Express Post

[magpie_lark]

Hi, I buy a lot of items that need to be sent by express post because I live in a regional part of Australia - otherwise the item can take weeks. More often that not, when I find an item I want, I look at the postage details section to see if they offer express post - probably 1% offer this information. Therefore I have to write to the seller to ask the cost - this can take two days before receiving a reply. I think it would be a good idea for sellers to offer the other postage rates to avoid this. Conversely, I have written to some who say that they ONLY use couriers and not Australia Post and therefore they cannot ever offer express post. Wouldn't it be nice if such sellers could clearly state this somewhere in their listings, you know ... just to be a little helpful!? It would save a lot of time for the buyers and sellers. I would welcome others thoughts on this.

[magpie_lark]

Hi, as a buyer, I am really encouraged by the response (thanks everyone) and it would seem some sellers have learned something too, ie you can get the express label OTC at AP and still get the protection. I have learnt over time that if the postage just says "See other details", it means they offer standard post (that means I have to write to the seller to ask about express, and, more often than not, I am quoted a price, so why not include it in the first place?). If it says "See more services", it usually offers express as an option - oh, so much easier.  I will reply to ***super_nova***'s  response as a separate posting.  Thanks again all.

[magpie_lark]

Hi, thanks for your response. To your comment about whether express post would make such a difference ..... well, it does make a huge difference and here is the reason. I live on Norfolk Island, which has a NSW 2899 AP sorting code. If mail is not sent by express, it goes by boat, plain and simple, and that can take 6 weeks. Express Post will be here within a week and it does not cost more. So please don't tell me it doesn't make a difference - it does - and the information the seller offers regarding the postage does make the difference as to whether or not I buy from them. It is amazing how many sellers (offering free postage) I have contacted for express rates that say they don't use AP, only courier. I just thought it might be helpful to buyers to see that. Clearly, where I live, courier is not an option.  Thanks again for your interest in my question.

[2106greencat]

I use a courier a lot as many of my items are in boxes and quite frankly the weight and size (with AP) would cost a fortune especially sending to WA, TAS etc. I would, and have happily accommodated a buyer, but most step back once I explain that the size of the xxxxxx and weight will cost $55.89 from Qld to WA (as an example) If they are happy to pay, I add insurance and tracking on the item myself. You can imagine how many buyers have accepted my offer to post. I understand where you are coming from, but for me there is really no point in offering a service I am quite sure no body will want to pay for.

For any smaller items, more than happy to send Express so long as I can do it safely.

Just a thought - do you have family or friends on the mainland. Perhaps you could get items sent to them and then arrange them to send to you Express. Six weeks is long time to wait especially when you only have 45 days to open an INR claim

[digital*ghost]

more often than not, I am quoted a price, so why not include it in the first place?). If it says "See more services", it usually offers express as an option - oh, so much easier. 

I can't answer for anyone else, but I can answer for myself - because it wouldn't be easier for me, and could ultimately mean not being able to meet customer expectations post-sale. I can post every day with normal post. Express post currently takes more planning, some of it forward planning, and I don't always have the opportunity or capacity to make it happen in a timely manner (as befitting an express service). 

If people message and ask, I can tell them straight up - yes, I can post express today, or no sorry, I can't do it for another two days, then they can decide if they're willing to go ahead.

Some of those issues will be resolved if/when express becomes part of the Click & Send service, but until then, it would be impractical for me to offer it as standard. 

[purple.cow]

Even though I'm in an area with no exceptional circumstance regarding deliveries I will often choose the express delivery service because I figure that the time saved in delivery is outweighed by the fact that whatever I've bought for resale purposes is money tied up for weeks on end in shipping time when I could already be making not only my investment back again, but a nice profit during that same time too.

At the end of the day it's those people who are buying those items from me who'll be paying a part share of the extra cost factors not me.  It often only works out to be a few cents difference to my end user in price.

Money tied up in stock in transit for too long is dead money as far as I'm concerned.

So I have to agree with Maggie that it makes things far easier and straighforward when things like express mail options choices are readly available without the need to spend another day or two in contacting the seller to ask.

Just like you Maggie, it's that option that'll make all the difference in if I buy anything at all from a given seller, especially if I can see it claerly stated there and then so I can close my deal with them, pay for the goods, and know they're on their way to me without further time wasting and messing around on my part.

Even when I mail the odd item or so to friends around the country I always go the express mail route if for no other reason than I know they'll have it quickly.

My other personal pet hate with sellers is when I write to them to ask what their best price is for a bulk lot of the same item and they send back a price quote, only to lower that price later when they have connacted me to ask why I'm not buying it from them and I tell them I got a better offer elsewhere.

If they had qouted that later price in the first place the chances are that I would have closed the deal with them in the first place.

My question of, "What is your best price for xxxx number of items in one hit?" means exactly that as far as I'm concerned, not "What price do you what to niggle with me over?"

[purple.cow]

It seems to me that the variation in answers to the Express mail option here tells us all which are the PROFESSIONAL sellers, and which ones are only in the game casually.

I don't know how other buyers feel but I want to know I'm dealing with a professional not a 'hit & miss outfit'.

[punch*drunk]

moorna, I'm not sure how this thread enables you to differentiate between proffesional (or not) sellers unless the criteria is that they have to offer whichever postal service you want.

When listing with free regular post like I do, the only way to add another service is to put a one price fits all in there. So for me to list most of my items with express as an option in checkout, I would have to grossly overcharge local buyers or grossly undercharge WA & NT buyers. Personally I dont want to do either, so if people want express, they need to contact me, simple as that.

Whether or not sellers are easily and quickly contactable would be a better measure of professionalism in my opinion.

I have posted to Norfolk Island fairly recently and I'm pretty sure click and send cant be used to post there. I was really surprised, I think my buyer wanted express post too, now I can understand why.

[digital*ghost]

Well...I don't know what the criteria being used to define "professional" is either, I just know that I am aware of current limitations and adjust my strategies to accommodate them, which in turn enables me to manage customer expectations efficiently. 

If that's unprofessional to some, then....meh. :8}

[purple.cow]

Well...I don't know what the criteria being used to define "professional" is either

My comment was based on what YOU stated in another of your OWN own replies here about when you might get to post the item, that day or a couple of days time.

[punch*drunk]

Well...I don't know what the criteria being used to define "professional" is either, I just know that I am aware of current limitations and adjust my strategies to accommodate them, which in turn enables me to manage customer expectations efficiently. 

If that's unprofessional to some, then....meh. :8}

lol, I agree.

I just did a lttle test with an item I sold this afternoon. $1.70 extra to express post locally, $20 extra to express post to WA.

If the items I sold were all nice neat little things that fitted in satchels, adding express would be an easy thing. I could only do it on the items I sell by losing the free post and listing with calculated postage, which would end up costing the majority of my buyers extra.