not sure how the click and send flat rate options work but am guessing mine wouldn't qualify for that?

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

bigbrickshop — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:33:58 GMT

Would your box fit in a 5kg satchel?

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:37:39 GMT

@sportandplay wrote:
Would your box fit in a 5kg satchel?

I haven't seen or used a 5kg satchel, are they oversized (ie bigger than the 3kg ones)? hmmm

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

curraone — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:40:27 GMT

is the box size negotiable?

the B4 box is 43 x 30.5 x 14 cm - if it fits in this box you can quote $18.40 to anywhere

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

curraone — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:41:55 GMT

the 5 kg satchel are Dimensions: 510 x 435mm

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:47:08 GMT

Item is double-boxed, I think the B4 would not offer enough protection or allow me to 'suspend' the inner box safely inside even though it may fit.... (B4 is the old BT right?)

I also think the 5kg satchel would be too squeezy

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

curraone — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:48:07 GMT

i think your box would be too high then?

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

bigbrickshop — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:49:38 GMT

I don't think it will fit. I just tried a box that we regularly use measuring 43x32x12 and it just fits neatly in the 5kg satchel.

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:53:56 GMT

@sportandplay wrote:
I don't think it will fit. I just tried a box that we regularly use measuring 43x32x12 and it just fits neatly in the 5kg satchel.

I just found a used 5kg satchel that someone must have sent me at some stage but has the ends cut off. It is too squeezy.

If anyone can confirm that the B4 is the 'old' BT am pretty sure I have an old one out in the shed. I will make the effort to

rummage and experiment if that is the case. I might be able to repackage item, it would sure keep things simpler if I can one

one of the flat rate/prepaid options!

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

curraone — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:54:45 GMT

yes it is the old BT - you can check against the measurements 43 x 30.5 x 4 cm

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

bigbrickshop — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:55:24 GMT

I often see items that are listed as pickup only but in the listing the seller has stated that post is available and given the box size, weight and postcode for buyers to check postage to their own postcode. You may miss potential buyers though who see pickup only and don't open the Description.

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 04:59:30 GMT

@sportandplay wrote:
I often see items that are listed as pickup only but in the listing the seller has stated that post is available and given the box size, weight and postcode for buyers to check postage to their own postcode. You may miss potential buyers though who see pickup only and don't open the Description.

Then perhaps this time round I won't select pick up only but rather put 'pick up available' in the heading

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

curraone — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:00:15 GMT

perhaps in the title e.g. TEDDY BEAR - WILL POST

or perhaps the OP is going to have the listing with postage

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:05:41 GMT

@curraone wrote:
perhaps in the title e.g. TEDDY BEAR - WILL POST

or perhaps the OP is going to have the listing with postage

Yes, I think I will have the listing with postage this time round and refer to pick up in the heading

or high up in the description or both!

I wish Aussie Post did a larger flat rate box, from memory the B4/BT is going to be too flat to offer ample protection

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

curraone — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:10:17 GMT

and if you already have an Australia Post Bt box, you can put your postage as $15.05 to anywhere

(using the ebay postage labels - no longer available on click and send)

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:18:37 GMT

@curraone wrote:
and if you already have an Australia Post Bt box, you can put your postage as $15.05 to anywhere

(using the ebay postage labels - no longer available on click and send)

Thanks for the info - looks like it is time to dig out any old BT boxes and use them for postage rather than storage.

You sure AP will still accept the old style - I take it the dimensions are the same?

Looks like I won't be able to reduce the costs for the item this topic is about, unless I can cleverly repackage it

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

curraone — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:22:20 GMT

when the new B4 boxes came out I rang click and send and asked them, because I had the BT boxes

and they said because they were the Australia Post boxes and the same size I could use them as the B4

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

curraone — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:27:08 GMT

also, if you decide you can't fit it in the B4 box - I would definitely use the calculated postage option - you have the measurements, you have the weight, I've never had any trouble with the calculated post answers, it has always been correct. That way your buyers will know at a glance what the postage will be.

Good luck - let us know if your item fits in the box!

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:29:49 GMT

@curraone wrote:
when the new B4 boxes came out I rang click and send and asked them, because I had the BT boxes

and they said because they were the Australia Post boxes and the same size I could use them as the B4

Thanks for that. Is ebay labels entirely seperate to click and send now, would I not process a parcel/item through

click and send now? (haven't had much experience with Click and Send anyway but processed my first item in a long time

through them yesterday)

Re: Reducing postage costs to remote or interstate areas

chezzy — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:34:29 GMT

@curraone wrote:
also, if you decide you can't fit it in the B4 box - I would definitely use the calculated postage option - you have the measurements, you have the weight, I've never had any trouble with the calculated post answers, it has always been correct. That way your buyers will know at a glance what the postage will be.

Good luck - let us know if your item fits in the box!

Hmmm...just found an old BM box (310mm x 225mm x 102mm). If I can safely fit my item into that box, then I could put it inside the BT box, still having the benefit of double-boxing!! Oh I wonder...