Shame on you Australia Post - 30% Increase is completely unjustified!

[extremeshoppingonline]

Hi everyone

Not sure if you are aware or not, but Australia Post has just increased their postage charges by 30% and this will flow on to buyers & sellers alike. Whether you buy with ‘free postage’ or buy with postage as an additional expense, we can all expect to pay more.

What has really got up my nose is how Aust Post can justify the previous charge of $1 for ‘signature on delivery’ with an increase today of $2.95 for the same service! This charge is now being applied to the ClickandSend ebay/austpost satchels that many ebay sellers in Australia use.

We are already fighting a losing battle to remain competitive in the global market because of our extortionate postage costs within Australia and to post internationally.

Sadly to say, I feel we are going to see ‘free postage’ go by the wayside now. Because 90% of buyers are using Paypal, sellers need to show ‘proof of delivery’ in the event of a buyer opening a dispute in Paypal, claiming an item has not been received. So many parcels go missing, whether through theft, damage, fraud or abandonment and if the extra $2.95 for a signature on delivery is not taken up, then the seller will automatically have the case closed in the buyer’s favour. It is that simple. Registered Post is no longer. If you want Registered Post, it will cost $2.95 for the signature on Delivery plus $1.50 to cover than article up to the value of $100!

Anyway, if you want to read more, here are a couple of links. There is an online petition which has over 1000 signatures that you may like to add your name to. This petition now has media interest with a phone interview from Karen with ABC Radio the Sydney Morning Herald’s article and callers ringing into 2GB Radio in Sydney.

In closing, if I can say one thing… there is nothing that riles an aussie more than seeing fellow aussies kicked when they are already down 😞

Cheers

Evil Elle aka Ellen

https://www.change.org/petitions/australia-post-reconsider-the-parcel-price-increases

http://www.smh.com.au/business/postage-costs-soar-by-30-as-online-retail-booms-20130407-2hewv.html

[extremeshoppingonline]

Thanks Mr Glow. Very interesting indeed as many of us have posted our utter and complete anger at the price gouging on that very same page. I think I'll search for more information of the subject and have make another post 😉

Evil Elle ---> Australia Post makes the mistake of taking prisoners.....

[bdstratton]

HI guys

Its time to start voting with your feet.

Don't whinge about Australia Post's fees then keep using them.

Postage is so expensive now that you may as well use couriers.

I use Termando

For those who don't know it is a courier booking site that gives you a range of quotes from most of the main stream courier companies in Australia.

Sometimes it works out cheaper and they come to your door so that means no more queuing at the post office.

Just make sure you ask your buyers for their phone numbers because you will need it for the bookings.

[extremeshoppingonline]

Thanks Ladybug 🙂 

The name is Temando (typo) but I believe they are a fab alternative. Do you live in a city area, regional or rural Lady? The costs vary, from my understanding, depending on your location in Australia.

Evil Elle B-)

[aj111003]

"Because 90% of buyers are using Paypal, sellers need to show ‘proof of delivery’ in the event of a buyer opening a dispute in Paypal, claiming an item has not been received. So many parcels go missing, whether through theft, damage, fraud or abandonment and if the extra $2.95 for a signature on delivery is not taken up, then the seller will automatically have the case closed in the buyer’s favour."

Hi Elle, so a tracking number saying an item was delivered using the AP tracking tool and an over the counter lodgment receipt which indicates the postcode destination will no longer be enough for paypal?

[punch*drunk]

When did paypal change their terms to require proof of delivery, usually their terms for Australia only needed proof of postage. The tracking from click and send, regardless of whether it is scanned at delivery, should be enough and they recently amended them to accept a AP receipt showing the recipients postcode as proof of postage too.

[bdstratton]

Sorry it was a typo

Im based in Melbourne

[zenremix777]

I'm actually happy that the $6.95 regular <500g parcel includes tracking. It helps with getting better DSRs for communication and postage time, when added to a Free Postaage listing.

The previous cost for Sig on Del was $3.20. So, the extra $.35c for a regular <500g parcel, plus $2.95 for Sig comes to $3.30. Basically the same. Obviously there are changes that seem to affect sellers negatively but as a small seller sending mostly large letters (with the occasional <500g parcel), I'll just go with the flow and adjust prices accordingly.

[historicaonline]

Temando is a great site. You don't even have to use them. Currently I'm popping in all the people I'm sending to through C&S to see how it would compare.

Couriers Please closely followed by TNT seem to be the best running for my needs. It's not just a matter of price either. How many times have you been 50g over 500g? Suddenly the AusPost pricing shoots up through the roof! Most of these other Couriers start at 1kg, not 500g for the same price. That, in of itself, makes life easier. I also like the idea of booking a pickup time from home.

I'm not listing anymore posting stuff until I do some more research. But I may end up with a courier account in the end. 

[historicaonline]

I'm just going to add in a simple example - I was going to sell some curtains (still in the packs). The weight is about 4.5kg. They'll go into a 5kg satchel.

AusPost is now $16.70

Couriers Please Satchel comes in at $12.06 

Now, of course, this is a 3rd party site, but even the CP website has their 5kg satchel at $9.95 +GST for Mainland Metro. You have to pay extra for country.

It's such a lot of stuffing around. I'm off to investigate TNT and AaE satchels next.

[lemonstudiohomewares]

I totally agree with you extremeshopping. It is annoying to see these people posting ridiculous statements saying all ebay sellers are doing really well. where are these people living? under a rock? i have commented on the misery guts who said that we should all be happy with these price increases. dont they have anything better to do. Sign the petition people!